Walk Across Arkansas this fall

HOPE – Walk Across Arkansas is back for its fall event from September 9th – November 3rd.

The eight-week exercise program is organized each spring and fall by the Cooperative Extension Service, part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, with the goal of helping Arkansans improve their health. Participation is free, and registration opens on August 26th online at walk.uada.edu.

Last spring, 346 Arkansans statewide participated in the spring 2024 Walk Across Arkansas, logging 986,622 physical activity minutes. There were 65 participating teams across the state. Many of those participants reported they had more energy, slept better, controlled stress, strengthened relationships, lost weight or inches, and improved their blood panels and blood pressure.

This event focuses on physical activity minutes and helping participants increase their physical activity. Physical activity can lower the risk of early death, coronary heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and some cancers, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Exercise also helps with weight loss and weight control and can improve mood and energy levels. Adults should get at least 150 minutes of exercise per week, and youth need at least 60 minutes of exercise daily.

Participants can start slow and gradually build up their exercise time over the course of the eight weeks as they get stronger. If you need a little motivation to get going, having friends with similar goals can help you stay on track. Many folks really enjoy the social aspect and like to walk together. If you work full-time, you may need to walk whenever you can, but your team is there to motivate and support you. A little team competition can keep members motivated and accountable for doing what they say they’ll do. To participate, find a few friends to form a team and register at walk.uada.edu. Then, from September 9th – November 3rd, record the amount of time you spend walking or getting any other form of exercise.

Minutes can be logged online, or you can contact your local county extension agent for paper forms to track minutes until they can be logged online. For more information about Walk Across Arkansas, contact your local county extension agent at 870-777-5771] or email Terrie James at Tjames@uada.edu.