GPS: A Modern Problem for a Traditional Sport

Should the use of GPS for navigation be allowed in fell races? The FRA said "err...maybe"; the WFRA said "no!" (I am paraphrasing a bit here). This is a very modern problem facing a sport proud of its traditional ways so is there a right answer to be found?


Let's be honest, at this point I'm pretty late to the party. This is a discussion that has no doubt been going on over frothy pints of ale in good pubs up and down the British Isles for some time. I had always assumed that using your GPS watch to show you a breadcrumb trail of the race route was not allowed even though it wasn't specifically mentioned in the rules. After all, part of the challenge of the race is finding your way quickly and effectively around the course. It wasn't something that used to come up in conversation as I started to dabble in the fell running world. That all changed in May 2018.

I had entered the Fairfield Horseshoe and was giddy with excitement for my first ever fell race in the Lake District. Richard Askwith's great book "Feet in the Clouds" is full of stories of incredible races, the inspiring history of the sport and some of the legends who made it. I spent a holiday in Gran Canaria lost in the often wet, cold and wild but always beautiful fells, whist my partner enjoyed the Spanish sun just a few feet away. Ever since reading the book I had wanted to make the drive West to run on the famous summits.

Then, on the 10th of May, two days before the race, an email was sent out by the organisers stating that:

Following recent discussions, it has been decided to impose a total ban on the use of GPS-enabled devices for navigation in fell races organised by Ambleside AC, starting with the Fairfield Horseshoe on 12th May 2018.

I do not intend to discuss the timing and manner of the communication from Ambleside, and I know nothing of the specifics behind why this came about. What interests me is the arguments for and against the use of GPS.

The email stated that people could still use a GPS watch to record their run but it must not display any location related data (including distance travelled) or beep to signal the passage of a mile/kilometre. The reaction was immediate and the community it seemed, polarised. By the morning of the race a Facebook post on the subject was approaching 1000 comments and there was clear passion on both sides of the debate.

On the morning of the race there were notices at registration explaining a modified set of rules, presumably as a result of some of the online discussion. These allowed for race distance to be displayed on watches but banned the use of a "breadcrumb trail".

So what are the arguments being put forward?

Even the tools are getting in on the debate, put them near each other and they disagree which way is North!

GP-Yes

In favour of GPS use in races, the most passionately expressed argument seems to be a version of "a map and compass is ancient technology, we need to keep the sport modern and relevant". Why should the sport shun technology, especially when most runners already have some form of GPS device and many love their tech. Around a million new users join Strava every 40 days and the relationship between tech and social media has a huge power to inspire and motivate. Handheld GPS devices have been available to hikers for almost three decades and in the last 10 years the prevalence of the smartphone has exploded. Is preventing people from using modern technology little more than a way of clinging to the nostalgia of an increasingly irrelevant world?

How much difference does it really make if someone is dot watching on their wrist when almost everyone behind the front runners follows the metaphorical breadcrumbs of the person in front? All but the lucky few at the very sharp end navigation typically boils down to keeping an eye on the runner in the local vest. The only difference having the route on the watch makes is a safety net against chasing the wrong rabbit or missing a trod through the bracken in the heat of the moment. 

Then of course there is the safety issue. You will never stop people going out onto the hills who aren't fully equipped with the skills to look after themselves in the most testing of conditions. Every competitor agrees that they enter at their own risk and that it is their responsibility to determine that they have suitable skills for the event. Nevertheless, it is the responsibility of the race organiser to ensure that all competitors are accounted for. If the use of GPS for navigation can prevent a competitor going off course and getting into trouble, resulting in more work for the tireless and dedicated RO and a call out for mountain rescue then surely that is a good thing?

Lamentably the skill to effectively use a map and compass is a dying one. When I speak to my road running club mates about trying a fell race, a common concern, beyond the crazy hills and injury threatening terrain, is that they don't want to get lost. So if they could enter a race having sourced a .gpx file of the route to follow doesn't this instantly remove the barrier and open the wonderful niche of running up to more people?

GP-No

Let's consider the arguments against GPS for navigation. The first one that comes to my mind (and it seems to for many others), is that nav is part and parcel of the sport. Being able to navigate whilst moving quickly over varied terrain is a skill that takes practice and training just like the ability to descend rapidly on a scree slope or climb efficiently on wet mud. By having an electronic device guide you every step of the way a good portion of the nav is taken care of, which in some cases could save minutes of map checking or hesitation for a less experienced navigator. On long races in particular a skilled navigator can make big savings with strong, efficient nav which has been carefully considered to match their own personal racing style and fitness. Someone who climbs and descends well might opt to go a more direct route than someone who prefers a longer but flatter option. Blindly following a beeping gadget takes away this exciting and unique element of the sport. In short, using a GPS device plotting a route to follow is at best, not in the spirit of the sport, and at worst, cheating. 

The argument that "most people are simply following the person in front anyway, so what difference does it make" seems like a fair one. However, when following another runner it is always possible that your chosen guide (who is likely unaware that they are your guide) might not be taking the correct route. You should always be questioning the choices the person has made. There are tales of whole groups of people going the wrong way having been following a single person who chose the wrong turn or missed a style only to have to turn around once the error has been spotted. Yes, having a breadcrumb trail to follow would prevent this, but navigation errors and "bonus miles" as a result are part and parcel of taking your racing off road. The freedom of having an unmarked course, leaving it to the runner to use their own skill and judgement to choose the best route for them to all of the checkpoints is one of the things that sets fell running apart from other races.

