The FRA and the Media

There is a piece by general sports journalist Andrew Baker in today' s Daily Telegraph (Weekend-Active) about fellrunning: Richard Askwith and FITC, Ben Nevis , BGR, the usual suspects,...apparently we are all driven by danger. Anyway there is an oblique reference to the Forum so it might be appropriate for an advance draft of the above article planned for the next Fellrunner to be posted here.

The FRA and the Media

The Fell Runners Association Committee has long held the view that people who really wish to spend time on the fells will find their way to them naturally and they will not need full colour articles in glossy, lifestyle magazines to alert them to the glories of the great outdoors. And those that do will probably need a 4x4 SUV to get there.

The FRA Committee further believes that those who wish to compete on the fells in races will find their way to the FRA, which manages fellracing in England on behalf of UK Athletics, and its Calendar. Despite the FRA choosing not to cooperate with those in the media, who have really identified a business opportunity to sell more magazines etc. but will veil this by claims to have the interests of fell running at heart and so wish to raise its profile, the FRA now has over 7000 members, around 1000 of who joined in the two years following the publication of Feet in theClouds.

That fell runners see their sport as inclusive and growing in popularity may prompt warm feelings but the growth in membership has a downside: accusations of damage to the environment (e.g. erosion, creation of new paths), restrictions by landowners who are wary of the increasing numbers taking part in races and a general overcrowding of people and vehicles at rural race venues.

All events have an infrastructural physical limit, even city marathons, and attempting to seek that quantitative limit in a sport where space and tranquillity and nature are some of the attractions is bizarre.

One of the virtues of fell running is that one can currently stand on the start line of a Championship race next to the greatest fellrunners of all time: but for how long if such races are limited to, say, 250 runners and the membership continues to rise to 8,000, 10,000, 12,000?

By its nature fell runners are guests on other people’s land as are other visitors with an equal right to be there and the right not to be overwhelmed by an avalanche of descending fell runners. Runners rely on the good will of the owners or guardians of the land : farmers, the National Trust, Water Utilities, who are not remunerated but largely allow access because of a shared common feeling for the countryside. But goodwill has its limits and when a landowner decides that,say, 100 runners running over his land is the limit that leaves at least some of the other 6900 FRA members with a sense of frustration that they cannot take part in their chosen event.

So to quote the late Mike Rose from when he was FRA General Secretary and whose words are still retained on the FRA website in the “How to Join” section:

The Environment
Fell running is perhaps unique amongst sports in that it does not seek to attract ever greater numbers of participants. The reason for this policy is that we have to balance our sporting interests with the impact on the environment. The sad fact is that the hills of Britain simply will not cope with ever increasing pounding of feet. Protecting the environment is one of our primary aims. We continually liaise with agencies and land owners over access and racing over environmentally sensitive areas. The Fell Runners Association will continue to protect your interests in these and many other matters.

And yet despite the FRA’s opposition to publicity the membership continues to grow in total and there is, of course, also a significant turnover as older members leave the sport-even fell runners die one day- to be replaced by young members: the sport is vibrant. Junior fell running particularly so.

Like many sports fell running can be dangerous but unlike most sports an injury to a fell runner is more likely to happen in the “middle of nowhere” than close to medical support.Despite the inherent risk of danger linked to running over difficult terrain in mountainous areas in remote locations in the foulest of weather, the sport has a good safety record. Helped by the strict safety requirements imposed by the FRA on race organisers in demanding that race competitors carry the safety equipment:map, compass, full wind/water proof gear, etc. that a runner might need, once will do, to save his life. But, most importantly, the sport is a safe one because of the good sense that fell runners develop over the years by learning to ensure their personal safety on the fells in different weather and over different terrain. Not quite the same learning curve as someone reading an article about fell running in a Sunday colour cookery-fashion-lifestyle comic and being inspired to set off up Scafell Pike in flip flops and a hat on a nice sunny day.

And, mindful of safety: FRA Officers have cooperated with the media where FRA views have been sought about safety on the fells.

