Over 2,600 people walked more than 450,000 kilometers as part of this year’s Walk to Tuk fitness program.
The program, operated by the NWT Recreation and Parks Association (NWTRPA), encourages teams to walk the equivalent of the distance along the Mackenzie River from Fort Providence to Tuktoyaktuk – some 1,658km.
This year, teams had from January 4 until February 29 to collectively walk the distance.
Altogether, organizers say people in 22 NWT communities participated. Of the 198 teams that registered, 156 made it to Tuktoyaktuk, logging a grand total of 459,347 kilometres.
On average, each Walk to Tuk participant accumulated 308 minutes of weekly exercise. Collectively, over 108,000 hours of exercise were logged over the course of the program.
“We are thrilled with the response that we have received this year, not only in the numbers of people and teams that registered, but in the sheer volume of activity logged,” said Geoff Ray, executive director of the NWTRPA.
“Our hope is that teams continue to walk even though the challenge is over.”
Last year, over 2,500 people participated in Walk to Tuk from 24 different communities. The program is billed as the largest, longest and most effective physical activity event in the territory.
