Upcoming Events

Thursday evening I drove down to Albert Lea to deliver Nordic Walking poles to Catherine’s first class.  Catherine has been nordic walking for 3 years and recently attended the Instructor Training. She is a mentor and model for anyone wanting to get started in nordic walking.  I love her enthusiasm and energy and it gets passed on to everyone who comes into contact with her.

 Catherine had 25 walkers in this class. The fascinating part of it is that they are also participating in a Blue Zone Vitality Project unique to Albert Lea.  www.cityofalbertlea.org  The goal of the project is to add 10,000 years to the lives of the people living in Albert Lea. Everyone there is so excited about the opportunities and programs being offered to them and the paths were full of people out walking and biking, the community gardens are growing fresh veges and there were folks just enjoying evening conversations and companionship time.  The program kicked off in April and goes thru October.  It’s something to keep a finger on to see how it all turns out.

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!

I know that many of you walk all year round and that some of you have been walking indoors this winter, but it’s time to get back outside. April kicks off the season with our first walk out at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum on April 1.  It might be risky to plan an outdoor event for April Fool’s Day, never know what mother nature has in store for us, but I will be leading walks at both 1pm and 6pm that day, rain or shine.  (I’m just not going to include snow, ok?)

 As always, we’ll bring the demo poles along so you can try them.  Come experience for yourself the joy and benefits of walking with poles.  If you’re not a member of the Arboretum you can get in free for the day by using the password “nordic walking” with the gate keeper.  Be sure to ask for your membership for Mother’s day so you can go out often to walk. 

After the first we will be walking on Tuesdays in April, Mondays in May and Wednesdays in June.  We decided that alternating the days each month would give everyone a chance to come with us.  Locations for the walks are on my calendar here or you can also see them at www.hoigaards.com. 

 I have also scheduled lots of Community Ed classes throughout the western suburbs.  If you would like to learn more about nordic walking and have some more intentional coaching on technique the schedule for these classes is also on the calendar. 

 I hope to see you out on the trail soon!