No. You can remain a free agent if you wish.

No. Please pledge your allegiance to only one team, and commit to that team for each 6 month interval. After six months you are free to switch teams.

Winning team members will be entered into a drawing for great prizes. The Winning Department will receive the highly coveted WALK UCSB trophy! Since the program’s inception in 2007, this trophy has caused quite a stir. The trophy will be granted to the winning department to display as they wish for the next six-month period. After that, it’s fair game! Watch out if you currently hold the crown – we’ve been hearing about trophy thieves envious of this beautiful award!

The program will run in six month and during this time you can achieve stepping milestones. At the end of the six month period we will award the top team and department winners but individual rewards will be available as soon as you achieve a new stepping milestone. Team and department winners will be determined on the groups average number of steps.

Yes, You should log all steps walked during your day. Weekends too!

Sure, this program is about creating healthy lifestyles and you are still a part of our UCSB family.

Yes, if you can figure the calculation you can include it. Our end goal is to encourage people to be healthy!

You make pick up your pedometer and a one-page information sheet at one of our pick-up locations across campus or once the program has started at the Recreation Center. We will post pick-up times on the website

For best results, clip the pedometer firmly at your waist. It should be located above the knee at the waist. It is important to insure that the case is positioned straight up and down. If the pedometer is tilted, it may count fewer steps as the pedometer's pendulum is not free to swing properly.

It varies from one person to the next. The real question is, when are you most willing and able to walk? That's the best time for you.

Again, it varies from one person to the next. Try to eat something before a morning walk. But if planning to go at a brisk pace or to do some interval training, keep meals small and simple--maybe a piece of fruit, or some low-fat or nonfat yogurt. The human body doesn't particularly like digesting food and exercising hard at the same time. That said, a leisurely stroll after a large meal may enhance digestion and burn a few extra calories. But walking before a meal works just as well, provided you don't have any problems with your blood sugar. If that meal happens to be breakfast, be sure to drink a nice, tall glass of water before you head out. Your body may be somewhat dehydrated after a night's sleep.

The easiest way to gauge your speed without wearing a pedometer--or getting in your car and measuring mileage, which can be pretty difficult unless you walk along a street--is to count your number of steps per minute. The experts use this number to calculate pace, based on an average stride length of 2½ feet. (Stride length is the distance from the heel of the front foot to the toes of the back foot when you're taking a step.) They've already done the math for you.

• 70 steps per minute = 30 minutes per mile, or 2 miles per hour.
• 105 steps per minute = 20 minutes per mile, or 3 miles per hour.
• 140 steps per minute = 15 minutes per mile, or 4 miles per hour.

If you pay attention to your steps, after a while you'll be able to estimate your pace fairly accurately without bothering to count. You'll just know what a 20-minute mile or a 15-minute mile feels like.

The average 150-pound person burns between 80 and 100 calories per mile. However, that number changes depending on height, weight, fitness level, terrain, clothing, temperature, and many other factors. If your goal is to lose weight, forget about the numbers! Instead, develop a healthy eating plan that you can live with, incorporate as much physical activity into your daily routine as possible, and try to walk for at least ½ hour a day.

Replace your walking shoes every 6 months or 600 miles, whichever, comes first. At that point, it doesn't matter if the shoes still look great; they've lost a lot of their cushioning.

James Rippe, MD, has developed a special formula to help walkers assess their fitness:

• Find a flat 1-mile loop (like the track at UCSB). Warm up for 5 minutes, stretching your calves and hamstrings.
• Then, walk the mile as quickly as you can without running out of steam.
• Compare your time against the benchmark for your age group.
  
  
  • Under 30: If you can walk a mile in 13 minutes, you're in great shape!
  • 30 to 39: A 14-minute mile puts you in the "great shape" category.
  • 40 to 49: Cover a mile in just under 15 minutes (14 minutes, 42 seconds), and you're at the top level of fitness for your age group.
  • 50 to 69: Doing a 15-minute mile is excellent.
  • 70 or over: If you can walk a mile in 18 minutes, 18 seconds, you're very fit for your age.

If you exceed the ideal time for your age group by 3 to 6 minutes, you're not in the best shape aerobically. But don't worry, just keep walking. Regular, consistent exercise can lower your time.

