IMRA Season 2015

Peterx

https://www.imra.ie/events/?year=2015

Like an early Christmas present!

Sun Jan 18 12:00 PM Howth Winter WL IMRA Race 201m 5.15km 6
Sun Jan 18 1:00 PM Ballyhoura MSL IMRA Race 300m 7.00km 5
Sun Feb 1 11:00 AM Ticknock Winter WL IMRA Race 330m 8.20km 7
Sun Feb 15 11:00 AM Trooperstown Hill WL IMRA Race 380m 10.60km 6
Sat Feb 28 12:00 PM Annacurra WL IMRA Race 480m 11.00km 6
Sun Mar 1 1:00 PM Mt. Hillary MSL IMRA Race 300m 10.50km 6
Sat Mar 7 11:00 AM Maulin WL IMRA Race 538m 7.50km 7

Slogger Jogger

Very sad to hear of the passing of an IMRA legend Mick Kellett. RIP Mick.

Kurt Godel

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

Very sad to hear of the passing of an IMRA legend Mick Kellett. RIP Mick.

The nicest and funniest man on the hills. He parked a bike on top of Carauntoohill, at least, he described to me how he did and had a crowd in stitches with his tale. Fact and fiction never got in the way of a good story. RIP.

Slogger Jogger

Kurt Godel wrote: »

The nicest and funniest man on the hills. He parked a bike on top of Carauntoohill, at least, he described to me how he did and had a crowd in stitches with his tale. Fact and fiction never got in the way of a good story. RIP.

Theres a photo going around which shows Mick climbing Carrauntoohil with the bike over his shoulder!

Kurt Godel

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

Theres a photo going around which shows Mick climbing Carrauntoohil with the bike over his shoulder!

"The gross and net result of it is that people who spent most of their natural lives riding iron bicycles over the rocky roadsteads of this parish get their personalities mixed up with the personalities of their bicycle as a result of the interchanging of the atoms of each of them and you would be surprised at the number of people in these parts who are nearly half people and half bicycles...when a man lets things go so far that he is more than half a bicycle, you will not see him so much because he spends a lot of his time leaning with one elbow on walls or standing propped by one foot at kerbstones.”
― Flann O'Brien, The Third Policeman

That was the inspiration, I believe. Very apt, and by de Selby's atomic theory there would have been a fruitful exchange of atoms between Mick Kellett and the Mountains of Ireland.

Peterx

11am Sunday 1st February. Sign on 9.30am - 10.30am.
Registration is in Lamb Doyles Pub, about 500m from the start line.

The Ticknock WL route will be very similar to last year's route, as designed by John Kelly (with some inspiration from Mountain Rescue)

The juniors go straight up the Boneshaker to the junction at the masts and rejoin the senior route.

The route is very technical underfoot and studded trail shoes are recommended.

You can register for your yearly IMRA pass at https://www.imra.ie/shop/products although you do need to be signed in to the website for this to proceed.
The yearly pass is not your race fee and you can only sign on for the race on the day, there is no pre-registration for the race.

A jacket is mandatory kit and further kit (hat, gloves, map of route, compass, jellies, mobile phone, water, bag) may be required for any IMRA race - details will be posted on the IMRA race page as required.

ps: I love that Flann O'Brien quote

The Noble Nudge

Just a quick few for you....
€10 to join for the year and €7 per race.......Great value I might add.
Fill in the form and bring it with me to get my number for the year...
Pay the €7 on the race day, bring the mandatory kit and away I race??

On the events on the website??
I don't understand the descriptions of the events..and what I would be eligible for WL winter league
I would be entering the WL as I am based in Dublin?
MSL is the country runs?
LOD ???

Peterx

The Noble Nudge wrote: »

€10 to join for the year and €7 per race.......Great value I might add.
Fill in the form and bring it with me to get my number for the year...
Pay the €7 on the race day, bring the mandatory kit and away I race??

On the events on the website??
I don't understand the descriptions of the events..and what I would be eligible for WL winter league
I would be entering the WL as I am based in Dublin?
MSL is the country runs?
LOD ???

