Fell runners

.blitz
.blitz Posts: 6,197
edited February 2010 in Health, fitness & training
Out in darkest Mid-Wales at the weekend and we crossed paths with a group of fell runners. We had 'em on the descents :twisted: but uphill and on gnarly terrain they were uncatchable.

I was thinking that they were so good at what they were doing that being a fell runner is either something you can do or you can't. What do you think - do you think it's possible to train to become a fell runner or is it natural ability?

Comments

  • Surf-Matt
    Surf-Matt Posts: 5,952
    Blitz - I do all off road running and really enjoy hilly terrain. Probably not a fell runner but ran to the top of a mountain range and back down several times in SW Ireland and loved it.

    Just nice to be able to enjoy hills.mountains at a higher speed than walking without getting too knackered.

    Just done a run actually - I got mud right up my back!
  • Alinshearah
    Alinshearah Posts: 339
    Fell running has it's ups and downs :lol:
  • .blitz
    .blitz Posts: 6,197
    Matt: it must be great to be able to run up and down mountains. These fellas were running the same hills that I've walked/cycled but they were travelling light and going a lot quicker. What sort of distance/time do you run on the hills?
  • Surf-Matt
    Surf-Matt Posts: 5,952
    Blitz - not very far to be honest! Probably around 10k/6miles doing roughly 8 minute miles on average. Views were stunning from the top though and I didn't see another person on any of the runs I did. They were only 650m high so hardly mega mountains but a sustained 5k uphill is quite tiring.

    It was up the hills/mountains in the background of this pic:

    16765_203602377804_631517804_3699141_6257642_n.jpg
  • .blitz
    .blitz Posts: 6,197
    That's 9.5 km more than I could run :)

    The fell race on Saturday was about 10 km (630 m up-and-down) and apparently the top blokes got round in under an hour. We rode about 30 km and took 6 hours incl. tea breaks.

    Do you race off-road or is it more for fitness?
  • Surf-Matt
    Surf-Matt Posts: 5,952
    I do the odd race - all been 10ks so far.

    Best results have been 5th/700, 5th/120, 10th/150

    I'm the yellow dot in this one (about 11km in total, came 5th):

    n631517804_2197540_711515.jpg It was knackering!!

    That off road tri also had a 6km coast run - it was so steep in one section that everyone walked it!
  • trekmtb1081
    trekmtb1081 Posts: 54
    Something I am contemplating.

    They look awesome and elite. Recon its worth a bash.

    Trek
    Trek Series 6
    GT Avalanche
  • .blitz
    .blitz Posts: 6,197
    It would be great to be able to fell run but I think you have to be a compact, wiry sort of person to do it properly. No good if you're 6'2" and 190 lbs (on a good day) like me :roll:

    The last time I was 160 lbs people thought there was something wrong with me :)
  • Surf-Matt
    Surf-Matt Posts: 5,952
    Blitz - not sure I'm that wiry being "overweight" (5'8" and almost 170lbs) on a doctors BMI chart!

    I think distance flat runners need to be wiry but off road runners need a bit of muscle/strength.
  • .blitz
    .blitz Posts: 6,197
    The runners that came past us were all lean - almost skeletal - and not particularly tall. They took the obstacles in their stride and made it look very easy.

    There are a few people who run around Follow The Dog. It's about 7 miles (not much elevation though) and allegedly they get round in 40 mins.
  • Surf-Matt
    Surf-Matt Posts: 5,952
    Hard to judge times as each course is different but anything under 45 mins for a 10k trail run is good. My best is 42 mins so far - hilly course but not much mud or many obstacles (often have to cross stiles/open gates in the races).

    The ones who have won every race I have done have certainly been lean but not rake like.

    It was my strongest event in the tri - went from 4th after the MTB race to 1st and luckily it was the last event!

Categories