IMRA season 2011

jeffontour

I'll be taking KOM times, can adjust in Exchange for beer tokens.

GoHardOrGoHome

How did the race go lads?! Met Niall McAlindon in Trinity yesterday enrobed in gold and scarlet finery. Think he was hoping to head out to Lug today.

donothoponpop

Brian first, Jason second, Bernard third. Brian had a 10-sec lead at the summit, which wasn't the 30 secs he needed to win the KOTM, which went to Jason.

Great day for it, clear and cool on top, and the best post-race pints back at Fentons.

Slogger Jogger

Loved it. Conditions perfect. Was warm starting out but not overly so. Was slower to the top this year but had a good downhill. Got away with wearing racing flats. Fairly dry underfoot. Nearly had a heart attack after a sprint to the finish line to keep my position. We do hill running for events like this.

Well done Brian and Jason.

Peterx

Yep, well done Brian and Jason.
Great racing up front, if only Bernard would get his slow start out of the way a bit quicker it could have been a 3 way battle.
Weekend racing on days like today are what it's all about. Fast bouncy running on the roof of Leinster.
Haven't seen the times yet but Bernard had to be close to catching for 2nd, the fact he didn't sets up Galteemore delightfully. Brave running from Jason keeps him in pole position although the bould Brian appears to be regaining the sort of race form that won him multiple championships last year.

ocnoc

I have located a few new sick routes

Loops of Imall, Glendalough, Wicklow Gap, Avonbeg, Glendasan

5 races, 3 to count.

Next exploration - The Maamturks, much more remote
I hear of a good run... 25km, 2300m of the vertical stuff

Ar Strae

ocnoc wrote: »

Next exploration - The Maamturks, much more remote
I hear of a good run... 25km, 2300m of the vertical stuff

Ahhh..the Maumturks challenge right?

http://www.walkersassociation.ie/node/109

A beaut...but I shudder at the thougth of RUNNING it! :eek:

Ro

Enduro

I think Gus Cleary has the record for running that. I seem to remember something around 4 or 5 hours, but its a very hazy memory. Great route!

nerraw1111

Slightly off topic but does anyone strap their ankles for IMRA/mountain races?

Had a few twists of the right ankle lately which is probably just a run of bad luck, but has prompted the idea of strapping my ankles before a race.

Or is strapping a bit of a false economy in that it doesn't address the problem?

Ar Strae

Hey nerraw,

Check out: http://www.imra.ie/forum/topic/id/2615/

I strap my ankles after breaking my left in a LL race last year. Not sure if I really need it, I've built the leg strength back up a lot with exercises etc but I'm happy to wear the ankle braces for peace of mind. (It's not the braces that's stopping me from flying past ocnoc and peterx in fairness )

I was talking to Hazel Thompson though after a race and she was saying that she straps her ankles rather than wear the braces as she found them restrictive going uphill especially. But that seems like a lot more effort to me than just pulling on the braces and lacing them up before a race.

Ro

ocnoc

nerraw1111 wrote: »

Slightly off topic but does anyone strap their ankles for IMRA/mountain races?

Had a few twists of the right ankle lately which is probably just a run of bad luck, but has prompted the idea of strapping my ankles before a race.

Or is strapping a bit of a false economy in that it doesn't address the problem?

No. Build ankle strength.
I went over my ankle a few times and I'd tape it during the recovery phase but then wouldn't bother once it was mostly healed.

If its gona break, its gona break. I prefer to have the freedom of movement. Saying that, I now have an inbuilt "roll" mechanism, if I feel it going, my body automatically disengages and goes through drastic manovers to save my ankles at the expense of some other less critical joints/limbs (hands, arms, face etc).

The inbuild roll mechanism is something that takes years of running in terrain to get accustomed to - however, its essential kit for stupid descending

misty floyd

I did my first fell race on Sunday. Skiddaw, in the lake district which was absolutely beautiful. Jesus christ you people are nuts doing these week in week out. My legs feel like I ran a marathon! This is it here if anyone is interested.

The underfoot was very dry and hard and on the steepest sections of the decent, I managed to get very large blisters on the soles of my feet (heels). The skin broke on one of them and dragged to the back of my foot. Very sore.

Are there mountain running socks?
I wore Inov8's light shoes that I quite like...until now....could it be the shoe?
Maybe its because I'm just not used to it or are feet problems part of life for you nutters?

