GPS in fell races

[Travs]

Sue i completely admire your viewpoint, and if everyone were of the same opinion then there wouldn't be an issue. But it's evident from everyone's anecdotes that many people don't share the same opinion.

ba-ba pasted a snippet of a conversation he had with someone on the FRA, and it said they would not be looking to outlaw GPS unless a specific 'non GPS' event (as it is almost impossible to police, i personally think that is a sensible stance to take). And seeing as most events are ran under FRA rules then i don't think there's much that can be done, unless organisers are specifically writing it into their rules, a la LDMT & Welsh1000.

I was attracted to fellrunning by three main things...

1 - a love for the fells
2 - the difficulty of the sport (i was at pro level in another sport before i started on the fells, so i'm fairly obviously up for a challenge).
3 - the fact that it remains generally free of cheating, and all the things which I've seen infest in sports like football.

But i'm a competitive bastard, and if others on the start line are obviously using GPS, and it is not strictly against the rules of the race in question, then i find it hard to swallow that i should disadvantage myself. As i say on many occasions on this very forum "it is a race, after all...."

(although on my favourite races, as has been said on here a few times, once you know them well enough, then it matters not whether you have GPS or not, as you'll run on memory). [although memory clearly didn't stop me getting lost on the LMV this year, in completely clear weather, in the 3rd year that i'd ran it, within half a mile of the finish!!]