As outdoor people, who care for the environment and respect the people who live and work in the areas where we enjoy ourselves, it would be perverse if the FRA were not to welcome more people getting out on to the hills.The FRA is not “pulling up the drawbridge". It welcomes newcomers who may arrive with a wide outdoor/orienteering/climbing/mountaineering background (and even the like of me who came from road marathons) and know how to look after themselves, know enough to take the proper clothing on to the hills and know how to get off the hill if the cloud comes down or the hail/snow starts so they do not have to bleat into a mobile phone for mountain rescue to save their spoiled day.

Not all publicity is bad publicity and an obscure, small fell race with barely enough entrants to break even might welcome some media attention, and who would oppose this? But on a larger scale whenever I am approached by the media promising to “raise the profile” of fell running my simple question is “I understand how you and your employer will profit from your proposal; but how will your article/ film/ podcast/TV programme/book benefit my sport?”

I have never received a satisfactory answer.

GB
(copyright reserved)

Can't argue with any of that Graham.

Ian.

wise words

couldn't've put it better myself ;)
especially the bit about "the good sense that fell runners develop over the years by learning to ensure their personal safety on the fells in different weather and over different terrain"

There's a space missing.

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The Environment
Fell running isperhaps

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I'd also question "National Trust" and "Water Utilities" being "landowners"... "Appointed Guardians" would possibly be better?

I'll get back to you on where "It welcomes newcomers"...

I've just read the article in The Telegraph and it's not very good.

First rule of the FRA, don't mention the FRA;)

http://youtu.be/agi8PUmlAKU

Makes sense to me.

Not quite the same learning curve as someone reading an article about fell running in a Sunday colour cookery-fashion-lifestyle comic and being inspired to set off up Scafell Pike in flip flops and a hat on a nice sunny day

It welcomes newcomers who may arrive with a wide outdoor/orienteering/climbing/mountaineering background and know how to look after themselves, know enough to take the proper clothing on to the hills and know how to get off the hill if the cloud comes down or the hail/snow starts so they do not have to bleat into a mobile phone for mountain rescue to save their spoiled day

The passages high-lighted in red do not seem to fit well with the measured tone of the rest of the draft

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Originally Posted by dominion

There's a space missing.



I'd also question "National Trust" and "Water Utilities" being "landowners"... "Appointed Guardians" would possibly be better?

I'll get back to you on where "It welcomes newcomers"...

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Thanks. "guardian" included. It is a draft!

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Originally Posted by Derby Tup

Not quite the same learning curve as someone reading an article about fell running in a Sunday colour cookery-fashion-lifestyle comic and being inspired to set off up Scafell Pike in flip flops and a hat on a nice sunny day

It welcomes newcomers who may arrive with a wide outdoor/orienteering/climbing/mountaineering background and know how to look after themselves, know enough to take the proper clothing on to the hills and know how to get off the hill if the cloud comes down or the hail/snow starts so they do not have to bleat into a mobile phone for mountain rescue to save their spoiled day

The passages high-lighted in red do not seem to fit well with the measured tone of the rest of the draft

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That also did occur to me. Should someone choose to set off up Scafell so foolishly attired, it would not be under the auspices of an FRA sanctioned race.

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Originally Posted by Derby Tup

Not quite the same learning curve as someone reading an article about fell running in a Sunday colour cookery-fashion-lifestyle comic and being inspired to set off up Scafell Pike in flip flops and a hat on a nice sunny day

It welcomes newcomers who may arrive with a wide outdoor/orienteering/climbing/mountaineering background and know how to look after themselves, know enough to take the proper clothing on to the hills and know how to get off the hill if the cloud comes down or the hail/snow starts so they do not have to bleat into a mobile phone for mountain rescue to save their spoiled day

The passages high-lighted in red do not seem to fit well with the measured tone of the rest of the draft

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I would agree DT - I wasn't a newcomer that arrived from the background described. I came from mainstream athletics - so am I an unwelcome arrival (don't answer :wink: ), but it is a draft and I'm sure Graham will take this on board and perhaps implement a tweak or two ;)

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Originally Posted by Witton Park

I would agree DT - I wasn't a newcomer that arrived from the background described. I came from mainstream athletics - so am I an unwelcome arrival (don't answer :wink: ), but it is a draft and I'm sure Graham will take this on board and perhaps implement a tweak or two ;)

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Yes OK.

I'll yield a point about road marathons but a background of running round a lozenge shaped track might be a pace or two too far for now!

