2018 FELL RACES

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2018 FELL RACES

Postby BARRY BLYTH » Wed Nov 22, 2017 5:03 pm

Hi All,
Tom has triggered off a number of responses on our Facebook page. For those that don't use Facebook I replied as follows:

Have taken note of all the comments triggered by Tom's post (see below).
Not sure how we should go forward with this. Need to have a chat with Graham. This year we had 22 races in the champs including just 1 in Lakes the Anniversary Waltz. Further 8 races added by request as was asked to and met my minm 5 criteria. The Spreadsheet gets a bit cumbersome if too many and represents a fair amount of time to update and report on (ca 2 hrs per race?) . I've attached what we did in 2017 including how many runners turned out.

My objectives have been to be inclusive so that more runners get the chance to complete 6 qualifying races.
We have 2 competitions and now a Winter Series (not sure how Graham is going to score that).
Most aren't able to make Lakeland races. Those that are tend to anyway.

I'd Like some feedback from more people as to what they want from "our" championships.

Good luck on the Handicap. Phil has your number!


Tom's Post:

Taking inspiration from Den’s post re AW, it would be great to see some more Lakeland races in the club champs. When I started with MH there were relatively few people heading north regularly enough to merit inclusion of races into the club calendar, but in recent years it seems there is much more interest. The number at Dunnerdale was great. It is great that if enough people do a race they get added to the champs, but that means that entry is a bit add hoc (I’d have travelled for Dunnerdale if I’d known more we’re going).
I was wondering whether the Lakes Grand Prix races in 2018 would be a worthy addition to the Fell champs? Assuming Pete Bland sponsor it again next year and races are the same it includes:
Anniversary Waltz
Coniston Old Man
Fairfield
Kentmere
Three Shires
Langdale
Each presents different challenges, but none too difficult or long for anyone in this group to have a go at.
Or, if not directly via the Fell champs is there enough interest to enter these races and the Grand Prix anyway? I’m sure several of these races are on people’s agenda already.
Cheers, Tom

Have taken note of all the comments triggered by Tom's post.
Not sure how we should go forward with this. Need to have a chat with Graham. This year we had 22 races in the champs including just 1 in Lakes the Anniversary Waltz. Further 8 races added by request as was asked to and met my minm 5 criteria. The Spreadsheet gets a bit cumbersome if too many and represents a fair amount of time to update and report on (ca 2 hrs per race?) . I've attached what we did in 2017 including how many runners turned out.
My objectives have been to be inclusive so that more runners get the chance to complete 6 qualifying races.
We have 2 competitions and now a Winter Series (not sure how Graham is going to score that). I'd Like some feedback from more people as to what they want from "our" championships.
Most aren't able to make Lakeland races. Those that are tend to anyway.
Good luck on the Handicap. Phil has your number!
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2017 Champs Races & Summer series listings.docx
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Re: 2018 FELL RACES

Postby mhlewis » Thu Nov 23, 2017 2:50 pm

Hi Barry,
Thanks for posting this on the forum. I don't have access to the secret fell running section on Facebook (I don't agree with it!), and I would have missed this if you had not posted. Consequently, I have not seen what other people have already posted on Facebook.
I take your point about the workload, and Tom's point about including some further-away races in the Champs.
My suggestions are:

    -- Keep the possibility of ad-hoc races being added to the Champs, but increase the MHAC participant threshold from 5 to 8. This would, for example, remove 8 races from the 2016 Champs that had only 5, 6, or 7 MHAC participants
    -- Include 1 or 2 planned Lakeland/Wales/Shropshire/other-far-away races. Anniversary Waltz in 2018 could be the Lakeland race, and Tal-y-Fan could be the Wales race. We seem to be getting a good turnout for weekends away, and they could inform the choice of far-away race

Thanks for doing all the stats etc, it is very much appreciated, and thanks for inviting our views.

Matt
Matt Lewis
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Re: 2018 FELL RACES

Postby BARRY BLYTH » Thu Nov 23, 2017 3:00 pm

Thanks Matt. Some other Facebook posts:

I joined the club towards the end of the year so didn’t get chance to get stuck into the championship, but fully intend to next year.

So for what it’s worth my preference would be for local races, supporting our neighbouring clubs and making it accessible for anyone else in the club wanting to give it a try.

Might be over complicating things, but a ‘Lakes Series Championship’ might be a way to recognise those wanting to regularly make the journey north? Jimmy Sheldon

It's impossible to please everyone, & there are so many races these days. I think it has to be a fixed list for our championships, that isn't added to as the season goes on.
I do think they should be local ' ish races.
Theres nothing to stop runners entering other championship schemes like the Lakeland Grand Prix, or the one of the other many many other grand prix race series. Kath Turner

OTHER EARLIER POSTS

Chris Cripps
Chris Cripps Sounds good to me! I could get a few champs races in other than just the roaches.
Like · Reply · 4 · 19 November at 13:14
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Alan Ireland
Alan Ireland Ah, the bell’s: I thought they were ringing in my head, then the mist cleared and for a moment I thought I was dreaming but I wasn’t, and the next thing, with pounding breath and feet all hell broke loose on the long descent with the sound of the bell ...See more
Like · Reply · 2 · 19 November at 13:47
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Tom Whittington
Tom Whittington Must have been the sound of Mardale Ill Bell!
Like · Reply · 19 November at 20:20
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Barry Blyth

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Julie Gardner
Julie Gardner Tom I e-mailed Graham a week or two ago with 4 suggestions for AM races to be considered in the championships. All in eastern part of LD and with late starts, so people could go up for the day and do a car share. Chase him up on his thoughts. I haven't heard anything else from him. Good luck.
Like · Reply · 19 November at 17:11
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Kath Turner
Kath Turner .. and we regularly popped up there for our Sunday runs too
Like · Reply · 19 November at 18:58
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Tom Whittington
Tom Whittington Cool. Some discussion to be had on whether some of these could be part of the Fell champs or just a secondary Lakeland champs. Incidentally, Badger Blast is last weekend Feb. A great route for the time of year from Rydal up to Silver Howe and back.
Like · Reply · 19 November at 20:29
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Kath Turner
Kath Turner And South Lakes so doable in a day
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