Pete Edwards brings Ski Walking to town

By Maggie Meyers
Sun contributor
Have you been surprised to notice someone walking on local trails or roads with what appear to be cross-country ski poles? What you have actually seen is a new fitness trend that is rapidly gaining steam in Glen Arbor, and beyond. Ski Walking — an off-season training technique that world-class ski coaches have prescribed for athletes for many years — has recently been introduced to the community by local veteran running and ski coach Pete Edwards. According to Edwards, Ski Walking moved outside the niche of competitive skiers in Finland three years ago. He admits that, “The Finns deserve all the credit. They saw the potential of using trekking poles in the backcountry.” Today, Edwards estimates that more than 750,000 Finns are Ski Walking regularly, and he is enthusiastically spearheading an effort to get the rest of the world to catch on — starting in Glen Arbor.

An avid runner, Edwards began to experiment with Ski Walking last July when, following a running injury, he was searching for an alternative form of exercise that would allow him to continue enjoying his favorite trails and regular hiking spots. By August, Edwards observed that Ski Walking had maintained his aerobic base, and moreover, his body was in as good or better physical shape than it was prior to his injury. As he continued to experience the benefits of Ski Walking, Edwards started to incorporate Ski Walking into his coaching plans. He elucidates: “Daily we warm-up with at least a one mile Ski Walk. Short jogs and sprints with Ski Walking poles have also been added to many workouts. For athletes with minor aches, pains and pulls, their entire workout may involve Ski Walking exclusively due to the impressive aerobic benefits and yet minimal impact on these athletes’ joints, shins and typical sore spots.” The improvements that he observed in his athletes’ performance further inspired Edwards to transform his new fitness hobby into a full-time business enterprise.
A seasoned cross-country skier with a keen business sense, Edwards investigated various ski manufacturers and collaborated with Salomon Sports (which produces his favorite Nordic ski strap) to design his custom Ski Walking poles. Edwards launched his website, www.skiwalking.com, in February of this year. The poles, priced at an affordable $69.95, are manufactured in Lillehammer, Norway, but the company headquarters remains here in Glen Arbor.
How do Edwards’ Ski Walking poles differ from ordinary cross-country poles? And how does his product stand out among trekking poles marketed by American retailers or “Nordic Walking” equipment produced by European ski manufactures? Edwards claims that the adjustable shafts of existing trekking poles on the market are far less sturdy than poles intended for skiing, while the one-piece construction of his poles renders them more durable, lighter, and thus more effective. While the pole shafts that Edwards has chosen are essentially identical to cross-country varieties, his Ski Walking poles have custom carbide tips that are designed to be especially durable for handling rocks and snowless trails. Another unique feature that Edwards offers is a removable rubber tip suited for Ski Walking indoors.
Edwards is particularly enthusiastic about the Salomon hand strap that he uses. He explains, “The strap is really special, because it fits like a fingerless glove and allows the walker not to have to statically grip the pole. I have gotten a lot of feedback from customers who have tested the strap against other varieties and simply find it more comfortable.”
Much of Edwards’ energy is focused on building a more diverse Ski Walking demographic and marketing it as an excellent source of fitness for the whole family. Edwards emphatically insists that “[Ski Walking] is no longer just for cross-country skiers staying in shape for the summer — it is for all ages and all fitness levels. There is no way to walk and not use the poles correctly — the movement is automatic.” Edwards’ mission, as stated on the company website, is to “[encourage] Americans to initiate their own personal fitness programs by providing a proven, low-impact, high calorie burn fitness activity that will result in the adoption of healthier lifestyles and increased use of and appreciation for our bike paths, hiking trails, parks and recreational areas.” For Edwards, Ski Walking has provided a fun, active way to spend meaningful time with family.
Ski Walking is gaining attention rapidly, as people of all ages and all fitness levels are picking up Edwards’ custom crafted poles and feeling and seeing remarkable results for themselves. According to Edwards, “Three miles of Ski Walking is the same as a five mile hike, and you burn 20 to 40 percent more calories than walking without poles.” While the promise of weight loss is perhaps enough to allure mainstream American consumers, Ski Walking also offers incentives of improved posture, strengthened upper body, and improved overall physical comfort.
Since February, Edwards has hosted clinics in Lake Tahoe, Park City, the Catskill and Allegheny Mountains, and across the entire Midwest. This summer, he has been busy traveling to promote his poles as a rehabilitation tool, and has sparked a great deal of interest among Physical Therapists, Occupational Specialists, and high-profile MS physicians. He explains, “With the poles, the patients’ strides are longer, their hips are further forward, and the impact is greatly decreased. After only a short time with the poles, patients reported that their knee, back and hip issues were significantly relieved.”
The burgeoning fitness movement that Edwards is leading with his Ski Walking venture is ultimately but a part of his larger mission to advocate better American health and fitness on a large scale. In addition to launching his Ski Walking enterprise, Edwards has also started another business in the last year, Old Sleeping Bear Trading Company, which sells such healthy treats as organic maple sugar and candies sweetened with honey rather than refined sugar. With such projects underway, it is clear that Pete Edwards is an entrepreneur whose genuine passion for promoting healthful living goes beyond mere intentions of profit seeking, and offers hope to a bright future for Glen Arbor’s community.