Mountain runners, tell me about your training!

buck65

I intend doing a couple of easier IMRA runs this year, along withe the Burren Challenge Half marathon with perhaps a trail Marathon in late summer.

My only experience is running an IMRA event in March and doing my training on undulating trails mixed with some road running and cross country.

How often do you hit the hills? Do you train on the road, do you do hill repeats?

I know how to get myself fit to race on the roads but fells and trails are way harder and I could do with a bit of help in planning some training please. I run 4 times a week at the moment.

Thanks in advance.

Peterx

Racing yourself fit is a tried and trusted approach to irish hillrunning. There are better methods but none are as simple.
Assuming you can get to one of the IMRA summer evening leagues - just do all 13 races and report back

Timmaay

Agreed with Peter fully, but between races, just training as normal on the flat will give you plenty of improvements, hill running is still basically a long distance athletics event and running fitness is the main criteria.

T runner

buck65 wrote: »

I intend doing a couple of easier IMRA runs this year, along withe the Burren Challenge Half marathon with perhaps a trail Marathon in late summer.

My only experience is running an IMRA event in March and doing my training on undulating trails mixed with some road running and cross country.

How often do you hit the hills? Do you train on the road, do you do hill repeats?

I know how to get myself fit to race on the roads but fells and trails are way harder and I could do with a bit of help in planning some training please. I run 4 times a week at the moment.

Thanks in advance.

1 fast continuous run
1 interval session alternating short (1-2) mins and long (5+) intervals
1 long hill run.

2 of the above on hills per week and alternate. All other training is easy running or cycling.

e.g long run
Wednesday hill race
4 x 5 mins hard with 3 mins rest

Slogger Jogger

Good words of wisdom there.
It can depend on what you have at your disposal for your local runs.
In my case I'm surrounded by hills so majority of runs are hilly by nature.
The flattest run I do will probably have 100m climb on it.
Similar to yourself I've signed up for a half marathon. In my case its in Sliabh Blooms in less than 3 weeks so I've to squeeze a half marathon schedule in between now and then
This was my long run this morning. http://connect.garmin.com/activity/470052545
It was a good work-out, particularly after a short and fast hill run yesterday down Wexford way.
Good luck with your training.