'First claim' rules

Running, for me, is something of an escape from committees and regulations, so I've probably paid less attention to the minutiae of rules than was their due.
I'd really appreciate some advice from those of you who have had the patience to engage with such matters.

I joined a local club twenty years ago. It was almost exclusively a road running club, and affiliated as such. As a result, when I started out on the fells about six years ago I also joined a fell running club which is UKA affiliated. (I'll leave the Fell Ponies out of this account, as it's already complicated enough!)

Over this time I've considered the first club to be my first claim on road, the second to be my first claim on the fells. I don't know if that was technically correct, but it seemed fair and reasonable and rarely led to any clashes of interest. I know quite a number of runners - forumites indeed - who are in a similar position, competing for different road and fell clubs according to the race.
However, over the last couple of years (and partly inspired by my own accounts of the splendours of fell running compared with the tarmac version) more and more of my fellow runners from the road club have started venturing onto the hills. As a result I'm increasingly finding myself running 'against' the first club I joined.
In terms of prizes and overall results this isn't likely to ever cause a problem....;). However, being a law-abiding citizen I do like to do things properly. What's the correct form here?

You just have to check with your first club and see if they are "Fell affiliated". Let me explain.

Some clubs eg. Clayton - are only affiliated for Road, Fell and Cross Country and so if a 1st Claim Clayton runner wants to do some track races "in a team" he can join a second club that is affiliated to the track. We have some athletes with us under such an arrangement from clubs such as Clayton, Skipton and Dashers who do not affiliate for track and field.

You need to check which discpilines your first club is affiliated for - you are then first claim for that club for all those disciplines.
Your second club will only cover you for those discipilines not covered by your first clo
ub, as long as you second club is affiliated.

Hope that helps.

WP.

NB. http://www.lancsaa.co.uk/Default_Fil...lebook2008.pdf may help.

Thanks WP. I know that my first club hasn't been 'fell affiliated' up to now, but I believe there was a move to consider changing this so I'll need to find out. If it does become fell affiliated, does that prevent me from ever running for my 'proper' fell club again?

To answer my own question: following your link, rule 409 (!!!) seems to indicate pretty clearly that that would be the case. :(
Let's hope the road-running bloc ont' committee vetoed the proposal to fell -affiliate...

It will in team events where UKA or First claim rules apply. FRA Rules also refer to UKa rules in regard to membership.

Our readings of the rules agree then WP. Thanks for your help in clarifying this.

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Originally Posted by Tussockface

To answer my own question: following your link, rule 409 (!!!) seems to indicate pretty clearly that that would be the case. :(
Let's hope the road-running bloc ont' committee vetoed the proposal to fell -affiliate...

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Set up an anti-fell lobby group. Tell them it's bad for their health or something!

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Originally Posted by southernsoftie

Set up an anti-fell lobby group.

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Mindreader! Now, how can I make the fells sound really unpleasant to roadies?



[Thinks............................................ ..............] I know! Tell 'em the truth!:D

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Originally Posted by Tussockface

Mindreader! Now, how can I make the fells sound really unpleasant to roadies?



[Thinks............................................ ..............] I know! Tell 'em the truth!:D

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A Convenient Truth: a Tussockface film coming to a village hall near you!!
:cool:

Tussockface,
Surely you can argue that your fell club is your first claim, and only run on the roads for your other club because your fell club doesn't compete off the fell.
I know other folk in your club do this and I really don't see any argument against it.

Honestly Duff, they were all done there. Question posed, question answered, everyone happy. Now you chime in with an additional response and we could be here for days yet.


I was in a similar position. My original club is not FRA affiliated so I was gonna leave and join one that was. The club secretary told me that I didnt need to leave though as I could compete on road and track for them and for my 'new' club on fell. Havent joined a fell club yet though, just enter races under FRA.

I don't think clubs are FRA affiliated - only individuals.

There are 6 athletic discpilines under UKA.

Track and Field
Cross Country
Road
Fell
Trail (I never see an event flagged under this banner"
Race Walking

Every UKA club ticks the boxes each year to say which of these they cater for.
Some are lazy and tick all the boxes, even though they do not really cater for that event leaving athletes "stuck".

