Staff step out for a marathon challenge

Jul 23 2008 by Neil Atkinson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

STAFF at the National Day Nurseries Association offices in Huddersfield stepped out for a challenge.

They received certificates for completing a challenge to walk the equivalent of the London Marathon.

Over a two-week period 33 staff based in Bradley used pedometers to count the number of steps they took towards a target of 65,500, the equivalent of the marathon's 26.2 miles distance.

Some staff set a hot pace. Alicia Dellapuppa did well over the distance with 75,526 steps in the first week and a massive 163,156 steps over the fortnight.

Stephen Lloyd Smart and Claire Schofield nearly completed the challenge in just one week, with 65,397 and 64,600 steps respectively.

And Stella Ziolkowski, the director of quality and workforce development, did over 62,000 steps the first week and more than 101,000 over the two weeks – in high heels!

Others kept their step tally increasing by doing extra walks at weekends and taking the pedometers on holiday.

Linda Herriott attached her pedometer to her dressing gown to make sure every step counted from the moment she woke up.

It helped her to achieve nearly 90,000 steps in the two weeks.

The challenge was done as part of the association staff’s wellbeing scheme Healthy Body, Happy Me.