ANY PLACE - ANY TIME THE PLACE: KESKADALE (NEWLANDS) THE TIME: 1.30 pm SATURDAY, JULY THIS COMPETITOR'S BOOTS DISINTEGRATED (NOT WALSH'S) ON DESCENDING KNOTT RIGG ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE SAUNDERS TWO DAY MM WE WERE ON HAND TO SUPPLY HIM WITH A NEW PAIR OF WALSH'S, SO THAT HE COULD CONTINUE, IT PAYS TO HAVE FLEXIBLE FRIENDS! WINTER IS COMING. UNBEATABLE LIFA PRICES HELLY HANSEN LONG SLEEVE TOPS NAVY PIN STRIPE SML £6.95 GREY SML £6.95 NAVY SML £12.95 ROYAL SML £12.95 RED SML £12.95 LONG JOHNS NAVY (SECONDS) SML £5.95 ROYAL SML £12.95 LIFA BALACLAVA NAVY ONE SIZE £3.95 UFA BRIEFS NAVY SML £8.95 FASTRAX GLOVES SML £4.95 THE ONLY SPECIALIST RUNNING CENTRE IN BRITAIN THAT CATERS ESPECIALLY FOR THE FELL RUNNER. MAJOR STOCKISTS OF WALSH PB'S, WRITE OR RING FOR PRICE LIST. FAST EFFICIENT MAIL ORDER SERVICE. ACCESS OR VISA WELCOME. PETE BLAND SPORTS 34A KIRKLAND, KENDAL CUMBRIA. Telephone (0539) 731012 CONTENTS Page Editorial 1 EDITORIAL Letters 2 Magazine Turnround Gripping Yarns No 3 Wheeze 4 Various letters to me have raised questions about magazine Committee News turnround and topicality of results published. There are many FRA Officers and Committee Members 5 contributors to the magazine and several of them seem to assume that copy sent two weeks after the published deadline Membership Form 5 can just be slipped in. Photographers need to find time to get Committee News, Selwyn Wright 5 into their darkrooms on the deadline date. Then there have First Edale Navigation, Training and Safety Course, been problems with the printer reading discs and handwriting, Peter Knott 6 interpreting the required layout, and producing proofs and International News modified proofs. I have now finally reached agreement with “Brits” Reconnoitre World Cup Courses, the officers of the FRA to use a printer, Macdonald Lindsay Pindar pic, who I can visit to discuss such problems as they Danny Hughes 7 arise. Alpine Round Up, Bob Howard 7 Thyon-Grande Dixence, Matthew Pritchard 9 Ray Eagle also asks about the level of service on results and High Alpine Mountain Relay (Stubai), Kees Geer 9 the depth of the field covered. Dave Weatherhead took over collecting results last year with the specific remit to extend the Stellina Challenge, Dave Hodgson 9 results lists published and to chase every race in the calendar. Interview with Hugh Symonds in Davos, All organisers of races advertised in the calendar now receive John Blair-Fish 10 an sae from Dave and I believe coverage has improved Un Hombre Loco en la Montana, Andy Walmsley 10 considerably as a result of Dave’s efforts. Results 13 Mountain Marathon Results and News 28 Facilities at Fell Races Letters below also ask what we may expect at Fell Races for Experiences of the Run our entry fee. My personal opinion is that the race entry fee Pendle Downhill Challenge, Peter Hartley 30 should either cover refreshments available at the finish or Run Straw Ale, Dave Woodhead 31 vouchers to purchase the same. Walking back to the car after Halls Fell Ridge, Peter Travis 31 running the Wasdale to find money for tea and cakes and then Fell Running Fatigue, E A Trowbridge 31 back to the finish area seemed unnecessary. Or should we be Fell Running in the Peak District, Bill Smith 32 running with our friendly pieces of plastic to cover refresh­ Book Review (Safety on Mountains) 33 ments at the end of races or purchase of new shoes mid-race Rumour has it 33 as shown in the report on the Saunders? I noticed a runner Dictionary of Cliches for Fell Runners, Angus with a Visa wrist sweatband at the end of a Swiss uphill race Pentland 33 and wondered if this was a sign of the future. Long Distance News Fatigue Limited Competition News Summary, Martin Stone 34 Tony Trowbridge’s article below suggests that British and Pennine Way in 2/i Days, Frank Yates 34 English Championship races are too demanding for top Pennine Way Records, Bill Smith 35 athletes. Consulting other runners and judging from my own Long Distance Triptych; Mark Rigby 36 experience I do not think there are any totally objective state­ Five Minutes on Even the Nicest Mountains, ments that can be made. The number of long races that can be Ray C Shred 37 taken on at a given level vary from individual to individual and Top to Bottom, Side to Side, Chas Ryder 38also depend on experience and fitness. Nearly a Success But Not Quite — The Brecon Beacons Having said all that I feel my decision this year not to run both Traverse on29/7/89 38 the Moffat and Wasdale in successive weekends