when do you use them though? Just on uphills - what about level?
I found that using sticks took more energy in total, albeit saving the legs and being quicker up slopes of more than say 15 degrees. do you put them away for descents/level or do you carry them? I find them a bit of a pain to carry.
Sticks are quite common on the continent, and it's not unknown for them to be banned there in some mountain races over there. If you train to use them correctly, they certainly are an advantage - a good runner who is an expert with these has effectively got four good limbs which can make progress easier and quicker both uphill and downhill - with distinct advantages on rough traverses.
Whether they are a good or a bad thing for fell running is a bit of a moot point. We already have specialised footwear - so why not hand "wear" too?
Mind you, you do have to work at it. They won't instantly improve your running overnight - without the right kind of training, they'll just end up as a "pain in the arse" to carry, as somebody else has already said!!
In the Dolomites Sky Race, many competitors used them on the big climb to Forcella Pordoi and then discarded them to be returned to the finish by the organisers (presumably).
Half way up the climb I was employing my usual bent coat-hanger posture as I laboured upwards when some Italian decided to impale my foot with his walking pole. This didn't hinder me unduly but he then expended far more energy than the poles were saving him by saying breathless "scusi"s the rest of the way up the climb...
Personally, I hate the things. Since I have only one arm I could not get any advantage out of them so why should anyone else....
followin on from the sticky subject of poles at races...I wonder if an off-road version of a shop-mobility scooter would be acceptable for disabled persons wishin to tek part in a fell race?
Hiya,Originally Posted by Full Moon Addict
Yeah - this is quite a big subject to cover everything on a blog post. Briefly though - I run with them on gentle climbs, speed walk a lot too instead of running (less tiring on legs for moving at the same speed), walk the steeper climbs & don't use them much on the flat (should always be running that at a pretty good pace - but different if you were walking though) & never on the descents (again - asuming running that pretty quick, but different if going slower or knees shot).
I used to have raidlight ones which folded up, so it was easy to just stash them straight onto a bumbag with some bungee cord - but the raidlight poles aren't that strong (ie you can't push as hard as you like or they'll bend) + I finally knackered them on the ultratrail last year, so the won't fold up anymore in any case.
So I've just bought a new pair of fixed length carbon fibre ones, which are miles better than the raidlight poles & I've rigged up a system for carrying them across my back when running (a bit like carring a bow & arrow). They are light enough to just carry in one hand, but it's better for your speed and running rythmn to get them straight out of your hands if you don't need them for a while.
It's training + technique that makes them properly useful though. On any really rough ground, assuming you can run that kind of terrain well, just get rid of them & run as it's always quicker!
Last edited by AlP; 19-06-2008 at 02:26 PM.
cheers al
what weight are your poles. I have some carbon fibre ones which are quite light but nowhere near as light as those raidlight ones. bow and arrow device sounds a good idea. I'll try that out. while injured with shin splints last year I did a lot of poling locally. I felt a bit of an idiot in the lanes, but like you say, when you get in to the swing of things you can power up the hills.
Mine weight 120g/pole & are made by Komperdell - model is 'Featherlight Bamboo' The detachable wristloop weighs another 20g on top of the pole weight, but as I say much better than the Raidlight ones.
You can by them in the UK here:
http://www.walkingsport.co.uk/index....opic=equipment
For racing, I went for 5cm longer than suggested length & that seems about right. Sabine who sells them lives in Ilkley + is v happy for folk to go over & try lengths before buying.
Carrying rig: I sewed a mesh 'sock' onto one side of my bumbag, then a bit of tape with a plastic carabiner on the end to the waist strap - this goes up across your chest to clip onto the poles at the opposite shoulder. It's all still 'in development' - but I've added a bit of tensioning elastic to the tape + some shock cord to hold the pole handles firmly in the 'holster' etc
Yeah, I train up on the Chevin above Otley with them - usually as late as possible, or preferably in the dark!
I thought if a race is ran under UKA guidelines then poles are banned.
I thought the WHW race had some rule which specified that they were banned for that reason?
Pretty sure that older Scottish Hill Running calendars had a few rules in them including one that said poles/ice axes etc. were not allowed.I thought the WHW race had some rule which specified that they were banned for that reason?
The UK:Athletics. Rule 21 Assistance
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