Swelling in your hands is normal. When you swing your arms, the blood rushes down into your fingers. It isn't harmful, but it could be uncomfortable, especially if you wear rings. It's a good idea to take off your rings before you go walking. If the swelling bothers you, try squeezing your hands into fists from time to time while you walk. This helps push blood back from the fingers. Some people carry small rubber balls to squeeze. If you notice the swelling doesn’t go away after awhile, it might be time to check in with your doctor.

It sounds like shinsplints, a common problem among beginning walkers. It results from doing too much too soon. Your shin and calf muscles cramp from overuse, and you notice a burning pain in your shins. To avoid shinsplints, increase your distance and pace gradually, and always take time to warm up before doing any speed work. If you've already overdone it, try slowing your pace. If you're still in pain, here are a couple strategies to help:

• Try stretching your calf muscles. Stand facing the nearest wall or tree, then lean forward, putting your palms against the wall or tree and keeping your heels flat on the ground. Or sit on a bench with your legs straight out in front of you, and flex your feet toward you.
• Apply ice for 15 minutes after exercise if the pain persists. Be sure to wrap the ice in a towel, to protect your skin from the cold.
• Try new footwear. Often times old or improper footwear can contribute to shin splints. It’s not a bad idea to consult a local footwear company to get a custom fit.
• Try walking on a different surface. If you always walk on concrete, try another trail that takes you “off the beaten path.” Walk on grass, dirt, or even the track on campus. Hard surfaces put more stress on the muscles that experience shin splints.

Heel pain becomes increasingly common with age, especially among the over-40 crowd. Often it results from a condition called plantar fasciitis --that's inflammation of the tissue that runs along the bottom of the foot. As this tissue becomes overstretched and swollen, it produces sharp pain, especially first thing in the morning when you get out of bed. The pain eases as you walk around, but it can come back, especially if you sit for a long time. As we age, our body's tissues become less pliable. That's why stretching is so important.

Here are a couple solutions to the problem:

• Stretching your calf muscles may help. Stand facing the nearest wall or tree, then lean forward, putting your palms against the wall or tree and keeping your heels flat on the ground. Or sit on a bench with your legs straight out in front of you, and flex your feet toward you
• You may need better walking shoes. Improper support may cause your feet to move
• Try some self-massage. Put a tennis ball on the floor and roll the bottom of your foot over it several times a day (an easy thing to do while sitting at your desk!).
• If you have new footwear and are still experiencing problems after a couple week, it might be time to schedule an appointment with a podiatrist or physical therapist. You may be fitted with custom orthotics (specially-designed shoe inserts) to solve the problem.
• * Remember, when in doubt see your doctor.

A bad case of blisters can knock a beginning walker right off her feet. More experienced walkers who step up their workouts or switch to hiking can encounter problems, too.

Here's how to keep your feet blister-free.

• Wear two pairs of sock or high-tech socks made from fibers that wick away moisture. Skip the cotton, and look for synthetic blends such as CoolMax or Wonderspun
• When you feel a "hot spot" on your foot, act right away. Take off your shoe and apply moleskin or an adhesive bandage over the affected area.
• Make sure that your shoes fit both feet. Often one foot is larger than the other. The friction created by wearing the wrong-size shoe--whether it's too small or too large--can lead to blisters.

We find it admirable that many people exceed 15,000 steps a day, and encourage them to continue their active lifestyles. We don’t allow participants to log more than 15,000 steps a day on the WALK UCSB website for the following reasons:

1. For optimal health, we are recommend approximately 10,000 steps a day of cumulative walking, combined with exercise activities other than walking, such as resistance training, sports, cardiovascular activity, and recreational activities. There is absolutely nothing wrong with walking more than this, but we are advocating a greater variety of activities.
2. The WALK UCSB program is for everyone, but our primary objective is to encourage people to walk the equivalent of about an hour and a half a day. For those who are comfortable walking more than 15,000 steps a day, UCSB Recreation offers other programs in addition to WALK UCSB that are more vigorous.
3. We have designed team incentive prizes to be within the reach of all of our participants. By limiting the number of steps that team members can log, we are leveling the playing field. We would like to keep the competitive aspect of the program more light, achievable.
4. There are a very small number of people who are tempted to exaggerate their achievements, and we would like to reduce that temptation out of fairness to all participants. We applaud those of you who exceed 15,000 steps per day, and encourage you to keep up the good work

The answer should be: Great job! You’ve reached a milestone and you should be handsomely rewarded! Stop by our next event or pick-up date (listed on our homepage) to claim your prize. Congratulations and keep walking UCSB!!!

Please feel free to address all questions to Peter Aguilar