The Fell Runners Association

[Colin Ardron]

Arrived home at 00.11 hrs last night after a paternal-emotional type Henley Regatta. Andrew (that's my boy) was drawn to row against an Olympic Gold medallist (USA full time, money no object athlete) in the Diamond Challenge Sculls. Andy was philosophical after his defeat - but he wasn't down - there's always next year! What has this to do with Macc. Harriers and the Fell Runners Association? Well a quite a bit - Andy was a Macc Harrier and a fell runner when he lived here and I think rowing shares many of the qualities of determination and dedication that fell runnning demands. But apart from that I'm just using the moderator's parental perogative (say that after a few beers).

Anyway, what was I saying .. getting home, shattered from the driving and hold ups and blood soaked motorways, I found the Fell Runner had been delivered. For those in our Club who are still unenlightened, this is the journal of the Fell Runners Association. When I finally turned the light out at 01.45 hrs, I had come to the momentous conclusion that this was one of the best editions of the FRA magazine I had ever read. (A letter is on its way to the editor of said mag.). One of the articles in the magazine contained the interesting statistic that Macc Harriers contains 41 members of the FRA (end of April, 2005).
If you like running and/or competing in the hills and mountains of our island nation then you really ought to join the FRA. It will cost you the princely sum of £12 a year!!!! For this you get three editions of a glossy colour magazine packed with entertaining, informational and uplifting items plus an annual calender with details of around 400 fell races of all kinds. These are the immediately tangible benefits of being a member of the FRA - there are many others.
In fell running terms we are somewhere in the middle of the pile when it comes to FRA members (Dark Peak and Clayton Le Moors are at the top having 189 and 173 respectively), yet as a club we have a formidable reputation in the long distance/endurance events. Should we as a Club, be doing more to encourage members (particularly younger members) to look to the hills?