The FRA and the Media

[Fellhound]

No one has ever said it was a fell race - it was a trial for the World Mountain Running Champs. The race profile was very similar to the race profile of the actual Champs race and that is the same for the Euro and World Trials at Sedbergh and Glenridding this year.

We've had the debate before on this forum many times, is there a typical fell race? I think not. All you can really say about our races that we frequent, is that they tend to be mainly off road and include an element of ascent & descent.

Witton was a well organised trial, with fantastic racing and who would have thought you could get A category race stats at Witton Park?

To quote one top GB and England Runner who came to the trial as closely as I can(he has won races on all types of fell terrain and long and short)
Richard, you've broken me in to little pieces
which at least satisfied me that it was tough

Any run can be tough (like running a mile in 4 mins on a track) and you can probably get Cat A figures on any old flight of stairs but that doesn't make them fell races.

As you more or less said, there is no typical fell race - and definition is impossible. However, we know what is and isn't and the FRA fixture secretary has always been good at deciding, subjectively, what is and what isn't, so there's no need for a debate.

I just thought Wheeze's question was funny. I live very close to Witton Park (the place) and have never thought of going fellrunning there...

[IainR]

As you more or less said, there is no typical fell race - and definition is impossible. However, we know what is and isn't and the FRA fixture secretary has always been good at deciding, subjectively, what is and what isn't, so there's no need for a debate.

..

Isn't the mighty Sarn Helen listed... 16 miles with not far off half tarmac?

[LissaJous]

Did any of you spot this article?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environmen...es-for-courses

[L.F.F.]

Did any of you spot this article?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environmen...es-for-courses

Thanks for that. Great little article. Happy to say I was one of 'the 100 strung out' along the tops.

[Fellhound]

Isn't the mighty Sarn Helen listed... 16 miles with not far off half tarmac?

There are a few races in there that shouldn't be, and the FRA policy is currently to leave them alone as established fixtures. However, any new races trying to get into the calendar as fell races get a rather more stringent vetting....

[dominion]

So the fixture secretary for English fell races now has to vet Welsh races as well??

[Witton Park]

Did any of you spot this article?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environmen...es-for-courses

Not likely - they're all Daily Mail readers on here

[IainR]

So the fixture secretary for English fell races now has to vet Welsh races as well??

You really are a class one idiot.. FRA promoting fell running in the UK..

[dominion]

You really are a class one idiot.. FRA promoting fell running in the UK..

Thanks Iain.

[Witton Park]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/di...eed-apart.html