Quote Originally Posted by biara View Post
I don't think that you are allowed on frontline fighting at 16 though!!

Aside from that, the rules are a one size fits all which is generally correct, yes there are exceptions who may do better and this is what a few here are arguing for but the FRA is not doing its job if it is reckless with future health. People here do have sympathies with your view.

Minor aside just to illustrate a point, I used to teach a pupil who was excellent at rugby (played England under 19s etc) he now plays professional for London Scottish, he had a training program from Saracens, who had signed him on schoolboy terms. He was not allowed to do certain strength exercises as Saracens did not believe his body was strong enough. At the time he was approx 15stone and 6ft4ish, he accepted the ruling went onto play England under 19s and now still plays (he's 23 now). Who is to say if he had done these exercises would he have survived in the game? I'd rather do little young and keep going for ages, than do it all young and have little elsde to aim for. Sorry Tom, you might be one of the exceptions who could have managed young but would all your fellrunning friends?
Hope Uni is going well.....
Rugby is slightly different for the simple reason that the impact is not merely the impact of running, but that of serious force being put upon the body.....if a predicate of fell running was that an 18 stone Phil Vickery would slam into you at regular intervals then fair enough.

The army example is fair, at 16, a recruit to the marines would be expected to hoist around a 60LB bergen across Dartmoor, much more of a stress.

In my experience those who dont train and express a wish to do longer races aren't interested, its not that they couldn't manage, its just that they cant be bothered....and every junior fell runner I know who has wanted to, has indeed made the step up...obviously there are learning curves, such as me blowing up in Ireland last year, or having total cramp on top of Helvellyn after doing a through the night BG recce, but its all experience that I got at 16-18 instead of having to suffer at 23 when I made a serious step into racing.

In fact id go as far as to say, that if longer distances aren't pushed early, there is less of a chance an athlete would turn to them as a senior, for it is much harder to adjust training when older and set in your ways, than it is younger.