We are delighted to be welcoming Juju Jay to Connemara in March 2018 for the Gaelforce Mountain Run.
Juju Jay has transformed his life through running. He is the the owner of Mud Sweat & Runners - an amazing group who promote Trail Running to all levels of fitness.
Juju spends the majority of his time on the mountains and trails of Ireland and is hugely experienced in this area. If it's inspiration you need then rest assured Juju is your man!
When I started trail running I made a few mistakes, but over time I've learned the right way and come to love and want to share my passion for trail and mountain running.
Here's a few Juju Jay tips to keep you motivated this winter:
1: Don't let the cold weather seasonal moods put you off - it's just rain (beautiful rain) wind, mud or snow. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger and always adds to the fun of trail running :)
2: Always think of Safety First! Keep your head up and your eyes ahead looking for that safer path to plant your feet on. Try to stay tall and light on your feet with smaller steps. Don't bend over too much or look down at your toes!! Just go with the flow. Stay warm - a good base layer will keep the core warm.
3: Always tell someone where you are going and how long you are planning on staying our on the trails for - either by text or leaving a note at home, etc.
4: Try some night running on your local trails. A head light is essential. I use the LED Sensor SEO R7 for years and still love it, with it's 200 Lumens wiath a white light, not yellow! Become comfortable and start slow - take your time and have fun!
**Tip: Always know where you are going and how your head light works before heading off in the dark!
5: Having a good pair of trail runners always helps you stay up on the muddy tracks in Winter. Call into your local outdoor shop and find that runner that is good for you. If unsure you can always ask me on @mudsweatandrunners :)
Juju wears Inov8 Mudclaws for training and when racing on the winter mountains (which I will be wearing for the Gaelforce Mountain Run 22km Event in March), or Salomon S-Lab for longer races such as ultras. Both shoes are lower profile giving my running more control.
6: I know many people that don't like walking up hills no matter how steep, but there will be a point when you have to, so, get low bending over from the core and push down on your legs, powering up the hills as fast as you can still pushing that race pace! Once on a level you are happy with you can than start running again..and don't give up no matter what, as the reward at the end is always worth it :)
Trail and mountain running are extreme sports so there is always a risk of injury..so stay safe - but most of all have fun :)
If you would like to hear more from Juju you can follow him on Mud Sweat & Runners and see what he is getting up to recently.
Details of the Gaelforce Mountain run are available here...we hope you can join Juju and ourselves on this amazing run :)
Back