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Thread: Team selection

  1. #1
    Master Travs's Avatar
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    Team selection

    Was reading an old Fellrunner mag yesterday, and the contentious issue of international selection came up. The main back-and-forth of the argument appeared to be the selection of runners who may not necessarily dedicate themselves to the English/British champs, perhaps not being regulars at the big races. An argument that i'm sure has been aired more than once.

    Last year (and hopefully again in 2021) i found myself fortunate enough to be trying to organise a county team for the inter-counties fell, and was faced with a similar dilemma...

    I could just about pull together a full team of those who race at least semi-regularly on the fells. However i could undoubtedly select a stronger team from those who have maybe only done one or two fell/mountain races in their lives, yet are extremely good runners at other disciplines... the scale of the difference being in my "pure" fellrunning team i'd possibly be 2nd counter... yet in my fastest team possible i'd be hard pushed to actually make the team if everyone was available.

    So the simple question is... do you pick a team that is fully representative of the fellrunning ability in your county/country, or do you go for the fastest team available on the day?

    I suspect there is no single or simple answer to this, but interested to see the views of those on here who i know have been involved in team selections...

  2. #2
    Master Witton Park's Avatar
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    HI Travs - I was Lancs selector for about 5 years for fell and cross country. Never been involved at International level, but had some links to those that did and coached some kids that were in the mix and a few gained vests.

    I think the issues are different.

    At County level I had a trial. Usually Pendle in early April. Used it for seniors and juniors. It was perfect in terms of timing for me.

    I used to guarantee Inters selection so (say) first two eligible finishers. I would then consider my selectors picks and I might pick 3rd and 4th, but I might go elsewhere to runners who might have been competing elsewhere on the day or might be aiming more for International vests later in the year and so hadn't started a fell campaign as they were just coming out of Cross Country.

    There were often difficulties, such as the ones with the guaranteed place didn't accept.

    But I tried to pick Lancs runners to promote Lancs Fell running, rather than going out to recruit a few quick roadies who might be able to compete at the front end of the Inters.

    One of my favourite moments as a selector was picking Paul Thompson from Clayton. He was chuffed to bits.

    At International level, the selectors have the pressure to get results. They need to ensure the funding support for future years.
    Richard Taylor
    "William Tell could take an apple off your head. Taylor could take out a processed pea."
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  3. #3
    Master bigfella's Avatar
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    Do most champs races specify experience required? Would your fast athletes be able to get themselves off the hill if things turned really bad? Are races dumbed down or a foul weather alternative route used if its a champs race? Remember the year the 3-peaks was a world champs race and the course was fully marked.
    Cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run

  4. #4
    Master Travs's Avatar
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    I believe the inter-counties are usually fully marked. They seem to have a reputation of being somewhat tame courses, but i've seen a few decent routes used.

    It would have been interesting to see the route proposed for the 2020 Llanberis Ridge race, perhaps they will keep the same route/venue for 2021...

  5. #5
    Master Travs's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bigfella View Post
    Do most champs races specify experience required? Would your fast athletes be able to get themselves off the hill if things turned really bad? Are races dumbed down or a foul weather alternative route used if its a champs race? Remember the year the 3-peaks was a world champs race and the course was fully marked.

    I understand the point completely.

    On a similar note though, i have a couple of clubmates... One has got a couple of qualifying races to his name. The other doesn't, mainly due to this year's racing effectively being wiped out... yet he is a very experienced climber and walker. I know which one i would feel more confident about on the fells in zero visibility in poor weather, qualifying races or not...

    Probably veering a little off my own thread topic here

  6. #6
    Master Dave_Mole's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Travs View Post
    It would have been interesting to see the route proposed for the 2020 Llanberis Ridge race, perhaps they will keep the same route/venue for 2021...
    I thought I saw one online, but can't find it now. The race website does, however, say that:
    "Competitors are expected to be experienced race-fit runners, capable of navigating themselves over a traditional fell course"......
    ....it's all downhill from here.

  7. #7
    Master Travs's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave_Mole View Post
    I thought I saw one online, but can't find it now. The race website does, however, say that:
    "Competitors are expected to be experienced race-fit runners, capable of navigating themselves over a traditional fell course"......
    Yes, it does indeed say that. I'm pretty sure they say that every year, then proceed to run it over a marked course though!

    It is a somewhat open-ended statement. Perhaps would make things easier if they introduced a clear qualifying criteria (2 x AL/AM/BL races) like we see in other races.... this would make things a lot easier (although would severely limit my choice of runners!!)

  8. #8
    Master Dave_Mole's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Travs View Post
    Yes, it does indeed say that. I'm pretty sure they say that every year, then proceed to run it over a marked course though!

    It is a somewhat open-ended statement. Perhaps would make things easier if they introduced a clear qualifying criteria (2 x AL/AM/BL races) like we see in other races.... this would make things a lot easier (although would severely limit my choice of runners!!)
    I suspect there isn't stricter criteria for that very reason: limiting the pool of runners per county....
    ....it's all downhill from here.

  9. #9
    Selection could pick some of the finest athletes on the planet but unless they can navigate their way around a mountain course in foul conditions they aren't fell runners and fell running championships should require the full range of skills and abilities needed. Otherwise we could make our races 100m long on a marked flat field and invite Usain Bolt to participate.

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Mark G View Post
    Selection could pick some of the finest athletes on the planet but unless they can navigate their way around a mountain course in foul conditions they aren't fell runners and fell running championships should require the full range of skills and abilities needed. Otherwise we could make our races 100m long on a marked flat field and invite Usain Bolt to participate.
    Or we could do a park run and declare the winner fell champion?

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