Walk Kansas is a K-State Research and Extension (KSRE) health initiative that promotes personal health and well-being by helping participants adopt healthful lifestyle habits. It is primarily a team-based program designed to help participants be more active with support from friends and family, make healthier nutrition and beverage choices and learn helpful techniques to reduce stress.
This year marks the 23rd Walk Kansas program. Each year organizers bring a renewed focus on helping participants meet the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans and increasing the number of fruits and vegetables they eat.
A team captain is the organizer of a six-member team of walkers. The captain will make sure all members register, share program information
with their team and motivate team members. The team will then choose a name and select a challenge, do activities together and interact regularly.
To participate in the program, first join a team or organize your own. Registration began March 4. The program will run March 31 – May 25, 2004.
The 2024 Team Challenges include four ways to reach the team goal.
Challenge #1 is a tour of the 8 Wonders. Each person reaches the minimum goal for physical activity – 150 minutes per week. Collectively, the team would walk the equivalency of 435 miles as they discover the 8 Wonders of Kansas.
Challenge #2 follows US Route 56. This trail actually begins in New Mexico, but it won’t take long to reach Kansas, and then trek across the state on Route 56. Each person logs 200 minutes of activity/week. The team travel will equal 640 miles.
Challenge #3 is a cross country winding trail from Troy to Elkhart, requiring each person to log four hours per week. The team would travel 764 miles total. Challenge #4 is from Little Balkans to Nicodemus. Walk the southeast part of the state known as the Little Balkans to Nicodemus, KS. The team who chooses this challenge will go 1,200 miles, requiring each person to log six hours per week. During the eight weeks of the program, each team member will log and report their total minutes of physical activity each week along with the number of servings of fruits and vegetables eaten. The team captain will report the total team activity to the Extension office.
Don’t like to walk long distances? Any moderate or vigorous intensity activity will count toward your miles. The participants’ Walk Kansas Activity Guide provides more information. Strengthening exercises also count and these activities are part of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.
So, grab your walking shoes, running shoes or cross trainers and contact the Post Rock Extension office to register. Registration is $10.00 per person and includes a weekly newsletter, access to Med Instead of Meds webinars, access to the online system to track physical activity, etc. and local Walk Kansas activities. T-shirts may be ordered at walkkansas.org.
