Credentials

It's not uncommon when finding a fitness instructor -- especially for something new to you -- to find out what their credentials are, where they went to school, how they learned what they teach, etc. This is a great thing to do! But just remember that little piece of paper on the wall isn't everything. I have, on occasion, overlooked my own self-worth and credentials. Why? Because I am the first one to tell you I do NOT fit the mold of the traditional fitness instructor. So, to remind myself, and to share with all of you, here are my credentials:

1) First and foremost, I have been Nordic Walking since August 2004. I began my Nordic Walking odyssey as a demonstrator during the Outdoor Retailers Show in Salt Lake City, Utah.

2) My original trainer, and the person who gave me some follow up tips two more times, was Gottfried Kuermer of Austria. He provided a group of us 4 hours of wonderful, intensive training. Gottfried is the leading Nordic Walking Expert and Master Coach. He is known throughout the worldwide Nordic Walking Community.

3) I have had the privilege of being closely associated with LEKI, USA since August 2004. I assisted with demonstrating Nordic Walking during both Summer and Winter Markets of the Outdoor Retailers Show in:

• August 2004
• January 2005
• August 2005
• January 2006
• August 2006
• January 2007
• August 2007

4) I am one of the original 20 LEKI-Trained Nordic Walking Instructors. This hand-picked group of individuals from all over the country flew to Florida in March 2006 for a 5 day intensive training on how to become the best and most effective Nordic Walking Instructors, and helped provide input on better ways to reach the 86% of our population who are not fit and who do not frequent sporting goods stores or fitness facilities. This training was sponsored by LEKI and was led by Suzanne Nottingham, a leading fitness instructor here in the States

5) During the August 2006 Summer Market Outdoor Retailers, assisted a number of leading Nordic Walking Instructors create and define different Nordic Walking progressions which have been included in the book Nordic Walking for Total Fitness by Suzanne Nottingham.

6) In February 2007, my former business partner Donna Mirabile and I, as the proprietors of FootePath, LLC, were featured in an article in the Wall Street Journal. This story was picked up and republished by many periodicals across the U.S. and Canada.

7) Since the Wall Street Journal article, FootePath has been featured on KSL News, and the Salt Lake Tribune. Additionally, FootePath can be found in the book Nordic Walking by Clair Walker. FootePath was also featured in the first edition of LEKI, USA's "Pole Position".

8) I have written and published articles in the local periodicals Sports Guide and Wasatch Journal

I do not have a piece of paper that says I'm a "certified" instructor, but I have been trained by the best Nordic Walkers in the world and have been Nordic Walking for nearly 8 years. I'll be Nordic Walking the rest of my life.

Happy Walking!

E

Winter Wear Review: Shoes

Whenever you're out walking or running or exercising, it's important to have the right gear. You need to be comfortable and properly attired in order to get the most out of your exercise routine.

This has been an extremely dry winter here in Utah, but that hasn't kept it from being cold! I was fortunate enough to find some fantastic boots at the beginning of the winter season and have been thrilled with their performance! Let me tell you all about them.

They are the Ahnu Montara, and are designed for women. They have a padded collar, so they're not going to dig into your ankle. They're made of leather, which makes them soft, pliable, and lets them breathe well. They also have a breathable, waterproof "bootie" which features the new "eVent" technology, which allows the sweat to evaporate to the outside of the boot. The result is no soggy socks! Very important, especially when walking in the freezing cold.

To be honest, I'm not a big shoe person: I prefer going barefoot as much as possible. I have a pair of Dr. Scholl's Aquavents for summer wear (or any day when there's no chance of frostbite). I have a pair of dark pumps and a pair of light pumps, both of which are worn as seldom as possible. I have a pair of athletic shoes. And I have my Ahnu boots. I have to tell you, these are possibly the most comfortable shoes I've ever owned, and I love wearing them. They do run a little narrow, so get a half size bigger than what you normally wear. This also means you won't need to wear really thick socks.

The Montara retails for about $150. Locally, you can find them at REI, or on the web.

If you're looking for a pair of great, wet, winter weather boots that will keep your feet roasty, toasty and dry while you're out Nordic Walking, these are the boots for you. Check 'em out!

Jumping Hurdles

About a thousand years ago when I was in high school I remember going to track meets and watching the hurdlers and being in awe. I tried it once. Once was enough to realize that while some people can leap over them with ease, they seem to have been designed solely to trip me up.

I no longer long to be on the track team. Ok, let's be honest: a fast-paced walk is about the end of my athletic abilities and running is completely out of the question. My hurdles these days are more in the form of physical ailments than the traditional sort. And right now, I'm face to face with a very annoying hurdle. I've strained my hip, making it painful to walk.

My morning walk at Liberty Park with my buddy Maria was cut short due to pain. The pain was annoying. The fact that it interfered with my walk really made me mad. And I've spent the rest of the day alternately babying my owie and contemplating how this affects what I'm trying to do with Nordic Walking, FootePath, and my own journey to health. In the past, something like this would sideline me long enough to take my mind of physical fitness. Hey, I'm the first to admit I'm a sedentary creature at heart, and easily sidetracked. But this time, I don't want to be sidetracked! This is new territory for me.

My plan of attack is this: Take it easy for a few days, have my talented friend Shell do some energy work/massage therapy on it, continue walking, but keep my walks shorter and slower until I get better. Essentially, I'm going tackle this hurdle, climb over it, in slow motion, ungainly and awkward and I may end up flat on my face in the dirt before I'm done. But I'll climb up, dust myself off, and keep going, poles in hand. This time, I'm not quitting.

