An ‘unprecedented’ number of people are participating in this year’s Walk to Tuk fitness program.
By the time registration closed Tuesday morning, over 3,400 people on 272 teams had registered for the friendly competition.
Walk to Tuk, operated by the NWT Recreation and Parks Association, encourages teams of people to walk the equivalent of the distance along the Mackenzie River from Fort Providence to Tuktoyaktuk – some 1,658 km.
This year, teams will have from Jan. 3 to Feb. 28 to accomplish that feat. One hour of walking translates to 5km for teams of 10 or fewer people, or 4km for teams of 11 or more.
Activities like jogging and skiing also count. If your team is feeling really ambitious, you can even try walking back from Tuktoyaktuk as well.
Last year, over 2,600 people from 22 NWT communities participated in Walk to Tuk, logging a grand total of 459,347km. Since the program launched in 2010, over 13,000 people have attempted the walk.
But early signs point to this year’s installment being the best yet.
Organizers say over 3,400 people from 29 NWT communities are participating this time around – an increase of 35 per cent from last year.
“It is clear that Walk to Tuk has touched a real nerve in the NWT,” said Geoff Ray, executive director of the NWT Recreation and Parks Association.
“It’s getting people excited about being active and getting in the outdoors during the cold dark months of winter.”
To see how teams are progressing along the Mackenzie, click here.