this year may Playing Rounders — The Broxap Round 40 not have been wise; the night before Moffat I helped Robin Morris load six trays of cakes, the entry-fee Moffat race refreshments, from a bakery into his car and there were only 50-odd runners at the race. Front Caver: Jack Riley, one of the oldest members of Clayton, on Pendle Hill —Photo: Dave Woodhead. Back Cover: BurnsallP.S. The Committee is now seeking comments on the number — The start of the rough descent —Photo: Peter Hartley. of races in the British Championship — see Committee News. Advertising Rates: Letters and Articles for Next Issue — deadline 25th November £110 Full Page £55 Half Page £38 Quarter Page £15 Eighth Page John Blair-Fish, Five The Screes, 28 Howdenhall Crescent Classified £1 for first twenty words, then lOp per word thereafter. Edinburgh EH16 6UR (031-664 8425) Classified Advertisements: Results and Race Reports to: Rates: A bargain at £1.00 for the first 20 words, then lOp per word David Weatherhead, 47 Clarendon Road, Elwick thereafter. All payments must be made in advance. Bingley BD16 3DL (0276 567589) It is hoped that the response from members will justify the continuation of this column. So why not get rid of those spare shoes, Advertising Copy to: fill that seat in the car to races or advertise your Martin Stone, 12 Moorlands, 103 Garstang Road, Preston B & B availability etc.? Lancashire PT1 INN (0772 562395) 1 route was displayed. The problem organisers send results in a photo- with this was by now even the copiable format? “new” penultimate control was I would much rather see this extra officially closed also. As a detail even if it meant restricting (not LETTERS consequence a large number of the excluding) space given to epics, new class retired in disgust and returned circuits (of which an infinity can be via Newlands Pass to the finish invented), the World Cup, gossip rather than carry on with the route about personalities etc. After all, drinks can be got from the cafe next to a control that almost certainly most of your readers are “average” Free Refreshments at door is not really satisfactory and wouldn’t be there and to a finish or slower and its nice to find out Fell Races smacks of arrogance. that would have officially closed how we are doing against each other. Thirteen hundred competitors at some one hour previous. Being Very few of us try to maximise We are writing this letter as a plea £8 and no maps to produce, provides bloody minded a small group of us points in “The British” and even the to all fell race organisers to asjc them a good chance of a large profit. An carried on to discover the punch still best run in many other races. to maintain that very special (and event budget would make interesting in place and the finish still open. Finally, is there any chance of a desirable) fell race custom of pro- reading. This is not sour grapes but When we informed the retirees of quicker turn round in results, even if viding free refreshments at the finish an indication that competitors were this they were not very amused! this implies a less glossy format for of long races, with copious amounts not thought of in much detail. Its not the length of the second the magazine? of drinks like tea, squash etc. We I appreciate the hard work put in day that warrants complaint because Lets have an investigation, note that this year some organisers by organisers, but officials must be there have been too many soft events reporting back in 1997. seem not to have bothered. well briefed and allocated jobs of late but rather the timing. I Your’s in a sweat It may seem trivial to some, but it which they can handle firmly. suspect no one actually went round RAY EAGLE is after all the only tangible benefit Two long days in big hills in good the route to check if it was viable or that most runners (outside the prize­ weather, tainted by disappointing was it that Joss Naylor did it and an winners) receive. memories. extra 10 minutes was added on! We firmly believe that the Yours faithfully At the finish I saw someone in a SLMM and “All Fell majority of fell runners would prefer J ARMSTRONG shouting match with Ken Ledward to see their modest entry fee going over apparently similar goings on in Runners are Pigs” towards (in order of importance): the Bowfell class. I don’t believe in 1. Organisers expenses and safety This weekend, for the last time, I that manner of doing things but on competed in the Saunders Lakeland provisions. the other hand I feel obliged to Mountain Marathon. At the end of 2.