Hill Running: Your guide to the busy season ahead

Thursday 14th March 2024

Scotland Senior Men’s team gather at the Snowdon International in July 2023

By Angela Mudge

The North District Championship kicks of the scottishathletics hill running season this year at Craig Dunain on Saturday 16 March. There is also a junior race.

The classic hill races Stuc a’Chroin and Ben Lomond host the East and West District Championships on Saturday 4 May and Saturday 11 May respectively.

Cornalees Hill Race plays host to the scottishathletics Junior Championships on Saturday 15 June.

The scottishathletics Senior Championships is in the far north east at Tap O’ Noth on Saturday 17 August. This is a lovely short, fast race featured as part of the Rhynie Highland Games.

Carnethy HRC won Senior Women’s team golds at the Scottish Champs in Arran last year

The format of the British Athletics Hill and Fell Running Championships has changed for 2024. There are two individual championships this year.

A Short Championship on Saturday 27 July at the Blisco Dash, Langdale and a Long Championship on Saturday 21 September at the Peris Horseshoe.

Both races are rough and classic fell races. There is a team competition which will score over the two events. It looks to be an exciting new format.

Internationally the European Off-Road Running Championships are early this year on 31 May-2 June. The event includes a junior and senior uphill only race and classic up and down race and a 62 km mountain trail race. All set in the hills around Lake Annecy.

All trial dates and details can be found at https://www.uka.org.uk/competition/running/mountain-running/european-off-road-championships/

The Senior Up and Down trial is incorporated into Inter-counties Mountain Running Championships on Saturday 21 April from Fitz Park, Keswick. If you are interested in representing your District please contact your district rep by April 8.

U18 Mountain Running Cup for athletes born in 2007 and 2008 is in Palencia, Spain on Saturday 21 June. The trial will be held on Saturday 11 May at Broughton Heights.

If you are interested in this event please contact angela.mudge@scottishathletics.org.uk

Scotland U20 men at the Junior Home International last year

The Senior Home International is at Glas Tulaichean on 11 May and the Snowdon International on July 20. And the Junior Home International is at Glendalough, Ireland on Saturday 14 September.

The trial for the JHI is at Cademuir Rollercoaster on Sunday 11 August.

For 2024 there is an U20 league and the junior league (U17, U15, U13 categories and races for younger athletes at some).

The U20 league starts at Birnam on 23 March and the junior league starts at Dumyat, Stirling on 21 April. These races are designed as a gentle introduction to hill running.

Details are at www.scottishhillrunners.uk/Juniors2.aspx