LONG MYND FEB 3RD

[BARRY BLYTH]

Apparently this 11ml jaunt is a bit of a "b" with most of the 5000ft of ascent in the last third. It's on our list of races so I thought I'd have a go. To my knowledge Dave K; Digby, Craig and Julian are also up for it.
Thought I'd start a thread so car sharing can be organised.

Barry

[Julian Brown]

It's a good but tough race but last time I did it the race was much much easier / less scary then the journey in the back of John Amies' car.

I'll be down there the night before, 'cos I've got something on the Sat (can offer a lift back though ! at slower than Amies pace) worth getting there a bit early, you have to register in the social club, then walk up to the valley, get counted in etc. Race start 11:30.

http://www.merciafellrunners.org.uk/node/236

[Philip Barnes]

Did this in '06 and its a great race. Will be going again this year, taking Tonka Truck so can give lifts to 4.
From memory, there were quite a few people getting frustrated and lost during the race! There is a map on mercias web site: http://www.merciafellrunners.org.uk/node/378
They describe this as a 'popular route' explaining that there are many different ways round the course. If the weather is bad I think navigation could be quite interesting. I know a few runners last time regret simply following the guys in front

[Julian Brown]

Slightly bigger map - with a slightly different route...

http://www.mh.k313.com/mh/fell/long%20m ... 0route.pdf

[LARRY]

I am planning on doing this an all. I am happy to drive as have had lifts off others recently. But equally if there is a seat in the tonka I'll bagsy that. Any thoughts?

[geofpet1]

i'll be making my own way down there from deepest mow cop

[BARRY BLYTH]

Larry can discuss on wed night at the Poacher's and/or ring round on Saturday.

[Beneficial Dictator]

Janet & I will be in attendance at this race. Suggest those who haven't done this race strongly consider it, nice very tough course & a contrast to the bogs & peat of the Peak . Nice sharp studs recommended.

[Kimberley]

Hi everyone,

I am looking for runners who are competing in the Long Mynd Valleys fell race this Sunday. For my final year dissertation project (at Liverpool John Moores University) I am researching into the psychology of fell running.

My study will look at how men and women use different mental coping styles whilst fell running. I will need at least 3 men and 3 women who are competing on Sunday and the subjects will be required to take part in a short (approx 20 minute) recorded interview with me after the race, obviously after they have warmed up/ had a drink/ partially recovered!!

I will be at race regristration on Sunday with participant information sheets and consent forms, and each participant would of course have the right to withdraw from the study at any time.

Anyone interested in taking part??

Thanks,
Kim

[phil cheek]

Kimberley,
I know you have to dissert(is that really a verb?) on something but I find this hard to get my head round.
"Mental coping strategies" may come into play in the big challenges,MMs,BG etc, but surely not in a short fellrace....you just run don`t you?
And why should we need to bring gender into this?Once we`re out there doing it gender doesn`t come into it.An example from 2 of the best & hardest there have ever been......
"I take my mind off the pain by rasping the back of my hand against a dry stone wall"
"I do the same....by grabbing hold of stinging nettles"
Does it matter which gender they were?
I`ve been lucky enough to be on the fells on big days with several of the very best of both genders & I absolutely know they are all the same.I would risk a very unscientific view that the key is that they don`t do "coping" & that`s what differentiates them from the rest of us.
But maybe you`re interested in the average runner in which case your dissertation makes some sense & a damn sight more interesting than mine was!!
So you Harriers make contact & help her do this.
Phil

[Kimberley]

Harriers,
In reply to Phil's comments i should make the rationale of my study clearer. The cognitive activities of marathon runners has become a huge area of interest for researchers in the field. The main two coping strategies that have been identified are association and dissociation.

Association is when a runner will effectively read thier body, maintaining full awareness of their pace, as well as physiologyical factors critical to performance, including pain.
On the other hand, runners may dissociate, by cutting themselves off from the sensory feedback they would normally recieve during the run, due to the discomfort this might create. In dissociation the runner would concentrate on thoughts unrelated to the race, such as family problems, work etc, or just by counting or singing in their head, or chatting to another runner.
The literature states that dissociation could be debilitative to performance, as it may increase the potential for injury, or cause the runner to misjudge energy expenditure and thus perform below thier optimum.
For my study I am interested comparing the use of these two coping styles in runners of varying abilities. In marathon runners it was found that elite runners will primarily associate for the majority of the race, compared to recreational runners who will primarily dissociate. I am interested in looking at fell running for my study as little research has been done into coping strategies of this discipline.

Hope this clears things up a little more?? Any feedback would be appreciated!!

Thanks, Kim.

[phil cheek]

Kim,
fascinating.
Am i right in thinking that Paula Ratcliff uses numbers to dissociate in the last few miles of a marathon if she`s on her own & running against the clock?
Phil

[BARRY BLYTH]

There will be a ca 10 Macc Harriers doing the long Mynd. I'm in one car load and don't mind taking time out after I've changed and warmed up
(expecting wintery weather on sunday).

Barry

[Philip Barnes]

Kim, If you are prepared to wait until it is nearly dark I will be happy to tell you how I coped!

[geofpet1]

Unfortunately my back has become very painful again, there's no way i could run today - even with a coping strategy! hope the weather is kind, have a great race!