News Item

NEW SEASON – How-to Guide 2025

Friday February 7 - Kate Flynn

As the worst of the weather is (hopefully!) behind us, many of you will be looking ahead and going through the IMRA calendar with highlighter in hand, planning your races and arranging life around them!

As we had a huge number of new members sign up in 2024, and because we have a new registration system this year, we thought the following would be useful information for the coming year.

Under the new registration system, when you sign up for your first race of the year, you’ll be given the option to register for the year during your check out process, for a once off €10 payment, €5 for U20’s! This membership fee is a requirement for all who plan to run any IMRA races. You will be given a unique race number to keep throughout the year. Bring this race number to each race for the year. The timing chip is located at the back of the race number. Should you misplace your number (or damage it by putting it in the washing machine) you can order and pay for a new one on the IMRA website.

We are currently working on a feature if your first race is a NIMRA race, which you enter via SI Entries. When this feature is available, we will let you know!

What happens after you pay the membership fee and the race fee? All information for the race will be posted on the event page – parking, registration location, timings (you should usually arrive an hour before the race).

For any questions and any other info (for example, the Slí Chorcaí Half & Ultra have buses to the start line, and this should be factored into your timings) this can be asked by posting on the forum linking it to the event. Many races also have short courses and an early start option, for those who wish to avail of it. The early start is for people who may take longer time on the mountains (more information available). Short courses are available for all adults and children over a certain age. Early starts typically start 20-30 minutes before main start, short courses typically start 5 or 10 minutes races after the main event, please keep in mind every child under 10 must be accompanied by an adult.

When you arrive at the race, you will sign in, pick up your number (if it is your first race, or if you have misplaced it!), and do a kit check (the required kit will be detailed on the event page. Then make your way to the start line and listen to the Race Briefing, be off on your merry way!

We have three levels of mandatory kit, A, B or C, depending on the type or race route or terrain. Details of what is required for each level is noted on each race event page. Check for details and make sure you turn up with all the required kit. Remember NO MANDATORY KIT = NO RACE!

We are lucky to have races in some of the most beautiful places in the world, and the most important thing is to enjoy yourself. Once you finish, have a well-deserved provided snack and refreshment and have a chat with your fellow mountain runners. IMRA members are a sound oul bunch!

Many of the races are part of leagues, where your results from a set number of the races are collated (e.g. your best 3 results from the 5 races in the Leinster Championship), and prizes are given out at the next social whether it’s the annual summer or winter social.

Please keep in mind many events happen in areas with limited car parking spaces. To reduce congestion and to reduce our carbon footprint, we encourage participants to car-pool, even for part of a journey. You can make your car available on the bottom of the race page, which is where you can also book a seat in another runner’s car. If you can get to a race without using a car at all, whether it be public transport, 2 wheeled vehicles or your own legs, even better!

And a final reminder of the volunteer-led nature of IMRA – no volunteers = no races. We encourage members to volunteer for at least 1 race for every 10 races run during the year. You can volunteer for a race even before registration is open on the race page. If you do 10 races and 2 non-running volunteer roles during the year, you qualify for an end of year prize!

See you on the hills!