Going Cross Country

So, I've been getting some questions from my friends about how the WOMAN challenge works. Specifically I've been getting the question - "What's up with the map?"

So here is the explanantion.

When you sign up for the challenge, they ask you to personally choose a route. There are 6 routes altogether and they cover just about every state (ok, maybe not every state - but probably a good three quarters). You use this route to track your progress on the challenge. If you are on a team like the Sassy Strutters - there is also a team route chosen by the leader (moi). This route tracks the team progress on the challenge. Personally I am following the Gulf and Carribean Route while the Sassy Strutters are following the Cross Country Route. So know you are probably saying, "Well duh! But how are they tracking our progress?"

You'll notice that each route is marked with about 8 little dots and in between each dot there is a little flag or arrow. Remember that.

During the beginning (Sunday) of every week during the challenge - each individual will need to set a daily activity goal. This can either be a step count goal (i.e. 7,000 steps/day) or a minutes spent on activity goal (i.e. 45 minutes/day). Each day you want to log in how you achieved your goal. Unlike when I was in 5th grade band (where I only recorded my practice times just before I met with my saxophone teacher), you want to log in your activity on a daily basis. Why you ask? Because of points.

Each individual has two opportunities each week to earn a point. Your first opportunity to earn a point is by meeting your daily activity goal 5 out of 7 days during the week. That gives you 1 point. You get the other point by logging in your activity 5 out of 7 days during the week. So you don't want to wait to post everything at the end of the week because then you won't get your point.

Now remember the arrows and dots on your route - here is where they come in. For every point you get in the week - you get to move to the next mark on your route. Ideally, you get two points and thus get to move from one dot to the next. However, if you only get one point - you will only move from a dot to a flag (or vice versa if you are starting on a flag). If you get your two points every week for the eight weeks of the challenge you will have made it the whole way on your route.

The team route works much the same way. The team receives one point if ALL their members compelte their daily actity goal 5 out of 7 days during the week and they received their second point if ALL their members log their activities 5 out of 7 days a week. This is why we all have to support one another and (constructively) hold each other accountable - otherwise our team will just end up chillin' in one spot (and hopefully that spot won't be in the middle of nowhere).

This year they have introduced Bonus challenges. I'm not sure what these are, but I do know that they will happen on the even numbered (2,4,6,8) weeks and that if you get behind they can give you points to catch up.

So I hope that this post clears up confusion on how the challenge works. Feel free to let me know if there are any other questions about the challenge you need answered before the challenge begins.

So far there are three people on the Sassy Strutters. I would like to increase our team size - so if there is someone you know who needs to get active - please feel free to pass on info about the challange and ask them to sign up for our team. I'll talk to you guys later.