best fell runner ever ?

[longstreet]

Let's be realistic chaps the top endurance athletes generally do not run fell races but I would agree that probably the best endurance athlete to run on the fells and only occasionally was Ron Hill - national cross country champion, olympic athlete at 10k track and marathon etc. John Wild was probably as good a fell athlete as you can find in the history books with his additional achievements on the country etc. The Blands, Naylors and Stuarts were legends for the fell enthusiast but not elsewhere. So far as international vests on the fells are concerned this is a recent development and as standards have dropped I hardly think any of the more recent crop could live with the best of the 70s and 80s.

[Stagger]

So far as international vests on the fells are concerned this is a recent development and as standards have dropped I hardly think any of the more recent crop could live with the best of the 70s and 80s.

A good athlete is a good athlete no matter when he ran. Why try to detract for the current runners. You can only beat whats in the field not whats in the past.

Everyone who runs is a champ in there own right.

[rossendalemark]

A good athlete is a good athlete no matter when he ran. Why try to detract for the current runners. You can only beat whats in the field not whats in the past.

Everyone who runs is a champ in there own right.

Well said

[longstreet]

You are quite right - runners of today can only beat those in the field but half the problem with many of our young athletes is that they think doing just that is enough. They get their 'international vest' and that's it they've made it. As we saw yesterday at the World Cross there is much hard work over many years to be done before you reach the top. The Jeff Normans and Ron Hills of the past did that and more and those are the standards and that is the effort and time you have to put in. Some of the youngsters think they are committed and some of the seniors think they are the heroes of today on the fells until they really challenge themselves against the best on the road and the track - no hiding place there especially on the track and then they get found out. Alternatively they spend their lives on the fells because of that. No problem with that attitude if that's what they want but let's get it all in context and not get carried away.

[TimW]

think they are the heroes of today on the fells until they really challenge themselves against the best on the road and the track - no hiding place there especially on the track and then they get found out. Alternatively they spend their lives on the fells because of that. No problem with that attitude if that's what they want but let's get it all in context and not get carried away.

Can see where you're coming from Longstreet however when you say "the best on the road and the track" I hope you mean the best the WORLD can offer and NOT just the best in Britain, see my earlier post! I honestly believe the best fell runners of today are as good (at what they do...) as the best road and track runners in Britain; granted they couldn't run 10K in 28 minutes but neither could any 28 min 10K guy I know of compete with the best on the fells!

Sorry I always get on my proverbial soap box about this because too many so called 'proper athletes' look down on fell runners as lesser athletes just because it isn't on telly, isn't part of the Olympics, doesn't attract sponsorship etc etc. Let ME put it in context, top fell runners of today world class? Never. But national class ? When you look at how far standards have dropped on the roads then I do think so!

[TimW]

half the problem with many of our young athletes is that they think doing just that is enough. They get their 'international vest' and that's it they've made it.

Agree with you entirely there...

[#bob#]

A good athlete is a good athlete no matter when he ran. Why try to detract for the current runners. You can only beat whats in the field not whats in the past.

Everyone who runs is a champ in there own right.

utter tripe

[Al Fowler]

You are quite right - runners of today can only beat those in the field but half the problem with many of our young athletes is that they think doing just that is enough. They get their 'international vest' and that's it they've made it. As we saw yesterday at the World Cross there is much hard work over many years to be done before you reach the top. The Jeff Normans and Ron Hills of the past did that and more and those are the standards and that is the effort and time you have to put in. Some of the youngsters think they are committed and some of the seniors think they are the heroes of today on the fells until they really challenge themselves against the best on the road and the track - no hiding place there especially on the track and then they get found out. Alternatively they spend their lives on the fells because of that. No problem with that attitude if that's what they want but let's get it all in context and not get carried away.

But isnt that just it, they are the best on the fells, maybe they only run on the fells?

How about if the best road/track runners went on the fells, i reakon people like ian holmes would kick anyones ass.

[scott baistow 93]

But isnt that just it, they are the best on the fells, maybe they only run on the fells?

How about if the best road/track runners went on the fells, i reakon people like ian holmes would kick anyones ass.

absolutly right i think people like ian holmes and rob jebb and that lot would kick there arses

[Al Fowler]

absolutly right i think people like ian holmes and rob jebb and that lot would kick there arses

Us young'uns know best scott.