It is preferable to register for 2015 online before the race ( at https://www.imra.ie/shop/products )
You can also join as a 2015 runner on the day at the race registration but this adds workload to the registration team and the poor unfortunate laptop.
The yearly pass is not your race fee and you can only sign on for the race on the day, there is no pre-registration for the Ticknock WL race.
You have to physically sign-on for the race so we know how people are out on the hill.
The website needs tags/labels to enable results to be placed against the correct event.
Anyone can enter a WL race.
Anyone can enter a MSL race.
LOD races are a more serious undertaking and some experience would be preferable.
The committee, based on input given by the members who went to AGMs and give feedback, have implemented a jacket rule. No jacket=no race.

Djoucer

Can also sign up online.
There’s an option to buy a set of race vouchers. Ten for €50 which makes each race just €5.
Winter league is for everyone.
MSL in the munster Sunday league.
LOD is long distance championship.

DubOnHoliday

Is parking available at Lamb Doyles?

The Noble Nudge

Peterx wrote: »

It is preferable to register for 2015 online before the race ( at https://www.imra.ie/shop/products )
You can also join as a 2015 runner on the day at the race registration but this adds workload to the registration team and the poor unfortunate laptop.
The yearly pass is not your race fee and you can only sign on for the race on the day, there is no pre-registration for the Ticknock WL race.
You have to physically sign-on for the race so we know how people are out on the hill.
The website needs tags/labels to enable results to be placed against the correct event.
Anyone can enter a WL race.
Anyone can enter a MSL race.
LOD races are a more serious undertaking and some experience would be preferable.
The committee, based on input given by the members who went to AGMs and give feedback, have implemented a jacket rule. No jacket=no race.

Thanks Peter for the info.
Ive done runtheline and some long course adventure races the past two years so looking for a few new challenges this year..

The Noble Nudge

Djoucer wrote: »

Can also sign up online.
There’s an option to buy a set of race vouchers. Ten for €50 which makes each race just €5.
Winter league is for everyone.
MSL in the munster Sunday league.
LOD is long distance championship.

Thanks djoucer...ill register online them vouchers make it better value again..cheers for the heads up

Peterx

DubOnHoliday wrote: »

Is parking available at Lamb Doyles?

Parking is available at Lamb Doyles.
It is limited so please try to carpool, or cycle.

PaulieC

Peterx wrote: »

Parking is available at Lamb Doyles.
It is limited so please try to carpool, or cycle.

Is there safe cycle storage and bag storage?

Peterx

PaulieC wrote: »

Is there safe cycle storage and bag storage?

The simple answer is no. There will be no organised secure bag storage.

The real answer is maybe...
You may leave your bag in the pub registration area but there will be nobody watching it whilst you run.
Plenty of runners will however have ample storage in their cars/vans and may store your bag for you.

PaulieC

Peterx wrote: »

The simple answer is no. There will be no organised secure bag storage.

The real answer is maybe...
You may leave your bag in the pub registration area but there will be nobody watching it whilst you run.
Plenty of runners will however have ample storage in their cars/vans and may store your bag for you.

Yeah, that's what I meant - will there be someone hanging around at Lamb Doyles. I expect if I cycle, I can lock my bike there and wouldn't leave anything of value in a bag.

I wasn't expecting a secure bag drop at an IMRA race, honest

The Noble Nudge

PaulieC wrote: »

Yeah, that's what I meant - will there be someone hanging around at Lamb Doyles. I expect if I cycle, I can lock my bike there and wouldn't leave anything of value in a bag.

I wasn't expecting a secure bag drop at an IMRA race, honest

If I'm racing you can throw your bag in my car. pm me your number.

MaggotBrain

I'm very interested in the MWL (Munster Wednesday League) as a newbie.

So I register with IMRA for a fee, turn up and run? Is it open to all abilities?

Slogger Jogger

MaggotBrain wrote: »

I'm very interested in the MWL (Munster Wednesday League) as a newbie.

So I register with IMRA for a fee, turn up and run? Is it open to all abilities?

