Originally Posted by steadyeddy
Well I am a 32min 10Km runner who has never broken into the top 30 in a championship fell race. So I guess I, as a point in case go against your argument. This could be an anomaly but I tend to agree with earlier posts on fell running being a different beast entirely.
Give us an example then...
Before you say Andi Jones! One, he does pick his courses (not knocking the lad he has his priorities, but in terms of fell running that's what he does) and two, there ARE exceptions to every rule.
I could give examples of sub 30 boys who have run very poorly in fell races when they've tried, but I am not in the business of running other people down, as I'm sure you're not either.
I once ran 31min for 10K then switched to the fells shortly afterwards. In my first four seasons of doing the championships I had only two top 30s. Boy was progress slow! In subsequent seasons however, I have been a consistent top 10 man but I dread to think what I'd run 10K in if I did one now!
I don't think they're listening to us Roy but never mind you keep plugging away with the fells and you'll come good cos' you got the right attitude; by not thinking a half decent 10K time somehow gives you a divine right to be beating people with lesser road pbs on the fells.
I'm not saying road speed doesn't help, a high aerobic capacity helps you run well in any distance event.
All fell runners have their strengths and weaknesses but real ones don't get fazed by courses they don't think they're so good on.
Question: What do you need to do to be a good fell runner? Train like you would for 'normal' running or spend lots of time in the mountains? Answer: BOTH! It aint an either or thing!
john brown
billy burns
martin cox
all the normans (jeff included)
ricky wilde
dave lewis
martin jones
nick swinburn
( i know these lot my race sparingly on the fells but when they do/did compete there never far from the front) John Brown showed in true fell races in the english champs, billy and martin both performed well on true fell races as younger athletes both focusing on mountain running, jeff norman was extremly good on even the toughest fell courses, and i my be wrong but didnt Andy finish second at kentmere once? martin jones and dave lewis once again may not have raced on the fells often but when they did they performed very well, dave was only just second in the rossendale hills race i think as a 19 year old to a certain John Wild(correct me if im wrong!). More recently Nick swinburn with his win at moel elieo beating the top guys last year. Also looking at the FRA relay results the Brownlees performed well. This is more....
Its worth noting i didnt just mean the roadies which try there hand at fell running, if we look at how some of the proper fell guys,
simon booth - not sure if he's gone sub 30 but has been close to 50 on the brampton carlise
Ricky lightfoot - again maybe not quite sub 30 but does very well on the xc often beating those capable of 30 min 10k
john heneghan - same as ricky but possibly faster?
I suppose what i mean is that a person with such speed can achieve well on all surfaces, i think speed is neglected by many fell runners as getting the strength is alwell and good but you'll only be able to do well on certain courses, where as those with the leg speed often perform far better alround.
just read your 2nd post tim and i think your last post is much closer to what i believe.
Maybe we do sing off the hymn sheet after all then
I actually think this is a silly discussion-but Hey! What is the Forum for?
However a fact which may or may not be relevant is that someone called Ian Holmes was second in the Bradford 10K on 29.3.2009 in 31.30. The man who beat him (Willy Smith) was just 3 seconds ahead.
Of course Ian is really just a 43 year old fell runner.
I think you are probably right here steadyeddy.
looking at the records set by men in the 6 Lakes classics, Welsh 1000m, Snowdon, 3 peaks, Edale Skyline, Ben Nevis, only one has been broken this decade (Duddon 2007 Ian Holmes).
It’s interesting to note that 6 of the 11 records were set between 1977 and 1986, a period of time that seems to generally coincide with the best performances by British male distance runners on the road and track.
A noteable trend is the dominance of the names Bland and Stuart, and the number of records that have stood for 20+ years. I wonder how many people have got within ½ an hour of Billy Bland’s 1982 Bob Graham round record? I suspect not many.
For the women it appears to be a different story with some superb performances being registered this decade and a number of them more recently. Janet McIver’s impressive season last year winning the womens category in 5 of the 6 Lakes classics, taking 3 records (Duddon, Ennerdale and Wasdale jointly with Jackie Lee), as well as Fairfield horseshoe. You only need to take a brief look through the handbook to spot that a large number of womens records have been set in the last decade by a variety of different runners, i.e. Angela Mudge, Jackie Lee etc.
This also seems to coincide with the road/ track with the all time best performances at 10 000m, 10K road, Half marathon and marathon being set in the period 2002-2009 by Paula Radcliffe and the likes of Mara Yamuchi and Jo Pavey having registered times in the all time top 5 over these distances within this time frame.
My feeling is that British mens distance and fell running peaked in the 80’s and womens distance and fell running is probably better now than ever before.
But all things are cyclical and there are some good young fell runners around at the moment so who knows?
I can answer that.................................none.
None of the current top runners are interested in doing it as it would ruin their season.
No one has the time to recce it.
Its only cause Billy was a local.
No ones bothered.
I'm sure you can all think of more excuses.
Its a shame the running scared of Billy thread was lost
I can answer that.................................none.
None of the current top runners are interested in doing it as it would ruin their season.
No one has the time to recce it.
Its only cause Billy was a local.
No ones bothered.
I'm sure you can all think of more excuses.
Its a shame the running scared of Billy thread was lost
It all depends whether or not you think the BGR is a test of manhood or madness.
Maybe today's top fellrunners are more intelligent than Forum posters.
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