Club Brochure

Bytown Walkers Club de marche - Regular Programs and Activities

(This information is also available as a brochure. If you would like a copy, just ask)

Our Club offer regular Fitness and Competitive Walking lessons and programs in Canada’s National Capital Region, (Ottawa, Ontario) See details below..

What is Fitness Walking?

Fitness Walking is walking done with specific fitness goals. It’s today’s aerobic choice that keeps you moving fast and injury free. You will learn a low-impact activity for all ages. You will transform your normal walking into a technique that maximizes fitness benefits for your muscles and your “cardio”. If you choose, we can refine the technique so that you can walk competitively, either with the runners in road races, or as a Race Walker.

Top Ten Reasons to learn Fitness Walking

1. You don’t like running but want an aerobic fitness activity

2. You have a history of injury that hampers your running

3. You want an activity that works more muscles than running

4. You enjoy the challenge of something different

5. Your bus always seems to leave the stop just before you get there

6. You’ve seen Walking races on TV and wondered “how do they do that?”

7. You like the idea of cross-country skiing...with no snow!

8 - 10. Make up your own reasons once you’ve learned. We’ll put the best ones in our next brochure!

Is this the Race Walking I’ve seen on TV?

Yes and no. We take your normal walking, and teach you elements of technique that make you fitter and faster. Some of those elements are used in Race Walking too. How you use your new skill is up to you.

Race Walking is the fastest way of moving under your own steam which is not running. Its two rules conform to a simple definition that combines Track and Field tradition with modern scientific analysis.

But you only have to worry about the rules if you decide to compete. If you want to try a real walking race, we can handle that too!

 

Club Training Sessions

A. “Walk-In” Sessions. Open To All.

Every Wednesday evening at 6:00 pm (until about 7:15pm).

Meet at the University of Ottawa’s Sports Complex, inside the south entrance (Mann and King Edward), 801 King Edward Avenue.

Let us know you’re coming: then just walk in! E-Mail:

Most sessions will be outdoors, in the University area. Washrooms in the Sports Complex. Full changing facilities available from University Sport Services at a small fee. The Sports Complex has a covered parking garage, and street parking can often be found in the area. The University is an easy walk from downtown. Transitway buses serve Campus and Lees Stations, each five minutes’ walk from the Sports Complex.

A “walk-in” session is also offered on the first Saturday of every month at 8:30 am. These monthly sessions are generally held in the locations described in the Club Workout section below. But Saturday locations may vary, so please contact us beforehand, so that we can tell you where to find us.

Cost:

• $5 per person (60 - 75 minute session)
• $20 per person for five sessions of your choice
• Club Members free
• A Bytown Walkers annual membership costs $150 per person (six months for $75), giving you as many sessions as you like.
• Annual student membership is $75 per person.

B. Club workouts (Members and Guests only)

Every Saturday morning at 8:30am (until about 10:00am).

Training locations vary, and are announced in the Club e-newsletter (The Bytown Bulletin) of the preceding week.

These sessions are geared to walkers with some experience. Beginners are invited to join the Saturday sessions when they have reached a level at which the workout is likely to appropriate and fulfilling. This normally takes no more than a few weeks from your first session.

The exception is the beginners’ session on the first Saturday of each month for which anyone may “walk in”. The meeting place for these beginners’ sessions is always the University of Ottawa Sports Centre, 801 King Edward Ave (inside the south entrance at King Edward and Mann)

Cost:

• $5 per person (60 - 75 minute session)
• $20 per person for five sessions of your choice
• Club Members and Guests free
• A Bytown Walkers annual membership costs $150 per person (six months for $75), giving you as many sessions as you like.
• Annual student membership is $75 per person.

C. Specialized Race Walk sessions (for club members and guests involved in judged Race Walk competitions)

Every Thursday evening.

Outdoors (usually April to October): Immaculata High School Track at 6:00pm (until about 7:30pm). Immaculata High School is not far from downtown, adjacent to the Rideau Canal just south of Pretoria Bridge. Driving access from Main Street, just south of Lees. Free parking at the school.

Indoors (usually November to March) : The Dome, Louis Riel High School, Bearbrook Road, Blackburn Hamlet. (See directions below). 8:00pm (until about 9:30pm)

In the spring and fall, the exact dates of our change in location may vary because of the weather. For sessions in March, April, October and November, please check with us directly.

Cost: None; this is a club activity for members and guests only.

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The Dome has one of the continent’s few 400m indoor tracks. It is located in the city’s east end, about 15 minutes drive from downtown. To reach the Dome, take the Queensway (Highway 417) east, then the left-hand branch (Route 174) towards Orleans. Exit at Montreal Road and turn right. Go 500m to the next lights, and turn right again. This is Bearbrook Road. Go about 1km to the next lights at the top of the hill, and turn left into Louis Riel High School.

The 128 bus goes directly to the school from all eastbound Transitway locations between Hurdman and Blair. Normally, a bus arrives conveniently before training, but check with OCTranspo for details, especially on the weekend when the schedule is less frequent.

Parking at the Dome is free. There is a $7 fee to use the track. If you plan to use the Dome more often for your own training, the monthly pass ($35) is more economical.