You can't beat local knowledge :-) MrRTS has done so many races this year with his challenge in places he has never been to so recce's are not really an option. He pours over maps, looking for best route. He runs with a thumb compass and is pretty good at navigation. He loves races that means he has to use his navigation skills. However, it doesn't matter how good he is he will never be as good as the runner that knows that little cut down, or secret line using local knowledge. I do think though if he is of equal ability he would beat the runner using GPS to navigate the route. Bit like the cyclist thing at the moment. GPS navigation isn't cheating but it is maybe ethically iffy. Bit like following the runner in front then sprinting past them at the end to take a win. Not many of us would be happy with that either :-) To me using GPS to navigate would not give you an edge over the fell runner that knows his navigation skills. Also, how much fun is knowing how to map read? It opens a secret World out to us all. I'm rubbish at running and navigating but I have done a lot of the lakes on my own with map/compass and flapjack and loved every minute of it - slowly