"I'd rather be seen on my bicycle than on a park run" - Quote from the dark side

Tuesday 4 October 2011

Walking/Trekking Poles

walkingpoles

I am in the process of preparing for the Golden Gate Challenge, a three day mountain race at the end of the month. I recently received the final race information which includes a list of “what to bring”.


What to bring:
  • Headlight for Day 3 (compulsory)
  • Bright Waterproof light weight jacket (Compulsory in misty conditions)
  • Whistle (compulsory equipment)
  • Warm sleeping bag & sheet for the mattress
  • Hydration System (Camel Back) (Compulsory equipment for Day 1. No less than 2L)
  • Sunscreen
  • Walking poles – recommended (some steep ascents and descents)
  • Extra socks – might be a good idea to carry a pair of dry socks in your backpack. There are some river crossing on some of the days and it might be wise to change socks after these.
  • Sense of humor :)
I have all the items on the list except the walking poles. I have never used walking poles before and don’t know if I should invest in a pair or not. I believe they are easy to carry when not in use and should not be a problem.


Any advice? Have you ever used walking poles?


Thanks and happy running everyone!

26 comments:

Black Knight said...

I like the last of the list: sense of humor!!!
I have never used walking poles but I think that you don't need them.
Congrats to SA and good luck in the Rugby World Cup.
Italy is out but the good news is that Mallet has gone! Ireland is stronger than Italy but our head coach planned a wrong defensive strategy.

Ewa said...

Johann, I used to hate walking poles but on my JMT they proved invaluable. Still, I cannot imagine running with them unless you can stash them in or attache them to your backpack when you don't need them. I am not sure how practical that can be. Will you be carrying a small pack?
They can be quite helpful when going up but I remembered when i trained with them, at first, I would get very tired.
Email me if you need more input.

Big Daddy Diesel said...

No I havent, I interested if you get them and how you like them

Teamarcia said...

Sounds like another great adventure! No experience with walking poles. I see people using them and always wonder.

Kate Geisen said...

I've never used walking poles. I'm pretty sure they make them collapsible, though, so they'd be pretty easy to stash in/attach to your pack when not in use.

abbi said...

I've never used them but several people used them in the trail race I did last weekend. I think I'm too clumsy for them to really help. Guess it's probably just one of those things to try sometime to see if they help or not.

Anne said...

What a great adventure that sounds like! :) Looking forward to hearing if you tried the walking poles.

Anne said...

BTW, I'm wondering who is next for the friendship flag? :)

Abby @ Have Dental Floss, Will Travel said...

I recently started using these (http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/mountain/trekking-poles/distance-fl-trekking-pole) for adventure racing, and they make a huge difference for technical climbs and descents. Lightweight, easy to pack up. I'd definitely recommend them!

Unknown said...

never used them. just imagine what the course must be like if you need them. yikes!

Robin said...

The sense of humor part would scare me the most! Sounds like an interesting event!

Christi said...

Wow, that sounds like a great event. I see a lot walking poles being used here in Colorado but I have never used them.

Good luck!

Ewa said...

Should you decide to use the poles after all, make sure you can adjust the length, longer for downhill and shorter for up. You probably won't need them for running though. Now Mt Kilimanjaro - well, that is a different story. I will be insanely jealous if you climb it. You have no idea how much I would love to summit it.

HappyTrails said...

Looks like a lot to carry Johann - wow! If you use the poles, I would guess you would want lightweight and possibly adjustable. Some of the light ones fold up and would easily strap to your Camelbak. Good luck preparing!

Jill said...

I used hiking poles when I did Mt. Whitney this summer and I am convinced they saved my bad foot as they helped me stay off it a little bit. I then went and saw Marshall Ulrich's "Running America" video and he used them for the first 20 or so days of his trek and I asked him why as I've never seen a runner on roads use them and he said they helped him stay off his legs more until they got accustomed to the torture they were going to be put through. He said they really helped cut down on the amt of leg time. Doesn't seem feasible but apparently this is the case! Hope you find some that work for you. I just found some cheapies at the local crap store and they worked just fine, but I think you can spend several hundred dollars on them too! Good luck!

misszippy said...

Never used them, so I am of no help. My gut would be that if you aren't used to them now, don't add them. But--I also would defer to Ewa and it looks like she commented!

Char said...

I've used them once on a walk with my sister. She gave them to me to try on the perilous, steep and gravelly down hill. They made a big difference in my balance and confidence.

Thomas said...

Have you been doing training with the poles? I wouldn't use unfamiliar equipment in a race. All the best, though!

Raina said...

Walking poles are they similar to ski poles?.. Do you have skiing there? Are there snowy mountains for it? If you were here i would suggest getting some ski poles from a resale store. I know you'll find something good!

Giorgio said...

How can you use walking poles during your challenges :) I really think you don't need them!

Have a beautiful running weekend!

Scott McMurtrey said...

Never used them myself...but probably would if the race allowed it and the climbs were steep enough. Most people I know who've done big vertical races were glad they had pole.

Richelle said...

I've never used them before, but they sound like a very useful tool. Good luck with your search!

mfranks said...

Never used em. I once bought my mom a pair from backcountry.com. Good luck!

ultra collie said...

cheating!

Thomas Bussiere said...

Walking poles - I read some UTMB race report and one elite runner said to use them in training to get a feel for them. You will use more upper body strength on the climbs with the poles. Also, not all poles are created equally (LOL) - His were light weight and folded, but broke halfway into the race.

Chad said...

SOunds amazing!