Monash Sport News

10,000 steps - Taking steps for health

The vice-chancellor has given his support to a new Caulfield campus fitness program, and its first initiative -- a virtual walk across Australia.

On Wednesday 27 October, Professor Larkins formally launched a program called, Active Caulfield Community to Increase Vitality and Energy (ACCTIVE), to promote physical well-being on the campus.

The first activity organised by ACCTIVE is the 10,000 Steps Coast to Coast Challenge that involves teams of 10 people who commit to walk, on average, 10,000 steps a day over 50 days.

The 10,000 steps is the average number taken in a 30-minute walk, added to normal daily activities at the office or home. The daily steps are counted using pedometers and then logged by team captains.

"At the end of the experience, the walkers will have covered the same distance as if they had walked between the two widest points of the Australian continent from Byron Bay in New South Wales to Carnarvon in Western Australia," said Caulfield campus Health Service head, Dr Jill Grogan.

The team captains will monitor their team's progress, record the daily step totals on the challenge map and encourage walkers to reach their goal.

"There will be prizes for the team and the individual that walks the greatest number of steps. But every participant will be rewarded with increased energy, reduced stress, and an increase in all aspects of health and well-being," said Dr Grogan.

For more information about the program visit the 10,000 steps website.

From Monash Memo, 3 November 2004.