Safety

As with many sports and pastimes, fell running has its dangers. However, commonsense and preparation will reduce these considerably.
This Mountain Rescue Team advice for safety and rescue procedures on the fells is well worth studying.

Equipment:
Shoes with carefully designed stud patterns the length of the sole are the crucial item. Specialised fell shoes are available from true running shops (forget the high street). Trying to descend quickly on wet grass in normal trainers will invariably result in a tumble, or the offer of a place in the British downhill skiing team.

A variety of tops and shorts are useful to have to cope with the weather. Hats, balaclavas, gloves, windproof/waterproof full body cover, and a bum-bag to hold them should be taken to every event. Your running bag should also contain a basic first-aid kit and a complete change of clothes.

Weather:
This is the main threat to every fell runner young and old. Even on a hot day, a breeze on the sweaty body of a runner who has stopped for some reason can induce hypothermia. In colder weather, this can happen in a matter of minutes and be life threatening.

For this reason, organisers of senior races can insist, under FRA rules, that runners carry full body cover i.e. waterproof jacket and trousers, a whistle, a map and compass, and food. Thus equipped, a runner can return safely to the finish, or wait for rescue for a considerable length of time without deteriorating. It is surprising just how much can be packed into a bum-bag.

A useful extra is a ‘wheely-bin’ plastic bag. Cut a slit towards the bottom of one side so that you can still breathe and see when pulled over your head. It folds away to nothing but can be a useful cocoon for you or a fellow runner in difficulty.

Young runners should bear these precautions in mind when training and competing no matter how short the run. A walk of ½ mile with a sprained ankle takes a long time.