What is fell running to you?

[lazydayswill]

For me i am just excited to get the opportunity to get out in the wilderness. I'm that inexperienced that its a bit like the start of a new relationship- all exciting, daring, craving more of the experience more and more. Living in Norfolk (flatter than flat!) i get a bit kiddy and adrenalised just making the journey up to the wilderness and some proper terrain! I am well and truely hooked and can't believe i spent so long running on pavement, local runs now take place in parkland/woods/riverbank and 'proper' runs need a bit more travel and planning- next one on 02/03/12!!!

[L.F.F.]

For me i am just excited to get the opportunity to get out in the wilderness. I'm that inexperienced that its a bit like the start of a new relationship- all exciting, daring, craving more of the experience more and more. Living in Norfolk (flatter than flat!) i get a bit kiddy and adrenalised just making the journey up to the wilderness and some proper terrain! I am well and truely hooked and can't believe i spent so long running on pavement, local runs now take place in parkland/woods/riverbank and 'proper' runs need a bit more travel and planning- next one on 02/03/12!!!

Sounds a bit like me. I know just what you mean. Driving up to the Lake District, seeing the landscape change (rise!) is an amazing feeling. Just looking at those mountains in the distance! Makes your heart beat faster.

This Friday for me!!

[LissaJous]

I forgot to put a smiley after "what wilderness?" It wasn't meant to sound snotty.

I didn't take it that way, I just forgot my smiley too!

[shaunaneto]

Sounds a bit like me. I know just what you mean. Driving up to the Lake District, seeing the landscape change (rise!) is an amazing feeling. Just looking at those mountains in the distance! Makes your heart beat faster.

This Friday for me!!

AMEN :closed:

And hopefully this weekend I might just see you there, although I get to drive through hilly bits much much sooner than you would coming from Leicester

[manothemoors]

This really does bring home how lucky some of us are to have hills and wild moors on our doorstep. I remember well living in London and the frustration of having nowhere pleasant to run without a two hour drive. The only "Fell" was Ally Pally.

[PeteS]

This really does bring home how lucky some of us are to have hills and wild moors on our doorstep. I remember well living in London and the frustration of having nowhere pleasant to run without a two hour drive. The only "Fell" was Ally Pally.

Indeed - I always thought I was badly placed having an hour or so to drive for a sizeable hill that hosted a fell race. I guess I should count myself lucky as I have a couple of 1000ft hills 10 minutes away.

[Darth domain]

Mainly the wilderness for me, i've been fascinated with the outdoors since i was a kid. I rarely enter races, just the odd challenge like a mm. Having said that. When i'm running, and look up at the lovely surrondings, i usually catch my toe on a rock and end up nosediving! Perhaps i'll learn to stop one day first

[Erich K]

This is a really great question. The attraction for me has always been wilderness, and fell running just a great way to access it. I started out with hill walking and wild camping, always part of a pre-planned trip with friends as I never had the fells immediately on my doorstep unlike a lot of you lucky buggers. I occasionally saw fell runners scamper across my path and thought they were mad - dressed in skimpy vests in all weathers with a wild look in their eyes - but deep down the seeds were being sown. A few years later and now its more of an addiction.

I agree that wilderness is often a state of mind. Sometimes it's when you find yourself on your own near dawn or dusk in a deserted landscape feeling giddy with excitement, like that kid you used to be. I definitely see myself as a fell runner rather than a fell racer - partly because I realised early on I was a bit crap at racing, but mainly because I'm not that bothered about 'winning', I just love being out in all that glorious countryside.

[bograt]

love being in the hills and racing. not vaguely interested in racing if it isn't in the hills (except round rotherham- which is just different)..At the moment so fat and slow that races are mostly just runs with lots of other people around...and a quick sprint at the end to beat the other fat sods or faster non navigators.

[snewby]

To Jake Winter Hill is a wilderness with lots to see, we don't go racing though if Jake wants to that would change , Jake loves the quietness and just being able to be himself , Jake will often just stop and look at plants or insects or the view , Winter Hill changes both with the time of year and the weather which means some runs have had mist , sleet ,rain and brilliant sunshine and the views change , we can look out to Blackpool Preston Manchester Horwich as well as the Lake district and Wales plus other more local hills. Jake just loves exploring fell running allows him to get to places quicker,
http://jakeofwinterhill.blogspot.com/