Carrauntoohil Irish Mountain Running Championship Race Returns to Historic Hydro Road Route
The Irish Mountain Running Association’s (IMRA) Carrauntoohil Irish Championship Race makes its much-anticipated return on Sunday, September 7th, 2025, with competitors set to tackle Ireland’s highest peak via the legendary Hydro Road route.
This year’s edition is capped at just 50 runners due to access limitations. Priority entries opened on 27th August for runners who had completed at least two Irish Championship races in 2025, with any remaining places released to all members on 29th August. This ensured that the championship’s most active competitors had first chance to claim a spot.
A Classic Route Revived
The race will once again follow the historic line: up the Hydro track from the car park, turning towards Caher, over to the summit cross of Carrauntoohil, and back the same way. Runners will face steep climbs, exposed ridges, and punishing descents - with one forum contributor describing it simply as “suffering to the end.”
The Hydro Road course has a special place in Irish mountain running history. First raced in 1987, it produced one of the sport’s most iconic performances the following year, when Kerry’s John Lenihan stormed to victory in 71 minutes 43 seconds - a record that still stands more than three decades later. Lenihan went on to dominate the race, winning 19 times out of 23 editions held on this route.
“This is the classic course,” noted one veteran runner on the IMRA forums. “It’s only right that its history is recorded separately from the Bridia Valley and Cronin’s Yard variations run in later years.”
Race Day Logistics
With parking strictly prohibited at Hydro Road, all logistics will be based at Cronin’s Yard, which now serves as the race’s operational hub due to access restrictions. Registration opens there at 8:00am, followed by shuttle buses to the Hydro starting point at 8:15 and 8:45am.
The race itself begins at 10:00am, with athletes expected to carry Level C Advanced mandatory kit, including map and compass. The IMRA gazebo and van will be stationed at Hydro for shelter and gear storage, while runners are urged to bring warm layers for after the finish.
Following the challenge, competitors will be transported back to Cronin’s Yard for the traditional IMRA spread - tea, sandwiches, and Ester’s famous baking.
A Race Steeped in Legacy
Over the years, Carrauntoohil has seen legends forged on its slopes. From Lenihan’s world-class dominance, to duels between Francis Cosgrave and Paul Nolan, to later champions like Eoghan McKenna in 2006, the race has defined Irish mountain running’s competitive spirit.
As IMRA works to separate historic records by route, this year’s return to the Hydro Road course reaffirms its unique identity. “It’s the spiritual home of the Carrauntoohil race,” said one long-time competitor. “A brutal climb, a stunning ridge, and a finish that always tests the strongest.”
For the 50 athletes who line up this September, the challenge is clear: to measure themselves against the mountain, the history, and perhaps even the ghost of John Lenihan’s enduring record.