This spring, many A&M System employees will attempt to walk across the Lone Star State. In a manner of speaking, that is.
Various System universities and agencies are taking part in the Walk Across Texas fitness program, and their employees are being encouraged to join in. With this program, participants form teams of up to eight people and keep track of their physical activity for an eight-week period. Each team will have a captain who is responsible for logging each team member’s amount of activity into the Walk Across Texas website. The goal is for the team to collectively log at least 830 miles, the equivalent of walking from El Paso to Orange.
The purpose of Walk Across Texas is to encourage people to get up and get moving, and participants are encouraged to do it in fun, creative ways. There are many ways to achieve those miles other than by walking. They can jog, swim, bike, rollerblade and use cardio machines at the gym. Even dancing and gardening count. A complete list of qualifying activities and how they equate into miles is provided on the official Walk Across Texas website.
Also, the program encourages friendly competition among teams as a way of racking up those miles.
Walk Across Texas was developed by Texas Cooperative Extension eight years ago, and it has become a popular annual event in many Texas counties. To find out whether a program is available in your area, contact your Human Resources office or your county extension agent. If you live in the Bryan/College Station area and would like more information about the program, contact county extension agent Alma Fonseca at (979) 823-0129. You can also visit the Walk Across Texas website or the Walk Across Texas website for the Brazos Valley area. 