Hill running for beginners in SW?

Love hillwalking and hiking, then started running in last couple of years and did Dublin City Marathon in 2011.

Often wondered what hill or trail running would be like and got my first proper taste of it a few days back when about 20 of us did 13 miles across trails, bogs and streams in Killarney National Park, and I loved it. Rain, mud, bruises, brilliant. Though I must say it may have slightly spoiled road running, always preferred the hills to tarred roads, can't pretend I love slogging it out on the latter but enjoyed every minute of the offroad run. Copacetic and Slogger Jogger directed me from the Outdoor Pursuits forum to here.

Have read up the info on IMRA site and British fell running forums so have the basic info on trainers etc. My query really relates to training, are the any hill running clubs or training groups in the sw/Kerry/Cork? The IMRA races and events seem very Wicklow/Dublin centred, bar Carrauntoohil...and won't be trying to start off with that peak in mind. I see info on the Wild West Run in Killarney which looks good, but are there any organised groups in this part of the country.

red face dave

Funny that, a friend asked me the other day would I like to do a few mountain run's with him and I was checking here just to get some information also.

Just wondering is it much harder then running on the roads I am not a huge lover of hills. Have you any good links Conor

Slogger Jogger

Theres a Munster arm of IMRA. The guys there are from various athletic clubs. The one that springs to mind most is Bilboa. Munster fixtures should emerge on the imra forum in due course. In recent years there were training runs organised in the Munster area in and around Limerick, Clare and Cork, so keep an eye on Boards and the imra forum. Also, there is an imra facebook page which is no harm 'liking' and putting out the request there too.

so far I'm getting my info from the IMRA site
http://www.imra.ie/beginners/

Fell running sites like...
http://www.fellrunner.org.uk/

And forums such as this one and the running forum on the UK Climbing site
http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/i.php?f=24

Not sure as to whether one can say it's easier or harder, and come from a hillwalking background so love a good ascent. I found it more enjoyable than road running, I got a much better feel of that 'man v the elements' thing that's hard to describe and loved the variety in terrain, I can get bored on road runs. I loved the marathon itself but I'd be lying if I said I loved the training. I guess it did get me used to the prospect of facing into 10 miles plus without a stop, in hillwalking the effort is not as intense and you pause many times, plus you don't worry too much about nutrition and liquid preperation as you can just take it all with you. From my very limited experience and from what I've read, the descent in hill running is an acquird skill alright.

Head The Wall

The descent is the fun part

Peterx

There was a big group went running based on the hills adjacent to Limerick last year. I'll try and get an email address for you as I think they passed on the details of the venue via email.
The same lads with Tom Blackburn organised races in the summer on Wednesday evenings, again based around the Limerick area.

The orienteering clubs in the Cork area may do training runs as well?

Peterx

Peterx wrote: »

The orienteering clubs in the Cork area may do training runs as well?

Of course, orienteering, hadn't thought of that.

Though appreciate the sport is very different, but surely they go on training runs and the like that may be similar to hillrunning.

Slogger Jogger

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

Theres a Munster arm of IMRA. The guys there are from various athletic clubs. The one that springs to mind most is Bilboa. Munster fixtures should emerge on the imra forum in due course. In recent years there were training runs organised in the Munster area in and around Limerick, Clare and Cork, so keep an eye on Boards and the imra forum. Also, there is an imra facebook page which is no harm 'liking' and putting out the request there too.

Tried the IMRA forum. Is registration only open to invitees of existing members?

And the Facebook page I can find looks a bit...dormant? If I'm on the right one. 51 likes.

Slogger Jogger

Deleted User wrote: »

Tried the IMRA forum. Is registration only open to invitees of existing members?

And the Facebook page I can find looks a bit...dormant? If I'm on the right one. 51 likes.

PM me your facebook name and I'll invite you. There is an old dormant one there alright.