All this club membership millarky kind of worries me; I was a member of Skipton AC but can't really claim to be any longer (I don't pay for a start) even though I still run with them on the odd training evening. If I lived a bit nearer Skipton I'd seriously think about joining wharfedale harriers (if they'd have me) because they are so fell focused and have so many training nights to pick and choose from but, as I don't, I will instead almost certainly start running again on Wednesday evenings with Settle Harriers (if they'll have me :)), especially as their off road training routes are all stunning. I'm of course also a 'member' of fell ponies and have proudly worn their vests in races, even though the bastard things can graze my nipples to a pulp.

If I then raced having 'joined' Settle, I'd obviously be keen to show allegience to vest and will smartly kick the ponies into touch; the emerald green colour of Settle vests I have to admit is far superior to the grimy yellow of Skipton or the washed out white with blue and some other colour stripes of wharfedale ;) and I'm assuming it isn't fashioned from millstone grit like the pony ones.

So I'll prostitute my 'services' to gain a trendy vest but Settle Harriers won't especially gain much from from my dodgy allegience in return, certainly not in any positional sense in races.

Isn't all this registration and affiliation daftly well over the top or is it me? Its not like running is really a team sport either is it?

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Originally Posted by bestathlete

Honestly Duff, they were all done there. Question posed, question answered, everyone happy. Now you chime in with an additional response and we could be here for days yet.

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Glad to be of service. When can we go back to folding numbers?

So taking this one step further:

If, someone was a member of a Fell only Club and they wanted to run in a road race (spits violently) should they enter as unattached and pay the extra levy?

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Originally Posted by Trog

So taking this one step further:

If, someone was a member of a Fell only Club and they wanted to run in a road race (spits violently) should they enter as unattached and pay the extra levy?

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Yes. However if you are a member of the FRA as well as a Fell only Club you can avoid paying the unattached levy in a road race by registering (no charge) with England Athletics through the FRA. See the Home Page of the FRA Website:

http://www.fellrunner.org.uk/

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Originally Posted by MargC

Yes. However if you are a member of the FRA as well as a Fell only Club you can avoid paying the unattached levy in a road race by registering (no charge) with England Athletics through the FRA. See the Home Page of the FRA Website:

http://www.fellrunner.org.uk/

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You may also be a member of an UKA Fell only (or non road) club.

Someone may correct me - but I think Bowland fit the bill. I recall that they are fell and XC - but the members will all be afiliated to England Athletics and therefore already be able to run in road races - attached - and for their club.

But Bowland recognises that they do not support Road Running, so any Bowland Runner would be able to join a second club if they wanted to take part in team road race events such as the 12 / 6 stage relays.

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Originally Posted by Stolly

All this club membership millarky kind of worries me; I was a member of Skipton AC but can't really claim to be any longer (I don't pay for a start) even though I still run with them on the odd training evening. If I lived a bit nearer Skipton I'd seriously think about joining wharfedale harriers (if they'd have me) because they are so fell focused and have so many training nights to pick and choose from but, as I don't, I will instead almost certainly start running again on Wednesday evenings with Settle Harriers (if they'll have me :)), especially as their off road training routes are all stunning. I'm of course also a 'member' of fell ponies and have proudly worn their vests in races, even though the bastard things can graze my nipples to a pulp.

If I then raced having 'joined' Settle, I'd obviously be keen to show allegience to vest and will smartly kick the ponies into touch; the emerald green colour of Settle vests I have to admit is far superior to the grimy yellow of Skipton or the washed out white with blue and some other colour stripes of wharfedale ;) and I'm assuming it isn't fashioned from millstone grit like the pony ones.

So I'll prostitute my 'services' to gain a trendy vest but Settle Harriers won't especially gain much from from my dodgy allegience in return, certainly not in any positional sense in races.

Isn't all this registration and affiliation daftly well over the top or is it me? Its not like running is really a team sport either is it?

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Stolly-you would be more than welcome at Settle Harriers-you are correct that our off road routes are stunning but cannot confirm/deny the nipple pulping as i always wear a tee-shirt under my trendy Settle vest! you would also be welcome to the Monday night session (mainly ladies but men welcome) and at juniors tuesday session we are glad of an extra pair of eyes-33 kids turned up this week in the rain and had a brill time!