Fell Races – Introduction – Belper Harriers

What is Fell Running?

We’re lucky living in Belper as we have the Peak District on our doorstep. This is a fantastic natural asset that we as runners can access via both fell and trail races. The Peak District offers a perfect mix of both types of race;

“Trail” races (paths, well signed, easy to follow, in countryside) and
“Fell” races (higher hills, open moorland, not always on paths, often limited signage).

Where to Start – The Harriers Fell Race Series

Living in Belper we are lucky to have lots of perfect races to ease us into Fell Running which is why we run our own Fell Race Series. Additionally, Dave Denton’s local fell series has races along the Chevin, through Shining Cliff Woods and Bradbourne. He also runs great kids races too. The next step up is the Peak District Summer Fell Races that we love going to in the group, mostly mid week. We normally liftshare and sort on Facebook the week before.

Like the Sound of it?

Teaming up with us is the best way to dip your toe in if you’re completely new to off-road running. The Fell Running Association is the governing body and does a good job of mixing free access to the hills and safety Their website has the official race calendar but like all things, if you find you’re enjoying it after a few races, then it’s best to join – the glossy magazine is worth the subscription fee alone. Also worth reading a copy of the “Rules of Racing“

Important! Don’t bother bringing a watch and looking at your splits – your road times will not translate to the fells. Just relax, forget about your times, watch your footing and enjoy the view from the top!

Kit – Shoes & Waterproofs

Shoes – A good pair of fell shoes will be your most important piece of kit – everyday road shoes simply won’t cut it but Trail Shoes should be fine. Shoes that sport a lower heel (reducing the risk of turning an ankle), have large studs on the sole (adding grip) and a snug-fitting upper. Walsh and Inov-8 are two of the most popular brands: expect to pay between £50 and £80 for a mid-range pair.

Waterproofs – A lot of the non Summer races (or lakes over high fells) stipulate full waterproof kit as mandatory. That means fully waterproof jackets and trousers with taped seams. Inov8 and Montane are two great brands to start with.

Races – Peaks Fell Race Calendar

Fell races are graded according to both their difficulty and distance covered.

Hillyness (yes that’s a word!)

Cat A >250ft climb/mile, and no more than 20% of total distance on road
Cat B >125ft climb/mile, and no more than 30% of total distance on road
Cat C >100ft climb/mile, and no more than 40% of total distance on road

Length

Short (S) Under six miles (9.6K) in length.
Medium (M) Between six and 12 miles (19.3K) in length.
Long (L) More than 12 miles in length

Other Abbreviations in races

NS (navigation skills required)
LK (local knowledge an advantage)
ER (experience required)

Thus, a race listed as “AM” will be steep but of medium length. Most fixtures will also include a reference to their total distance and elevation –3m/400’ refers to a three-mile race climbing 400ft for example.