This year I set out to become more of a Proper Fellrunner. In June, I moved to Glossop, and knowing that I'd have the opportunity to train more regularly in the Peak District over the summer helped me to knuckle down in the spring and enter some Real Hard Races. I've already written about the Old County Tops race which is one of the events I am most pleased about having ticked off this year. There are other things, which on the face of it are less bonkers and petrifying for a non-runner to contemplate, that I am nonetheless pleased to have done.
One is the Donard race, where I put my new-found compass skills to the test in a race where the mist was so thick you could hardly see your nearest competitor. I managed to complete the race following the correct route, on a day where many of the UK's best fellrunners went totally wrong. Go me. I must give credit to Helen Buchan from Calder Valley Fellrunners, who joined forces with me on the descent to ensure we both got off the misty mountain as fast as we could. That race gave a me a good start in the FRA British Fellrunning Championship series. Completing as many races as I could from that, and scoring points in each one, was another tick.
I also completed my first score navigation event solo. Granted, it was held in my local area, though I never thought I'd have the confidence in my map-reading to do it, not least in pretty wintry conditions. I had fun, scored pretty well, and even managed to fall in a stream , resulting in me giving myself a little lecture about looking after one's own safety when running solo.
I completed a few (I think three) category Long races. All were tough, especially the A category ones. The latest one was the Roaches race in November. I pushed myself into racing it (rather than just running, as I had done the others) and to my delight I managed to overtake and hold off some of the ladies I passed in the second half. I'm dead chuffed with that , I don't see myself as having strength over the longer routes but a bit of competitiveness and hanging on in the final miles goes a long way.
So what have I learned?
One is the Donard race, where I put my new-found compass skills to the test in a race where the mist was so thick you could hardly see your nearest competitor. I managed to complete the race following the correct route, on a day where many of the UK's best fellrunners went totally wrong. Go me. I must give credit to Helen Buchan from Calder Valley Fellrunners, who joined forces with me on the descent to ensure we both got off the misty mountain as fast as we could. That race gave a me a good start in the FRA British Fellrunning Championship series. Completing as many races as I could from that, and scoring points in each one, was another tick.
I also completed my first score navigation event solo. Granted, it was held in my local area, though I never thought I'd have the confidence in my map-reading to do it, not least in pretty wintry conditions. I had fun, scored pretty well, and even managed to fall in a stream , resulting in me giving myself a little lecture about looking after one's own safety when running solo.
I completed a few (I think three) category Long races. All were tough, especially the A category ones. The latest one was the Roaches race in November. I pushed myself into racing it (rather than just running, as I had done the others) and to my delight I managed to overtake and hold off some of the ladies I passed in the second half. I'm dead chuffed with that , I don't see myself as having strength over the longer routes but a bit of competitiveness and hanging on in the final miles goes a long way.
So what have I learned?
- improving, and keeping on practising, my map and compass skills helped me a lot. Thanks Matt
- the volunteers who organise and marshal at fell races are a national treasure
- pack your compass, and your jelly babies, somewhere you can reach them easily
- in events which require you to navigate, the map must stay in your hand
- you've always got a few more matches than you think you have (ie, when you think you've no more energy, there will be some there)
I don't class myself as a fully-fledged fellrunner yet. I have a lot more experience to gain, especially in the Lakes and Snowdonia, though I think I've done a good apprentice year. Thanks everyone who ran with me, competed with me, gave me lifts, and listened to me bang on about mad hill races.
