I’ve ridden bikes with both, and i can’t tell the difference to be honest. To answer your question, yes. Spend the saving on some new shoes or something :)
Upper end of your target zone would be good, something like 75% of your MHR. Intervals should be roughly 65% going up to about 85% during hills, and then recover to about 65% again.
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.
AM40’s here, pretty warm, the lace cover keeps most of the grit out, and take less time that 5.10’s to dry out. Mine have coped with a year of peak district grit and are still in really good condition.
I demo’ed one and it felt very quick, long and low. I’m also 6ft and a medium was definitely too short on the top tube, a large would have been perfect. HTH.
Thinking about 120mm, something like that. There’s a FSR xc frame on he classifieds for 250 i think, if i had the money i’d get that now. It can cost moer than that, but i’d have to save up for longer. Cheers anyway everyone.