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Hi all, I'm tempted to have a go at a fell run, but have only done some trail running, would i be left for dead by everyone, or is there a very wide range of abilities in most races?
And does anyone know any good races in the North Yorkshire area?? Mike
Hi Mike, I'd say go for it-always a good mix of abilities present. Not sure about races in your area but someone will be along soon to guide you on that one.
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Originally Posted by mike1967
Seriously when I started I was carrying more timber than a lumberjack, smoke ravaged lungs and a pair of pins more suited to an oversized modelling catalogue. I didn't come last - came close once or twice mind! Have a go you won't regret it.
I always come near the back; I don't mind, someone has to!
Have a go, you'll enjoy it.
I did my first race last weekend - it was bloody fantastic! Didn't come last, as it happens, but that wasn't the point anyway.
Thats what its all about, just go for it. You will love it.
All the best
Thanks for the replies-was thinking i might be over the hill at 44!
I don't know about that. You're probably around the median age - if not below it...!:) Anyway, being "over the hill" is the whole idea, isn't it?Quote:
Originally Posted by mike1967
Not sure where you live, but joining a local club might be good. Always nice to have a bit of company, and if your experience is anything like mine was, the 'easy club social' will at first be a pretty good workout. I'm sure you won't be left behind - they're social runs, after all, not training sessions - and you'll come on leaps and bounds, find new routes, meet new people...
haha, the wit :o)
well i was suprised when i joined the local running club-lots around my age thank goodness...
Have a go mike and get over that hill, all the best:wink:Quote:
Originally Posted by mike1967
I think running with the sweepers is the way to go! Enjoy it and have a go. Nothing wrong with being last :thumbup:
Well said that Livi, last is first the other way round:thumbup:Quote:
Originally Posted by Livi
Enjoyment is the main thing:wink:
well, you'll have a couple of years on me and the best I usually manage is mid-field mediocracy.Quote:
Originally Posted by mike1967
Last fell race I was in 7 out of the top 10 were over 40 or 50 vet's,:o at 44 your in your prime, I think fell running is so much more about being out there enjoying the route rather than with road running were it is all about the clock.
ATB
Tahr
Mike, for races see North York Moors A.C. or Esk Valley Harriers or failing that New Marske harriers sites for North Yorks Mid-week and Winter Series. Realy nice, friendly runs, mixed abilities. Loads of prizes including 'spots'. All this and cheap to enter!! :)
I'd second that. Mind you that's assuming that mike1967 means the north york moors bit of north yorkshire when he mentioned races in the 'north yorkshire area'. My bit of north yorkshire is even better ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by that_fjell_guy
Coming last in a race is also first compared to everyone who doesn't enter!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Tahr
Go for it Mike! I ran my first fell race unintentionally, a running friend invited me to do The Three Tops (North York Moors race part of Esk Valley Series) and I forgot to ask what kind of race it was (there was a clue in the name:o ). Only did road and cross country at the time and I ran it in road shoes but totally loved it. I now rarely do any other kind of race. There is a wide range of abilities in the Esk Valley Series and, in my opinion, they would be a good place to start as they are testing but not as 'hardcore' as some fell races. There's some good ones round the Dales too. Have a look at the BOFRA site and also check out the summer galas and shows.
Also, to echo what others have said, you are only just reaching your prime for fell running. There's lots of gnarly older guys in the fell races and I was really pleased to note that out of the top 5 women in the esk valley winter series, 4 of us were in the V40 category.:thumbup:
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Originally Posted by mike1967
Well said! :D
Quote:
Originally Posted by cyclops
Go for it.
You'll find yourself locked in a battle to claim 323rd place with a crowd of people with very similiar abilities to your own, it's very exciting!
When you're in, you can turn around an applaud all those coming into the tunnel behind you, there will be several more mad sprints for the line as everyone tries to out do each other. The atmosphere and cameraderie is great.
I'd say go for it as well. I think it's fair to say the people at the back get a lot of admiration, certainly from me. I imagine it can be lonely out there sometimes. Hats off to them!
All the best.
I was last in one race and the organiser had decided that the last person probably had the hardest race of all and would be given a prize - and a jolly nice bottle of vino it was too!Quote:
Originally Posted by Joester
Go for it Mike, its a great feeling when you finish.