I'm a bit pissed about my feet but any tips would be appreciated. Sorry, I know its not IMRA related but......thanks.

Donny5

misty floyd wrote: »

I did my first fell race on Sunday. Skiddaw, in the lake district which was absolutely beautiful. Jesus christ you people are nuts doing these week in week out. My legs feel like I ran a marathon! This is it here if anyone is interested.

The underfoot was very dry and hard and on the steepest sections of the decent, I managed to get very large blisters on the soles of my feet (heels). The skin broke on one of them and dragged to the back of my foot. Very sore.

Are there mountain running socks?
I wore Inov8's light shoes that I quite like...until now....could it be the shoe?
Maybe its because I'm just not used to it or are feet problems part of life for you nutters?

I'm a bit pissed about my feet but any tips would be appreciated. Sorry, I know its not IMRA related but......thanks.

I tend to suffer from blisters quite a bit and More Mile running socks have done the job for me. They have two layers around the heel and arch. I bought them on Amazon, but I'm sure you can find them in shops.

T runner

misty floyd wrote: »

I did my first fell race on Sunday. Skiddaw, in the lake district which was absolutely beautiful. Jesus christ you people are nuts doing these week in week out. My legs feel like I ran a marathon! This is it here if anyone is interested.

The underfoot was very dry and hard and on the steepest sections of the decent, I managed to get very large blisters on the soles of my feet (heels). The skin broke on one of them and dragged to the back of my foot. Very sore.

Are there mountain running socks?
I wore Inov8's light shoes that I quite like...until now....could it be the shoe?
Maybe its because I'm just not used to it or are feet problems part of life for you nutters?

I'm a bit pissed about my feet but any tips would be appreciated. Sorry, I know its not IMRA related but......thanks.

A tip ive heard is to tape a large plaster to each sole. That way if your foot moves in the shoe the plaster gets stretched not the skin.

Im taking it conditions were very dry underfoot to allow you the grip for that to happen?

This is quite rare and have only ehard of it before during the last steep descent on Snowdon (on road) and Carrauntoohil old route (on concrete track)

donothoponpop

misty floyd wrote: »

The underfoot was very dry and hard and on the steepest sections of the decent, I managed to get very large blisters on the soles of my feet (heels). The skin broke on one of them and dragged to the back of my foot. Very sore.

I'm a bit pissed about my feet but any tips would be appreciated. Sorry, I know its not IMRA related but......thanks.

The frictional forces when running downhill are multiples of road running, and friction causes blisters. If your shoe is in any way loose, you'll be in trouble. Additionally, newbie hill runners tend to brake with their footfalls a lot more than experienced runners. That breaking causes rubbing causes blisters, as you found out. Try to pivot from the footfall, and run with a lighter step. (Easier said than done, though!)

misty floyd

Donny5 wrote: »

I tend to suffer from blisters quite a bit and More Mile running socks have done the job for me. They have two layers around the heel and arch. I bought them on Amazon, but I'm sure you can find them in shops.

Cheers Donny, I have a pair of them and I'll give em a go next time. On closer inspection of my socks (aldi running socks), there are lots of seams on the inside that wouldn't have helped.

T runner wrote: »

A tip ive heard is to tape a large plaster to each sole. That way if your foot moves in the shoe the plaster gets stretched not the skin.

Im taking it conditions were very dry underfoot to allow you the grip for that to happen?

This is quite rare and have only ehard of it before during the last steep descent on Snowdon (on road) and Carrauntoohil old route (on concrete track)

Thats clever. Yeah the conditions were very dry underfoot. Cheers.

donothoponpop wrote: »

The frictional forces when running downhill are multiples of road running, and friction causes blisters. If your shoe is in any way loose, you'll be in trouble. Additionally, newbie hill runners tend to brake with their footfalls a lot more than experienced runners. That breaking causes rubbing causes blisters, as you found out. Try to pivot from the footfall, and run with a lighter step. (Easier said than done, though!)

The braking with my feet is what done the damage then. I'm sure of it now. I lost at least 4 positions on the decent which was a bummer. Lots to learn.

climbhigh

Race in good quality socks, you will get years out of them.

Rub vaseline on the soles of your feet just before the start of the race, helps prevent friction.

