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| Carrie Lewis Stroke Survivors Tattler |
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| John C. Anderson Stroke Survivors Tattler |
Boy, have you got some fun in store! You are now taking the first steps through a door, beyond which lie infinite possibilities in snow-based enjoyment. Snowshoes, quite simply, make it much more efficient to travel though snow-covered terrain. The winter world is your oyster, and now you have the means to explore nature in locations and environments that may have previously seemed inaccessible.I called Carrie and I told her "I'm ready to go but if you have a second pairs of snowshoes?" Of course she said, "lets go tomorrow at Hawrelak Park." I've got lots of skiing experience but I was dubious about snowshoes - I have a problem with a gimp leg and I can run but very slowly. Carrie told me she thought it was not a problem - lets try it anyway. Well, we went for about an hour and it was a blast. It is not a problem for stroke survivors - the only requirement is you need to walk.
That evening I was registered on the MEC seminar for Snowshoe by Monika Owczarek. I was little lazy about the title "Snowshoe Running 101..." - I did not read "...Running...". Her lecture for snowshoes is great anyway, even you are a beginner. She talked before the lecture and told about various type of snowshoes, the kind of various sport snowshoes, buy vs rent, recreational, running, mountaineering, .., Here is about her lecture and her brief biography:
MEC Expert Seminar:
Snowshoe Running 101 with Monika Owczarek
Price: Free
This free seminar will be hosted by Monika Owczarek, Canada’s snowshoe running champion, who has represented Canada at four World Championships. In this informative seminar, you will learn the differences in snowshoes available, how to wear your snowshoes, what apparel is required, training tips, and the best spots to snowshoe run in Edmonton.
This seminar is for anyone who wants to know how to start snowshoe running, or for those who would like to improve their technique and do more of this sport.
More about Monika:
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| Monika Owczarek |
- Four-time World Snowshoe racing Qualifier – 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014
- Canadian Snowshoe Running Champion
- Provincial Trail Running Champion – B.C. 5 Peaks Series
- 3rd female – Dion Frontenac Snowshoe race Ontario 2012
- 1st female – Yeti snowshoe race Ontario 2012
- 1st female - Grouse Mountain Snowshoe race
- World Duathlon Championships – 2nd Canadian Female in Age group
- Top 10 at World Snowshoe Invitational during the Vancouver Olympic Winter games
- 3rd female – Grouse Mountain snowshoe race
- 3rd female – Self-Transcendence Duathlon
I've made Michigan style snowshoes from scratch with real rawhide lacing, they're the ones with one piece of wood with the upturned toe. I splintered at least 6 pieces of wood after steaming them and trying to bend them around the form. This was prior to stroke and required two good arms and hands to do. I haven't tried using them since stroke, mainly because the bindings I created used laces and now they are in a storage locker in Minneapolis.
ReplyDeleteI bought snowshoes with the basic model ($104 Cdn) in MEC. I asked the clerk about binding with *only one-hand* - he told about various model and most binding works with one-hand.
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