Trail Running With Poles: When They Help and When to Leave Them Home¶

You have signed up for a race with long climbs. You have never carried poles. You are not sure whether you need them, and you are really not sure where they go when you are not using them.

This post answers that. It works for a first 50K and for a fifth hundred, because the questions are the same.

Short answer: poles help most on long, steep climbs, where they let your arms share the work of a power hike. Check whether your race allows them, practice with them on training climbs, and decide where they ride on your vest before race day.

Do I need poles for my first ultra?¶

No. Plenty of runners finish without them. Whether poles help depends on your fitness, the length of the race, and how much climbing is in it. Andrew Skurka, who writes about poles for ultra trail running, says the more hiking you expect to do, the more useful poles become, and that mid-pack and back-of-the-pack runners tend to hike more (Andrew Skurka).

If you are not sure how much of your race you will walk, that is worth working out first. Our guide to power hiking for ultras covers it. Walking the climbs is normal out here, and you can walk an ultramarathon.

What poles actually do¶

On climbs, poles let your arms help your legs push. On descents, they help you brake. They also add stability on slick ground and at stream crossings (Andrew Skurka).

That is the whole pitch. They do not make a hard climb easy. They move a little of the work to your upper body.

When poles help¶

• Long, steep climbs that you will hike anyway.
• A course with a few big climbs and few flat or rolling miles between them.
• Slick or loose ground where a third and fourth point of contact help.
• A race where you expect to spend many hours on your feet, in any distance.

When to leave them home¶

• A rolling course with many short climbs. You would be taking them out and stowing them all day.
• Tight, brushy or very technical trail where poles snag and your hands are better free.
• A race that bans them, or bans them in sections (see below).
• You have not trained with them. Poles you have never used can slow you down.
• You just do not like having something in your hands. Some runners do not, and that is a fine answer.

Check your race rules first¶

Pole rules differ by race. Read your race's regulations. Some examples of what a rule can look like, from one UTMB-branded event's regulations (Val d'Aran by UTMB):

• Runners who take poles must carry them for the whole race.
• You cannot start without poles and pick them up later.
• Poles are not allowed in drop bags or spare bags.
• Poles can be banned in marked areas on the course for safety or environmental reasons.

Other races will say something different. Rules change, so read the current regulations for your race, and ask the race director if a line is unclear. If you are planning gear for a bigger race, our mandatory gear guide and drop bag planner are good next reads.

What are Z poles?¶

Z poles are folding poles. They break down into short sections, usually held together by a cord, and snap out into one straight pole. Black Diamond's Z-Pole line is the best known. Their Distance Carbon Z is sold as a lightweight folding pole for long-distance hikes and ultramarathon running (i-run.com listing).

Why runners like them: Skurka recommends folding poles over traditional telescoping poles for ultra running, which he calls too unwieldy, slow to adjust and heavier than needed. In his example, a pair of 47.2-inch folding poles collapses to 15.4 inches, against 25 inches for his backpacking poles (Andrew Skurka).

The tradeoff is that most folding poles are a fixed length, so you pick your size before you buy.

How do you size poles?¶

Skurka's rule: hold the pole upright with your elbow at about 90 degrees. If you fall between two sizes, take the longer one, so your elbow sits a little under 90 degrees (Andrew Skurka). Try poles on a real climb before you commit if you can. A running shop can often let you hold a pair.

How do runners carry poles when they are not using them?¶

Skurka lists these ways to carry poles (Andrew Skurka):

• In your hands.
• Attached vertically to the shoulder straps of your vest.
• In a rear mesh pocket.
• Horizontally at the waist.
• Diagonally across your back.
• In a dedicated holster.

He says no method is perfect. A good one lets you switch quickly, keeps the poles from bouncing, and keeps your hands free. Which one works for you depends on your vest, so try your vest with your poles.

Folding poles help here too, because short folded poles are easier to stow than long ones.

Practice before race day¶

Do these on training runs, not on race morning:

1. Take the poles out and put them away while moving, a few times, at a walk and at a run.
2. Climb with them for a full climb, not just the first few minutes.
3. Run with them stowed for an hour, to see if they bounce or rub.
4. Wear your race vest, full of water and food, for all of it.
5. Try them on a descent and on a flat stretch. Know when you want them out and when you do not.

Practice the plant-and-push rhythm on a long hill until you stop thinking about it. If a wrist, shoulder or elbow starts to hurt, stop and talk to a physical therapist or doctor. NavRun is not a doctor, and pain is a reason for a conversation with one.

Poles and your people¶

Poles fill both hands. That matters if your crew or family want to reach you.

Out Here lets crew and family send voice messages that you hear hands free, so you can keep your poles in both hands and still hear your people. You want your people with you and your hands on your poles. See how Out Here works.

The short version¶

• Poles help most on long, steep climbs.
• Check your race's rules before you buy anything.
• Folding Z-style poles are easy to stow.
• Decide where they ride on your vest, then practice.
• Leaving them home is a fine choice.

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