how soon to race

[dwellshere]

Thanks people, very nice introduction to the forum, you're all very encouraging.

But encouraging me to do something stupid is easy, how about the training?

I'm slow now and need to be faster, and I know it, and I've definitely got some weight to lose (maybe a stone) and 7 weeks to lose it.

I try to mix slow jogs around hills with interval training but I find the intervals boring.

How would you recomend a beginner to train? Does it make any difference? I want to avoid injury when training and racing.

Again, thanks for the welcome

[TheReverand]

When I first started running, id try and run fast for short bursts within a steady run, so you still have an easy run, but cunningly you have dropped in some quality work without hardly noticing!! I'd picture a race I was going to do and pretend I was racing a the finninsh to some point a few hundred metres ahead!! It helped me :-)

[Flopsy]

There's no right way to train. The way it works though is that the more you do the faster you get. I wouldn't worry about your speed, just do it and then do it again and agin and again and over time you'll notice that you just got faster. For us mere mortals that are in it to take part not to win fell running is as much about enjoyment as anything. Sure we like to get good times but enjoying it while you do it is definately a key factor IMO.

As for the weight issue, many of us have weight we need to lose (see overweight confessions thread). Again don't worry about it too much, fell runnning is a good way to shed a few pounds but being your ideal weight isn't a pre-requisite to running or racing. Shedding some weight helps improve your speed but not shedding weight doesn't stop you taking part. So don't set yourself rigid weight loss goals that are gonna stress you out, such as you have to lose a whole stone in 7 weeks. It won't stop you taking part if you haven't lost all the weight by then.

So my advive would be enjoy enjoy enjoy. Or what's the point!!!

[Alexandra]

I'd picture a race I was going to do and pretend I was racing a the finninsh to some point a few hundred metres ahead!! It helped me :-)

Yes, I agree. I loathe running on a treadmill, so I used to employ this technique to make it more bearable. One day I succeeded so well in re-living an exciting sprint finish to the Otley 9 Leagues (between several of us at the back, of course) that I came to with a shock to find I had almost flung myself off the FRONT of the treadmill!

[dwellshere]

note though that Ben Nevis is by far a more serious undertaking than the Pendle race as im sure you will already appreciate, but that said, you'll probably enjoy much more too......

Oh yes, I realize its no walk in the park. I stopped walking for weeks last year after an aborted attempt to find my way up Crib Goch on snowdon in the mist. In fact I had to jettison my ballast before heading back to the pyg track, so if anyone finds two pieces of northern millstone grit and an accrington brick up there, you know where they've come from

I'd plan Ben Nevis better.

[Dynamo Dan]

Dwellshere my first race was Pendle last year. I'd run the Wilmslow Half the week before but I wasn't that fit (in fell running terms). I can remember the last climb to the trig point, being half way up, pretty much last and wanting to give up.

I looked down and thought it was too steep to go back. The only way was up and I duly pulled my overweight limbs to the trig point, a couple of marshalls took the piss out of my new Walshes and before I knew it I was hurtling down the hill making some places up.

As I finished a very kind chap I'd met before the race was waiting to congratulate me for finsihing the race. I was elated and the feeling I got from that first fell race was better than any drug I tried in my youth!

I joined Pennine, started running more and a year later I'm a good stone and half lighter (with a bit more to go) I don't get dropped on training runs and I have an entry for Ben Nevis this September.

Run Pendle, join a club and do as many races as you can this year, it doesn't matter where you finish just enjoy the experience and keep running!

[Stagger]

Forget speed Dwell. Thats the cause of most injuries
Enjoy your running and just keep pottering up and down hills (off road of course)

After pendle I feel you may rethink your Ben plans.

All the best and most of all make yourself known or ask which forumites are running pendle and introduce yourself.
I have it in the plans at the minute.
All the best
Stagger (near the back usually)

[dwellshere]

Thanks, i love running and I love the hills so I'm going to have fun whatever. Can't deny that I'm nervous about chasing a pack of runners up pendle though, twice.

Planning on {run¦jog¦walk}ing pendle this weekend, same route but going up the steps. If anyone's out that way let me know who I'm looking out for in case I spot you. I'll be the tall fella with a yellow windstopper trying to catch his breath.