When is a fell relay not?

[bobshepherd]

The Mary Townley Loop Fell Relay is coming up on Sunday next. Although it is a Fell Relay, during my recent recce of Leg 5, I found there are quite a few sections of Road!
This is bad news for studs, they wear out on concrete & tarmac. But far worse than studs, it's knees, hips & ankles on old codgers like me that take the most strain.
What to do? Wear studs or off road shoes? Any advice? And how am I going to keep up with my partner Sharon? I've too many things to worry about...
Also as the thrown out ex editor (joking) of the Harrier, I am still searching for a manly looking photograph to send to Rick for his ex editors' thread. Rick & Vince look so cool. All my pictures are usually ripped up 'cos I look too much like my grandad, and that's two days after he died!
Anyway before I bore you to tears, I've just read the latest Harrier & it is excellent. Every credit must go to Steve Mort for this fabulous start to his new position. Alan Appleby & I will distribute it tomorrow. I'm sure you will all enjoy it.
It may be a few years before Steve Mort will submit his photo to the ex eds' thread............ I'm sure we'll read many more good editions before then.

[rick]

I can always delete Ex from the title of the thread to make it a little more current.

Studs versus road shoes. Hmmmmmmmmmm. I'd say it depends on the mix of fell and road and the conditions. The fell shoes come into their own when you need a lot of grip. Apart from that both shoes would work.

I run a lot of trails over here in old road shoes. If the trails are wet there might be 5-10% of the distance where studs would have been better.

I'm waiting until I come over to get a pair of Walshes. I have yet to find a shoes over here that compares when it comes to simplicity of design and functionality.

[SteveJ]

It`s trail shoes for me, Bob on Leg 1. Alan Appleby advised trail shoes rather than fell last year and they were ok. Ran the leg as a recce` a few weeks ago and even though it was muddy (and really cold, it snowed and hailed!) Inov 8 trail shoes were okay. Would not fancy using Walshs on it. Good luck!

[annefsweeney]

It's not a fell relay when you post your question under road discussion! And when I would have 'liked' to have participated but didnt put my name down - I wouldnt have liked to have run in a fell relay.

[rick]

So. Is there a move away from Walsh's these days?
I used them for any run that wasn't all road.
I had a pair of Nike trail shoes. The tread is OK but the uppers are similar to those of a road shoe which means they just soak up water. What I like about Walsh's is that they have a basic no-frills upper which means they are less buly when wet.
What does everyone else think?

[bobshepherd]

Well what I did in the end was to wear my New Balence fell shoes (£35.00 less 10%) at the Shap Shop. But being a bit worn down I removed the insole & replaced it with some from a new pair of trail shoes just for the relay. You can read more about the relay at www.prestonharriers.com/mary_townley_loop_2007.htm
I think Walsh`s went out of fashion, though may well be back in again. There are lots of new models around. Some of the richer lads spend big money on Innov8s & others.

[annefsweeney]

I didnt ask for the thread to be moved here, Rick took it upon himself to move it so he decided that it is a fell event. Anyway, it can be classed as fell relay because you are probably 100 times are more likely to fall & get a bleeding knee in a fell relay than in a road relay arent you Bob? I'm just so envious I wasnt there - it sounded a great day, rather better than getting my feet frozen off running in long grass (keeping off road as instructed) Had I broken my foot, I wouldnt have known!