Whilst it is great to see more people taking to the fells, not just to run but hikers too, the rise of smartphones is causing a drastic increase in the number of call outs for mountain rescue. It seems that every few weeks there is a story of people ill equipped and inexperienced setting out with just a phone to navigate by (which also doubles up as their only torch). The finger of blame for the increase in call outs, which pull the fantastic MR volunteers away from their families and onto the hills in potentially dangerous situations, usually swings towards the smartphone. By apparently opening up this wild and beautiful land people feel overconfident about taking to the hills with their trusty smartphone to guide them, and all too often running into trouble when they lose signal or battery power. By permitting the use of GPS in fell races would the sport be opening itself up to a similar scenario?

Of course getting past the need to learn how to read a map and compass and apply it to the world around you does remove a barrier to some runners. But the idea that a product which typically has a RRP of over £300 could be making something more accessible is like saying the business class lounge is more accessible because they have fitted a ramp.

Ultimately if a runner is not equipped with sufficient navigation and mountain skill to take part in a fell running event there are alternatives. There seems to be an ever increasing number of events, set in the same breathtaking surroundings as the fell races which are fully marked, and come with aid stations and even chip timing. If someone really wants to enter a fell race (and quite frankly, I don't blame them one bit!) then for less than the price of a GPS watch they could attend a weekend navigation training course (such as the excellent course put on by the FRA every year) and not only gain the confidence to navigate in a race but also a valuable life skill that stretches beyond fell running.

The Official Verdict

Much has been written about the issue in the latest edition of "The Fellrunner", the excellent tri-annual publication from the FRA; much of which is on similar vein to what I have written here. The body largely responsible for fell running in England has introduced a new category for its races from 2019. This stipulates whether a race permits the use of GPS for navigation. In the event that GPS is not allowed, rules much like those used for the Fairfield Horseshoe in 2018 apply; a GPS device can be used to record the race and can display distance covered and altitude (it may even beep every mile) but must not be used to provide a breadcrumb like trail to follow. If GPS is used in an emergency the competitor must declare themselves non-competitive.

An article published earlier this week on the BBC News website shows that the WFRA (Welsh Fell Runners Association) have taken a slightly different stance. As of 2019 GPS is not permitted in any race licensed by the WFRA. The rules that are to be applied seem to be the same as those imposed by the FRA for races which do not allow GPS. The stark difference is that whilst the FRA has left the final decision to be with the race organiser, the WFRA have chosen clarity over flexibility with a blanket ban. When the FRA announced their decision to make it optional for the RO's I was pleased. It seemed to be a sensible compromise which allowed the choice to be made by the people who know their events the best. However, I can see the benefit of clarity that comes with a blanket ban. One of the articles in the FRA publication, by Selwyn Wright, points out that by allowing the use of GPS in some races means that people could be approaching a longer more challenging race and finding themselves needing to navigate in a race situation for the first time.

I suppose eyes might now look North of the border to see what the Scottish Hill Runners take on the issue is!

My Verdict

I have attempted to present both sides of the argument as best and even-handedly as I can. However I suspect my true opinion might already be clear to some. I am a big fan of navigation and feel that it is an integral part of what makes fell running. There are many passionate voices on both sides and it is easy to deride those calling for a ban of this modern technology as being out of touch or even afraid of change. The way I see it fell running attracts people with a love for the outdoors, a love that is usually matched by a respect for nature and conservation, it is only to be expected that those who love the sport would also want to see its traditional ways maintained in the same way that they want to maintain the beautiful landscapes they run in. Despite being new to the fells myself I feel that I sit in this camp. It is not the change I fear, it is the loss of something pure where it is not just the strength or endurance of a runners legs that count but also the agility and skills of the mind. My recent adventures in orienteering have only deepened my enjoyment of navigation along with the rewards and challenges it brings. 

More importantly than this though is the safety; competitors are not being banned from carrying a GPS device and in an emergency situation such a gadget could be life saving. But when races require people to rely on map and compass to navigate it is a reminder that reliance on technology is not a safe and responsible way to enter mountains. It is the responsibility of each individual to know their limits and capabilities to look after themselves in nature. Mountain Rescue do excellent work and provide a valuable service but why should they be forced to put themselves in danger for someone who did not attempt to equip themselves for what they were doing? If the need to use a map and compass makes a person hesitant to enter a race because they aren't confident in their mountain craft then should they be entering in the first place, or would they be more suited to a perfectly good marked trail race, perhaps returning to fell racing after acquiring skill and confidence? 

This is a big issue that has split the community and the fact that the latest issue of Fellrunner has three articles shows the interest in the subject. But, ultimately if and when the dust settles is it going to impact on my enjoyment of the fells? I don't make a habit of finishing in the prizes at races, I am there to enjoy running and racing in the surroundings I love. Yes, I might take umbrage at being beaten to the line by someone who was lead faultlessly there by their screen but in the mid pack, position is much less important (until you are fighting for a vets prize!) and before long the memory of the glorious run, and the funny stories of getting lost will surpass the irritation. Going back to my opening question "Is there a right answer to be found?; whilst I think the WFRA might have made the right choice, I won't lose any sleep over the decision made by the FRA and I hope I do not come across as a critic of them. I understand the rationale behind the choice and I am hugely grateful for everything the hard working committee does for the sport. 

Now, where did I put my compass, bring me the hills!!