Springtime is the perfect time for people to get outside and get moving! According to Harvard Health, walking improves cardiac risk factors such as cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, vascular stiffness and inflammation, and mental stress. Walking and other moderate exercise programs also help protect against dementia, depression, and colon cancer and can lower death rates. Walking has other benefits that one may not think of as readily; it counteracts the effects of weight-promoting genes, it helps lessen a sweet tooth, and it also boosts immune function.
The University of Tennessee Extension Smith County is partnering with the Smith County Health Department to again offer Walk Across Tennessee for 2023. Walk Across Tennessee is a program that persuades and motivates people of all ages to get started exercising or get back into the routine of exercising. It is a program that is simple and safe. All you need is a team of eight people and a desire to get moving!
Teams simply pool their mileage each week to work towards the chosen destination on a map that will be posted on the Walk Across Tennessee Smith County Facebook page. So dust off your walking shoes and prepare to join us on this eight-week journey “across Tennessee” from April 3-May 28! There is no cost to participate. Prizes will be awarded throughout the competition, and the teams with the most miles will be recognized.
Register online by March 29th at https://tiny.utk.edu/WATIndvReg. Team captains must also register teams at https://tiny.utk.edu/WATTeamReg.
