WALKTOBER

Walktober is a month-long challenge to determine which employee covers the greatest distance during the month of October.  Any tracking device will qualify you for this event. Participants may use any fitness tracker or smartphone to document mileage.

This year our competition will feature three levels.

1. Lightly Active=This level includes athletes who complete light to moderate exercise 2-3 times per week.  Runners are NOT included in this level, strictly walkers and beginner exercisers.
2. Active=This level includes athletes who are occasional runners and regular exercisers.  Running isn't your primary focus, but you may include a few miles in your week.  No more than 10 miles of running per week is allowed in this level.
3. Very Active=This level includes athletes who include running or walking as a regular part of their exercise routine.  Weekly distance can exceed 10 miles.  If you devote time each week for walking or running a distance of greater than 10 miles you should compete at this level.

The competition will begin October 1st and finish up on Oct. 31st.  You will log your mileage each week on the same form used for Patriot Points.  

Mileage Dates	Enter MIleage
Entry 1 (Oct. 1-Oct. 9)	Report on Oct. 10
Entry 2 (Oct. 10-Oct. 16)	Report on Oct. 17
Entry 3 (Oct. 17-Oct.-Oct. 23)	Report on Oct. 24
Entry 4 (Oct. 24-Oct. 31)	Report on Nov. 1

Once you determine your level as Lightly Active, Active or Advanced you are committed to that level.  As the competition director, I will make adjustments if I see that someone is covering a distance that qualifies them for a higher level.  This will allow Walktober to be competitive at all three levels.  We will have awards for the winner of each category and each competitor can earn badges along the way!

Make October your month to challenge yourself and have fun while competing against co-workers.  

Walk it out!!

Badges for Distance

Talladega Badge (50 miles)

Huntsville Badge (100 miles)

Atlanta Badge (150 miles)

Nashville Badge (200 miles)

Great Smoky Mountains Badge (250 miles)

New Orleans Badge (300 miles)

Savannah, GA Badge (350 miles)

St. Louis, MO Badge (400 miles)

Myrtle Beach, SC (450 miles)

Walt Disney World (500+ miles)

PPC Big Scoreboard Update

THE BIG SCOREBOARD STATS:

SCES=53

EES=39

HHS=33
HKES=32

HMS and HBOE=26

Congrats to SCES for winning week three of the PPC.  I thought it might be necessary to be sure everyone understands the scoring system for our competition.  Each week when you post your Patriot Points, I collect that data and enter it into a spreadsheet which calculates our standings in the PPC.  Special shout-out to Dr. Latta Johnston for creating this spreadsheet 8 years ago.  We have used the formula each year to determine weekly winners and the overall winner for the PPC.  

There are four areas in which your team can score points:

1. Average number of points scored
2. Weekly improvement of average points scored
3. Percentage of employees who post points
4. Weekly improvement of employees who post points.

Even if you only have ONE scheduled exercise session resulting in ONE Patriot Point, you are a very important part of your team's stats.  SCES had 43% employee participation last week resulting in a win for their team!  Each team is ranked and can score from 1-6 points per for each of the four areas listed above.  

30 minutes of scheduled exercise =1 Pt.

Fitness classes lead by an instructor=2 pts. per half hour

Competitive events:  5K=3pts, 10K=6pts, half marathon=12 pts, marathon=24 pts, Century ride=24 pts, Sprint triathlon=10, half-ironman=20 or ironman=50

Bottom line..... POST YOUR POINTS....Keep Moving......... Be Awesome.

Free Class at Mt. Brk YMCA & tour the Y

The response from employees to the YMCA partnership has been amazing!  This partnership will allow employees to continue to train together with childcare and family programming included.

Tomorrow/Wednesday, 3:45-4:15PM the Mountain Brook YMCA will host a free 30 minute training class for HCS employees.  We must have at least 6 employees to say "YES" to this class.

Mt. Brk. YMCA

Sign up for the free class HERE.

Following class on Wednesday, you are invited to stick around for a tour of the facility.  The Mt. Brook Y is conveniently located near the Bham Zoo.  It is within 3 miles of all of our schools.  Come and check out one of the branches on Wednesday, but remember if you join the Y you have the option to train at ANY of the locations in the Metro area.  

Don't forget to post your Patriot Points!  You have until NOON WEDNESDAY to get that done.

Keep Moving.

HCS/YMCA Partnership Announcement! Two Weeks FREE membership and a 20% discount for joining

JehJeh Pruitt and Fox 6 introduce the HCS/YMCA Partnership

CLICK THE LINK ABOVE 

WBRC Fox 6 Exercise Monday and JehJeh Pruitt stopped in to HHS this morning to announce an exciting opportunity for HCS employees.  For the past 8 years we have given our employees fitness opportunities but now we have partnered with the YMCA of Bham to create the perfect scenario for educators to get fit and model wellness for our students.  

The partnership will include:

• Sept. 12-25th, a two week window for you to try the Y for free.  
• Sept. 12-25th, HCS employees can join the YMCA and take advantage of a 20% discounted membership.
• The list of amenities is incredible!  

For more information please contact Michelle Varnell mvarnell@ymcabham.org or email me at nspurlock@homewood.k12.al.us

Get Fit!  Y not try the Y?!

Fox 6 Exercise Monday with JehJeh Pruitt

Tune in to Fox 6 WBRC on Monday, Sept. 12.  A team of HCS employees will meet at HHS for a workout with the YMCA of Birmingham!  This is the beginning of something BIG for Homewood City School employees.  The live segment will air sometime between 6:45AM and 8AM.

Don't forget to post your Patriot Points!  SCES won the first week of season eight.  Who will be the first team to snatch the trophy from the Owl's nest?

Thanks for bringing the step count back.  We now get credit for steps!  If you earned 50,000 steps last week, add 5 points.  60,000 add 6 points etc.  Add your step count bonus to your total.  

CLICK HERE to post your points.  

First opportunity to post-Season 8

POST THOSE PATRIOT POINTS. HERE IS THE LINK!

Today is the first day to post Patriot Points for season 8.  Think back on your week of movement.  Starting on Monday, August 29th and finishing up on Monday evening, September 5th.  (extra day this week thanks to Labor Day) Add up the number of minutes you participated in SCHEDULED exercise.  Cleaning house, mowing the lawn and other daily physical activities do not count as Patriot Points.  If you didn't participate in any scheduled exercise exercise last week, that is an indicator that you aren't doing what you should do to be the best you can be!  Make a goal this year to improve the number of minutes you participate in scheduled exercise.

Who will be on the leaderboard?

Be sure to check out the Individual Leaderboard located in the menu at the top of The Movement blog.  I'll collect the top 25 individual point achievers weekly and place their name on this list.

Opportunities to move.  We have fitness classes for you.
Strength training, Yoga and cycle classes are offered weekly.  Check out The Movement calendar in the menu above to see when and where you can get fit on campus.  Cycle class is Thursday at HHS, we have a minimum of 6 participants to create a ride.  BE THERE!

Spoiler alert-
Monday morning, September 12-WBRC Fox 6 and JehJeh Pruitt will be LIVE for a feature story about an incredible opportunity coming to Homewood City School employees.  I'll send out another blog update later in the week with details.  Exercise Monday with JehJeh and The Movement!