Entry requirements for races

[novice]

What is the reasoning for entry requirements for races? Some races ask for previous experience of similar length and difficulty? Is this to protect the runners or the race organisers?

It seems odd to me that if I am willing to take on the risk and the challenge why I should need to prove any experience at all?

If the reasoning is for my own safety then I would argue I stand more chance of dying on my normal winters night run which I do just with the dog and never see anyone else and have very limited mobile phone access!

[skennaugh]

I think It's to protect runners and race organisers. But more importantly it may be So the organisers know the marshalls will only be out for a certain amount of time.

[novice]

I think It's to protect runners and race organisers. But more importantly it may be So the organisers know the marshalls will only be out for a certain amount of time.

That’s why there are cutoffs isn’t it
Just seems that it is trying to save people from themselves. Personally if I think if I’m capable of doing it then off I go whether i have sufficient experience or not.

[Norman Bates]

This post is almost as ridiculous as the one several months ago where someone was asking advice on which balaclava to buy !

[jodg]

Novice - take a look the results from any AL-type race and see the wide range of finish times. I'm not particularly speedy, so am grateful for checkpoints etc being open as I struggle past a marshal. But often I'm getting in my car to leave and have still seen runners coming off the hills.

I think demonstrating that you have some ability when entering this sort of race is a small thing to be asked, to put the mind of the organiser (and all involved) at rest if nothing else.

Don't forget, there are quite a few ALs outside the lakes that don't ask for experience so you can bag some of these if you're looking to go on to run Edale, 3Ps etc. and have to qualify your entry.

[FRAFixtures]

What is the reasoning for entry requirements for races? Some races ask for previous experience of similar length and difficulty? Is this to protect the runners or the race organisers?

It seems odd to me that if I am willing to take on the risk and the challenge why I should need to prove any experience at all?

If the reasoning is for my own safety then I would argue I stand more chance of dying on my normal winters night run which I do just with the dog and never see anyone else and have very limited mobile phone access!

The bottom line is that the "race organiser takes overall responsibility for the event" as stated in the "FRA Safety Requirements for Fell Races". It is entirely up to him whom he allows to enter his race.

Races which ask for experience are usually Long and involve severe and/or exposed terrain possibly in severe weather. It doesn't seem unreasonable to me for the organiser to vet entrants - experience of AM races is often sufficient to be accepted for an AL event.

I believe it is inconsiderate, to say the least, for people to expect organisers to allow them to compete without suitable experience. Would you like to be an organiser waiting for a runner who is overdue and having to make a decision as to whether to call the rescue services out. If it's the result of someone entering without the necessary experience it's inexcusable!

If there is a severe accident or other incident the organiser may be required to prove that he has not been negligent.

If you are out on a training run by yourself no one else is involved. In a race that is not the case even though "the Competitor should take primary responsibility for his/her own safety on the fells".

[IainR]

I believe it is inconsiderate, to say the least, for people to expect organisers to allow them to compete without suitable experience. Would you like to be an organiser waiting for a runner who is overdue and having to make a decision as to whether to call the rescue services out. If it's the result of someone entering without the necessary experience it's inexcusable!

If"

True but completing AL's is often a bit of an easy experience. It's just follow the leader or navigator. Even in bad weather, run around in circles, group gets larger, run around in circles, eventually the group acquires a navigator and they complete.

Look how hard it was to finish the Mourne's race last year, tough physically but follow the leader all the way, how does completing that proove anything?

I think many RO's can be too fixated on race experience over other experience. I know fully qualified mountain guides who have been refused entry to AL's for lack of experience because they hadn't completed an AL..

I don't see what's wrong with a simple statement of proficiency that you sign that you have the ability to navigate around the course and run the course within the cut offs.

There's more to fell running than fell racing..

[novice]

The bottom line is that the "race organiser takes overall responsibility for the event" as stated in the "FRA Safety Requirements for Fell Races". It is entirely up to him whom he allows to enter his race.

Races which ask for experience are usually Long and involve severe and/or exposed terrain possibly in severe weather. It doesn't seem unreasonable to me for the organiser to vet entrants - experience of AM races is often sufficient to be accepted for an AL event.

I believe it is inconsiderate, to say the least, for people to expect organisers to allow them to compete without suitable experience. Would you like to be an organiser waiting for a runner who is overdue and having to make a decision as to whether to call the rescue services out. If it's the result of someone entering without the necessary experience it's inexcusable!

If there is a severe accident or other incident the organiser may be required to prove that he has not been negligent.

If you are out on a training run by yourself no one else is involved. In a race that is not the case even though "the Competitor should take primary responsibility for his/her own safety on the fells".

Take for example Borrowdale this year, I could enter (I think) if I wanted having run Windgather and Kindertrog. Both ran on clear warm days with absolutely no nav required. All they prove is I can run a distance following a load of people.

[Wheeze]

My first reaction to this was similar to FRA Fixtures but on reflection I think Novice has a point. And taking the points through to their logical conclusion, if Lakeland RO's are saying 'no entry till you can prove you have done a long somewhere else' aren't they just transferring their risk onto somewhere else....somewhere, day I say it, less prestigious than a lakeland race?

So I would tend to agree with others. The way to manage race entrants who may have bitten off more than they can chew is to have strictly enforced cut-outs so that marshals aren't out on the hills for all hours.

[IanDarkpeak]

My first reaction to this was similar to FRA Fixtures but on reflection I think Novice has a point. And taking the points through to their logical conclusion, if Lakeland RO's are saying 'no entry till you can prove you have done a long somewhere else' aren't they just transferring their risk onto somewhere else....somewhere, day I say it, less prestigious than a lakeland race?

So I would tend to agree with others. The way to manage race entrants who may have bitten off more than they can chew is to have strictly enforced cut-outs so that marshals aren't out on the hills for all hours.

We have a previous experience requirement for Tankys but this is not just to say you are capable of going the distance but also you can find your way. There are so many route choice that following some one in thick clag who you then lose could put you in a serious predicament. So fitness counts but so does competance.