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Annual Montgomery County community challenge: Walk Across Texas

By: Margie Taylor
| Published 03/19/2018

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MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas -- As the days get warmer and longer, the urge to get outside in support of a healthier lifestyle becomes more doable. The Annual Montgomery County Community Challenge to “Walk Across Texas” will commence the week after Easter (April 1) and continue for 8 weeks through May 27th.

Enjoying a healthier lifestyle is easier that it seems. A daily walk can improve overall health, strengthen bones and muscles, prevent high blood pressure, lower diabetes, and it’s simple! All you need to get started is a good fitting pair of athletic shoes and you’re set. Doing it with friends, co-workers, or logging you time against others offers motivation to keep going.

Walk Across Texas (WAT) is an 8-week program designed to help people of all ages establish the habit of regular physical activity. Register a team of up to 8 people or sign up as an individual by April 1 to go the distance of 830 miles or the distance it would take to walk across Texas at walkacrosstexas.tamu.edu. Incentives are awarded to all teams that sign up. Creative team names add to the fun.

Walk Across Texas is more than an event, it’s an educational experience that motivates you and your family/friends/co- workers to develop healthier habits of increased physical activity. It’s a great way for work groups to build teams and create healthier environments at work.

“I tried Walk Across Texas years ago because I was overweight and had been told I needed to go on a statin for high cholesterol”, said past participant Ruby Chandler. “I decided to try walking instead. After the 8-week challenge my cholesterol number was lowered and I did not need medication. This is the perfect way to lose those extra pounds.”

Weekly prizes are randomly drawn from those who meet weekly challenges such as more than 20 miles in a week, top 50 of all walkers, most improved teams, and most mileage walked. Credit is given to other athletic activities including running and biking. If you work in an office, get your leadership team involved and provide a contest between peers. A simple daily walk can add to increased motivation at the office. Families in your neighborhood can meet at a central location as a social networking opportunity.

At the end of the 8-week challenge specific prizes will be awarded to winning teams that log the most mileage. Last year Conroe ISD, Willis ISD, Montgomery ISD, CASA, Lone Star Family Health Center, Conroe Parks and Recreation, and the Montgomery County Memorial Library System were participating corporate teams.

“Walk Across Texas is about doing just a little bit more physical activity than you are doing now and developing healthy habits”, said Amy Ressler, County Extension Agent Family and Community Health. “ Who couldn’t use a little bit of that in their lives?”

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