Embracing Challenge

Written by Judy Bortman

When you hear the word "challenge," how do you react? Are you eager to learn more and participate? Or does the word "challenge" make you want to run in the opposite direction?

Deciding whether to participate in a challenge is a timely topic that popped into my mind as we prepare to introduce TripSwitch, a free, short-term campaign encouraging people to switch their solo drive for a trip by walking, biking or carpooling. In addition to the sustainable benefits, all participants become eligible for a number of great prizes.

While preparing TripSwitch marketing materials, several questions came to mind:

• Do people ever change from being challenge-phobic to challenge-friendly?
• Would chances to win great prizes and the excitement of competition incent people to modify their behavior for a few days and “switch” to a trip by walking, biking or carpooling?
• Is altering your commute or mode of transportation too challenging? How could I motivate participation? Would naysayers even consider taking part?
• Are people who live in cities more likely to participate because they have access to a train station or bus stop?
• Does the type of challenge matter? Is a test of physical strength appealing to some while a Jeopardy-style trivia game attracts others?

There are two kinds of people...

I kept coming up with questions faster than I could find or figure out answers. It's my belief that people fall into two distinct camps on some matters, such as those who like anchovies on their pizza and those who don't.

Likewise, I suspect that there are people who like to participate in a challenge and those who prefer to stay away. You can’t do either half-heartedly. Either you participate in a challenge or you don't.

A person switching even a few trips would still be considered a TripSwitch participant and eligible to win prizes. I decided to research successful and noteworthy challenges as a Yoda-like way to understand their appeal, discover how to reach people and apply those insights to TripSwich marketing.

A recent, very visible and popular challenge came to mind. The Ice Bucket Challenge to benefit the ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) Association took the nation by storm thanks to social media. It attracted celebrities and professional athletes as well as everyday folks who endured being doused with a bucketful of ice water in order to raise awareness (and money!) for a worthy cause.

Note: The Ice Bucket Challenge lives on as a Halloween costume.

Nominating a minimum of three people to take the Ice Bucket Challenge was a component that kept the effort going through the late summer. As a result of the Ice Bucket Challenge the ALS Association increased awareness of its mission and received over $100 million in donations from over 700,000 new donors.

So why did the Ice Bucket Challenge catch on? Several reasons, I believe:

• Good timing - It took place during the summer.
• Short duration – The challenge itself took seconds, with just a bit more time for preparation and social media posting.
• Flexible - Participants could choose where and when they were doused and plan accordingly.
• Challenging only yourself – It was a challenge, not a competition. People challenged themselves - to be dunked or not to be dunked. For most, it was a new experience.
• Helping a cause - Increasing awareness of ALS and generating donations made people feel good which overshadowed a momentary chill.
• Boasting rights – Sharing your video on social media was tangible proof of your personal accomplishment and the reward for an act of kindness.

With a nod to Yoda, I saw parallels for The TripSwitch Challenge and motivating people “to do” not just “try”:

• Good timing – TripSwitch is taking place during October, ideal walking and biking weather.
• Short duration – It lasts only 21 days, from October 6th to 26th.
• Flexible - Participants can choose how, were and when they switch their trip.
• Challenging only yourself – Everyone who participates is a winner. People challenge themselves by taking a different mode of travel and feel good about their accomplishment. The more they switch the more chances to win prizes.
• Helping a cause – Improving the air we breathe and reducing traffic congestion are ways that TripSwitch participation helps sustainability.
• Boasting rights – Sharing your TripSwitch ride on our GoForGood Challenge site and sharing on social media is tangible proof of your personal accomplishment as well as an intrinsic reward.
• Increasing awareness – Participating in TripSwitch increases awareness of trip options and hopefully inspires participants to continue walking, biking or carpooling after the Challenge concludes.

 

Whether you prefer to embrace or avoid challenge, TripSwitch is a safe way to step outside your comfort zone. Plus it’s flexible, sustainable, will make you feel good about yourself and it’s free!

TripSwitch is now underway at GoForGood.TransOptions.org, but you can register at any time. We hope you'll join us!

