some advice for a new commer

Hello,

I have always thought of my self as active & fit. At 29 I have been going to the gym twice a week for years (lifting weights only though). I live in north Bolton at the foot of the west pennine moors. I accasionally run out and about (only about 3-4 miles of off track terrain). I'm around 5.10" and 12 stone. I also have a small family.

I have recently decided to try fell running & I'm half way through the "Feet above the clouds" book (which is fantastic so far). Anyway after taking my resting pulse rate its around 75-77 (WHICH HAS SCARED ME TO BE HONEST)Like I said I think of my self as fit. I've been fooling myself!!!

Now I'm determined to get fit and I cant think of a better way than to run my local fells. I have just joined the FRA and plan to enter a local (NW) race around Autumn time as this will give me the motivation & a goal to work towards.

I plan to get a little fitter and then join my local club the Darwin Dashers & then train with them.

My question is this:

Does this sound realistic?
can anyone recomend a good race as my first?

Also any advice would be hugly appreciated!

Thank you
Craig.

Welcome to the forum Craig :)

I wouldn't worry about your resting heart rate. There's a huge range across even 'fit' people and I think a degree of it is congenital anyway

Darwen Dashers have a series of races in the summer around Darwen Tower. A group of us from Keighley & Craven came over for Aggies Staircase last year and it was a good evening.

If I was you I wouldn't wait until the summer. Dave Woodhead's Bunny Runs on Penistone Hill start just before Easter. They're 3ml and very runnable. You should try one! ;)

Craig, don't pay too much attention to resting heart rate - you'll get people on here saying it's 32 but that's when they've just come out of a coma

'resting' heart rate - ie., day-to-day - of anything round 60-70 is totally normal - if you tested it when you woke up it would probably be nearer 50

you sound fit enough to me to get out there and do a race - go for a 5-7 miler or summat, you'll be fine

Hello Craig
I agree with the above comments.
Don't try to get "fell fit" and then join club or do race.Just jump in at the deep end and give it a go.Some great races in your area all year round.
Good luck

Hmmm...Thanks for the replies guys.

I ran around my local resoviour yesterday (it's around 3 1/2 mile) in 24mins (however theres only a few little accents "if you can even call them that").

I feel I should do a month or two to get a little confidence.

But I take your point I might aim for this Bunny run as my first then! how high does it get?

Thanks
Craig.

north Bolton - can't be far from Horwich and the harriers there then?

have you had a trot up any of winter hill / darwen tower / rivington pike?

Hi,

not been up the pike for years (& that wasnt running).

I live in a small village called Chapeltown in turton. I have run up cheetham moor behind where we live (not sure how high the accent is though) I believe its around 300m asl though.

sefton, good practice is any sort of cross-country I reckon: the thing I always notice on a proper fell run after doing most of my runs on trails down south is how sapping the terrain can be, whether it's mud or tussocks or rocks or just the uneveness of it. Psychologically as much as physically.

If you can slog it for 6 miles through muddy fields then chances are you'll be alright with a few hills chucked in.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nightingale

Don't try to get "fell fit" and then join club or do race.Just jump in at the deep end and give it a go.

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Welcome Craig.
I totally agree with nightingale, join a club sooner rather than later. If you wait until you think that you're fit enough to mix it then you'll miss some of the real advantages of being in a club i.e. the encouragement, advice and support that you get when you're new to fellrunning.

Don't assume that everybody turning out on a club night is going to be a superhuman speed machine. Most clubs a diverse group of beginners, the old, lazy, and two special categories "resting for next weekends biggun" and "coming back from injury":D I should know - they're the group I run with every club night.

Find a local club soon, make the call to get alongside them on a club night, and you'll find that you've got a friendly support group within the best sport in the world:cool:

See www.woodentops.org.uk for info, past results and photos to give you a feel of the races

fishbulb and NotOnUrHelly on here are both involved with Darwen Dashers and both top blokes ;):D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SEFTON

Hmmm...Thanks for the replies guys.

I ran around my local resoviour yesterday (it's around 3 1/2 mile) in 24mins (however theres only a few little accents "if you can even call them that").

I feel I should do a month or two to get a little confidence.

But I take your point I might aim for this Bunny run as my first then! how high does it get?

Thanks
Craig.

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Id certainly consider Horwich RMI club!

You sound like your in a perfect spot to head straight out and onto winter hill.
Great Hill isnt too far away either.


Isnt your HR partly to do with generics rather than just how fit you are?



Oh yeah...when i first started this old game...i found it bloody hard work, but....so does everyone.

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Originally Posted by Al Fowler

Isnt your HR partly to do with generics rather than just how fit you are?

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:D should that be Genetics Al?? :D

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Originally Posted by IanDarkpeak

:D should that be Genetics Al??

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:oWe get generic feedback at uni, does that help.:o:rolleyes:

Cheers guys, I did consider Horwich but I live only a few miles from Darwin.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Al Fowler

We get generic feedback at uni, does that help.:o:rolleyes:

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generally....:p:D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Al Fowler

:oWe get generic feedback at uni, does that help.:o:rolleyes:

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You mean things like 'You all need to learn more.'?