I always think that the last person to finish has often worked as hard as the winners. :thumbup:As said there is camaraderie in fell running that is not as strong in road running. To run in a fell race you are a winner just by getting to the start. :wink:Quote:
Originally Posted by wormstone
ATB
Tahr
I'm not so comfortable with the amount of competition that's building for last place here. It's really my place but Amex does keep trying to steal it from me ;-)
Plodding Bear you have no chance - it's my place in our club results - hands off!!
BTW If you're over the hill at 44 The Husband must be nearly ready for the retirement home .... I'll go book him in ;)
I tried so hard for last place at the Burbage Skyline but there were others (not many) that wanted it more. I'm sure as we hit Higger Tor they were catching me up and hid behind a boulder till I got a good gap on them. I also found to my utter dismay that my new fell shoes meant I was not like bambi on ice and actually managed to overtake 2 people on the downhill :-(. I getting worried now as reading this thread I now see I have more competition than the sweeper :-/
So a message to all newbies .... Go for it, have fun, run really fast xx
No-I was meaning the Yorkshire Dales bit of Yorkshire;) I'm just on the edge of it-live outside Richmond. Think there's one at Levisham next wed eve that I'll have a go at!
There don't seem to be many fell races in the lower Wendsleydale end of the Dales - there are some excellent LDWA events mind, the Wendsleydale Wedge, which is later in the year, and the Wendsleydale Wander, which has just gone I think. I'm not sure about Swaledale to be honest as I never seem to venture that way. Most of the Dales based races are in the south and south west corners - the Pen y Ghent fell race from Horton, Ingleborough from Ingleton, Whernside from Dent, Great Whernside from Kettlewell, Settle Hills from Settle, Buckden Pike, the Wharefedale Off Road marathon etc etc as well as a whole lorry load of short and sharp BOFRA races. Many of the races are linked to local galas and shows so tend to be in the summer months.Quote:
Originally Posted by mike1967
That said who needs races to run in the hills. Get yourself to Hawes and just run up and down Great Shunner Fell :)
Mike 1967, join a club, you'll soon find other races and clubmates going, car sharing and all that. Running on your own is fine - even better with a dog - but I think if you're going to do some races, it's always nice if you know a few bods on the start line.
I'm intending to do a good few more later this year and next year, get a bit fitter, maybe even do all the club fell championship ones. I won't need to navigate either, I have a cunning plan.
(I'm going to follow that there Livi round!)
Excellent -we can do tandem Italy flags in the wrong direction!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by plodding bear
Well, maybe I'll have the map at Coniston...
Mike, go to Swaledale Outdoors in Reeth. Rich, the guy that owns it, does regular runs on Sunday mornings and goes over Fremington Edge and round that area. Its an area that I don;t know that well for running but it looks excellent with some good climbs (and descents). I called in there to pick up my OMM rucksack and he's a really friendly guy and very helpful. They even have two rooms at the shop dedicated to runners and cyclists with wall maps and information. This is the website of the shop but if you ring the number you get through to him as it seems to be a one-man operation. It should be handy for you if you are in Richmond.http://www.swaledaleoutdoors.co.uk/
He also has a facebook page where you can contact him directly about sunday runs: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Swale...h/403252822246
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Originally Posted by mike1967
Mike, you are a mere bairn at 44. Go for it mate...as long as being skinned by septuagenarians doesn't bother you, you'll have a terrific time.
the esk valley fell runners web site has the summer series fell race schedule on now, theres a stack of races just about every week from now,all the routes are marked and are about 10k, all of them are on a Wednesday and are generally well attended with a decent prize list, definitely a good starting point for newcomers, some good off road shoes will be needed though, it stays clarty on the moors in the summer.
Thanks for that smellyhelly.....
:)Noticed there was one at Levisham next week, might have a go at that if i can finish work early enough! it's a 90 min drive from my home.
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Originally Posted by smellyhelly
The maps yours, please take it! I managed to get lost on the CWR on Sunday too ... and I'd recced it!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by plodding bear
Not to worry, I've been lost on the Calderdale Way before, and I live on it:wink:Quote:
Originally Posted by Livi
At least you were out there doing it Livi, instead of sat here talking about it like me at the moment!
A friend once told me. There are two types of navigators, those that get lost and those that lie about getting lost:D
I fall into the getting lost category.
Everyone gets lost sometimes, it's to do with the lie of the land!