The 2021 Kids Count data ranks Kentucky as 37^th for overall youth wellbeing in the nation and 35^th nationally in youth health. One key component of youth health is physical activity. Young people should have at least 60 minutes of physical activity no less than five days a week. Unfortunately, data shows that only 43.8% of middle schoolers and 37.4% of high schoolers reach that level of activity (KDE, 2020). This decline in physical activity with age continues into adulthood with only 32% of adults reaching the recommended amount of daily physical activity (CDC, 2020).  Winter is a particularly inactive season with weather and daylight hours limiting access to outdoor spaces and the inequitable access to indoor exercise facilities. On average youth physical activity reduces by 20 minutes per day during winter months (Atkin, 2016). This reduction of activity was identified as an area of concern by the Kentucky 4-H Healthy Living Leadership Board. 

The teen leaders who make up the Healthy Living Leadership Board (HLLB) developed the Kentucky 4-H Winter Dash as a response to decreased winter activity. This program was a self-paced marathon that started on November 1^st and ended on February 28^th at the conclusion of 4-H Health Month. Individuals were challenged to walk, run, or roll a marathon during the winter months and submit logs of their progress. While there was no winner the event provided accountability and friendly compotation for groups to continue being active. Participants reported that “We enjoyed the friendly competition with one another” and “This was just what we needed to stay on track.”

Over the course of the four coldest months for Kentucky 63 individuals logged their physical activity and walked/ran/rolled 3,082 miles! Of the 63 individuals who logged their activity 46 completed a full marathon. Lined up end to end this is just over the distance from LA to New York. Individuals reported this event as being a major reason they didn’t “fall of the wagon” with their health goals. Of these individuals, one was from Campbell County and contributed 38 miles to the more than 3,000 total miles in the state.

Adult Physical Inactivity Prevalence Maps by Race/Ethnicity, (2020). Atlanta: GA US Disease Control Center   https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/data/inactivity-prevalence-maps/index.html#overall

Atkin, AJ et al. Seasonal Variation in Children’s Physical Activity and Sedentary Time. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., Vol. 48, No. 3, pp. 449–456, 2016. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000000786

Youth Risk Behavior Survey, (2020). Frankfort, KY: Kentucky Department of Education https://education.ky.gov/districts/enrol/Documents/Youth%20Risk%20Behavior%20Survey%20Infographic%20Booklet%20Digital.pdf