To succeed as a fell runner, it's crucial to move quickly and efficiently. Maintaining a low weight, having appropriate gear, training regularly, and maintaining proper nutrition are all essential components to beating personal records and conquering challenging ultra-marathons. Every one of these details matter when navigating rough, mountainous terrain in pursuit of your fell running goals. If you’re just getting into the sport, trying to beat a personal goal or gearing up to take first place in an ultra, advice from someone with plenty of experience is always valuable.
Gary House is a Montane athlete who has been an expert running coach for over ten years. He’s been running since his early twenties and knows the importance of making sure you’ve got all you need for the trail while keeping your weight to a minimum. 15 years of race experience means he's well-seasoned when it comes to pre-event training and nutrition. We got together with Gary on the hill, where he gave us his top tips for efficient trail running and tested out some great Montane kit in the process.
Getting Kitted Out
If you’re thinking of getting into fell running, starting out is simple enough. All you need is a pair of good trail running shoes, a jacket designed to deal with changeable weather and an iron-clad spirit to deal with whatever the mountain throws at you.
Fell running kit can seem quite expensive at first glance, but if you buy quality, dependable gear it will turn out to be a sensible long-term investment.
"Lightweight kit is important when you start running in the mountains and their variable weather. Quality gear isn’t always about being fast out there, but often just being more comfortable. That means that it’s even more important that your kit is of good quality to keep you safe! Spend some time learning about how layering can really make a difference and have a good waterproof and you’re all set!
I am lucky to be supported by Montane so I know that the kit is durable and lightweight, then I just pack what is on the kit list for my race as the minimum, and then I may add in bits like a windproof or arm sleeves as the wind can get to me sometimes.” I have always been a fan of the Montane waterproof gear and the Phase Nano Jacket is another great one. Montane is simple, effective and durable, which in a world that likes to complicate things or overengineer I really value."
Staying fuelled
Maintaining proper fuel for your body is crucial for optimal energy and performance. A well-balanced diet that includes carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals is essential. As a fell runner, it's important to include whole grains, fruits, and vegetables in your diet as they provide the primary source of energy. Additionally, protein is necessary for muscle repair and recovery, and it's recommended that endurance athletes such as Gary, consume 1.4 grams of protein per kilogram of their body weight.
Staying properly hydrated is another fundamental aspect of achieving your best performance. It is highly recommended to keep fluids flowing throughout the day with a hydration pack. When engaging in lengthy runs, it is advisable to replenish fluids and electrolytes by consuming either water or sports drinks.
Although a well-balanced diet can supply the most essential nutrients, certain runners may find supplements like electrolyte replacements or energy gels useful. When it comes to packing light these are the handiest as they weigh little, so having multiple won’t add too much to your weight.
Practice training your gut as often as you can. The more intense your training or racing is, the more you will rely on increasing the amount of carbohydrates per hour you need. This won’t happen unless you do it a lot in your training runs, so always having it on hand in your pack will help.
Preparing for a race
To improve your fell running performance, it's recommended to follow a training plan. Firstly, start with a base training period that focuses on building your endurance, strength, and aerobic fitness. Gradually increase the distance and vary your terrains to challenge yourself.
Secondly, to enhance your race event conditioning, it's important to train on hilly terrain. Incorporate uphill and downhill running, and practice hiking and navigation skills.
Finally include supplementary exercises such as weight training, bodyweight exercises, and core stability exercises to improve your overall body strength, stability, and balance.
I try to be as specific as possible but also have fun with it, I have been racing big events for 15 years so these days I enjoy doing recce trips with friends or just long days out training more than the actual race sometimes.
I am running the Lakeland 50 with Montane but I'll just be enjoying the day and catching up with friends before I go out to Andorra a few weeks later, for the mythical Pica Pica race, which is 100km with 11000m of vertical climb at altitude.
