We all remember our first race or favorite adventure, but what about the first time you added poles into the mix? Below, LEKI athlete Sabrina Stanley shares her story of when she started running and training with poles and why it has been a game changer for her.
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I started running with poles consistently when I began training for a mountainous 100-miler in the summer of 2018. I knew I would be using poles for the entirety of the race, so I ran with poles during all my training miles. This helped get my upper body familiar with the additional load it would be taking on while climbing and descending. It also taught me how to use the poles efficiently.
My “Ah-Ha” moment came when I was studying the most competitive runners in the world at races that piqued my interest. These runners were all using poles. To be competitive I knew I had to learn how to use poles to assist in my running if I wanted to run at the same level as the top athletes.
Poles take some of the load off a runner’s legs while going up and downhill. This transfer of power to the upper body allows a runner to conserve their legs for a longer period.
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The poles lighten the load on my body, but also provide a bit more stability and balance at those times when I need it most.
I bought my first pair of Leki Super Makalu back in 1993 to use for backpacking. I still use it today for various outdoor activities. I love it.
My first experience with poles left my right wrist aching bad enough that I needed a cortisone shot in it. After watching some YouTube clips, that never happened again. Love my poles now!
My first experience with poles was watching other runners use them and wishing I had some. My knees are really hoping I have a set for my next 100k
First run after I get them!
I’ve been lucky to train with some well known Hardrock veterans here in the San Juans who used Z-poles. I had used trekking poles for the Tour de Mont Blanc (not the ultra race, but a 10 day trek) and understood their value for both taking the load off the legs as well as for safety and stability. They are indispensable in mountain running.
In 2016, two friends and I did a monthly local 35 mile loops with ~9k ft of gain. I took piles on our January loop where drifts were several feet deep and I’ve continued to use them as needed since.
I first started training with poles for Quest for the Crest. A Beast Coast 50k with 12,000 ft of elevation gain going up mt. Mitchell. They definitely saved my legs!
I first seriously used poles when I was running in St. John (US Virgin Islands). The Island has some serious climbing (on the roads AND the trails) and my poles really gave me the boost I needed on the ascents and saved me on the very technical descents (the trails are covered in loose rock and dry dirt). I’ve used poles ever since.
Was training for my first high altitude race when I started using piles. It was awkward at first, getting used to them, but they helped stabilize so much. Especially on steep downhill sections.