Only 4 miles but I’ve done a reccie and the course looks tricky in places so I’m more concerned about turning an ankle

i did my first in 10+years the other day (and only second ever) over in Hope in the peak district.

some folk will go fast off the start, and most people will be scary fast descenders… I went with the tactic of ‘just hanging in there’ on the climbs and going steady on the descents, accepting people will go way faster than me on the downs and knowing with time and practice i might get quick enough one day!

if you’ve not already, it’s worth getting to a proper running shop to have your run annalysed and get some good shoe reccomends. 80 quid on my current running shoes is the best 80 quid i’ve ever spent – far better than anything 80 quid on a bike, that’s for sure!!!!!

where’s the race?

Thanks – Derbyshire – Charlesworth to be exact – I run on the road quite a bit but don’t think my road shoes will cut it in the mud – got some Inov8 shoes that I’ve never worn – might try them 😕

Get some fell running shoes as they make such a difference – if nothing else to your stability on the downs, oh and the ability to feel you kidneys complaining afterwards.
I really wouldn’t recommend racing in standard trail or road running shoes.

Just relax and enjoy it, unless your really quick you [prob] wont win and [prob] wont be last either.
Look at the winners time from previous race to gauge how long you may be running for as time varies a lot over diff courses of same mileage.
Again where is it?

if you’ve not already, it’s worth getting to a proper running shop to have your run annalysed and get some good shoe reccomends.

Actually its much less necessary to have running shoes “correct” for your gait when running offroad, because the uneven terrain means the position of your footstrike isn’t that repititive anyway. IIRC only Salomon do offroad shoes with medial support.

A tip – don’t look at the rocks, look at the gaps between the rocks. Running downhill is a lot like picking a line on a bike.

Watch out for the low heel cup on the Innov8’s. Theydon’t suit everyone and take a bit of getting used to.

Did my first ever fell race on Saturday up in Yorkshire… and quite comprehensively came last. I saw the leaders on the return leg before I’d even made it half way!

By ‘eck it was hard work, and I thought my legs were going to give up after the climb to the mid-point. It took me about 50% longer to complete the course that I would have done doing a similar distance on flatter trails, but then I am slow and fat!

At the time I swore I would never be doing another one again, but now I am trying to work out when I can do another, and how much running I’ll need to get in to do slightly better!

Oh, and I used my normal trail running shoes, but would definitely go with some proper fell running shoes for next time…

Nick, Its hawkswick dash near grassington next sunday, only 1.2 mile!
Plan on going myself as i did it last year.

Get a pair of Walsh fell shoes(my last two pair of Inov8 the inside of the heals packed in), tonnes of grip and the best of luck

I swapped to inov8s as my Walshes did what your inov8s did 🙂

Agreed on the shoe front, dont worry about gait
and don’t what ever you do, do it in road shoes they’re too high!
they’d actually make it more likly to twist your ankle

something nice and low, yep inov8’s are very personnal
I tried ’em once, not for me
La Sportiva’s are nice, Montrail or even dare i sat it a Walsh

Don’t get caught up trying to keep up on the decents
run your own race and enjoy!

Fair to say I am very anti Inov8, I have had dealings with the owner and he is an a$$

Yeah I wore the inside of the heal out in my one and only set of Inov8’s too at Calderdale a few years ago.

They fit some people great, they don’t fit a lot of people at all!

Agree with what everyone has said about getting proper shoes for fell running.

Tip – cut your toe nails nice and short a couple of days ahead of the race.

SB

In case you haven’t read it, I can recommend “Feet In The Clouds” – excellent read,

Good luck!!

Yes that is a great book – highly inspirational and somewhat awe-inspiring to me given the distances involved!

nosemineb – unfortunately I live in Nottingham, so getting to many fell races will be tricky, and Grassington is just a little far for a 1.2 mile race! I say race, it’s more about just surviving for me!

Besides, you are probably only looking for someone to make sure you don’t come last… ;o)

No idea about tips – I’m not a runner.

But I’m in awe of any fell runner – especially my friend Anna who was first woman in the last Three Peaks….

Enjoy your race..!

Aye, don’t use road shoes, I love Adidas Swoop’s, they fit me well and grippy on rock. Much as I love mtbing there is a great sense of freedom running in the mountains and it does wonders for your ankle strength!

