Virtual Fell Running Championships

I realise this is a bit late, and not everyone's cup of tea (perhaps a debate about virtual fell races can take place elsewhere, though), but the Virtual Fell Running Championships are up and (ahem) running!

I've posted too late for entries into the short race (I'd assumed, this being the "Official" FRA Forum that there would have already been a post about it: it's all over the Facebook page), but the medium and long races are still open for entries. There have been some impressive times for the short race!

Full details here:
https://virtualrunningchamps.com/virtual-fell-champs/

There's been all sorts of virtual races, relays, etc, organised by many clubs, and EA, on the roads. Which many in my club have embraced.

Just doesn't appeal to me though. But the Virtual Fell Champs are a good thing if they keep people involved.

I saw that Kong Keswick are holding a series of "races" through the summer, similar to that maprun thing in Wales, and you must run within a certain set of dates.

I saw one road/trail race being advertised on Facebook, which had "no overtaking zones".... seriously what is the point of calling it a race!

The Fell Runners Association FB page has no mention of the Virtual championships.
The 'Fell Runners UK' page does. This page has nothing official to do with the FRA and is co-opted by all sorts. Some official FRA things get re-posted in there I imagine to reach a wider audience.

The Virtual championship is nothing to do with the FRA. It appears to be linked to Mountain Fuel/Inov8 and whilst there is a charity donation it looks mainly commercial and an advertising exercise - nothing particularly wrong with these given current stresses businesses are under, but not something the FRA should be promoting

Each to their own but I'm not fussed. I've done a few 'virtual challenges' (they seemed quite real at the time!) my club have put on, they were good hits out but the most fun around them was the whatsapp discussions as the results came in. Like being in the pub after a race. Well not quite.

I watched an interesting YouTube-based road relay, hosted by Birmingham Track Elite (would you believe... a group of elite track-based athletes who are at Uni in Birmingham).

3 teams, 4 legs of various distances from 400mtrs to 4km. The interesting bit was the 3 teams were all based in different locations (one in Birmingham area, one in the north-east, and one in South-Wales).

Yet the whole thing was seamlessly put together on a split screen, each team had a cyclist videoing, and it was like a real-time race.

Probably the most interesting one I've seen, but not something that could be easily put together by anyone...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ba-ba

The Fell Runners Association FB page has no mention of the Virtual championships.
The 'Fell Runners UK' page does. This page has nothing official to do with the FRA and is co-opted by all sorts. Some official FRA things get re-posted in there I imagine to reach a wider audience.

The Virtual championship is nothing to do with the FRA. It appears to be linked to Mountain Fuel/Inov8 and whilst there is a charity donation it looks mainly commercial and an advertising exercise - nothing particularly wrong with these given current stresses businesses are under, but not something the FRA should be promoting

Each to their own but I'm not fussed. I've done a few 'virtual challenges' (they seemed quite real at the time!) my club have put on, they were good hits out but the most fun around them was the whatsapp discussions as the results came in. Like being in the pub after a race. Well not quite.

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Also... race 3... 12miles 3000ft... that isn't a "long" race surely?!?! Perhaps in terms of S/M/L categories it might scrape over the line, but come on!!

Baabaa: I've clearly misunderstood the nature of these Championships.

Travs: they're "looking at" the medium and long races.

I posted here because I thought folk might be interested. It seems "virtual" is going to be the done thing for a while.....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Travs

Also... race 3... 12miles 3000ft... that isn't a "long" race surely?!?! Perhaps in terms of S/M/L categories it might scrape over the line, but come on!!

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If you measure 3 shires it just comes out under the 20km/12 mile mark. But the record time (1h45) definitely makes it a long, not a medium. Conversly, the MEdium Kentmere Horseshoe may come out slifghtly longer than 3 shires!
I quite like a few of these innacuracies the calendar throws up. And you wouldn't want someone showing up to 3 shires thinking it was 'only' a medium!

I've got something a bit longer and hillier planned for this weekend. Might submit that to the Internet championships.