Can Math Improve Your Walking?

Written by Judy Bortman

What can be better for your mood, your productivity and overall well-being than walking?  It’s free, flexible, easy to do, non-polluting and a great way to get out and about. 

All walking is beneficial - whether it’s part of your daily routine, a component of your commute or how you and the kids occasionally get to school.  Walking is the most commonly reported physical activity by U.S. adults according to government data released in August 2012.

As personal technology tools proliferate, I’ve noticed that the spontaneous act of “going for a walk” has increasingly been associated with mathematics and calculations that measure speed, distance and performance.  Despite the fact that math ranked low on my list of favorite school subjects, I admit the idea of walking metrics intrigued me. Is it human nature to be competitive?

I decided to find out how many steps I walk on a “typical” day.  I really had no idea but finding out was easy.  I went to my miscellaneous kitchen drawer and found the pedometer that I received at a local health fair.  At the start of a weekday morning I affixed it to my waistband, reset it to zero and headed out the door.

Checking my pedometer at work several hours later revealed that I had already amassed hundreds of steps.  What reinforcement!  Knowing how many steps I had logged incented me to walk even more.  That started me thinking, if I substituted walking for driving, even short distances, I’d rapidly increase my daily steps and reap the benefits.

Why 10,000 steps?

Logging more steps became self-motivating; a private challenge between me and my pedometer. I recalled a number of media articles touting the value of walking 10,000 steps per day. I knew that should be my goal, but why?   Where did 10,000 steps come from? Was it mathematically based?  Could I walk that far in one day?

It turns out that 10,000 steps is the proper balance of caloric intake and physical activity to maintain a healthy body based on research released in 1965 by Y. Hatano from Japan. Twenty years later his research was accepted and Y. Hatano joined with family members to begin marketing the manpo-kei (meaning “10,000 steps meter”), the world’s first device invented to measure the steps of walking.  So even in its history, the pedometer has a connection to 10,000 steps. Ah!  What a Yoda-like insight and great bit of trivia to share with fellow walkers.

At a recent event on the health and economic benefits of walking, I met Mike Schatzki, a walking enthusiast known as The Recovering Couch Potato. Mike had been classified as “out of shape” after a mid-life fitness assessment; it was his personal wake-up call.  Mike decided to get himself fit and has been helping others do the same by providing free, motivational walking programs. 

As a walking advocate Mike regularly logs 10,000 steps per day. He explained that most people walk about 4,000 steps in the normal course of the day which burns about 200 calories.  Getting fit requires burning 300 more calories per day or 6,000 additional steps.  More credence for walking the magic number of 10,000 steps!
 

Why 150 minutes?

Another math metric is walking 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity aerobic activity. Why 150 minutes?  In August 2012 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a study to assess whether Americans can achieve the recommended moderate aerobic activity guideline by walking.  The study confirmed that we can by walking 150 minutes per week.  Another math metric for walking!

Measuring how long you walk is even easier that counting steps.  No equipment is required.  Just glance at a clock or your watch at the start and conclusion of your walk. 

Getting to the Magic Number

The good news is that our steps add up and there are many ways to reach the weekly goal of 150 minutes per week.  All steps walked during routine activities around the house or office, during exercise and walking instead of driving count toward your weekly total of 150 minutes per week. 

If you routinely walking 30 minutes a day, five days per week, you can take multiple walks that total 30 minutes and still achieve the desired daily goal.  For example, take three ten minute walks during the day around your neighborhood, takes the stairs instead of the elevator in your office, add up steps while shopping or by taking a break at work during lunch or mid-afternoon.  You can even amass bonus steps by taking a longer walk during the weekend. 


If you need a little extra motivation to put on your walking shoes and head out the door, you may be inspired as I am by a recent, catchy tune called The Walker by Fitz and The Tantrums. Recently I logged 502 steps by power-walking to its upbeat rhythm. Check it out and let me know if you log more steps while walking to it. You’ll probably feel invigorated afterward just as I did. The tempo is perfect for an aerobic walk that gets you closer to the magic number.

