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INUVIK - If you're out on the town this winter you might notice groups of people engaged in Nordic walking.

The new physical activity where participants walk with poles gained a lot of momentum in town last year with dozens of sets of walking poles being distributed in the community.

Carly Turner is one of the new users of Nordic walking poles. Turner recently took part in a training session to spread the word about the poles and the pedometer challenge, both being held by the Healthy Foods North program. - Dez Loreen/NNSL photo

This year, the Healthy Foods North program is spearheading the initiative.

Lindsay Beck, who works for the program, spent last weekend with interested people who wanted to know more about the activity.

"The purpose of the workshops were to get people involved with Nordic walking," she said.

Beck said Alfred Moses, who volunteers with the NWT Recreation and Parks Association, hosted the workshop last weekend.

During the three-day sessions, Beck said the organizers designated "leaders" to help others in the community get started.

"We have six or seven walking leaders in the community," she said.

"They're willing to run clubs and that sort of thing."

Wednesday and Sunday have been set aside to serve as days for the walking program.

"Our Healthy Foods North walking leader has already set up those days for group walking," she said.

Beck said the newly-named walking leaders spent their workshop time learning more about Nordic walking and how to help others get started.

"The leaders were trained in walking techniques and how to use the poles," said Beck.

She said 14 participants took part in the workshop.

The poles were paid for by the NWT Recreation and Parks Association.

"They donated 50 poles for Inuvik," she said.

She added another 30 poles are planned for a similar workshop in Tuktoyaktuk. Nordic walking is only a component to the pedometer challenge, also run by the Healthy Foods North program.

"We have a number of businesses and organizations competing to see who can walk the most," she said.

The pedometers measure the number of steps taken by a person and logs it for tallying at the end of the day.

Beck said she has already heard a lot of positive feedback about the pedometers.

Carly Turner, one of the participants of the Nordic walking and pedometer workshops, said she was introduced to the walking program at the community registration night.

"Once I got into the pedometer challenge, I learned about the Nordic walking," said Turner.

Turner said the Nordic poles aren't used to dig into the snow, but rather to push off with as you walk.

"There is a technique to it," she said.

Turner said she is a part of a walking group that meets twice a week. One walk with the group led them down the Boot Lake trials, and another brought them past the cemetery.

Turner said the group walking sessions are usually an hour long.

"I've been walking more instead of driving," she said.

"Wearing the pedometer is encouraging me to get out more often."

Turner said the new initiatives are a good way to keep people outdoors and active.

"It's important that people do something to keep physical activity in their everyday lives," said Turner.