Here's how to run with poles, according to a pro mountain runner
Watch any trail race or ultramarathon and odds are you’ll find runners huffing and puffing up insanely steep climbs or tip-toeing atop razor-thin mountain ridges with poles in their hands. But despite being a perfectly acceptable and legal choice, many trail runners still shy away from using poles. But you don’t have to. Here’s how to run with poles, why they’re helpful, and tips for using them to help your performance.
How do running poles make a difference?
'If you can learn to use your poles efficiently, you’re reducing the amount of output and energy you need to use from your legs,' says Hillary Gerardi, a professional mountain runner from the U.S, who lives in the French Alps.
This is because you can push with your arms and legs (versus only your lower body without poles), thus reducing the strain on your legs, 'particularly if you’re going to be doing a bit of vertical gain,' adds Gerardi. By dispersing weight between your arms and legs, it saves leg energy that can equate to running farther and faster than you could without poles.
Another benefit to using poles, especially for beginner trail runners, is that poles help you balance better, particularly through technical and rocky terrain. Instead of having two points of contact (your legs), you now have four to help keep balance.
Gerardi explains that having the two extra points of contact can help you more easily retreat to safety if you experience an injury, like rolling an ankle, so they also provide a security measure.
When to use running poles
While poles can be a tremendous asset, they can also slow you down on the wrong terrain, so it’s important to know what type of terrain you’ll be running before thinking about bringing poles.
Poles are most useful when climbing steep trails, however, determining how steep and long a climb needs to be to use poles largely depends on the individual. Beginners that aren’t so focused on time may find poles useful on the shorter climbs, whereas time-focused runners may not want to take the time to break out the poles for short climbs.
Another time to use poles is during descents because they can help you maintain balance through rocky and dangerous footing while lessening eccentric loading (that’s the weight you carry own a downward movement) of the muscles and joints. Poles can also be a lifesaver for some runners during long ultra-distance races when your legs are screaming and you have nothing left in the tank.
Except for vertical kilometre races (very short, steep uphill races with no downhill), where you’ll be using your poles the entire time, you’ll most likely alternate between using your poles and not using them, so you’ll need to stow your poles away when not in use, such as on nearly flat trails. Many hydration vests these days have some mechanism to carry poles when not in use. Keep in mind, it takes time to take the pole out and stow them away when not in use, so that’s part of the strategy of using them and something to practice.
While there is no definitive rule of thumb for when to use poles, only by practicing can you develop an understanding of when poles are helpful and when they aren’t.
Finding the right running poles
Running poles come in two configurations — fixed and adjustable. Gerardi says that if you already know your pole length, it’s probably best to go with fixed poles because they are lighter. Adjustable poles are better if you’re unsure of your length or want to share your poles with someone else.
First-time pole users should start with adjustable-length poles. This will allow you to play with different lengths to find your ideal height, which is usually when your elbows bend at a 90-degree angle when holding the handle.
You can also buy foldable poles that can stuff into your hydration vest when you’re not using them, making them easier for travel.
Exactly how to run with poles
Once the poles are adjusted to the correct height, knowing how to use the pole straps properly is vital. Using the straps allows you to get better leverage by bearing weight on your wrist versus solely using your hand grip. To do this, thread your hand up from underneath the strap so it wraps around the bottom of your wrist.
There are two main approaches to poling technique: double-poling and alternating poles with your legs.
Double-poling
This is when you place both poles simultaneously in front of you and take three steps between them. As you move forward, push through the poles with a slight lean forward and repeat. Double-poling is typically used in very steep terrain.
Alternating poles
To do this, plant your pole in sync with your natural stride and arm swing. The best way for beginners to learn this method is to start walking with a natural stride and arm swing with the poles hanging down from the straps. Once you settle into a comfortable walking cadence, grip the handles and begin planting the poles with an opposite arm and opposite leg pattern without altering your natural arm swing. Plant the pole at roughly a 45-degree angle at a distance in line with your opposite foot. As you walk past the planted pole, push through the ground as your foot lifts.
Once you feel comfortable using the alternating pole walking, practice it while running. At slow speeds, you’ll plant the poles every step as you did while walking. As the pace quickens, you’ll want to plant the poles every second or third step.
Practice makes perfect
Gerardi warns that if you don’t practice using them before a race or big trail run, 'poles won’t help you, they’ll get in the way, you’ll get blisters, and you’ll get frustrated.
To get better using them before big events, start with short runs; as you get more comfortable using poles, you can take them on more extensive outings.
Running with poles will initially look and feel awkward. That’s expected and okay. As with any skill, it takes time to learn it. And as far as looking awkward while carrying running poles is concerned, don’t worry about trying to look pretty. Gerardi says that most of the photos of professional runners with poles are staged photoshoots. 'It’s hard to make using poles look rad, but everyone is doing it; everyone uses poles,' Gerardi says.
Tips on running with poles
Gerardi shares her best tips for mastering running with poles.
Make sure you have the right tip for the terrain
Some areas don’t allow carbide tips because it scratches up the rocks and can contribute to erosion.
Practice hand-eye coordination and good pole placement
If you place your pole tip on a rock, it can skitter off, and you lose energy. If you place it on soft ground, you’ve got a better chance that it’ll support you and help propel you forward.
Practice putting your poles away and getting them back out
You need to really familiarise yourself with whatever system you’re using (across the back, belts, quivers, etc.) so that you don’t get frustrated.
Be careful when you are running uphill in a group
If you are going uphill with poles, you need to take care not to stab someone behind you. Poles should be held so that the tips point down.
Treat your poles well
When you get back from an outing, clean them off, wipe them down, and try to dry off the water that gets into the moving pieces to avoid things getting rusty or stuck.
Carbon fibre poles don’t bend
Sticking a pole between two big rocks and putting all of your weight on it at an angle can cause them to break. If they get stuck, try reversing the action/motion of how you placed the pole rather than pulling it in the direction you want to go.
Maintenance is key
Test out your poles and the folding/opening mechanisms in the days before a big race/event you care about. Sometimes they get sticky and hard to fold.
Check airline regulations
Do some research on your airline about putting your poles in your carry-on versus checked luggage when you’re traveling.
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