Graham

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Originally Posted by Graham Breeze

[I]That fell runners see their sport as inclusive and growing in popularity may prompt warm feelings but the growth in membership has a downside: accusations of damage to the environment (e.g. erosion, creation of new paths), restrictions by landowners who are wary of the increasing numbers taking part in races and a general overcrowding of people and vehicles at rural race venues.

One of the virtues of fell running is that one can currently stand on the start line of a Championship race next to the greatest fellrunners of all time: but for how long if such races are limited to, say, 250 runners and the membership continues to rise to 8,000, 10,000, 12,000?

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Just a couple of things I'd like to add on these.

The accusations of damage to the environment - I am sure some of the longer in the tooth folks on here will be able to identify some evidence of this linked to fell running, but generally I think this would be a bit of a red herring and perhaps that is testament to the way the sport is run and the members within that sport who almost exclusively have a great love for countryside.
I went up to the PPP one year and walked/run it with Mrs WP who had never done it. We were around 7.5 hours. That day there must have been a few thousand charity walkers alone on the route - MacMillan I think it was. In addition there were the regular walkers. So the 1 race a year and few recces are the tip of the iceberg - although Stolly probably has his own personal trods :)

Although PPP is a high profile route and attracts much of this, we have to acknowledge that Wainwright, the Julie Bradbury TV programme, The Dales etc.. do a "great" job of promoting these areas and drawing in the masses.

In terms of Championships - there's been some debate about cut offs and standards for races. Whilst we have VETs embedded in the Open Championship races I think it will be difficult to restrict these races and I think it would be wrong to do so.

Maybe it just has to be accepted that these races have to be restricted to venues that can manage them, or we have to have separate Open Champs and VET champs.

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Originally Posted by Graham Breeze

Yes OK.

I'll yield a point about road marathons but a background of running round a lozenge shaped track might be a pace or two too far for now!

Graham

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Well perhaps you should talk to the FRA Coaching Guru Mr Woodward as I think the junior fell runners are (certainly should be) actively encouraged to excel in the art of track racing / training.
Look at recent FRA Junior Champs and you'll see plenty of evidence to support that.

I'm sure that also applies to the Seniors.

There do seem to be some "honey pot" races - the Three Peaks is one, the Auld Lang Syne is another. I've just had a look through the Woodentops' site and in the mid 1980s there were around 130 entrants, this rose to around 300 during the 1990s and peaked in 2008 with 562 since when the field has been capped to 400 (393 finishers this year). No doubt the entries would have continued to rise if the cap wasn't in place.

On the other hand you get a race like Weasdale which apart from the year it was a championship race probably doesn't get more than fifty entries yet it's a good runnable course.

I think Graham's piece is well judged - it's a hard thing to balance the needs to keep the sport going and not annoying those landowners or guardians on whom we depend. I think that the "guardian organisations" see fell races as organised and therefore something that they feel they must control - there's someone responsible for them; someone to charge; someone to exercise power over. As WP says, quite often the actual courses of many races are used throughout the year in far greater numbers by others who have just as much right to enjoy the countryside.

Out of the 7000 current FRA members, just how many are active? I wouldn't describe myself as a fell-racer any more, but I still have an interest and a passion for the sport.

I think that's a great article. Sock it to 'em. All seems to make perfect sense.

Reassuring to know someone with this attitude is at the helm.

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Originally Posted by Witton Park

I would agree DT - I wasn't a newcomer that arrived from the background described. I came from mainstream athletics - so am I an unwelcome arrival (don't answer :wink: ), but it is a draft and I'm sure Graham will take this on board and perhaps implement a tweak or two ;)

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I dont think many newcomers are an unwelcome arrival - but neither do I think many are likely to have 'arrived' with either of the attitudes or ideas that Graham has indicated because I think it helps if any article like this makes it clear that we have primary responsibility for our own safety regardless of what repsonsibilities organisers have or what rules the FRA sets. I can understand Grahams tone here, I used to share some of the frustration! I'm sure there are plenty of newcomers who have little idea about some aspects of our sport and who have some unrealistic expectations of what can or should be provided at events - thats fine, I dont think anybody should criticise them for that, we all started somewhere and if they like the sport then thats great, outside this forum and surprisingly often on it we seem to be a helpful and welcoming bunch. But for those who want a more organised approach, marked courses, no navigation, less personal responsibility, there are other running sports that are close but not fell running - trails, cross country etc and I think a lot of the perceived wariness we have of newcomers is because we fear that they will seek to make fell running more like some of these other sports because thats what they expect. I wouldn't enter a darts match and complain that the board was smaller and further away than I expected, and I'm sure the people who play darts wouldn't think much of me if I asked for it to be made bigger so it was easier to hit - I hope I would go off and learn to play darts. I think we are just a bit worried that an influx of people with false impressions of the sport would lead to demands for lower hills and better weather!