Slogger Jogger

Congrats Tom Hogan for another win this evening and in doing so wrapping up the Leinster League. Not bad going for a man who from what I can tell always runs in road runners, which could have been lethal on a sloppy route this evening.

ocnoc

misty floyd wrote: »

The braking with my feet is what done the damage then. I'm sure of it now. I lost at least 4 positions on the decent which was a bummer. Lots to learn.

If it was your first mountain race, consider yourself lucky you didn't lose more than 4 places on the decent. The decent is the technical bit.
There are some complete headcases out there who's, I believe, sole aim is to end up in hospital with a broken everything.

Trust me, I'm speaking from a few first hand encounters with these idiots.

nerraw1111

Cheers for advice re ankle. Will see how it goes, was ok last night.

Nice race last night. Very enjoyable, clear skies for the duration. Terrible traffic meant I had about 2 minutes to get changed.

Felt like a different course compared to the winter league race when cloud obscured most of the course. As usual, I was having some tough battles with the regular bunch, lots of to’ing and fro’ing. Really nice course and very runnable. Plan was to save something for the descent, as it’s the part of the race I tend to make up places. I think one of the lads realised this as when passing me on the climb, he said I’d catch him on the descent, and thus put a fair whack of time into me. Made two places on the descent and was bearing down on a group of two but ran out of road in a sprint finish. Knocked off 5 and half minutes from the winter route which is satisfying.

Timmaay

ocnoc wrote: »

If it was your first mountain race, consider yourself lucky you didn't lose more than 4 places on the decent. The decent is the technical bit.

Yep, loosing only 4 places on that decent last night was very good going for your 1st race!! I had a brutal decent last night. The runner ahead of me was a minute quicker then me on the decent, I had no confidence and kept leaning back and breaking. Even for a seasoned hill runner like me, it takes a few races to get the confidence back, and a beginner will take 10 races at least to develop downhill running skill, and have enough confidence to go flatout down a hill!

Enduro

T runner wrote: »

This is quite rare and have only ehard of it before during the last steep descent on Snowdon (on road) and Carrauntoohil old route (on concrete track)

Spot on there! I've only once got a blister hillrunning, and that was from the road at the very end of the Snowdon descent. Tore the skin right off the soles of both feet.

ocnoc

Championships events.

More circuits? More short up and downs? Longer? Steeper? Rougher?

Slogger Jogger

1. Tom Hogan 59:59
2. Bernard Fortune
3. Amidou Dembele

Race was slightly longer than previous years as construction work on the TV antenna meant we had to go around the compound at the top in a clockwise direction. It was the guts of 200m longer. Considering Tom had a roadrace in his legs from the previous day the winning time was pretty damn good. He went away on the uphill and no one could stay close. Running conditions were ideal.

I think this confirms Bernard as Leinster Champ too. Both Bernard and Amidou continued their downhill form from Lug and both made a few places on the homeward leg.

1st lady, Aoife Joyce, in a new record time too.

nerraw1111

Just looking at Wednesday's race of Kippure. I was expecting a straight forward LL 10km but the winning times in 2009, 81 mins, suggest it's a bit of a tough 10km?

Anyone raced it before? Garmin links? Cheers.

EDIT. Actually, Kippure seems to be a a regular for the handicap race which is probably the reason for the times. Phew!

RacoonQueen

What are the chances of me finishing kippure in one piece/alive?

Slogger Jogger

RacoonQueen wrote: »

What are the chances of me finishing kippure in one piece/alive?

You'll be fine on the trail bit. You'll likely be slipping and sliding after that unless you have trail shoes. It was boggy as hell the last time I ran there tried to run there.

donothoponpop

RacoonQueen wrote: »

What are the chances of me finishing kippure in one piece/alive?

Zero. You haven't got the ability to run it, you will not be able to do it. You're not good enough. Don't even try to prove me wrong.:pac:

Ar Strae

Man, is anyone else still in bits after Mt. Leinster? My calves have never felt this trashed! With the Irish Runner 5 mile on Saturday I'm wondering whether I'll hit Kippure on Wednesday at this rate!

Ro

ocnoc

Ar Strae wrote: »

Man, is anyone else still in bits after Mt. Leinster? My calves have never felt this trashed! With the Irish Runner 5 mile on Saturday I'm wondering whether I'll hit Kippure on Wednesday at this rate!

Ro

Man up.... Run RACE both