Athletes warned to ‘keep off the grass’ in Ben Nevis Race

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 BedRock 19 Aug 2016
http://www.scotsman.com/news/odd/athletes-warned-to-keep-off-the-grass-in-b...

And so they should - surely preserving the landscape you run in is more important than beating a record?
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 digby 19 Aug 2016
In reply to BedRock:

Exactly! Those comments about records could have been fished out of people and exaggerated though.
I've never done the race but I've seen video of the grassy descent. It looks terrifying! How much distance does it save? Running on track is usually a lot faster.
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 Roadrunner5 19 Aug 2016
In reply to digby:

The grass is much much faster..
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XXXX 19 Aug 2016
In reply to BedRock:

Our mountains are so much more than their landscape. The Lakes, Scotland, wherever. Part of their appeal is their heritage and that includes farming, industry and community. Athletic achievements and classic fell races are an important part of our rich mountain life.

It is clear that this part of the course has taken a battering but the character of this event must be retained. If it was up to me, which it isn't, I'd suggest a temporary 'optional' route change. If you're chasing the win, or the record, use it. Otherwise, please use the path.

The vast majority of the runners are there to complete in a good time, not chasing seconds and are mountain lovers. I would certainly be happy to go the long way around.









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 andyinglis 19 Aug 2016
In reply to XXXX:
The grass bank is really steep and awkward, especially when your wasted (and in my case cramping badly)! Certainly last year runners were directed down the grass to avoid the path at that section.
abseil 19 Aug 2016
In reply to BedRock:

Of course. Smoking dope and Ben Nevis don't go well together.
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 DaveHK 19 Aug 2016
In reply to BedRock:

I hate that grass bank. Thank God I don't need to go down it this year.

 timjones 19 Aug 2016
In reply to Roadrunner5:

> The grass is much much faster..

You'll never win anything if even the grass is faster than you are
 Roadrunner5 19 Aug 2016
In reply to BedRock:


> And so they should - surely preserving the landscape you run in is more important than beating a record?

I've seen people run that outside of races.. It's just stupidity as they've asked for a few years for runners to stop using it apart from in the race.

Tbh the record isn't going anyway. If stop using it for 3 years and see how it improves. Or they could tape different lines out so different sections are used each year.
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 DaveHK 19 Aug 2016
In reply to Roadrunner5:

That record is pretty special isn't it?
andymac 20 Aug 2016
In reply to BedRock:
I may need a bit of clarity.

A fortnight ago on my descent ,I ran from the red burn (half way point)down and rejoined the tourist track at the top of the red steps.( where the path turns almost 150 degrees.

Is this still the grass bank.? It was a well defined/ formed track.and tricky .

I was under the impression the 'grass bank ' was the path below this?
Post edited at 18:43
andymac 20 Aug 2016
In reply to DaveHK:

It was very special.

 PPP 20 Aug 2016
In reply to BedRock:

Can we please have a rule to ban ill prepared people from going up the hill?

I've been up the Ben only in winter, but I was amazed by the number of people who don't know what they are doing. A couple of dudes got really lucky that I had a stove with me - they really enjoyed the tea in the summit shelter (which they didn't bother to shut).
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 petestack 20 Aug 2016
In reply to XXXX:
> If it was up to me, which it isn't, I'd suggest a temporary 'optional' route change. If you're chasing the win, or the record, use it. Otherwise, please use the path.

You just can't have one route for potential winners/record breakers and one for the rest when everyone's both running for places and chasing their own 'records'!

> The vast majority of the runners are there to complete in a good time, not chasing seconds and are mountain lovers. I would certainly be happy to go the long way around.

The vast majority of mountain-loving runners I know still want to do as well as possible!

In reply to Dave Kerr:

> That record is pretty special isn't it?

For sure, and may never be matched with continuing erosion higher up, changes to the path (rebuilding, pitched steps etc.) and now course. But don't forget that back in that golden age John Wild ran just a single second slower the year before (1983) and Colin Donnelly just 14 seconds slower two years afterwards (1986).
Post edited at 22:11
 Roadrunner5 21 Aug 2016
In reply to petestack:

At Snowdon if you summitted under 55 mins (I was typically low 50's) you could descend via the train track but after that the train was using it...

I didnt think it was fair tbh, it made a good minute saved and much less danger.

CD was also just outside the Snowdon record. Shows just how good a pure runner he was, just a very odd guy so isnt held in the same regard as the more sociable characters like Don.

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