some advice for a new commer

[SEFTON]

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.

[Derby Tup]

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!

[ZootHornRollo]

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

[nightingale]

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

[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.

[ZootHornRollo]

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?

[SEFTON]

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.

[ZootHornRollo]

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.

[tinyman]

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.

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" 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

[Derby Tup]

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

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.