Competitors should arrive at races prepared to carry ‘Best Practice Kit’. This is the mandatory minimum for AL, AM and BL races, and Race Organisers may require it to be carried at other categories of event. See the FRA “Runners’ Rules”
‘Best Practice Kit’ comprises:-
- Waterproof whole body cover. Your waterproof whole body cover must have taped seams and an attached hood.
- Hat
- Gloves
- Map of the route
- Compass
- Whistle,
- Emergency food.
The Race Organiser may check your kit before you are allowed to register, or at any time during the race. If the kit list can be relaxed it will be, but don’t risk being turned away from the event. Runners often question whether this level of kit is necessary – the kit is not needed when you are running strongly, but for a runner stopped because of injury or tiredness it could be a life-saver, either for you or for someone else in difficulties.
Any race organiser is free to impose additional safety requirements and competitors must be prepared to accept such requirements as a condition of race entry. In the event of settled fine weather, confirmed by a local weather report, the organiser may decide to waive some of the above requirements for races of other categories.
Organisers must ensure that whatever requirements they specify on the day are met by holding complete or random checks before and after the start of the race.
Race organisers should be aware of the dangers of hypothermia if injury to runners causes them to stop or slow to a walking pace. Body heat is lost quickly and in cold, wet or windy weather the onset of hypothermia can be very rapid unless sufficient warm clothing is carried. This factor should influence decisions on the extra equipment runners are required to carry in poor or unsettled weather conditions. If necessary the fact that the weather creates a high risk of hypothermia should be stressed to competitors.
Race Categories
A fell race is one run on fell, hill or mountain terrain and shall be categorised as follows:
Category ‘A’
- Should average not less than 250′ (76m) climb/mile (1.6k).
- Should not have more than 20% of the race distance on road.
- Should be at least one mile (1.6k) in length.
Category ‘B’
- Should average not less than 125′ (38m) climb/mile (1.6k).
- Should not have more than 30% of the race distance on road.
Category ‘C’
- Should average not less than 100′ (30.4m) climb/mile (1.6k).
- Should not have more than 40% of the race distance on road.
- Should contain some genuine fell terrain.
Race Length Caegories
| ‘S’ (short) | Under six miles (9.6k) |
| ‘M’ (medium) | Between six miles (9.6k) and twelve miles (19.3k) |
| ‘L’ (long) | Twelve miles (19.3k) or over |