THE FELL RUNNER Spring 1987 YOU DON’T MAKE THINGS BETTER BY MAKING THEM COMPLICATED There was a time when being a runner was pretty simple. All you needed was an alarm clock, some shorts and a pair of pumps. But times changed. Things got complicated. All of a sudden it seemed that being a runner required a degree in biomechanics to understand what it was all about. And before you knew it, technology had got in the way of the reason you even picked up the sport in the first place. Well, at PETE BLAND SPORTS we put our heads together in order to come up with a line of fellrunning gear that cut through all the clutter and made running simple, and fun again. SHOES: PB RACER and PB TRAINER £36.99 PB FELLSUIT (waterproof): JACKETS £22.95 TROUSERS £11.95 PB WAISTPACKER £6.75 Write or ring for brochure on above items plus many more. Everything for the Fell Runner - we are the Specialists. Fast, efficient Mail Order Service - Access and Visa welcome. Page Editorial 1 L e tte r s 2 - 6 Committee News 7 Championships 8, 9,10 Race Guide; Quiz 10 R e s u lts (12th April 1986 - 19th July 1986) 12 -15 How Not to Predict Your Finish Time, by Dave Ellison 16 The Song of the Bullfrog, The Scent of the Nike, by Bill Bentall 16-17 Long Distance News 18 - 22 Book Reviews 22 - 23 Profile of Carol W alkington, by Neil ShuttlewortH 23 Quiz Answers 23 The Scottish Scene 24 Baghdad Trots, by Tony Peacock 25 Borowdale ’86, by Andrew Schofield 25 R e s u lts (20th July 1986 - 14th February 1987) 26 - 33 Safety and Navigation Course ’86, by Peter Knott 34 M ountain Race - Rhosgadfan, by Peter Travis 34 Internationals: an alternative view, by Will McLewin 34 Competition Page; Rumour has it 36 FIXTURE REVISION - TRANS FAN RACE EDITORIAL The date of this event has been moved from May 2nd to Satur­ day July 11th 1987, otherwise details remain the same. The original date co-incided with the lambing season, and Well, this is it - the new A4 sized Fell Runner. For every page in the central section, where no right of way exists, is closed on this edition, the copy would have filled four pages of the old the day in question. A5 version - that could equate to a maximum equivalent of 25 pages A4-wise. This edition contains a lot more copy than I, No such problem arises in July, when the organisers look and more ominously, the Treasurer, had budgeted. Hopefully, forward to seeing many new faces competing over this classic this clearing of a large backlog will not stop the publication of South Wales route. 4 edition s this year. Anyway, it is now up to you, the Members, to supply me with sufficient copy to get started on the next mag. The dates I am aiming for in 1987 are: R ic h a rd Pailister feeling the affects of having just run h is whatsits o ff at E n n e rd a le (Photo & Caption: R Lange). Front Cover: D. Overton (South Shields) on his way to finishing 239th at this year’s Langdale Race. (Photo: P. Hartley) Back Cover: The start of the Lomonds o f Fife. (Photo: A. Kentleton) W h a t the hell is going on ! them, because if it was known Dear John, what was being discussed, it LETTERS There weren’t many memb­ might affect the outcome” (!) ers of the FRA at the AGM, des­ Curious, really, one would 1988 W orld Cup: Recognise the problems, consider the impact pite exceptionally large numbers have thought the question at the Langdale race immediately “Should FRA fell races be open to beforehand. This is a great pity, Dear John, anyone?” should be simply a because the business and the I attended the recent Fell Runners Association AGM and listened matter for the FRA (mem-bers) to decisions taken should reflect the decide. And, of course, it would with interest to the discussion on the motion ‘FRA Committee is wishes of the membership as a were it not for all this interna­ willing to stage the 1988 World Cup subject to agreement to satisfac­ whole, and that won’t happen tional races business that is tory format and finance’. unless more people turn up. But developing. do the Committee want to know I can understand top fell runners looking towards recognition at the views of the membership as a Later on, when I suggested world level and do not wish to stand in their way. However, I whole? I saw little at the AGM to that a possible solution to one abstained at the vote because it is becoming clear that the proposed suggest this is the case. source of disquiet be voted on by event will bear little resemblance to fell running as I know it. means of a postal ballot, using an I regard three day’s notice of issue