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What is it?
“Trek the MRT 2” is the second phase of Geaux Active Employee Wellness’ ground-breaking pedometer challenge that ran in the summer of 2007. Teams of up to 10 faculty and staff members will set out to virtually walk the Mississippi River Trail (MRT) consisting of approximately 3000 miles of bike and pedestrian pathways running from Minnesota to Louisiana. The goal for each team is to gradually increase the number of weekly steps taken/miles traveled to progress as far along the trail as possible. Miles/footsteps are measured by a pedometer, and teams will compete to see who can walk the farthest. Incentives will be awarded to individuals reaching 3 check points along the route. Team incentives will also be available over the course of the program.
How does it work?
Individuals will wear the pedometer everyday and will have the capability of manually recording footstep and mileage totals daily or weekly in a journal. Teams will form by department. The recommended maximum team size is 10 members. Individual team members will track and record the number of miles/footsteps taken each week. Team leaders will be responsible for collecting weekly totals from all team members and submitting the data to the program coordinator. Individuals will have the opportunity to pass through three check points along the route where incentives will be awarded for reaching each destination (50 miles, 110 miles, and 275 miles). A weekly mile average will be calculated for each team to account for the difference in team size for competition purposes. Each week, the team that has accumulated the most miles will get breakfast delivered to their office (max 1 win per team). The individual accumulating the most miles each week will be recognized for their accomplishments on-line.
Why wear a pedometer?
Studies show that participation in as little as 30 minutes of physical activity daily can reduce risk for disease by 30-50%. This means that by increasing physical activity levels, risk factors for heart disease and stroke (such as high blood pressure and diabetes) can be indirectly targeted. When an individual wears a pedometer, he or she gains a heightened sense of awareness of current and ongoing activity levels. By assigning a number to those activity levels, i.e. number of steps taken or miles traveled, individuals can begin to set goals that increase the likelihood of physical activity becoming a lifestyle.
How are weekly mileage/footstep totals tracked and turned in?
Each participant is responsible for tracking weekly mile totals individually. These totals are then submitted to his/her respective team leader weekly. Weekly totals should include all steps accumulate Monday – Sunday. Team leaders will in turn be responsible for submitting each individual team member’s previous week mile totals to the Program Coordinator anytime Monday - Wednesday of each week. Standings will be posted online every Friday. Team leaders may choose to track weekly mile totals manually or by on-line. Weekly data submission for each team can be accomplished by logging on to the Geaux Active web page and submitting weekly mile totals for each team member. If a manual log is preferred, team leaders may fax or scan/email a copy of weekly totals to Amy Sparrow at 578-8489 (fax) or asparrow@lsu.edu. The team leader will determine the preferred method and make any necessary arrangements with the program coordinator at the start of the program.
Will I be able to view my team’s progress and see how my team compares to other teams?
Individual and team statistics will be tracked by the Program Coordinator and made available for viewing on-line each Friday. Simply visit www.lsu.edu/urec for details.
How can my department get involved?
If you are interested in becoming a team leader, contact Amy Sparrow at 578-8362 or asparrow@lsu.edu.
An informational breakfast will be provided for all team leaders on Friday, January 25, 2008. Prospective team leaders will learn about program details and will be given information to take back to their offices for distribution. Team leaders will distribute registration forms to all interested participants within their department. Registration form and fee should be submitted to University Recreation.
How do I register?
To register for the program, contact your department’s team leader, stop by the Student Recreation center, or visit the Web site (www.lsu.edu/urec) to download a registration form. Bring the registration form and your $10 or $25 registration fee to any Guest Services location inside the Student Recreation Center (M-F, 8:00 am – 8:00 pm). $10 registration fee includes entry to kick-off event (includes health/fitness screenings and wellness information), program incentives, and end of event luncheon and awards ceremony. $25 registration fee includes a pedometer + all services listed above. Acceptable methods of payment include cash, check (made payable to UREC), credit card (accepted in person or by phone), payroll deduct, or Tiger Cash (accepted in person only). Alternatively, team leaders may choose to collect registration forms and individual fees for the entire team. Pick up for these items can be arranged by contacting Amy Sparrow at asparrow@lsu.edu or 578-8362. If your department does not have a team leader and you would like to participate, contact Amy Sparrow at asparrow@lsu.edu for more information. Better yet, become a team leader and recruit your fellow co-workers.
How much time is required of team leaders?
The team leader role requires minimal effort (approximately 5-10 minutes/week). It is recommended that the team leader contacts all team members at the beginning of each week (Monday – Wednesday) as a reminder to log individual, weekly mile totals from the previous week. The totals that are submitted should include miles accumulated from the previous Monday through Sunday. Team leaders may find it helpful to keep a manual log or an Excel spreadsheet for team members to track their weekly totals. Team leaders will be asked to submit team and individual weekly mile totals to the program coordinator by 5:00 PM every Wednesday. It is important to note, however, that weekly totals may be submitted to the program coordinator anytime Monday through Wednesday of each week.
Where do I pick-up my pedometer?
If you do not already have a pedometer, you may purchase one through University Recreation. Pedometers will be ready for pick-up at the kick-off event scheduled for February 13, 2008 from 9:00 – 4:00 PM at the Student Recreation Center. The event will include a variety of health/fitness screenings, such as height, weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, pedometer pick-up, calibration instruction, and tips for use and registration. If you or your teammates are unable to make it to the kick-off event, pedometer pick-up or delivery can be scheduled by contacting the Program Coordinator.
Contact Information
For questions, concerns, or details, please contact the Program Coordinator:
Amy Farr Sparrow
225-578-8362
asparrow@lsu.edu
Geaux Active Employee Wellness is sponsored by the Office of Human Resource Management and University Recreation.
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