As an experienced runner but inexperienced (relatively) fell runner my tactic is to go off fast as my descending skills are very poor. My fitness is good so it often means I am in the top few on the climb but move rapidly backwards through the field on the descent.
Get good studded shoes as has been said. I prefer Inov8’s and run your own race on the descents.
Fell running is great fun so dont take it too seriously.

Fast descending is something you either can do or can’t IMO. If you can – you don’t need advice; if you can’t – sorry!

Just relax and enjoy it – 4 miles will be a mad blast.

Fast descending is something you either can do or can’t IMO. If you can – you don’t need advice; if you can’t – sorry!

Thats largely true in my experience. More practice improves things as well as the development of stronger muscles however you will never match those that can truly “disengage” their brains at the top!

are there rules that say you have to carry a small waterproof&legging or is that at the discretion of the organisers?

nosemineb – unfortunately I live in Nottingham, so getting to many fell races will be tricky, and Grassington is just a little far for a 1.2 mile race! I say race, it’s more about just surviving for me!

I’m planning to come last in this one, which is only about 45 mins drive from you:

http://www.runningwithdavid.com/section/events/derbys_fell/chevin_hill.php

It is not a very extreme route (880 feet of ascent), although thinking about it, riding up there last night it was pretty wet and slippy on the rocks and roots, and the trails are a bit overgrown and narrow, it is a bit harder to run there than it was earlier in the year.

Joe

Joe… ooooh, now that is definitely close enough for me to get to, and I can challenge you for last place!! Cheers for pointing those out to me and thankfully they are just far enough away that I can get a little fitter, and maybe enjoy the run a little more!

See you there…

are there rules that say you have to carry a small waterproof&legging or is that at the discretion of the organisers?

If its run under FRA rules then they will stipulate what you need to carry depending on distance, severity, time of year etc.
You MUST adhere to these rules or you will be disqualified and may become very unpopular if you need help off the hill!
The organiser will provide the info or you can check on the FRA website.

Kit rules will depend on the race. For a nice short summer evening race they may waive them. Or you could have a bumbag with all the gear on a boiling hot day 🙂

Save something for the descent – it’s very dispiriting not having the legs to attack the *downhills*.

There’s an event listing on the FRA site – but join if you get into it, it’s a few quid well spent.

but join if you get into it, it’s a few quid well spent

The magazine is worth the subscription alone

I see you’re on the Wirral surfer – not doing the Beast tonight are you?

I see you’re on the Wirral surfer – not doing the Beast tonight are you?

Steve, yes Wirral based, a stones throw from you by the looks of things. My club pinched a couple of your good vets a while ago!

No racing for me for at least a couple of weeks, a slight pull in my hamstring which has set me back a fortnight.
Good luck if you are racing.

James – is it the one that goes from the Charlesworth Fete – up and along Cown Edge and back, a couple of miles? I did that one years ago and remember some rough terrain near the top and a real pounding fast descent on hard tracks. I was chasing one of my rivals and he took a wrong turn just before the finish, and I followed him… cue mad scramble back to the junction and going from 4th to about 8th 🙁

If it is your first fell race, just take it steady, treat it as a try out. If you are bothered about twisting your ankles you can tape them up with support tape. Until you get the hang of it, fell race descents can seem pretty suicidal. Look ahead, not at your feet and keep your stride short. Enjoy!

That’s the one Chris!

Here’s a tip – double knot your laces! Most of the other relevant stuff has already been covered. I’d recommend starting off right near the back that way you are
a)not getting in the way of faster people and
b) you stand a good chance of passing someone rather than having the majority of the field stream by you.

Fell running is ace, btw. If you want a bit of inspiration have a look at some of my son’s videos – I particularly like the 3 Shires one, not just because I filmed some of it! http://www.youtube.com/user/willfoxere2k7

Hmm.

My first fell race appears to be today. I have just looked at last years results – if I can run as fast as I did in my last training run, I won't come last, which would be great. It looks like I will be easily beaten by my friends sixty something year old dad though, which I'm sure I'll hear about in the pub.

Joe

Yip. Dont get Mudged.

Mudged.

?

Hopefully not any of the definitions here!

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=mudge

Yes. Dont get Mudged.

i'm really getting into the fell running in the peak – there's loads! i must have done 4 now since that original post of mine. steadily improving, and my legs are feeling less sore after each race now. interestingly, having invested in decent trail running shoes, it seems to be making my joints and troublesome ankle stronger and less painfull overall, which has surprised me!!