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Originally Posted by noel

You mean things like 'You all need to learn more.'?

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That is usually very similar to what thery say...you didnt mention this, you seem to have confused this and this, you are useless.:D

ah yes Horwich RMI it is, not Harriers sorry ...

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Originally Posted by ZootHornRollo

ah yes Horwich RMI it is, not Harriers sorry ...

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Its 'Horwich RMI Harriers', so you where almost correct!;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Al Fowler

Id certainly consider Horwich RMI club!

Oh yeah...when i first started this old game...i found it bloody hard work, but....so does everyone.

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Still do and always will!

the Rivington Pike race is on Easter Saturday - that would be a perfect first race to aim for methinks :)

Thanks guys!

I've been out only 4 times now. yesterday I did around 4-5 miles with a 300m peak. Apart from the climb I felt great! I felt in control and felt I could have ran quite a bit further (apart from my knees & calves).:mad:

I'm stunned that my fitness seems to have improved in such a short time.:confused:

prior to this run I was puffing & panting beyond control.

I was absolutely caked as some of the puddles on the moor peak were almost knee deep :D It was superb!

If you are not a member of a Club join one firstly.

Make sure you get into a good warm up & cool down programme.


progress slowly & enjoy your running.


Take days off, I advise runners to swim once a week.


Every 6 - 8 weeks depending on funds go for a good sports massage.



Drink plenty of water, plenty of fresh food in diet,


Dont run to late at night

I'm shortly going to join my local club.

could you point me in the right direction to find some good warm up / cool down programmes?

Thanks for the advice;):)

Craig

Go to www.sportsinjuryclinic.co.uk or .com type in warm up and cool downs for runners if you cant get go to my website www.albmaleaf.co.uk look under links on links page & you will find Sports injury clinic there if you need any advice feel free to phone me on 01229 480 422 after 8pm

Thankyou very much!;)

Good on you for getting out and running! I am from Bolton but now live in Accrington but still run in Bolton regularly was over there on Wed doing Entwistle and the Wayoh (V near you in Chapletown!) Is that the one you run round?

Good luck with it!

Hi mate,

Yeah more the Wayoh than Entwistle, but I've started to run onto the top of Cheetham/Turton moor to the stone circles and then back down to entwistle through to the Wayoh & back home.

I've been loving it!

I'm aiming to get dropped off at Rivington and then make my own way back over the moors. I think it's about 10 miles in total. Over Winter hill - through Belmont & Egerton and over Turton moor.

I have just recived my FRA membership and now have the race calender!

Bolton and that area is fab for off road running. Rivington is great as is Anglezarke and all over that way. Winter hill and the pike are all good too! lots of reservoirs to run round too - Jumbles is quite nice and i know there is a race coming up Muddy March Hare over Bolton way can't remember if it's 6 or 10k but thing that is near Moses gate? (I'll check!)

My tuppence worth is:

Join a local club - the competitive element and the sense of obligation to turn out will make you run when idleness would lead you to stay at home. There's hundreds of years worth of experience in a club.

Do long slow distance in your own time for enjoyment. You're in a lovely part of the country.

Remember that you will improve very quickly from a standing start but the rate of improvement will slow down as you get fitter. If you push too hard, you'll get injured. So rest is important too. Though rest can include a slow recovery run just to move the fluids round your body.

Enjoy it, don't turn it into a burden unless you think you can make a living from it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Brotherton Lad

My tuppence worth is:

Join a local club - the competitive element and the sense of obligation to turn out will make you run when idleness would lead you to stay at home. There's hundreds of years worth of experience in a club.

Do long slow distance in your own time for enjoyment. You're in a lovely part of the country.

Remember that you will improve very quickly from a standing start but the rate of improvement will slow down as you get fitter. If you push too hard, you'll get injured. So rest is important too. Though rest can include a slow recovery run just to move the fluids round your body.

Enjoy it, don't turn it into a burden unless you think you can make a living from it.

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Thanks! sounds like good advice ;):)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SEFTON

Thanks guys!

I've been out only 4 times now. yesterday I did around 4-5 miles with a 300m peak. Apart from the climb I felt great! I felt in control and felt I could have ran quite a bit further (apart from my knees & calves).:mad:

I'm stunned that my fitness seems to have improved in such a short time.:confused:

prior to this run I was puffing & panting beyond control.

I was absolutely caked as some of the puddles on the moor peak were almost knee deep :D It was superb!

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Sounds like you have caught the fell running bug.
Keep up the good work.

Dont forget to have fun;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sbrt

Sounds like you have caught the fell running bug.
Keep up the good work.

Dont forget to have fun;)

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Yep...my friends think I'm MAD!:confused:

Well I did my first race!

Rivington pike, I did it in 28.08:)

it wasnt much fun at the time but I'm on the look out for my next now.:eek:

ideally something under 5miles but not just a "up & down" race like Rivington

Anyone any suggestions?

Thanks
Craig.

Congratulations.

Take your pick:

http://www.fellrunner.org.uk/2010races.htm#apr