Walkers overstep the mark

massey-university

Thu Apr 12 2007 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

Walkers overstep the mark

Thursday, 12 April 2007, 4:19 pm
Press Release: Massey University

Visitors to the University in recent weeks could be forgiven for thinking they have stumbled across some sort of roaming secret society.

Teams of staff have striding around and beyond the three campuses, with the only hint of what they are up to provided in the odd knowing look accompanied by an exaggerated pat of the hip.

Their aim has been to each walk 10,000 steps a day, with 60 teams of five competing to complete a total of four million steps between them – the equivalent of walking around New Zealand.

After just four the 12 weeks in the 10,000 Steps@Massey: Hikoi-a-Hauora programme, some of the 300 participants had individually clocked up more than a million steps on the pedometers strapped to their hips.

Aside from the focus on fitness and enjoyment, the programme also has a health research goal, with Professor Chris Cunningham gauging the impacts of participation and working on ways to encourage ongoing physical activity. “We want to know the most effective ways of getting people active,” he says.

Whetu Simon, from Palmerston North campus’ Nga Tane o Te Pumanawa Hauora team, and Karl Partsch, from Wellington’s Perambulaters, are the first individuals to reach the million-step mark, while the Perambulaters heading the team score with more than four million steps.

Mr Partsch certainly knows how to go the extra mile. He walked all night at last month’s Cancer Society Relay for Life and routinely gets up at 4am for a stroll before work.

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University Vice-Chancellor Professor Judith Kinnear is also a participant but admits she is probably the weakest link in her team, the Baby Strollers, putting it down to the number of meetings on her schedule.

Auckland campus Recreation Centre manager Rod Grove says the programme has been a hit with staff. “It’s been really successful in motivating people to get out there and enjoy the sunshine and at the same time experience the health benefits associated with regular exercise.

“I think many of them will be pleasantly surprised when they complete their health assessments at the end.”

Health, nutrition and injury prevention seminars are being held on each campus throughout the programme, which finishes next month.

ends

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