More than just a stroll to London

We’ve got about a month left in the UNMC Walks to the Olympics challenge.

Many of our teams have made it to London and most seem well positioned to get there by July 27. Hundreds of millions have steps have been logged, walking groups have formed, iTunes gift cards have been won and the Blue T-shirt awarded.

But perhaps the coolest thing produced during the challenge was the note below and the sentiment expressed in it. The note is from printing services’ Brittany Bashus, captain of the Printer Sprinters team.

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I cannot begin to explain to you how proud I am of my walking team, Printer Sprinters. As a result of this challenge, and as team captain, I have been blessed with the opportunity to interact with my co-workers and get to know them better as individuals.

Of course the Printer Sprinters entered the challenge with the motive to win the gold medal, but have experienced such a greater reward along the way. The real gold medal comes from the stories we exchange with one another about our progress and what changes we have made in our lives to benefit our health. I love coming into work each day having coworkers being so excited to inform me on how many steps they collected that day or what their current totals are. This challenge turned into more than just a competition for us, it has allowed us to make wiser choices concerning our health.

Even though the competition will end soon, some of us will continue the habits this challenge has brought upon us:

• Checking our pedometers every hour;
  
• Stepping in place, rather than standing still;
  
• Taking walks during our lunch breaks;
  
• Asking each other how many steps we have accumulated so far that day; and
  
• Taking the longer route to get to the bathroom or back to our desks.

Thank you for this competition and the rewards it has given all of us here in printing services!