An Introduction to Trail and Fell Running

by Keven Shevels

Trail and fell running, collectively known as off-road running. As more and more runners leave the boredom of the roads and seek the challenges and pleasures of running in the open countryside, what can they expect to await them? How can they train and prepare for it and what knowledge, skill and equipment is required to ensure maximum enjoyment and safety?

This booklet takes the newcomer to this, the most rewarding and natural of all the athletics disciplines, and guides them through their baptism of off-road running.

‘A very useful book, aimed at a runner who wants to know how to progress into the trail running scene and how to train for it.’ Newsletter of the Trail Runner's Association

‘This is an excellent book which, whilst designed, as its title suggests, to guide the newcomer to the sport through the basics, will also appeal to the more experienced hill runner who wants to revisit the fundamentals of their chosen activity.’ Scottish Hill Runners Association Newsletter

‘This is a good comprehensive booklet, which should prove useful to anyone setting out on the wonderful and enjoyable journey of discovering off-road running.’ Newsletter of the Welsh Fell Runner's Association

‘An Introduction to Trail and Fell Running does offer a really good
overview - "just what it says on the tin" so to speak.’ The Fellrunner Magazine

About The Author:
Kev Shevels is a man who has forgotten more than most about off-road running. It’s not that he knew it in the first place, it’s just that at his age the memory has started to
go along with lots of other things such as a slim waistline…………………..

A runner for over thirty years, Kev has been involved in off-road running for over twenty-eight of those years. During this time he has tried his hand at most of the
different styles of this discipline, from fell, to trail, to mountain marathons, to ultra-trails, to orienteering, to mountain running. During this time he managed to
raise himself up from being a lousy-level runner all the way to the dizzy heights of mediocrity. However, what he did also do is pick up an extensive knowledge and
experience of running off-road which he has been able to pass onto others through coaching and encouragement.
A founder member of the Quakers Running Club and Durham Fell Runners, two of the most enthusiastic off-road running clubs in the North East of England, Kev has been a qualified UK Athletics Level 3 coach for the past nine years, specialising in Fell and Hill Running. Most of his coaching nowadays being done through Durham Fell
Runners.

However, to some people his main claim to fame is as a race organiser. Over the last ten years, Kev has organised numerous races, from fell, to trail, to road and cross-country. Some years even organising as many as twenty events which partially explains the lack of training and the fact that he can no longer see his toes.

80 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2010

About the author

Keven Shevels is one of nature’s idiots. He is a kind, gentle soul who wouldn’t say boo to a goose … which explains why he is attacked so often by geese ... and once by a clay pigeon.

Born in 1846 he is now in his forties and last week celebrated his eighteenth birthday and is looking forward to four weeks’ time when he becomes seventy-eight and finally shuffles off this mortal coil and becomes a diseased parrot. Sorry that should have read deceased parrot, this auto-correct can be a real bugger.

Keven is a sad, twisted individual with a peculiar sense of humour. However, he does enjoy making people laugh which is why he writes comedy fiction. He has an irreverent sense of humour which is based on an exposure to the Goons, Round the Horne, Monty Python, the Goodies and others of that ilk while he was still at a young and impressionable age. Just don’t ask to see any of his impressions.

Physically he has been compared to a Greek god. However, as the statue of the god in question was missing an arm and two of its four legs and had a long crack down its left cheek where the sculptor’s chisel had slipped it was generally considered a fair assessment.

A suspected human being, according to the latest rumours he escaped from captivity several years ago and has been living feral in the wild ever since. Making a nest out of discarded packing cases and pizza boxes he has lived in the woods for many years. A confirmed vegetarian he has survived on chickweed and other plants he has foraged.

Keven is a writer ... he once left a note for the milkman so he qualifies. Writing his manuscripts by hand on scraps of discarded paper and cardboard he leaves his ramblings in a nominated safe spot for his editor to collect … usually with the aid of a bin bag and a long metal pole. Quite often these opuses are written on discarded Magnum wrappers carefully penned around the melted ice cream stains.

Several years ago a medical professional suggested that Keven have his head examined. However, as she was a chiropodist who was filing his corns at the time nothing was ever done. Over the intervening years many other people have also agreed and reached the same conclusion that he really does need his head to be examined … and quickly. He is currently awaiting an appointment at Kwikfit.

Despite these disadvantages he has managed to connect to modern society and using old, rusty tin cans, some baling twine, an old corset he found in a bush and a ‘liberated’ valve from a 1952 Bakelite radio he has somehow managed to connect to the internet and maintains a blog on both the Goodreads website and Facebook.

His driving ambition is to make the phrase, ‘Never look a gift yak up the arse’, an accepted piece of the English language.