of Fell Runner, the response The main purpose of writing is to express my concern at an the AGM as inadequate and unac­ was “Well, the committee attitude I perceived that since the main stream of fell runners will not ceptable, particularly when the Wouldn’t be bound by the result be directly involved, they should not worry themselves about the newsletter giving notice also in­ of course”. Oh, of course not, the forms me that it is too late to proposals. This line of thought is extremely shortsighted. committee is only bound to submit agenda items for consid­ accept the verdict of a tiny minor­ The impact of the World Cup and its associated sponsor seeking eration. I am ready to accept the ity at an ill-convened meeting. explanation that this was a cock- maximum publicity could, if handled insensitively, result in alien­ So . what the hell is going ating local people and local landowners. The last event of this type up (or several) and nothing more sinister, but what 1 found unac­ on? Can it be that the behaviour of did not go unnoticed by the National Trust whose cooperation is ceptable was the total lack of the AAA Administration which essential for the continuance of many long established races in the recognition by officers of the has been the subject of such deri­ Lake District. association that the arrangements sion in the recent past is starting for the meeting meant that there to be seen in the FRA? I am sure that most of the FRA committee recognise the problems was a problem: Namely, was the Yours sincerely, WILL McLEWIN that could arise, and I trust that they will not allow themselves to be ensuing business legitimate and pushed into any hasty decisions by the minority of runners who Editor: T he lack o f notice o f the shouldn't some thought be given AGM was definitely only due to consti-tute the World Cup lobby. to remedying the situation? I an administrative cock-up - MIKE ROSE don’t doubt the meeting was tech­ nothing ‘underhand’ was inten­ nically legal and constitutional, ded. However, Will’s main point Danny Huges replies: I would like to add the following comments in but was it decent and sensible? order to ‘fill out’ the picture. which basically asks the ques­ When you come to consider tion: “How democratically 1: Mountain running as an international sport is gaining in popularity the items that were on the representative is the Associa­ and will no doubt go from strength to strength. The International agenda, concern grows. You find tion?” does highlight that the Mountain Running Committee have a policy of seeking affiliations to items about championship rules recurring conflict - i.e. Is the the IAAF. If this comes about the sport will become truly World-wide. and professional running and Association’s prime role that of a international races and world governing body (on behalf of 2: The rules governing present World Cup events are a ‘first attempt’ cups. (No surprise, of course, that AAA’s?) or as a mouthpiece for drawn up by a few countries in Zogno in 1984, and will no doubt be the few members closely invol­ fe ll runners’ wishes? Indeed, can continually modified as more countries join in. We therefore have ved in such developments were the two cohabit under the same some constraints within which we must stage the event in this country, well represented.) But on matters organisation? What do other the most important of which relates to course marking. For some, this which really do concern most members think? is also the most contentious, but we should remember that well over members, like excessively high entry fees and ‘too many’ entries 100 races in the FRA calendar advertise their races as having marked for some races, signs of leadership routes. Obviously course marking is impractical for long British fell and words of wisdom or even con­ races, but this type of race does not yet come within the World Cup cern were conspicuously absent. format. Also there was quite a lot of 3: The reasoning behind staging the World Cup in this country in “You (the members) nave to let us 1988 is that we can influence the future development of the sport at (the Committee) decide things”. International level. Additionally, it is natural and right that if we are to Well, to a certain extent that is continue sending teams to compete in World Cup events, we should at perfectly proper, but only if it is so that the Committee can pro­ some stage want to reciprocate the hospitality and work done on our duce the outcome the members behalf by organising countries.