human-nature travelled to Nottingham today to take part in the first of this year’s British Nordic Walking Challenge Events. This one was set in the leafy suburbs, at the 500 hundred acre Wollaton Deer Park, with a spectacular backdrop of an Elizabethan Mansion Hall (which was actually used as a setting in the 2012 Batman Film – Dark Night Rises).
On Your Marks-get warming up! Get Set Go
Click any photo to enlarge
As this was our first major Nordic Walking event, so we opted to take part in the 5KM walk event (we’re not quite ready for the half marathon just yet!). This was a very well organised event, and judging by the race numbers allocated for our shirts, we estimate that there were in the region of 250 walkers who took part overall in the 3 events – 5KM, 10KM and 21KM (half marathon).
Walkers were set off in small groups, with a staggered start – so it’s quite difficult to know how well you are doing in the overall race. In all honesty it didn’t seem an overly competitive event, with most walkers just keen to beat their own previous time from the last event – and in fairness most of them did! There was loads of encouragement and support from the marshalls and fellow competitors alike. To top it all the weather was just great, sunshine all the way, but not too hot for the walking!
We came 2nd and 3rd in our group, with human-nature at the front for most of the way, just getting pipped at the post – and we even ended up 2nd and 3rd in the Men’s 5KM Event overall! Not bad for our first challenge and being relatively new to NW ourselves. It would be great to get a full team together for an event in the near future – who knows we might even win?
Well done to all that took part, and to those organising and marshalling too – and see you all next time around!
Why not come along and join our British Nordic Walking qualified instructor – and let’s bring Nordic walking here to Stoke and Newcastle. We provide courses to learn the technique, provide regular walks and tuition and provide the pole hire as part of our a service. All you need is a pair of trainers with a good, deep treaded sole and suitable outdoor clothing for the weather conditions. We’ll be walking in the best local landscapes, to get the most out of this great form of ‘green exercise’. You don’t have to be super fit – as long as you can walk, you can Nordic walk!
Check out the human-nature Nordic walking page, to find out how you can get involved locally by clicking here.
Contact Us if you would like to take a walk with us.