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Terrain advice
I'd like to enter a race (probably a 5K) over the Christmas/NY holiday to keep active and keep motivated. Thing is, looking at a lot of the race listings around then, a lot of them seem to be fells or cross country. As I'm still very much a beginner, would this type of race be totally unsuitable? (My current runs usually involve a mixture of road and meadow.) Also, what different types of kit might be needed?
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Comments
Most runners I have spoken to recomend getting shoes designed for cross-country running as they have more grip, these shoes aren't really suitable for road running as they don't have much cushioning.
Before entering a race why not speak to the race organiser to get an idea about the terrain and whether the race would be suitable for beginners.
Good luck and lets know how you get on.
If you've run on a meadow - i'm picturing long grass in clumps and cowpats here - then add a few hills and perhaps a muddy stream and that's about cross country. Some of them are worse/better than others depending on your viewpoint. It's probably better to try a shorter distance one to start off with. Are there any public footpaths in your area that go through woods and across fields? The less frequented the better to try them out. A good ploughed field after a rainy day will let you know if you want to do cross country.
Enjoy!
All the best.
Expect to get very wet and muddy. Enjoy doing so - go steady and have fun.