Yep. Can register online for a 10 or register the first time out. Races accomodate all ages and abilities and are very welcoming. You'll need a light jacket and buff (or) hat which is part of a mandatory kit.

Slogger Jogger

Took an easy recce of the 2015 Annacurra race route this morning with a nice bunch from Tinahely Tri. Sections of fireroad in the last third of the route are bypassed in favour of a rough and ready off-road bit which buys you a flying 3k finish which follows the initial climb in the opposite direction so should be more amenable to IMRA longtimers like Mr Peterx who I hope makes a reappearance.

Peterx

Good man Slogger. I hope to make it down although it might just be a look, the ould knee is a bit troublesome these daze.

It seems the theme of the next two races will be technical ground underfoot.

This year's version of the John Kelly special on Ticknock will be shorter than last year with a straighter line down through some forest doing away with the need to descend the old WW path.
Keeping your eyes peeled for tape is vital as the course ducks and dives through some areas slightly off the beaten path - about 50m off to be precise

There will only be tape at junctions and in the trackless forest sections, there is no blocking tape, no comfort/continuity tape. If you arrive at a junction and there is no tape you have missed a turn and should go back to the previous junction - or else a helpful citizen has prematurely removed it!

mjp

Just came across IMRA during the week and hoping to do first run next Sunday in ticknock in prep for killarney adventure race in March .
Wondering if trail runners are a must for this course as terrain is marked as 3 in difficulty which is highest grade. Will probably only do the junior as have little experience in hill running? Is there much of a differnce between this and senior route in distance and difficulty.

Peterx

mjp wrote: »

Just came across IMRA during the week and hoping to do first run next Sunday in ticknock in prep for killarney adventure race in March .
Wondering if trail runners are a must for this course as terrain is marked as 3 in difficulty which is highest grade. Will probably only do the junior as have little experience in hill running? Is there much of a differnce between this and senior route in distance and difficulty.

If you only have ordinary road runners you will get around - but at a disadvantage in speed and control and a higher risk of turning an ankle. Trail shoes give more traction, more control and are recommended for this course.

The terrain underfoot is tricky for the second race of the East coast season - rocky, muddy, loose and rocky, slippy and steep in places.

The junior course is about 5km, the senior course about 7km. The "junior" course is possibly badly named here as it has the same height gain as the longer course and the same technical difficulties in the final 3.5km and probably would be enough on it's own. It is a very difficult junior course. In saying that if you are doing a multisport race in March do the longer course, better training

The Noble Nudge

Any recommendations on trail runners Peter?
Have to get a new pair the ones albeit trail runners they aren't really Spinc proof...

Slogger Jogger

The Noble Nudge wrote: »

Any recommendations on trail runners Peter?
Have to get a new pair the ones albeit trail runners they aren't really Spinc proof...

A decision on runners can be very subjective. You will get different opinions from different people and someone's no. 1 choice may not be your own if you tried them. For the kind of course in mind I'll probably wear either adidas kanadia or one of a variety of inov8 runners I have. I would be less inclined to wear Salomon speedcross on rocky terrain such as this as I find the soles too thin.

Peterx

The Noble Nudge wrote: »

Any recommendations on trail runners Peter?
Have to get a new pair the ones albeit trail runners they aren't really Spinc proof...

As slogger says it very subjective.

If I could only have one hillrunning/multisport shoe it would be the Inov8 Roclite 315. It's quite neutral but not totally flat, hugs your foot and has a hard wearing sole, which many of the others don't have.

The Columbia Ravenous is a good all round choice for hillrunning.
Many folk like the Kanadia.

The Salomon Speedcross is very comfortable but has a high heel and wears down quickly.
The Inov8 X-Talon 212 is a brilliant show but wears out quickly and has a very thin sole, unsuitable for rockiness

Peterx

The finalised ( snow and ice permitting ) WL Ticknock 2015 route is 7.8km long with a 330m climb.
https://app.strava.com/activities/246496456

It's very technical underfoot with a wide mix of terrain, on the other hand it might be uniform sheet ice and therefore cancelled. We will await the weekend's weather with interest!

The junior course is about 6km and is very difficult for a junior course.