INFORMATION

What is the Walking Challenge
What had changed from last year
How can I participate?
What are the prizes?

Details and rules

Registration
Getting Active Status
Team Leaders
Pedometers

Still have questions?
More information on Walking

WHAT IS IT?

• A month long walking challenge where teams compete to win prizes as they increase their activity level.
  
  
• Individuals use pedometers (devices that count the steps you walk) to track daily steps and log this information on the Walking Challenge website at www.walkingchallenge.com.
  
  
• To make this event competitive for everyone, including non-athletes, the number of steps that count towards prizes are limited to 10,000 steps a day averaged over the course of the week.  Bonus points of 1000 steps per day are awarded to people who are currently not active.
  
  

WHAT HAS CHANGED FROM LAST YEAR?

• This year your steps will be averaged over the course of a week before the ‘ceiling’ is applied. So, if you take 15,000 steps one day and 5,000 the next, your average for those two days is 10,000. Last year, we limited you to just 10,000 steps per a day.
  
  
• You must record your steps on a weekly basis. The website will not allow you to change or enter steps that were made more than 7 days in the past.
  
  
• You will be able to download the results of all of your schools or departments teams (if you want to have your own school or department competition)
  
  

HOW CAN I PARTICIPATE?

1. Form a team of 3-5 people and designate a team leader.  Team members must be employed by your school district (no students, please!).  You can also register as an individual looking for a team and you will be matched with other people looking for team members.
   
   
2. Register your team at www.walkingchallenge.com.
   
   
3. Get a pedometer to count your steps.  You can purchase pedometers online, from your local drug store, athletic stores, etc.  The ones made in Japan are the most accurate. We have a limited number of pedometers that we got a special deal on. They are simple and accurate and cost just $10. Please email cjkramer@seattleschools.org for one. Click here for more information on pedometers...
   
   
4. Start wearing your pedometer prior to the event to assure that you understand how it works.
   
   
5. Track your daily steps from first thing in the morning on Tuesday, May 1st through the end of the day on Thursday, May 31st.
   
   
6. Record the number of steps you take from the time you rise in the morning until your head rests on the pillow at night.  You can record your steps directly on the website or on your calendar and transfer them to the website within 7 days.  Team Leaders will help you get
   this done. 
   
   
7. View your team’s progress by checking the website weekly.
   
   
   

PRIZES

Winners will be announced on the Walking Challenge website and at your district office. Awards will be given for the teams in each district who have walked the most steps:

• 1st PLACE – Walking Challenge Sweatshirt
• 2nd PLACE – Walking Challenge T-Shirts
• 3rd PLACE – Walking Challenge Water Bottle

Awards will also be given for:

• Most Creative Team Name
• Most Improved Team
• Most Improved Individual
• Most Inspirational Individual
• Most Creative Photo of your Team

 All prizes are supported through the King County – Steps to a Healthier U.S. project!

DETAILS/RULES

Registration:

• Teams consist of 3 to 5 individuals.  There is little advantage to having a bigger team since ‘weekly steps’ will be calculated as an average (so if you have 3 people, the weekly step average will be the total number of steps for the group/3; and if you have 4 people, the weekly step average will be the total number of steps for the group/4). 
  
  
• Each individual may represent only one team.
  
  
• All team members must be employees of Seattle School District, Highline School District, or Tukwila School District.  This challenge is just for YOU (and not your students). Please limit your teams to people from your own district as we are not able to accommodate teams from different districts.

"Getting Active" Status:

• For the purpose of this challenge, a person can apply for "getting active" status to be awarded an extra 1000 steps a day if he/she is currently getting less than 3 hours a week of physically activity.
  
  
• Individuals must self profess "getting active" status at time of registration to earn their additional bonus steps per week.  Please do not include these points when submitting your steps since the website will automatically add bonus points weekly to the total.
  
  

Team Leaders

• Team leader will be responsible for making sure all team members are logging their steps onto the website on a weekly basis (at a minimum). In the case of an absence, a back-up team member should be assigned to report these numbers.
  
  
• If a team member forgets to wear their pedometer for a day, the team leader has authorization to assign that team member a token 1000 steps for that day.
  
  
• If a team member drops out, a replacement may be designated. Please inform the Walking Challenge Coordinator in your district of this change.

What is a pedometer?
A pedometer is a small device worn on your waistband or on your leg that counts the number of steps that you take. The higher quality pedometer you get, the more accurate it is. The free pedometers that you get at McDonald’s or at health fairs are generally not accurate. The best pedometers are made in Japan and will cost ~$20.

Where can I get a pedometer?
You can find pedometers for $5 - $30, depending on the features.  We have a limited number of pedometers that we got a special deal on. They are simple and accurate and cost just $10. Please email or for one. You can also purchase them online or from your local drug store or athletic store. If you want to get pedometers for your whole school, you can get them in bulk from Bonnie Hopper from Rocky Mountain Pedometers: http://www.gr8pedometers.com/  1-(877) 685-9059. You can also get them from Office Depot (just be sure to get the ones made in Japan).

How do I use a pedometer?
Please put on your pedometer as soon as you wake up in the AM and then take it off right before you go to bed (be sure to record your steps at the end of the day and re-set the pedometer back to 0). Weekdays and weekends count. If you participate in activities where your feet are off the ground (i.e. biking, swimming, rowing, horseback riding, etc.) please take off your pedometer because the steps registered are not accurate-. These activities do ‘count’ in terms of improving your health- but should not be counted in your daily steps for this competition.

You will want to be sure to practice wearing your pedometer prior to the walking challenge to make sure that it works properly. When you first put it on clip it to your waistband close to your hipbone. Set your pedometer to 0 and take 10 steps. Check your pedometer to see if it read 10 steps. If it did not, place it closer to your belly button and try again.

IMPORTANT!!!  If you are currently not active, consult with your doctor before starting this or any new fitness program.

If you have any questions please contact Carolyn Kramer at or , 206-252-0754.

For places to walk locally:
King County Parks and Recreation: http://www.metrokc.gov/parks/ or
Seattle Parks and Recreation: http://www.cityofseattle.net/parks/

For folks who like walking for a cause
• Race for the Cure: www.komenpugetsound.org (join the Seattle Public School Team!)
• Asthma Walk: http://www.alaw.org/support_alaw/asthma_walk/index_seattle.html

Other community walk/runs can be found at these websites: http://www.racecenter.com/ or www.active.com

General information:
Here is a great website from our public broadcasting friends with a ton of information about walking clubs, events, equipment, etc. -- http://www.pbs.org/americaswalking/resources.html

From AARP: http://www.aarp.org/health/fitness/walking/

From Wyoming (a nice 4 page guide): Download PDF

From HealthierUS.Gov - Lots of info and links to other sites for all ages that address healthy lifestyles. Includes information on physical fitness, nutrition, prevention, and making healthy choices. http://www.healthierus.gov/index.html

From SmallStep.Gov - Various info and activities for teens and adults that address healthy lifestyles. Includes success stories, a newsletter, tips, recipes, and an activity tracker, among other things. http://www.smallstep.gov/index.html

International perspectives:
Another nice website from our neighbors up North: http://www.active2010.ca/index.cfm?fa=english_tools.walk

And from Australia: http://www.getwalking.tas.gov.au/Resources/index.html

Research
From folks who like research: http://www.walkinginfo.org/