A Walking Lifestyle: Reaping the Benefits

Written by Judy Bortman 

Putting one foot in front of the other is a simple act that gets you from place to place.  We’re learning that walking is so much more. It’s a lifestyle.

The CDC (United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recommends 150 minutes per week of moderate walking.  Their research has shown that walking has a positive impact on the quality and longevity of your life.  Walking:
• Reduces stress
• Helps you sleep better
• Improves your mood, memory, learning ability and concentration
• Lowers the risk of chronic disease
• Lowers blood pressure, reduces cholesterol and strengthens bones
• Contributes to longevity
• Walking instead of driving reduces pollutants going into the air
• And it’s free transportation!

For whatever the speed or purpose, why do you walk?  Why should you walk? What is a “walking lifestyle?” Would you really reap benefits from being more ambulatory?

The Walking Gait Cycle

First and foremost walking is a way to get from place to place - for a purpose or as recreation.  Whether you’re going from the living room to the kitchen, getting from your car to the front door of your office or from your house to the corner bus station, walking is how people (who are physically able) get around. Walking for exercise, relaxation or a social stroll all contribute to a walking lifestyle.

Why Walk?

Personally I really like to walk and enjoy going for walks that suit my schedule and energy level of the day. Some days walking is a peaceful escape, a time to unwind, a chance to think or problem solve or just appreciate my surroundings.  Other days it’s a flexible way to exercise and enjoy being outside.

I imagine if you asked ten people why they walk, you’d get ten answers. I decided to do just that and polled friends, relatives and co-workers asking why they walked. Just as I expected, their replies were a cross section of reasons:

• It makes me feel good.
• I walk my dog.
• I like to be outside in nice weather.
• It’s exercise and a great way to get places a short distance away         instead of driving.
• It’s a habit.
• It’s a hobby.
• It’s my preferred way to get around in winter when the roads         aren’t conducive to driving.
• It’s like moving meditation.
• It’s a relaxing way to do errands especially after work; I park the         car and don’t deal with rush hour traffic.
• It makes me forget about time and things on my to-do list.
• It’s an easy way to stay fit.
• It’s free.
• It’s portable. I take short walks during lunch hour and feel         energized during the afternoon.
• It’s a great way to get around transit-friendly cities while on         vacation or business travel.

A poll among Americans conducted by Christopher Fleury for Kaiser Permanente and GFK in 2013 reveals the body, mind and heart motivations for people to walk.

Walkability - The New Metric

The term “walkability” is a measure of how friendly an area is for walking.  Streets that include features such as wide sidewalks, clearly marked pedestrian crossings and good lighting enable pedestrians to share the road with bicycle riders and motorists in a safe and accessible manner. They’re called “walkable streets.”

You can even measure the walkability of the street where you live or work at Walk Score and get a commute report to see options for getting around that neighborhood by car, bus, bike and foot.   The higher the walk score number, the more you are able to walk to work, shops, services, recreation or connect to transit.

Illustration from Walkonomics.org, a British-based company that rates the  walkability of streets and plans to do so for every street in the world.

Last fall I attended the first national conference on walking conducted by America Walks in conjunction with Kaiser Permanente. Leading walking proponents, urban planners, physicians and public health officials from across the United States gathered to grow the walking community and share their research on how walking benefits wellness and stimulates the economy in walkable towns and businesses.

The mission of America Walks is to make American cities and communities walkable places where people can and want to walk.  Their information and resources for growing “walkability” are available at http://www.AmericaWalks.org.

Attendees at the America Walks Conference “walked their talk”by taking the stairs rather than the escalators between meeting sessions and conducting a mid-morning “walking meeting.”

              

Walking to and at Work

In northwest New Jersey, a walking commute is the exception, rather than the rule.  However, there is a way to have a commute “hybrid” by incorporating walking into your trip to and from work.