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Originally Posted by Derby Tup

Not quite the same learning curve as someone reading an article about fell running in a Sunday colour cookery-fashion-lifestyle comic and being inspired to set off up Scafell Pike in flip flops and a hat on a nice sunny day

It welcomes newcomers who may arrive with a wide outdoor/orienteering/climbing/mountaineering background and know how to look after themselves, know enough to take the proper clothing on to the hills and know how to get off the hill if the cloud comes down or the hail/snow starts so they do not have to bleat into a mobile phone for mountain rescue to save their spoiled day

The passages high-lighted in red do not seem to fit well with the measured tone of the rest of the draft

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Agreed.

I think he should change the bits in black to fit the acerbic tone of the red:)

Good idea! :)

A very well thought and and written piece!

There was a shocking article in the january issue of runners world. "the ten best mountains in britain to run up" no safety was mentioned, nothing about even telling somebody where you are going. No mention of kit requirements - which surprised me that they missed thf chance for a sponsored tie-in from a big brand.

And in the January edition...

I've always fancied attending the top of Ska Fell or similar in winter in a sports jacket, slacks and grey slip ons and asking directions to the nearest pub or chip shop. There is a lot of myth in this game; it's a safe caper compared with driving a car. (The missis of course would be in white stiletto slingbacks and a shawl)

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Originally Posted by Mark G

there are other running sports that are close but not fell running - trails, cross country etc and I think a lot of the perceived wariness we have of newcomers is because we fear that they will seek to make fell running more like some of these other sports because thats what they expect.

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spot on, that's exactly it

As if to prove the point about the sport being reliant on the goodwill of others, the Noon Stone race has been cancelled: http://todharriers.co.uk/noonstone.htm

Sad.

One side effect of this kind of thing is to drive the sport more underground. Not literally (!) but there are already a number of shady hush hush events going on.....

Always an interesting debate. I'm constantly amazed that fell running isn't *more* popular even with the current level of promotion/media profile/general awareness. Fun, cheap, friendly, low key, fairly accessible. You just turn up with the kit and some common sense (and some proper hill sense for tougher events). But I guess we're all used to being spoon fed so much more elsewhere in real life, and maybe common sense isn't as common as you'd think?

Shame if races are disappearing, road racing is also under threat. A number of local events have gone under recently because of 'traffic management' faff.

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Originally Posted by Mark G

I think a lot of the perceived wariness we have of newcomers is because we fear that they will seek to make fell running more like some of these other sports because thats what they expect.

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What, like change from imperial to metric for example?

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Originally Posted by L.F.F.

I think he should change the bits in black to fit the acerbic tone of the red:)

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Seconded - go with your gut, keep it controversial!

I think this is a great piece, especially the acknowledgement that those who enjoy racing/running in the hills will find their own way to fell running. No encouragement is needed. I applaud the philosophy of keeping the media at arms length and avoiding commerciality. Those things are anathema to our sport and one of the drivers of runners from other types of events to the more naturalistic feel of fell running.
And yes, a bit of acerbicity is quite alright. I'm sure most MR members would identify with plonkers 'bleating' into their mobiles....great imagery!

Thinking of changing my handle to 'ninja fellrunner'!

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Originally Posted by Fellhound

Sad.

One side effect of this kind of thing is to drive the sport more underground. Not literally (!) but there are already a number of shady hush hush events going on.....

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I dunno... a cross between fellrunning and caving... that might be a goer.
How long dyou give it before there is a "specific" shoe for such an activity?!

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Originally Posted by L.F.F.

I think that's a great article. Sock it to 'em. All seems to make perfect sense.

