April 2009

Yes it’s true! I flew off to Buffalo, New York to do some filming with LEKI. They wanted to replace the DVD that comes with the poles with a video on their website. I got to be the star! Lindy was a most gracious host and it was great fun to work with Joe and Tom again. The weather was beautiful in Buffalo, 80 and sunny, the perfect day for filming outside. We worked all day and then nordic walked (of course) to a small Italian restaurant for dinner.

I was exhausted from being in front of the camera all day, good reminder to keep my day job! But it was also a good reminder of how far we’ve come in the past few years with Nordic Walking.  When we first started no one knew anything about it, including those of us at Hoigaard’s.  We were on the “cutting edge” of nordic walking, introducing it to the midwest.

Keep spreading the good news! LEKI’s motto is one walker at a time. There were several “friends” with us on the Mississippi River last Tuesday and they all finished the walk as new converts. With any luck those friends will bring a friend this week and so it grows.  Already this year we have walked with 132 people. Maybe this is the year we take off like Europe did and everyone we know will be walking with poles!

Last week HOW met on the Mississippi River in Downtown Minneapolis. We walked north along the river, crossed over and came back on the west side and then crossed back on the Stone Arch Bridge to return to our cars.  St Anthony Falls were spectacular!  So much water, so much energy. 

It’s one of my favorite walks.  I keep saying I could do this one once a month but I know that people would mutiny on me and I would be walking alone.  There is something about the power of the river and the vistas from the bridges that pulls on my spirit. 

If you live in the area, you really should try this walk.  You can park on Nicollet Island and go either direction, enjoying the river as you go.  Just stay close to the water, you can’t get lost!

 Wouldn’t it be wonderful if on Earth Day, this Wednesday, the fitness clubs, yoga studios, Y’s, all those indoor workout and exercise places were empty and everyone was outside enjoying some fresh air while they exercised in the sunshine?  Think of all the CO2 emissions we would save by simply walking out the door instead of getting into our cars and driving to the local gym.

It could be the new green movement, exercise outdoors in your neighborhood once per week to reduce your carbon footprint.  The logo could be a green footprint with little green marks from the tips of our nordic walking poles. 

Exercise Local!  I like it.

If you’re already walking in your neighborhood and looking for something to mix it up you might try a new route this week.  Go a different way, turn left instead of right, discover a new neighborhood, add a new dimension to your routine.  Maybe it’s time to add a few more steps, or turn and go up that hill that you’ve been avoiding.  If you’re already going up the hill why not try turning around at the top and going back to the bottom to do it a second time.  You can also weave back and forth as you go up to add distance and cardio.  Lots of little tricks to make it more fun and challenging.

Happy Earth Day!

I went to California last summer to attend a three day summit meeting for LEKI Nordic Walking Trainers.  Ever since then I’ve been waiting for the opportunity to lead one of the trainings for Suzanne Nottingham.  www.nordicwalknow.com This past weekend I had the pleasure of leading my first official Nordic Walk Now Instructor Training and Walk to Live Workshop.

 Although I’ve done lots of classes and various trainings this one was different since this time I was not only teaching people about nordic walking but teaching them to teach. The morning was for instructors and the afternoon for people interested in teaching family and friends. Normally there would be 2 instructors sharing the leadership for the trainings but due to the small turnout Suzanne asked me to do it on my own.   I was a little nervous but once I got going my own enthusiasm and all my experience took over and I relaxed into the training mode.

 The weather cooperated and we were able to be outdoors for most of the day.  There’s a delightful park just north of Hoigaard’s complete with paths, ponds, hills and grassy areas. It’s a perfect spot for teaching, and the groups did very well on all their assignments.

 Here’s the picture of the brand new Nordic Walking Instructors, Congratulations to all!

If you don’t live where the lakes and rivers freeze solid for several months of the year you’ve missed alot.  Not only have you never “walked on water” or “driven on water” or pulled fish out of a hole, but you’ve never experienced the “ice out” of spring.

 Tuesday nite there were 30 of us that nordic walked around Lake Calhoun.  Most of the lake was open, piles of ice clustered on the shores from the winds of the past few days. There was one large section still with a thin layer of ice on it.  At this point of the spring the ice is very brittle and has a lacy pattern to it, kind of like those wonderful Christmas cookies that melt in your mouth.  Although it still holds together it moves with the open water. 

As we came close to the ice I had to stop and listen.  The ice was making all kinds of crickle crackle sounds, like really loud rice crispies, as it moved on the surface.  It’s a very unique cold climate spring sound and you almost always miss it. It was very special to be there and hear it as we walked around the end of the lake.

The wonder of spring continued on Friday nite when the peepers, little frogs, thawed out from their frozen winter state and started singing.  The marshes and ponds are alive with their energy and they get louder as they get warmer. 

 Ahh, the sounds of spring in Minnesota!

I should know better than to plan the first Nordic Walk of the season on April Fool’s Day. Once again mother nature played a trick on us and gave us snow on Tuesday evening after heavy rain all day long. I awoke on Wednesday and looked out at snow flurries that were determined to keep going the whole morning.  We had 2 walks scheduled at the MN Arboretum, one o’clock and six o’clock, and I was totally convinced that due to the cold, dreary, nasty day there would be no one to play with on the trail. My vision was one of sitting around all day hoping for someone to come walk with me.

 But I was to be totally surprised! We had 25 walkers at 1:00 and 28 more at 6pm.  Most of them were new walkers and some had driven 45 miles just for the walk. They were all excited to be there and the recurring theme was “heck, we’re from Minnesota, a little cold and snow won’t keep us from doing what we had planned.” 

It was sooo much fun!  After a short introduction to the poles we walked the 3 mile drive through the gardens and orchards. Not much happening there except for some snowdrops blooming in the frozen hosta gardens but the action was all on the path with the energy and joy of nordic walking for the first time.  If this day was any indication, it’s going to be a great season!

As the rain pours down today it seems like a good time to remind all of my fair weather walking friends that there are many good options for walking indoors.  It’s not the same as walking outdoors, but there are definitely days that a controlled environment of 70 degrees and dry footing is a great advantage over what mother nature is offering us. 

 Most of the indoor malls have walking programs and also will allow pole walkers before the mall opens. Check with your local mall for times and dates of their walking groups. If they don’t have a walking program perhaps you want to start one with them.  Just be aware that nordic walker with poles do not mix well with shoppers and mothers with strollers so be sure to do your walking before the mall opens.

 Mall of America has a program called MOA Mall Stars for their walkers. It even has a card you can swipe to keep track of how often you walk.  They will allow poles before the mall opens.  For more information call 800-757-9255.  Rhea Kontos recently posted about her experiences out at the mall, www.nordicwalkthisway.com.

 If you live in the western suburbs you can walk almost any day at the Plymouth Fieldhouse at 14800 34th Ave No in Plymouth.  Call 763-509-5292 for the current schedule.  They surprised me by posting an April schedule so it’s still open while mother nature tries to move into real spring.

 Community Centers and fitness clubs with indoor tracks may allow you to come with your poles. When you call them be sure to let them know that your poles have non marking rubber tips on them so they will not damage the track surface.  The Marsh in Minnetonka and Eagan Community Center both allow indoor track walking.

Be proactive!  If you can’t get outside to walk, search out an indoor option so you don’t miss a step.