What the Fu*k is Power Hiking?

When I first started running on trails, I refused to walk. After all, it's called trail RUNNING right? I don't do this to be a hiker, and back then I thought it was embarrassing to walk during a training run, and during a race??? Hell no!

But at my first 50k as I tried to maintain 9 minute miles with tons of vert, I realized that walking was not only going to happen, but that it would be the only way I would finish the race. It was also at that moment 27 miles in, where a shirtless 60-something year old man with a hippy headband passed me as I gasped for breath and tried to get my legs back. He waved with a smile and said, "See you at the finish!"

He wasn't running as he passed and he damn sure wasn't walking. Now I know that what he was doing was power hiking. And his technique was flawless. Fast forward from that day almost eight years ago, and I'm a completely different ultra runner. I now know the value of power hiking. Power hiking isn't lollygagging your way down the trail to rest your muscles and to slow your heart rate. Power hiking -- and doing it well -- is not only a crucial tool for your tool box, but also a deadly weapon if trained and refined.

Last year at Rocky Raccoon 100k I found myself crewing and training, and saw a former Marine who ran the 100k without actually running a single mile. She had perfected her power hiking and passed many fatigued and slowing runners late in that race. While I don't recommend power hiking 62-point-whatever miles, if you aren't training your power hiking, then you aren't training effectively or correctly.

The key to power hiking is practicing it -- with purpose. I always remind myself mentally as I'm hiking to "hike with purpose." This mantra keeps me focused on pushing the pace, while I shift to different muscle groups while focusing on my breathing and getting my heart rate down. To add to your skills, grab a weight vest and hit the trails. Hike with purpose and focus on your form and your pace, and sharpen those skills for when you will need them in a race. Effectively training power hiking will save you tons of time in the race when you shift from running to hiking, whether it be on big vert sections, or just recovering from a stretch of the trails where you pushed the pace.

I have a teammate that is a master power hiker, and during times where I'm starting to struggle, she can power hike faster than I can run. She has a skill that is vital to success the longer you go in ultra marathons. And that skill is something I've added to my arsenal as my first 100k approaches next weekend. Here is to not lollygagging during your hikes!