Success StoryWALKtober Event Logs over 16 Million Steps



WALKtober Event Logs over 16 Million Steps

Author: Dayna Fentress

Planning Unit: Hardin County CES

Major Program: Active Living and Health Promotions General

Plan of Work: Active Living and Health Promotion

Outcome: Intermediate Outcome

After noticing that trails and physical activity events seem to slow down after school goes back in session, and then again once fall season hits, the Family and Consumer Sciences program in Hardin County wanted to promote walking past traditional "summer" hours. That started the WALKtober challenge. The intent was to encourage individuals to continue getting their normal "summer" steps in throughout fall, or more. 

Social media posts were made to promote the event, as well as throughout the month to motivate and encourage participants to walk in all weather conditions. 

In the 30 days that steps were tracked for the WALKtober challenge, 77 participants logged almost 16 million steps.

At 15,884,660 steps, participants logged an average of:
?? 206,294 steps per person
?? 6,876 steps per person, per day
?? an estimated 7,942 miles
?? an estimated average of 103 miles per person
?? an estimated average of 3.43 miles per person, per day
Our top step walker walked 498,412 steps, for an estimated 249 miles! That's 16,613 steps per day.


Many comments were made on how the challenge motivated them to walk more than normal, or how participants would never have walked on certain days if it were for the challenge. We were asked to do more challenges in the future in random months as well. 


One participant began walking and followed up, reporting that because of the walking alone, she has been able to stop taking three different medications. She continues to walk even after the challenge because of the positive effects it had on her. A majority of participants reported an increase in not only their physical health, but a major positive impact on their mental health as well. 






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