I rarely watch WGR running as I find her quite odd and I saw her at the OMM festival at Cannock Chase which did nothing to dispell that thought.
I don’t know if it is commercial or not but she did say she helped design them, so it was never going to be an objective review from her but they get good reviews from others, both on YT and the general web review sites.
I don’t think I would have made it up Porlock Hill at the end of the North Coast 50 without my poles and I’l take the to Arc but for races like the Threshold series I wouldn’t bother. Jury is out about SDW100 though.
Recently I walked the Tarawera 50k (51.6k). I had been planning to target the podium, but I tweaked my hamstring about 10 days out. I had the decision to pull out, or walk it. For some reason I thought the walking would help my hamstring (It did btw and I was back running 2 days later). The morning of the race I decided to take my wife’s poles. This basically was to remind me to not run. Anyway, it took me all of 1 second to get comfortable with them. (The are the Black Diamond Carbon and were great).
So I walked the whole damn thing. Basically kept a consistent pace whether up/down/flat as, finished a shade under 8 hours, which I was pretty happy with.
The next day, legs ached a bit, but my heels were really bruised from leaning back and protecting the hamstring on downs and generally walking. The poles must have helped though, I cant imagine the sate of them without the poles.
So, I would say if you are planning to walk more than run, take poles.
Assuming I am fit, my next big race is the run 'til you drop thing. 6.5k laps on the hour, every hour etc. I am now considering using poles in the early stages when I have time to walk to maybe ease the pounding on the legs.
@Homer I did my first Ultra in October, and have now just done my 3rd.
I use Black Diamond Carbon Poles. On Long flat sections I fold them and carry, one in each hand, on ups and downs, just leave them extended and carry both in my right hand. They are really fast to extend and collapse. Many trail runners have backpacks with a large “flap” at the back that they can just chuck poles into, this will probably be my next investment
Regarding downhills, I had the same problem, one of the more experienced runners suggested finding a big hill and running up and down it a few time 2 times a week, and within a couple of weeks my quads would be much stronger… he was right.
I have that quiver, it works really well with my Salomon vest because there are little hook loops for it to clip on to. It stays out of the way of the rest of the pack also.
I have a few hills nearby. I’ll be up and down them a couple of times during the week once my quads are pain free. A lot better today, but still not good enough to run. I’m feeling like such an old lady.
I also have the OMM 20ltr ultra light bag for mtb duties and a pair of Peregrine 10s I haven’t taken out of the box yet. Got some spare Salomon soft flasks ‘just in case’.
@FatPom my Harrier Helvellyn poles have arrived and I’m extremely impressed. Very lightweight, really sturdy, easy to snap in place and they fold down really small. Also comes with spares of everything and a free buff. What’s not to like and all for £70. Let’s hope I don’t get the quad DOMS as bad after this weekend.
@tunster Have you managed to sort out alternative accommodation for TP100 yet? I’ve managed to get something via air B&B so game on…
On another note I managed to get on the waiting list for Badwater Ultra - although since we cant go to the US at the moment ( and the way they are handling the pandemic ) I may just have to send another application in next year…
Yep also booked into an Airbnb probably about a mile or so from the start
Going to sort somewhere out for Mrs T at the finish today
My son booked in as pacer from Pangbourne - have told him he needs to be meaner to me this year and push me harder
Badwater - wow that is amazing - when is it scheduled for? That is going to be one epic adventure if you get there? No idea how you ever begin to prep for that
It’s supposed to be mid July . But I don’t see it happening unless the states open their borders … tbh I think it will be easier to reapply next year . It’s definitely one of those bucket list races .
Hmmmm. So the 50 mile I was using to validate my SDW 100 entry has been pushed to July, which isn’t going to work.
Now what should I do? As it was I wasn’t feeling great about doing a 50k on 4/17, a 50 mile on 5/2 and then a 100 on 6/12. The only other event I can find that is before SDW is London to Brighton Challenge. It’s 100k, so I don’t have to do it in under 13 hours for it to count towards the SDW, I could just hike it in one go and use it as an exercise in 100 mile pacing. It’s does 5/29 though, which seems to me to be closer to a 100 than would be described as ideal.
My inclination is to withdraw from the SDW, and spend this year getting back into running in general and finding some 50’s to do, then take another swing at the SDW in 2021 without the pressure of having to do a 50 mile before.
