To celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday this year, Langley Township launched a program to try to help local residents get andstay fit.
The Township 150 Fitness Challenge ran from the beginning of the year and ends on April 9, a 12-week friendly competitionat local civic fitness centres.
Participants pick up a Township 150 Minutes Tracker to record the amount of time they exercise during the days and weeks ofthe challenge.
Eirian McConnell is one of those who began early and has used the competition to increase the amount of time she spends inthe gym at the W.C. Blair Recreation Centre.
“It’s just given me that extra little boost,” McConnell said.
She was already avid about exercise, along with her husband and grown twin children.
“I’ve been coming to W.C. Blair for close to eight years, on and off,” said McConnell.
At present, she exercises six days a week, typically an hour of cardio every day, on the elliptical machine, exercise bike, andtreadmill. Three days a week she adds an hour of weights to the workout routine.
On those extra workout days, McConnell hits the “gold star” level of 150 minutes of physical activity in a single day.
“You get a little gold star,” she said of the advancement on the Township’s tracker.
For every 150 minutes of physical activity, the participants get a prize ballot, along with additional bonus ballots for 60+minutes of extra exercise.
Prize draws will be held in late April for participants, who could win a three-month Go Active Pass, a home fitness prize pack,a fitness gift bag, green fees for two to The Redwoods Golf Course, or home exercise equipment.
For McConnell, the competition was a bit of a boost, but she and her family have always made exercise an important part oftheir lives.
She likes the community feel of the W.C. Blair centre’s gym, and often spends her time on the machines talking to herneighbours.
“I think three days a week is fine,” she said. “It’s just a little extra I’m doing to prove to myself I can do it.”