Whether you drive, take the bus or train or ride a bicycle to work, sooner or later you’ll be walking from the parking lot or transit station to get to your office.  Walking for even part or of your commute helps reduce traffic congestion which in turn helps the air you breathe while walking. You’ll soon feel the benefits of taking more steps and doing less driving.

Consider adding a few more steps to your day by parking your car a little farther from your office building entrance, taking the stairs instead of the elevator and getting in a short walk before lunch or as a mid-afternoon break.  Walking for even ten minutes during the day can help you feel more alert and ultimately be more productive.  It burns calories, too.

Charles Dickens took a walking break every afternoon at 2pm.

Charles Dickens, perhaps the greatest of the Victorian novelists, was a man of strict routine.  Every day, Dickens would write from 9a.m. to 2p.m.  After that, he would put his work away and go out for a long walk. “If I couldn’t walk fast and far, I should just explode and perish,” Dickens wrote.

According to engineering professor Barbara Oakley, author of the new book, A Mind for Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science (Even If You Flunked Algebra), Dickens knew how to make his brain function at a very high level. And for this, Dickens’ walks were just as important as his writing sessions.

Credited to Chris Mooney.  From his podcast at Inquiring Minds 

Walking to School

In 1960, nearly 60% of students in grades K-8 in the United States walked or biked to school.  Today, only 11% are walking or biking.  This staggering statistic is being addressed, in part, by free Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programs implemented by Transportation Management Associations, like TransOptions, in a growing number of walking-savvy municipalities and school districts.

Initiating walking as a mode of transportation to school benefits the students, their parents, their schools and their communities:
• Children are noted to be alert upon arrival at school and more         focused in the classroom.
• Students improve in the classroom and even improve their         attendance record.
• Children learn to navigate their neighborhood and meet their         neighbors.
• Lines of traffic near schools are reduced meaning less congestion,         improved air quality and a safer walking/biking environment.
• Bus transport costs may be reduced.
• An easy opportunity for children to be physically active each day.         Increasing walking/biking as part of daily life can help reduce         obesity and instill lifelong, healthier habits.

Environmental Benefits of Walking

Walking is inherently important to human health; it also benefits the health of our ecosystems. Walking doesn’t generate air pollution or produce chemicals.

Idling cars create ground level ozone which is known to be an irritant to those with respiratory illnesses like asthma; it also has a negative impact on native plant life.

By walking instead of driving, there are fewer vehicles on the road and less traffic congestion which in turn decrease pollution from ground level ozone.

Walk for Longevity

The first moment that a child takes his or her first steps is a lifetime benchmark. Prince George recently took his first steps and his photo, sans parents holding his hands, got global media attention. He’s achieved a milestone.

Prince George taking his first steps

Walking is a benchmark for seniors, too.  It helps them stay physically agile, mentally alert and contributes to their overall longevity.  Seniors who have made walking part of their lifestyle are better equipped to remain independent when they’re no longer able to drive; they can walk to errands and appointments or to get to public transit. The growing number of seniors is swelling the ranks of walkers as 8,000 baby boomers in the United States turn age 65 every day from now until 2030.

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams is already “taking steps” to make his borough walkable and safe
for seniors.  Two-hundred-and-two people aged 65 and up were killed by cars in Brooklyn between 2003 and 2012, according to a study conducted by the Tri-State Transportation Campaign.

Borough President Adams is addressing this growing concern. He has proposed a new plan to move school crossing guards from their normal posts to intersections near nursing homes and senior centers while the school kids are in class. I imagine it’s just a matter of time before this concept is replicated in more towns nationwide.

A Quality of Life Elixir

Walking just 30 minutes per day for five days a week (a total of 150 minutes per week) sustains a walking program and enhances your well-being.  What’s even better is that the thirty minutes of walking can be done throughout the day and still be just as effective.

Try walking 10 minutes during your lunch hour, 10 minutes after work and park a little farther out in the parking lot for errands or appointments.  Without much effort you can complete 30 minutes of daily walking.

Take a few moments, right NOW and follow Dickens’ advice.  Get up.  Go for a walk, even for five minutes.  It’s free and you’ll feel good.  That’s a winning combination!