Bromsgrove Nordic Walking coach 'humbled' by award nomination

A man forced to hold his Nordic Walking coaching classes online during the Covid pandemic has said it is humbling to be nominated for a national award.

Ian Northcott, from Worcestershire, moved the operation to his garage to ensure classes went ahead in lockdowns.

With restrictions lifted, he said he continued to offer classes online as people loved them more than he expected.

The 58-year-old has been shortlisted for a UK Coaching Award.

Nordic Walking originated in Finland in the late 1990s to keep professional cross country skiers in shape during the summer.

Walkers are kitted out with two poles which are used to propel the walker forward, mimicking skiing actions.

When the Covid lockdowns began in 2020, Mr Northcutt said he had to work out how to run outdoor classes online.

"I got the Zoom ready, got the computer in the garage and converted it a bit," the Bromsgrove resident explained.

"Then I had to think about the kind of movement patterns we do while walking and change the way we do it so the online class gets the same results."

Clients used exercise bikes, weights or other exercise equipment during the process, he said.

Mr Northcott continues to run the online classes alongside in-person sessions and since the pandemic has taken participants up Mount Kilimanjaro.

He was shortlisted for the Online Coach of the Year Award by UK Coaching, a group celebrating the contribution of coaches to people's lives.

The winners will be announced in December. Mr Northcott said he was "absolutely delighted", adding it was "lovely to be recognised".

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