Trail Running....training?

Zipppy

OK decided I'd like trail running..I signed up for Fighting Blindness 15.5k Glendalough trail run in Nov..looking forward but not sure I'm up to it.
I could do 15.5k...prob slowly though..but over the hills will be TOUGH. going.
Did perimeter of Phoenix pk yesterday and found it ok...no hills there though.
Any training tips? mainly to strengthen legs and core (which is where I feel it running..)
I'm determined to do this and do it well....

Enduro

Specifity wins big time... train on trails in the hillls. Plenty of options in the hills of south Dublin (or Howth if you're further north).

It's not that tough, by the way. You're probably over-intimidating yourself a bit. In a lot of ways its easier than road/track running (No specific distances for time comparisons, great scenery, changes of terrain and elevation add variety etc etc)

jamule

I was looking at going to get a few IMRA/NIMRA races done next year (maybe even one before the end of the year).

I work in Sandyford, so plenty of options at lunch and morning.

I started this week with 10miles from sand ind est-tickkock-fairy and back down.
Apart from slowly increasing the long run across the hills is there any shorter work I should be doing (ie instead of flat 40mins around foxrock/stillorgan)

Enduro

jamule wrote: »

I was looking at going to get a few IMRA/NIMRA races done next year (maybe even one before the end of the year).

I work in Sandyford, so plenty of options at lunch and morning.

I started this week with 10miles from sand ind est-tickkock-fairy and back down.
Apart from slowly increasing the long run across the hills is there any shorter work I should be doing (ie instead of flat 40mins around foxrock/stillorgan)

Hill repeats would be super for IMRA training. They are very hard work though! Personally I think keeping standard speedwork sessions in your training programme is one of the better things you can do as well.

robinph

Possibly not relevant in your case, but for complete novices then if you are going from only ever having run on flat tarmac then it would be a good idea to find some flat grass fields or trails to run on for a bit first just so that your feet get used to landing on gradually more uneven surfaces. Then add in more extreme terrain and hills after a while.

If your feet are not used to landing on wobbly ground then you will likely twist an ankle or something.

I don't do half enough of them and have this bad habit of going for a run with a lot of uphill and kidding myself that it will do...but it IS hard to beat hill repeats. Hateful things mind you.

Would do one long trail run a week too. It's the opposite of hill repeats. It's the treat that reminds you why you do hill repeats.

jamule

Without sounding stoopid.

whats the dosage- How far, how many, how steep?