Reassuring to know someone with this attitude is at the helm.

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Yep, I agree too. Wholeheartedly.
Cheers Graham.

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Originally Posted by stevers

What, like change from imperial to metric for example?

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Much as us old codgers might moan about metrication I think most of us agree that ultimately it doesn't really change anything - I'm more worried about things like drinks/food stations, marked courses, higher entry fees to pay for 'goody' bags, organisers feeling obliged to drop to bad weather courses at a lower threshold because of the inexperience of some entrants (who they allow to enter because they want the entry fees) etc. I dont have anything against these kinds of events for those who want to do them but they dont necessarily fit with what most of us regard as fell running. At the moment most fell races are about running in the fells - whether or not you are up there with the best or plodding round somewhere in the pack. The organisers cover their costs in most cases, perhaps with a small surplus for the club or for charity, often a local one (eg donations from Jura to local causes). I think that if we are not careful there is a danger they will become (and some will argue that some already have become) commercial events with profit for the organiser being the prime motivator. Thats fine for some other events, triathlons, trail races perhaps (and a series of these is in our calendar) but its not fell running as we know it.

Not the FRA but IMRA - a report from the Irish Times covering the Irish Championship race up the highest mountain in Ireland. Well probably just as much a bit of information about hill running as well.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...317685432.html

I know it's a draft but I think Graham's piece is a very well-balanced piece of writing and sets out all the key issues.

Fellrunning needs to be welcoming to newbies but it doesn't need to shout from the rooftops, so wariness of the media is a good thing. I just feel a huge sense of gratitude in being able to 'take part'. For me, one of the most reassuring aspects of the sport is the emphasis on personal responsibility - yes you need to abide by the FRA rules but ultimately it's YOU that has to assess the weather and conditions before going out, make sure you've got the right kit, judge your own fitness level, be alert to any impending injury, choose which line of route to take on a course, and even where to place your next footfall. This is freedom! We don't get quite so much of this in our day-to-day lives...

Spot on Erich.

Does it grow in Wales? Fell running in Wales, outside of the short races, doesn't seem to be overly healthy, barely sustainable seems more accurate..
I don't think its the odd race, its the inverse the odd race does OK (short evening races seem to be as popular as any), but the longs and many should be (Foel Fras, Hebog, Carneddau, Garn, Peris etc) classics struggle for numbers and quality..

This year their struggling to field a welsh female team by all accounts...

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Originally Posted by IainR

Does it grow in Wales? Fell running in Wales, outside of the short races, doesn't seem to be overly healthy, barely sustainable seems more accurate..
I don't think its the odd race, its the inverse the odd race does OK (short evening races seem to be as popular as any), but the longs and many should be (Foel Fras, Hebog, Carneddau, Garn, Peris etc) classics struggle for numbers and quality..

This year their struggling to field a welsh female team by all accounts...

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Perhaps this is linked in to the debate over the Inters Iain.

I think the issue in some counties and nations is that if the top few aren't available then why bother. My position would be that it is important to have a team in there to support the event or the event might not be there when you have a team with a medal opportunity.

So if you have to go down the pecking order a little, just do it.

Iain, Is it just a case of the small population. In Ireland (with a bigger population than wales) outside of the summer Leinster League that gets 150 odd per race - 40 runners would be a pretty typical turnout. It is the norm over there and they just accept it.

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Originally Posted by Witton Park

Perhaps this is linked in to the debate over the Inters Iain.

I think the issue in some counties and nations is that if the top few aren't available then why bother. My position would be that it is important to have a team in there to support the event or the event might not be there when you have a team with a medal opportunity.

So if you have to go down the pecking order a little, just do it.

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I think it may be time for the GB approach.. be selective..

If that means some years not sending a full team so be it. You need to be realistic, Wales is a small country so we can't expect to be automatic medal contenders but we should at least be in the main field, we've done that in the 100k team and I think it made the team raise their game as they realised they were no longer automatically selected..

I do sort of agree we should always field a team, but you don't want to give away vests cheaply.. we'll could have and probably still will have one the strongest blokes team for the best part of a decade this year, so its hardly unhealthy on that side. In the 100k we had people turning up not in shape to run, it makes it a bit of a joke IMO.. international should be elite, or as close to as reasonably possible..