Well we have had 2 races so far and it has been a while since we raced against each other But there are 2 things to take note and remember when participating. These are:
Wear your Club Vest
Apart from the enjoyment of meeting up with club mates to share pre-race nerves and do the obligatory post-race debriefings, the Series is also competition.
Wearing your WRC vest means that the person behind you in the race can identify their next target! As well as being able to glance around to realise a member is catching you up!! 🙂
So the rule will be applied going forward.
If you haven’t got a vest yet, they can be purchased from Running Bear.
Requirements for Competing in Fell Races
Andy Watts, our resident expert on fell races, has provided the following advice:
It’s good to see 5 fell races and several excellent off-road races in the WRC Race Series this year. These are all super events, and the terrain may be more challenging than the flat, but none of them is particularly difficult. There are some simple rules to bear in mind for these races. Actually there is only one thing to think about and that is —– kit!
Shoes are the first decision, and a pretty robust trail shoe (or dedicated fell shoe like an Inov-8) would be the best choice. The conditions underfoot in Cloud 9, for example, include sections of tarmac and stony track, some short steep climbs over rocky terrain, and quite some distance on fields (which are likely to be very wet and muddy). Good grip is essential, and if you have a choice go 1/2 size bigger than for a road shoe so that your toes survive the down-hilling!
Weather gear is also pretty important. For those who’ve not done a fell race before you may be surprised to find that some fell races have mandatory kit, meaning that you are required to carry a waterproof top as a condition of starting the event. Fell races are ranked A, B, C (according to the amount of climb, with A being the most), and L, M, S (meaning long, medium, short). The toughest races, in category AM, AL or BL, will require all runners to carry the ‘minimum mandatory kit’, which is full waterproofs (top with hood and leggings), hat and gloves. This is enforced even on the hottest summer day. Ridiculous you may say, but you’d be surprised how quickly you can cool off and start to get seriously cold in a high exposed place, even in summer, if you get lost or turn an ankle. The Wilmslow fell races are not so extreme, but the organiser may nonetheless demand that certain kit is carried, and to be on the safe side it’s best to take that full kit list to the race. A bum-bag is the normal means of carrying it.
Wilmslow’s selected races are:-
Cloud 9 (category BM), Rainow 5 (BS), Boar’s Head (BM), Bollington Nostalgia (BM) and Eccles Pike (a short-and-steep AS). Buxworth and the Forest 5 are not licensed as fell races, but the same advice on footwear applies to them as well. Further races may be included once the dates are announced.
If the above raises any further questions then get in touch, or ask around on club night!
So keep safe and good luck with competition