For anyone new to fantasy fellrunning: welcome to the armchair runner's competition. Select 4 runners from the lists I'm about to post - with at least one man and one woman, and a total value of no more than 14 pints (its 15 pints for some of last year's more successful managers who are in the top league.) They will score points for you throughout the year while you can sit back with a glass of something and put in no training whatsoever.
For the old hands: rules are the same as last year, to keep things simple for me...
You're in the Shoulder of Mutton surrounded by fellow runners. You've remembered that you need to get together a team of four runners for the 2020 championships. At least one has to be a man and one a woman.
You turn out your pockets and you've got enough cash for a few pints of Black Sheep, with which to bribe your way to a team. Some runners take several pints before they can be persuaded to join your team, others are yours for a single swift pint.
This year there are 2 leagues:
The "Wasdale league" comprises teams from the top managers of last year:
anthonykay, ba-ba, BarryRoubaix, Daletownrunner, dangilbert, fellgazelle, inspector gadget, Lova, mapper, millipede, Mrs Weetabix Power, noel, RaceTheSweeper, Sam W, So Wood, Spud, Stabbsy, The Elk, TheDarkSide, TheHell I will, Travs, ultralazyrunner
The Wasdale teams each have 15 pints with which to select a team.
The "Tough Mudder league" comprises teams from the remaining managers from last year, plus any new managers:
Also Ran, biaraV2, BillJ, DinoF, Dr Bob, Jelly Dealz, joelaw, John Raho, JonP, Llani Boy, loudsmallrunner, mr brightside, Stagger, TurboTom, Weetabix Power
The TM teams each have 14 pints with which to select a team.
From the date that you select them, your runners score points at every race in the English or British championships:
1 point just for finishing the race;
20 points for the 1st man, down to 1 point for the 20th man;
20 points for the 1st woman, down to 1 point for the 20th woman.
In addition, your runners score points at the Lakeland Classics. These don't score as many points as the national championships, though:
1 point just for finishing the race;
10 points for the 1st man, down to 1 point for the 10th man;
10 points for the 1st woman, down to 1 point for the 10th woman;
During the year you can make two substitutions.
Anyone who puts in a team late (i.e. after the first championship race) will only be allowed one substitution during the year, and will not score points for races that have already happened.
There will also be a cup-style knockout competition for all teams, starting later in the year.
At the end of the year there will be promotion and demotion between the leagues - the number going up or down will depend on the number of teams.
The overall winner and the cup winner will win free entry to the Castle Carr race for next year (something that no-one has yet taken me up on!)
The first race is Ras Yr Aran on 14th March. So post your team of four to this thread, with a team name.
My next two posts will list the runners in the pub and how many pints they'll cost you.