Happy Walking!

Elizabeth

No Rules!

The best thing about Nordic Walking is there are no rules. Well, ok, there are some rules, like warm up before your walk, stretch out after, and no tripping other people with your poles. But what I mean is this: You don't have to follow a set route or length of time. Because breaking the routine might lead you to new experiences.

This morning, in the early pre-dawn light, I sat in my car, waiting for my Nordic Walking buddy. I waited for 10 minutes and finally accepted she had been unavoidably detained. I got out of my car and realized the thermometer in my car had been lying. It wasn't really 31 degrees. I'm certain it was 17 below. Ok, maybe not. I nearly got back into my car and drove home. But I was already there, and I'd warm up walking. So, instead of taking the regular loop around the exterior of the park, I decided to take the wide avenue lined by towering Cottonwood trees down the center of the park.

Liberty Park covers an area equivalent to 16 city blocks. As I walked beneath the trees, I realized they must be quite old, at least a century, and wondered if they had once lined a drive to a farm house. As I walked, daydreaming of times gone by, off to my right I saw some rocks and a water fall and a little path. Curiosity got the best of me, and I found myself hiking along wide, sandstone slabs lining the edge of a kidney-shaped koi pond. I enjoyed my little detour, then looked up. Before me was the farm house! It's located in the middle of the park, probably in the middle of what was once the family farm. I will have to back some day when its open and take the tour.

I circled around the Veteran's memorial, offered up a prayer for my stepson in Afghanistan, and headed back to my car. I hadn't gone far before another intriguing area caught my attention. A small simulation of all the local canyons: Big and Little Cottonwood, Emigration, City Creek, and so on. The trails meandered and branched, overlapped and cris-crossed, eventually leading me back to the tree-lined avenue. So many other things caught my eye and demanded my attention, but time was slipping away, and I had other places I had to be.

The wondrous things I'd seen have stayed with me all day. All because I decided today's walk would have No Rules!

Happy Walking!

Elizabeth

Walking in Winter

I started my day in the best possible way: I went Nordic Walking in the park with fellow Nordic Walkers Maria and Jane: the nucleus of our Nordic Walking Community. It was brisk and bracing and an enjoyable time was had by all! As you can see from the picture, we were pretty bundled up. This morning, the temps were in the mid 30s.

The beauty of Nordic Walking is that you can do it anywhere, any weather. I once Nordic Walked 2 miles in a horrendous rain storm. Not something I recommend, but it was kind of fun. The trick to Nordic Walking in any weather is preparation. And preparation for cold weather means layers. This morning, for example, I wore the following:

* Warm Socks
* Comfortable Shoes
* Fleece-lined Leggings
* Warm Shirt
* Polar Fleece Pullover
* Scarf
* Light Knit Gloves

I was plenty warm! In fact, this morning I probably could have done without the scarf and maybe even the gloves. My point is, I went prepared and I stayed toasty. And as the weather gets colder, I will upgrade my gear accordingly, adding more layers, heavier gloves, an undershirt, my sock monkey hat. You get the idea.

My point is this: don't let the cold weather prevent you from getting out and enjoying nature and getting the exercise you need and deserve! Just "rug up", as my Aussie friend used to say.

Happy Walking!

Elizabeth

Saturday Stroll

I love Autumn; it is my second favorite season. The colors are so vibrant and ever changing, and every day presents a different image, even if you're looking at the same thing. The air is crisp and envigorating, with a slight haze which, over distance, invokes a feeling of endlessness, as if this is how Nature will stay indefinitely. Oh, I know that someday soon I will wake up to find the reds and oranges and golds of autumn have given way to the white and gray of winter's icy grip. But for now it is still autumn.

And it was into this bright, crisp, cool, colorful world I stepped this morning, with my friend Maria, to take in the scenery of the quiet neighborhood where I live and to enjoy nature. With our poles in hand, we walked along quiet streets, past gardens and yards filled with late blooming perennials and trees still covered in leaves of ever hue. It was quiet and peaceful, and it made me wonder why I don't do this neighborhood stroll more often. It was, without a doubt, the perfect start to my day.

It has been nearly 3 hours since that walk ended, and I can still feel the tingly goodness of it in my fingers and toes and all points in between. I love Nordic Walking. I love it more when I do it with a friend.

Morning Nordic Walking Goodness

This morning, I met Maria at Liberty Park and had a lovely 1-mile Nordic Walk around the park. It was SO FUN to go Nordic walking with my friend, to get caught up on what's going on in our lives, and to enjoy the peace and quiet of the relatively empty park, to watch the ducks in the pond, and to see the faint glimmer of frost disappear from the grass as the sun slowly rose over the Wasatch, the morning sunlight creating a warm, golden glow in the trees.

One thing that quickly became apparent, however, is that summer is far behind us and that the temps at 7:45 are COLD!!! While arms, legs, feet, and head were relatively warm, our fingers were freezing! Now, of course, I'm on a quest for some great gloves. I've gotten some great tips on where to look and which ones to try, so I'll keep you posted.

Nordic Walking in the morning is a FANTASTIC start to the day. I will HAPPILY go walking with anyone, any morning of the week. Interested? Just give me a call at 801-654-1059.

Happy Walking!

Elizabeth