Congratulations - we walked around the world 12 times in only 100 days!
This is the fourth consecutive year that LJMU has enjoyed 100 days of stepping and wellbeing - with 78 teams taking part between 23 May and 30 August 2018.
Each team has seven staff members, who wear a GC pulse device, tracking all their movements every day for 100 days, with activities such as walking, cycling and swimming activity all counting towards their daily step total. The more active the team, the further they progress, unlocking virtual locations along the way.
Overall we took 741, 227, 851 steps equating to a staggering 294,770 miles. We all took significantly more individual steps too - with a 15,428 step average this year compared to 13,464 last year.
Here are some facts from this year's effort:
- together we walked around the world 12 times
- 68 % of us are feeling less stressed as a result
- we burned a total 29, 742,591 calories - that’s 119, 164 slices of cake!
- our total weight loss was 158kg
Dave Yare, Finance and Contracts Officer received the award for being the most active in the challenge clocking up an impressive daily step average of 103, 069. Here Dave shares with us how he actually achieved this amazing performance, what he got out of the challenge and some top tips:
"I did the Global Challenge once before in 2016, I was in a team with Steve Shackleton, we won that one within LJMU and were about 42nd worldwide. We both swore we wouldn’t do it again, so we missed 2017 but Steve joined a team in Estates, so I joined a team in IT Services, last minute. I enjoy the competition and it is a great way to increase your own exercise rates. It is all about finding time in the day. I would cycle every morning, getting out just after 5.00am and cycling until around 7.00am, before going home to get the rest of the house up for school and work. I cycle to work, at lunch and after work.
It’s good to get your family involved, so the challenge increased their physical activity as well. The challenge definitely got me fitter, I lost weight even though I ate a lotmore and beat Steve Shackleton which was great. Roll on next year!"
Virgin Pulse Global Challenge Awards
The following awards were presented by Interim Vice-Chancellor and Chief Exectutive Mark Power:
Most Active Team: The Misfits (winner - pictured above); Olive Branches (runner-up)
Most Active Individual: Dave Yare (winner); Gary Casey (2nd place), Steve Shackleton (3rd place)
Most Improved Team: Captain Redbeard & Friends (winner); JMU Doc Logistics Specialist (runner-up)
Most Improved Individual: Sharon Cowell (winner), Maria Caslin (2nd place), Jackie Davenport (3rd place)
Spirit Awards: Julie Bruffell, John Trantom, Maria Hardie, Barbara Welsh, Joan Gregory, Alexia Montaubin, Caroline Hu
Mark also accepted a Corporate Award on behalf of the University - pictured below with Virgin Pulse Global Challenge's Kirstyn Rhodes.
Next year we are really hoping to reach our target of having 100 teams - providing opportunities for 700 staff to be part of the fun and improve their health and wellbeing. We also have exciting plans for further health and wellbeing initiatives throughout this academic year and will be keeping you informed in future issues of the bulletin.
