Our participants take more than 71 million steps in #Startwalking Challenge

During the 30 days, 316 walkers took 71,323,158 steps - that’s the equivalent of 54,348 kilometres.

Residents who took part in The National’s #Startwalking Challenge covered 54,348 kilometres. Christopher Pike / The National

ABU DHABI // The National’s #Startwalking Challenge has concluded and our participants covered a lot of ground.

During 30 days, 316 walkers took 71,323,158 steps – that is the equivalent of 54,348 kilometres.

The goal of the challenge was to walk at least 10,000 steps every day – and this was achieved by 27 participants.

Each day that a participant met the goal of 10,000 steps, they were entered into a prize draw to win Dh5,000 worth of shopping/dining vouchers.

The winners of the vouchers are: Domonic Bernard Lobo, May Gebril, Campbell Abercrombie, Lorna King and Peter Oyelere.

Mr Abercrombie, a Scottish chartered quantity surveyor in Dubai, said the challenge made him more active.

“The challenge caused a change in my fitness routine, or lack of it,” he said. “In the mornings and evenings, rather than going to the closest metro station I would walk a couple of extra stations. At lunchtimes, rather than sitting at my desk I’d go for a 2km walk.”

The #Startwalking Challenge is part of The National’s #healthyliving campaign promoting wellness in the UAE.

Editor-in-Chief Mohammed Al Otaiba was impressed by the level of participation in the challenge. “Becoming more active is sometimes as simple as making a series of different decisions during the day,” he said. “With the #Startwalking Challenge we find ourselves searching out the parking spot farthest from the door and walking to another office to speak to colleagues instead of calling them. All these extra steps add up to a positive change of lifestyle.”

Mr Abercrombie could not agree more. “I would genuinely say the challenge did change my attitude to doing exercise,” he said. “I now just need to keep motivated.

The 100% Club

• Mamj

• Serge Aphanacieff

• Sonny O. Chua

• Graham Caygill

• Lorenzo Lotesto

• John

• Folasade Akinlade

• Irina Dashdiyeva

• Harjinder Singh

• David Hackett

• Peter Oyelere

• Susan Kruse

• Shair Ahmed Khan

• Neil Smooker

• Joyce Espiritu

• Loay Al Dakhlallah

• Nitin Gogia

• Karim Dummar

• SAG

• Vivien Poy

• Rehan Ali

• May Gebril

• William

• Umaima Suleman

• Seema

• Robin Heslip

• Elisabeth Eschauzier