Ep 7 Irish and Scottish ultra trail running champion Nicola Duncan
· Trail Running Ireland Podcast
Eoin Flynn talks to Nicola Duncan about going from one of Ireland's fastest marathoners to years of injury, and then to a second career as a mountain and ultra trail champion. Simon Kelly brings news of real races returning and solo challenges in Wicklow and Kerry, and René Borg takes a deep dive on hill reps.
Simon reports that domestic racing is returning, with Kerry races selling out in days and IMRA keeping numbers small. He previews solo challenges, including Paul O'Callaghan's attempt at the first double Wicklow Round and a new 106 km route over the MacGillycuddy's Reeks. Eoin covers the international cancellations, including Transvulcania, UTMB Oman and the Badwater 135.
René explains the basics of interval training and why the modern approach uses incomplete recovery rather than waiting for a set heart rate. He describes the classic "one-one" session of one minute hard uphill and one minute jogging down at 3 km to 5 km effort, and how to judge quality by reaching the same point on each rep. He sets out a progression from hill sprints to short hill reps to long climbs, including a steep 8 to 10 minute "grind" from Training for the Uphill Athlete. For longer races, he designs reps around the time a runner will spend climbing, splitting intensity and endurance across different days when needed. Hill reps build strength and help protect muscle mass, but you still need some flat running to keep your speed.