How do......

[noel]

I have just obtained a gene splicing machine and taken swabs from a selection of fell runners. From it, I intend to clone the perfect fell runner:

1. Simon Bailey's legs (they're twice the size of mine, which is cheating for a start)
2. Rob Jebb's cardiovascular system (although you could argue nurture rather than nature with all that cycling)
3. Ian Holmes' ankles, spacial reasoning and training dedication
4. Lloyd Taggart's pain threshold (only a crazy person would race that often unless they couldn't really feel it)
5. My ears (very handy with following winds up hills - you've either got them or you haven't)
6. Al's spelling (everyone needs an achilees heal)

[mr brightside]

I have just obtained a gene splicing machine and taken swabs from a selection of fell runners. From it, I intend to clone the perfect fell runner:

1. Simon Bailey's legs (they're twice the size of mine, which is cheating for a start)
2. Rob Jebb's cardiovascular system (although you could argue nurture rather than nature with all that cycling)
3. Ian Holmes' ankles, spacial reasoning and training dedication
4. Lloyd Taggart's pain threshold (only a crazy person would race that often unless they couldn't really feel it)
5. My ears (very handy with following winds up hills - you've either got them or you haven't)
6. Al's spelling (everyone needs an achilees heal)

Is this part of your new career as a philosopher?

[noel]

Is this part of your new career as a philosopher?

I'm still keeping up the day job just in case philosopher redundancies are introduced after the election.

[Deadlegs]

I think Trog is right. Matthew Syed who is a sports writer for the Times and a former olympic table tennis player has just released a book called Bounce. He has looked at the up to date science etc and (I think, I have only read extracts) concludes that those who achieve at a very hich level in almost every endeavour simply work harder. You get out what you put in.
Looks like an interesting read.

[Brotherton Lad]

I'm still keeping up the day job just in case philosopher redundancies are introduced after the election.

Is a philosopher ever made redundant? Discuss.

[Roy Scott]

This is a good question and one that I thought about alot when I started fell running. Having significantly improved, with a small amount of time on the fells, I am starting to believe that those runners at the front are human and beatable after all. Desire and belief has alot to do with it but I honestly think that I can get within 5 mins of Bailey et al in next years Long Mynd (18 this year but lost for about 10 mins of that).

Al told me once that in watching the front boys, the biggest difference was there ability to recover and go straight after a heavy climb. If you can develop your fitness to improve significantly here the margins will be smaller.

[Al Fowler]

This is a good question and one that I thought about alot when I started fell running. Having significantly improved, with a small amount of time on the fells, I am starting to believe that those runners at the front are human and beatable after all. Desire and belief has alot to do with it but I honestly think that I can get within 5 mins of Bailey et al in next years Long Mynd (18 this year but lost for about 10 mins of that).

Al told me once that in watching the front boys, the biggest difference was there ability to recover and go straight after a heavy climb. If you can develop your fitness to improve significantly here the margins will be smaller.

The last bit is certainly ture....just watch warfe's video from coniston.....jebby comes past breathing like a ragin bull....they are suffering but they just push through.

[noel]

I don't think the difference can be purely due to hard work. If you look at kids in the playground, some are faster than others. This is normally due to their gait and natural physique. If you took a whole class of kids and they all trained like olympic athletes, you'd still find the best ones to start with were the best ones to finish with.

I'm fairly sure I could get closer to the elite of fellrunning, but probably not quite as good. I am guessing that most of them have natural ability plus application.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is how old you are when you're trying to make these large improvements. I think if you're into athletics and running as a kid, your body can adapt a bit more than it can when you reach my age.

[Tussockface]

So you wanna be a top runner?
Easy....

http://www.salomonrunning.com/os/blo...ml?sf2040715=1

[DazTheSlug]

nice bit of film
I especially like the bit where he says that his diet consists mainly of pizza & nutella!
also at the end when he says that winning isn't about coming first, but about being happy with your performance