Urban Nordic Walking Clinic - Seward Park

• Activity Type:
  Day Hiking, Urban Walking, Cross-country Skiing
• Audience:
  Adults, All Who Qualify
• Difficulty:
  Easy
• Leader Rating:
  Easy
• Mileage: 3.0 mi
• Elevation Gain: 150 ft
• Pace: 2.5 mph average moving speed
• Availability: 3( 5 capacity)
• Registration Open:
  Mon, Jan 12, 2026 at 7:00 AM
• Registration Closed:
  Thu, Feb 12, 2026 at 5:00 PM

Please only register for one student Nordic walking clinic. Each clinic covers the same instruction. There are limited places on each clinic and we want to give as many mountaineers as possible this opportunity!

Nordic walking is a great total-body fun and fitness outdoor activity. It can be particularly useful for those learning to cross-country ski and for other Mountaineers wishing to increase their regular exercise and to be able to join Mountaineers Nordic walking trips as we develop these during 2026.

LEADERS: This clinic will be led by American Walking Association Instructor and Mountaineers Urban Walk Leader Chris Ensor and Mountaineers Assistant Leader Steve Le Brun

PURPOSE: This clinic will prepare you to Nordic walk efficiently. You will then be able to enjoy this great total-body exercise in your own neighborhood on your own and with friends or join a Mountaineers Nordic Walking trip. We will cover the basics of diagonal stride and how to use poles to give an extra dimension to walking, making it better exercise, more fun and more efficient than just walking.

WHO THE CLINIC IS FOR: The clinic will be a valuable introduction to anyone considering taking up Nordic walking as a sport and pastime. It is especially valuable as preparation to join Mountaineers Nordic walking trips. Taking this clinic will be required to join Urban Nordic walking trips when we roll these out during 2026. Nordic walking also provides a great introduction and practice aid for classic cross-country skiing.

TIME: The clinic will last for approximately 120 minutes.

CLINIC STRUCTURE: We will start by adjusting the poles for your height, align the rubber tips, distinguishing between left and right poles and see how to adjust and use the wrist straps.

We do some warm-up exercises. Then we will practice some drills. These will focus on the leg and arm movements of diagonal stride and the correct use of poles to give walking a whole new and exciting dimension. The exercises will be organized in a progression: learn one aspect leading to another and another to build up to the full set of movements designed for flat, uphill and downhill situations.

Once we have mastered these basics, in the second half of the clinic we take a trip to put them into practice.

EQUIPMENT: The correct poles for Nordic walking will be provided. Most trekking and walking poles are not suitable.

If you want to bring your own poles, please inform the leader in advance. It is important to be sure that the pole length is correct for your height and that your wrist straps and the rubber pole tips are suitable.

CLOTHING AND PROVISIONS: Please wear layered clothing that is water resistant, stout trainers and a small backpack for clothes you remove, and to carry water and a snack. Much of the time we will be moving so we will warm up. But there will be some stand-still time for instruction and discussion. So, we will also cool down. Remember it’s now winter!

If you wish to wear gloves, please avoid mittens and choose gloves that are quite thin. Otherwise they may not fit into the wrist straps.

FITNESS AND SPEED: In view of the 2.5 mph pace and 3 mile distance that will include some short hills you should be able to maintain this average pace (we will go slower up hill) so we can keep the clinic group together. There will be some short breaks for instruction. A good level of fitness and stamina is needed to be able to keep up throughout the session.

If you have any concerns about meeting these expectations, please contact the principal leader Chris Ensor before registering.

PUNTUALITY AND RELIABILITY: This is an instructional activity, and the numbers are limited. It will mess up the start of the session and inconvenience the whole group if anyone is late or a no-show. So please allow plenty of time for your journey to arrive and be…