The FRA and the Media

[IainR]

The FRA was set up to promote fell running in the UK.. Grahams article about the FRA is grahams view.. Graham uses the term 'my sport'... says it all..

30 runners? I'd just go fro a run on my own.. as I do most nights.. I race to race.. also, as I said before, some races are barely sustainable, look at the ones we've lost in Wales, and I've sat through mind numbingly slit your wrist boring committee meetings discussing race entry fees, club incomes, sustainability of such and such a race.. so yes it is a factor.

So yes I'd rather run with good runners than be 1/2 k behind 3rd, 1.4k ahead of 5th.. that's not a race.

Ohh a bit of a jab, stick to road running.. as you know I do both.. because with the road you get a quality work out.. most runners do..

The Peris entries used to barely cover radio fees, never mind the other fees involved..

I think we need to promote running in North Wales, which is what the Tuesday evening series do, they provide a route into fell running for the people too cautious to make the step to weekend races by doing short well marked courses.. well apart from the orme..

[Witton Park]

The numbers game is entirely down to population size within a one-two hour drive time of the event...where 90% of competitors will come from.

Jura does bloody well then

[DrPatrickBarry]

Jura does bloody well then

Some races have become "must dos" Jura being one because of the "craic". The likes of the Edale Skyline being another but for no obvious reason. I have done the Skyline twice and loved it and I will do it again, but is it 5 times better than a great route in Snowdonia that gets 1/5 of the field, I think not. Many Lakeland races are considered "must dos" for good reason.

It becomes a bit of a self fulfilling prophecy that more people doing a race talk it up leading to more people wanting to do it. Ending up in the number of people wanting to do a race is more to do with the hype than the race itself.

Is it a case of many Welsh races are not getting this inital critical mass of entrants in the first place.

[Rudolph Hooker]

I think Wales, and Ireland and Scotland have got it right, and England has lost its way - a victim of its own popularity, or media hype, which is what we are discssing, no?

Races with much smaller fields provide the essence of great fell running, where all the skills are needed. If you can do one, just enjoy it - you'll learn stuff without even realising it.

On the other hand, big processionals, like Borrowdale and Langdale, tend to deskill runners - although they can surprise us when the mist is down!!

[Wheeze]

Jura does bloody well then

Ha! I had Jura in my mind as typed that and nearly qualified my statement...but then I realised that would be stating the obvious...that some races in the middle of nowhere are must do's because of the difficulty...in getting there and participating.
I stand by my 1-2 hour drive time. And as someone somewhere else said (Stolly?) if it's a toss up between 1 hour to a peaks/pennines race or 2-3 hours to Snowdonia for someone in the midlands/Manc conurbation, the former will always win out.
Iain, I wasn't jabbing you, merely pointing out that if you want close racing with hundreds of others, road racing will give that to you. If you want to test yourself against mountain conditions along with others who are seeking the same, then you need a fell race. For all but the top 5 in a race/category, its more about taking on the terrain rather than your fellow racer.......although that is still important which is why any fell race is NOT training!

[Witton Park]

I think Wales, and Ireland and Scotland have got it right, and England has lost its way - a victim of its own popularity, or media hype, which is what we are discssing, no?

Races with much smaller fields provide the essence of great fell running, where all the skills are needed. If you can do one, just enjoy it - you'll learn stuff without even realising it.

On the other hand, big processionals, like Borrowdale and Langdale, tend to deskill runners - although they can surprise us when the mist is down!!

Sounds like you should be orienteering

[IainR]

I think Wales, and Ireland and Scotland have got it right, and England has lost its way - a victim of its own popularity, or media hype, which is what we are discssing, no?

Races with much smaller fields provide the essence of great fell running, where all the skills are needed. If you can do one, just enjoy it - you'll learn stuff without even realising it.

On the other hand, big processionals, like Borrowdale and Langdale, tend to deskill runners - although they can surprise us when the mist is down!!

I think running in Yorkshire and the Lakes is superb. Grasmere? Y3P's? Great Lakes?.. superb races..


But f I want the great essence of fell running I run on the fells, just me and the dog.. no race, no marshalls.. if I want to race I like people to race..

[Llechan Wlyb]

Pretty much my take on it. About 4 years ago, we were down supporting a Bowland lad on a PBR and were staying at a climbing club hut right at the top of Deiniolen. Heading back to the hut to re-stock the van, approaching midnight, we could not get along the main street of Deiniolen for a pitched battle between the regulars of the 2 pubs that were right across the street from one another and it appeared to be inspired / egged-on by some dubious looking women that were screaming encouragement at the protagonists; as time was tight, we ended up swinging down some back alleys to by-pass the hold-up.
Last summer, again on PBR support, we noticed that one of those pubs had been boarded-up.
That's the only actual violence that I've witnessed in many years of heading down to Snowdonia. Aside from that I really rate Croesor and Llanfachreth as my two all-time favourite villages.

Ian.

Good news, the boarded up pub in Deiniolen - The Wellington is re-opening this week! Let the good times roll!

Seriously though, the village might have it's problems but the majority of people who live there are the most warm hearted people you'd wish to meet.

[RhosgadMath]

Good news, the boarded up pub in Deiniolen - The Wellington is re-opening this week! Let the good times roll!

Seriously though, the village might have it's problems but the majority of people who live there are the most warm hearted people you'd wish to meet.

Bloody brilliant news, happy with that, aye deffo agree with you Llechan, it's the locals as well as the fell running 'immigrants' who move into the the Gwynedd area that make it such a friendly area. There was a post on this weird thread ages back by some dude who stated something about the friendliness of the 'climbers' who visit / move into the area, I'd totally disagree - in fact their some of the weirdest, most complex and most unpredictable of the immigrants / locals of Gwynedd.....Llanberis is full of them, a big "hello" one day, not a peep the next - they want to leave the community spirit of Peckham down there.

Regards the Wellington re-opening, that's great, also apparently the legend Fricsan is rumored to be re-opening, heavy techno to begin with, no closing times:

http://www.thesnowdoninn.co.uk/

And other North Walian news is that the superb Plas Hall in Dolwyddelan is also planning to re begin it's heavy techno nights, everyone welcome:

http://www.plashall.co.uk/

[rocksteady]

yes i`ve heard the news ,just in time for the annual village carnival.i hope Kieth and Menna make a sucess of it.how about organising a new race say the Elidir Horseshoe?and hold the post race bash at the Welly?

Good news, the boarded up pub in Deiniolen - The Wellington is re-opening this week! Let the good times roll!

Seriously though, the village might have it's problems but the majority of people who live there are the most warm hearted people you'd wish to meet.