Any fell runners in, first fell race tomorrow

I’ve decided I want to run the 3 peaks race next April. Apparently you have to qualify by doing 2 A category fell races, so I have the first one tomorrow in Shropshire. Any tips for the race, its 9 miles with 2600ft of climbing 8O.

Also, anyone done the 3 peaks run or similar, do you have any training tips?

Done fairly full on trail run races but only fell/mountain ran in SW Ireland and loved it. That race sounds brilliant. Wish it was closer!

Yeah, done a couple of trail runs in the SE this year and a half marathon, but nothing approaching 2600ft in 9 miles yet, well not running.

Keep moving your legs and try not to over hydrate during the build up before the start. Nerves can make you feel more thirsty but you don’t want to be bloated. And keep moving your legs. 🙂

Oh and enjoy it. It will be a great experience and something to be proud of too.

Break a leg.

Cardington Cracker????

Never done it but trained a bit over the hills around that area. All very runnable but can still be tough. Start steady and dont ascend or descend too quickly or you may pay a little towards the end.

Enjoy!

Yeah, Cardington Cracker. Its the descending that worries me, the ups will be a breeze in comparison I’m fairly fit, but living in London you don’t get to many big downhills.!

Work on your quads. They take a pounding on downhills. Running on flat terrain bores me half to death. Just cannot get on with it.
Really does sound amazing. While being exhausted, appreciate the views and the experience!

No eating within 3 hours of the race, no drinking within 1 hour. Some people can get away with closer, others can’t. I suggest not experimenting this time as the results can be messy 😯

You’ll find descending the most scary thing ever, far scarier than DH biking. Don’t be afriad to sit down and use your arse, especially if it’s snowy. If still upright, use your arms, wave around madly for balance, works for me.
Be prepared to beaten by lots of very old men.

lookmanohands off here is a handy fell runner.

>> living in London you don’t get to many big downhills

I know it’s not strictly the same sport, but I was chatting to a fellow at an ultramarathon awhile ago, and he had just won a Swiss mountain marathon. He lived in London and trained mainly around Hyde Park. So living in London is no excuse!

I’ve done a fair bit of fell racing, including the 3 peaks. Just do as much as you can, both training and racing. It’s a bit like mountain biking in that there is a significant amount of skill and technique in both climbing and descending that can make up for a lack of fitness….

What about the FRA rules. Am I really going to have to carry full waterproof cover in a bumbag?

‘Full body cover’ might seem a pain, but is easily doable in a normal bumbag, and will save your ass when the weather gets grim, and it will get grim sooner or later.

Have a look at Pete Bland sports or Running Bear shop.

http://www.peteblandsports.co.uk/

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Unlikely, the course officials only usually enforce this rule, when the conditions are likely to be severe. I have run lots of fell races and have only ever had to carry waterproofs etc about 10 times, usually in races like the Kinder Trog!

I went past Cardington today, and although there is snow there, there was a lot of rain here this afternoon, so its likely to be a muddy / half frozen mess.

Enjoy! It will be great. Would be doing it myself, if I didnt have a broken toe!

Ay up, did the cardington cracker last year. Pace yourself it feels a lot longer than 9 miles and your looking at about 3000ft of climbing. You start in a nice wide open field then end up running up a very very boggy stream/bog. The one climb unto the top of croc ( or whatever its called) is a killer, 1000+ ft in under a mile! The last 2 or 3 miles is across fairly flat farmers fields and they go on for ever and ever! FRA rules state you need windproof/waterproof body cover, map, whistle and compass. Chances are they will not check but take it all just incase. Great race, good luck and enjoy.

Good luck! let us know how you get on.
Have you read feet in the clouds? made me want to get into fell running but building up to it slowly… very slowly.

Does 9 miles count as a qualifying race? I thought they had to be m length to qualify.

Last one I did (which was the Wrekin race, so I’d assume the same officials) the start guy commented that it seemed lots of people weren’t following the rule on waterproof cover, but nothing more was done about it.

As with all running events – but even more so with something like this – the best tip at this stage is not to go off too fast. Don’t be over ambitious about who you can keep up with.

Does 9 miles count as a qualifying race? I thought they had to be m length to qualify.

It’s listed as AM, so counts – M being at least 6 miles.

If the rules for the race stipulate full body cover then take it plus whatever else is on the list.

FRA rules state you need windproof/waterproof body cover, map, whistle and compass. Chances are they will not check but take it all just incase

take them because:
there are no good reasons not to have them

the organiser stipulates it, he is a volunteer who could with people doing what he asks

when it goes wrong and there is the inevitable inquest you were properly equiped and the event can run again

it’s probably part of the organisers insurance requirements

I took it, most other runners appeared to have. I wore most of it anyhow as it was freezing.

It was REALLY hard, but really good, amazing views, descending on your backside in the snow, and the uphills were unbelievable, straight up the side of the hills, I didn’t see a single soul running the ups.

I managed to come mid table, which given the conditions, and that its my first race was fairly pleasing. Some of the people there were hardcore.

Well done, fella. Fell running is ‘hardcore’, largely. Can I recommend joining the FRA if for nowt else then the magazine is worth the £12.
Here’s a link to some of my lad’s fell running vids: http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=willfoxere2k7#grid/uploads

aye its good fun. dont stress too much about climbs. races tend to be won more on descents. thats where you find out how good you are!

I’ve ran ben nevis (As part of the big ben tri) 13 miles with 4400ft up and down. 1st mile and a bit is pretty flat. then 6 miles for 4000ft of climbing. pretty epic. running back down the scree slope was pretty awesome, you’ve just got to relax and let yourself go! i’m looking at some ultra distance next year, and the tour de mont blanc after that.

It’ll hurt. But in a good way!

Have fun!

Can I recommend joining the FRA if for nowt else then the magazine is worth the £12.

+1 the mag is great

Well done. Did a 15ish miler maybe 20 years ago in that area. Was going quite well until the second climb of Pole Cat. It was hard! Used to love that stuff – keep getting injured nowadays, 2km the other week lead to a calf strain. And I built up to that distance.

Its a great sport though.

Well done. My first fell was in the snow, and I was completely hooked. Look on the fra website and pick your next race while you’re still grinning.

Get an FRA race calendar, very useful. My dad does loads of fell runnning, done stuff like the Ben Nevis race and also did a Bob Graham round in 2008. i think he beleives he is peter pan.

As I passed this point, it must have been -4 with a windchill taking it to minus 15, I was freezing and wearing base layer and a windproof and full legging tracksters plus a wooly hat. Some old guy overtook me, he must have been about 70 and wearing shorts and a vest. Mentalist 😯

it’s amazing/inspiring to see all the gnarly old giffers who simply refuse to slow down with old age!

i remember a fell race around Eyam, i was mincing down a steep, loose, wet, slippery (limestone) footpath, and a little old lady (must have been Yoda’s mum) overtook me, she offered ‘it is quite tricky, isn’t it dear?’ as encouragement…

Good effort, well done!

Just be warned, running 10 miles through sheep/cow shit every weekend and wednesday evening in the summer can get awfully addictive!

and also did a Bob Graham round in 2008

And we thought the ‘puffer was hard.
Would like to do a Bob Graham one day, need a bit more practice!

Haha, he did really well, trained for ages though. Did it in 23:18 i think 🙂