Those that follow me on FB may know about this and I mentioned it in my Busy Bee post.... I have been taking part in a 'Hot Stepper's Challenge' at work.
The idea was that 10-15 of us gals at work (mostly PSA and PMs) were competing to see who can clock the most steps. This is how it started on 12 Sept: Innocently enough....
"You have been hand selected to participate in the inaugural Hot Steppers Challenge. It’s going to be a friendly competition between the 13 of us to see who can clock up the most steps. We have a few illustrious prizes so far and more on the way.
It’s a great way for us to get bikini-ready. The competition starts on Sunday 16 Sept and ends on 13 October 2012.
Measurement toolThe measurement tool will be a pedometer.
Every steps counts as long you wear the tool measuring your steps / distance. Here is a short list of activities that could count in your favour;
Contracting UTI and having to go to the toilet frequently
Walking past your office crush
Walking home before your German husband has the chance to come and fetch you (This was for our HOD)
Walking around Lesley S (Hahahhaa... huge fat guy here)
Rules
You can do races and it will count.
Only the steps on the pedometer count. You have to wear it for it to be relevant."
It was going to be for 4 weeks but it was now been reduced to 3, since it turns out we are pretty (no scrape that, excessively) competitive and 4 weeks with not a single rest day is actually going to kill us! I mean I am/was pretty active already, but it ended up bordering on ridiculous. For instance I would dash off to make coffee and go run up to the 9th floor and back while I was about it. At lunch time instead of sitting at my desk like I always used to, I would buy popcorn and walk around the field outside while I ate it. Instead of emailing or IM'ing colleagues we would walk/run to them and back. We took the long way to where we were going. Went to the loo in another part of the building etc etc. Strangely I felt I was actually being MORE productive though because it is energising and invigorating... I also ran every single day since the challenge started (and/or done a katabox class).
We were all wearing pedometers to measure our steps and send our daily tallies in for collation each day. I had my own already. The other ladies had new ones from Dischem. I had been busting a gut to compete to the point that I have had my highest mileage weeks and highest mileage months ever (since I started running in 2005) and clocked 305kms for September! And although I DID win the first 2 weeks. it was only just. And not easily. To give you an idea I ran 23kms on the Sunday AND cycled 35km and walked some more. I was buggered by the end of the day and could not have done much more at all.... I clocked 26 000 steps that day!
But then I lost my pedometer on the Sunday night. On the Monday I got one of the ones the other's were using and holy crap now I know why it was so hard to beat them before. The new ones clock up about twice the number of steps my old one did! LOL. So I just needed to keep themad pace up for another few days to klap them....
It was really fun though and I must say I have thoroughly enjoyed the challenge, motivation, fun, competitiveness etc. I found will-power, tenacity, determination and dedication reserves I never knew I had. On days when I would have not done anything I pushed through and ended up having awesome runs. I have also found I am more competitive than I ever thought. While this is a surprise to me it turns out everyone else knew already... When I mentioned a colleague said, 'Er,... have you actually MET yourself!?' lol. Also one night while running on the spot and round in circles frantically trying to make up steps I 'lost' when my pedometer got stuck, A said 'You do know you are crazy right...?' to which I sheepishly replied, 'Yes, but sadly now you do too!'. The challenge ended this past this week-end. It was a great kick-start into spring, and we'll see next week-end how I fair when I do my next race. The Gun Run 10km.
Hot-Stepper Week 1 Winner prize
Hot-Stepper Week 2 Winner prize
Results from day 17...
Can I just remind you all that:
1. I am single!
2. I am a single mom (so have to keep going, if I stopped I would probably never get going again)
3. I am possibly just a leetle crazy
4. I am evidently a tiny bit competitive
5. None of my friends of family get to see me any more
6. The more active you are the more energy you have... but
7. I AM TIRED!
8. I REALLY want to break my 50:00min barrier at the Gun Run 10km next week-end so I am using this as training for that.
And final update and results from today:
"We have confirmed results for Day 21 of the challenge. Thank you to everyone who participated. It was fun and I enjoyed finding out exactly how competitive my colleagues can be and being driven to exercise a little more than I usually do. Collectively, we walked more than 1500 km!
We selected a few winners in each category below and we congratulate them although everyone is a winner for having participated. Thank you all so much again!
Prize Categories:
Biggest StomperNo surprises here, Jane tallied 402 890 steps (and that’s excluding some unfortunate incidents when it fell off or it was forgotten). Read some of Jane’s week end activities below;
Did a 14km run. Then missioned to Rocking The Daisies - incl about 4 hrs dancing front and center of the main stage! December Streets, Isochronous & Kongos etc.
Most Improved overallGail wins this category. She showed the most consistent improvement across all three weeks. Heidi and Tammy were close seconds for this category.
Biggest Stomper Week 3We eliminated Jane from this category and elected to find the next best person with the highest steps scores. Sam is the winner. Sam’s efforts have been stunning throughout the contest and it’s wonderful that it culminated in a victory. Congratulations Sam, you have been incredible.
Most Improved Week 3Heidi wins this category ( and also wins this on her birthday). Heidi clocked 29 394 steps on Saturday which is a huge achievement. Well done Heidi, we are so proud of you.
Hot Stepper SpiritCathy wins the most creative and or spirited stepper. For two reasons,
1. Cathy has gone on more unsolicited walking trips than an ever before.
2. After chasing Jane’s steep total for so long she has got to win something
Biggest pedo blooperYolanda wins this one. She let the pedo fall into her panties and thought it would be fun to wear it like that the entire day at work and see how many steps she can clock up. Too much fifty shades of grey if you ask me but to each his own."
My prize
The loot!
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