Million Step Group Challenge
What to do during Corona times, when it’s not suitable to gather inside? Go for nice walks outside!
In Meijän Polku’s Million Step Group Challenge, we set out with a group of 3 to 5 people to collect a million walking steps in one month! The challenge is playful and everyone participates within the limits of their own fitness and energy levels. However, the goal is for each participating group member to walk briskly on a daily basis. We recommend outdoor and nature walks if possible. Do not attend walks in groups, if feeling under the weather.
You can track your steps with a mobile phone app or with a pedometer. All the steps taken during the day are counted and included in the total challenge step count.
Print a training diary, or keep a record of your daily steps on, for example, paper or computer. The daily steps of each group member are recorded and added up at the end of each week (see template below). The exemplary group collected more than 330 000 steps a week, meaning that a million steps can be achieved in as little as three weeks.
Below are step goals for groups of three, four and five people, with the goal of collecting one million steps in a one month time frame. If there are passionate walkers in the group, then the goal will be met faster. If you have a bigger group, you can divide the group into smaller groups and have a little competition…
If possible, some of the walks can be done together with all or some of the group members to maximize the social benefits of the walks. For example group members can arrange a few days each week for a longer walk together. Daily walks are also a wonderful way to get to know your hometown and neighborhood better.
For longer walks, you can bring along hot drinks and something to snack on. If you are walking on forest trails, take along something to sit on during the brakes, so you don’t have to sit in the snow or wet ground. While walking in forests, it is important to avoid walking on plowed skiing tracks.
You can also check out Meijän polku’s other group challenges here. For the moment, these challenges are only in Finnish, but the idea is similar to the Million steps challenge, so they might be quite easy to figure out.
As an old Finnish saying goes, your winter boots are made for walking, and that’s just what they do. But you do need to help them out a bit!
Happy walking!
For more information, you can contact us by email meijanpolku@gmail.com or through social medias @Meijanpolku
