Walk Talk

Aotearoa Bike Challenge clocks up the kilometres The fifth national Aotearoa Bike Challenge has encouraged thousands more New Zealanders to cycle, with more than 24,700 people from over 2,400 organisations taking part, including over 4,325 new riders. Throughout the month of February participants made more than 291,193 trips by bike, cycling an impressive 4,410,528 million kilometres in total, resulting in a saving of 252,032 kg of CO2 being released. “It was great to see so many New Zealanders committed to getting on their bikes this February even with the changing COVID-19 alert levels,” says Robyn Elston, Waka Kotahi Senior Manager, System Design. “The Aotearoa Bike Challenge is an opportunity for more New Zealanders to experience just how easy it is to incorporate cycling into everyday life and improve their health and wellbeing. Getting about by bike is often an efficient way to get around our towns and cities, and for many Kiwis who choose to ride to work, it’s a great way to start and end their day.” To get more New Zealanders to give cycling a go, workplaces across the country were encouraged to sign up for the challenge and to motivate staff to take part.

ADVERTISING CONSULTANT PART-TIME

If you have a proven track record in media sales and want to earn extra money with our recreational walking magazine, (now in its 277th issue) on a commission basis, then here could be your opportunity.

This is a part-time, work from home position and the successful applicant must have a computer, have everything there is to know about print media and online advertising, a strong presentation ability, a positive can-do attitude and have excellent communication skills both written and oral.

If this sounds like the position for you, then send your CV to: The Manager

Walking New Zealand Ltd

P O Box 1922 – Palmerston North, 4440 or email: walkingnz@xtra.co.nz

Waikato club 70th anniversary

Come join the Waikato Tramping Club in celebrating its upcoming anniversary with activities on May 8th - 9th and 15th -16th! Meet up with your old tramping and skiing friends, as well as present members, and have a look at old photos and relive past trips. For more details about the events and to RSVP, please visit the event’s page on Wilderlife, or contact waikatotrampingclub@ gmail.com - Selwyn & Dianne June 07 843 3066 or 027 497 8151.

Green leafy vegetables essential for muscle strength

Eating just one cup of leafy green vegetables every day could boost muscle function, according to new Edith Cowan University (ECU) research. The study, published today in the Journal of Nutrition, found that people who consumed a nitrate-rich diet, predominantly from vegetables, had significantly better muscle function of their lower limb. Poor muscle function is linked to greater risk of falls and fractures and is considered a key indicator of general health and wellbeing. Researchers examined data from 3,759 Australians taking part in Melbourne’s Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute AusDiab study over a 12-year period. They found those with the highest regular nitrate consumption had 11 per cent stronger lower limb strength than those with the lowest nitrate intake. Up to 4 per cent faster walking speeds were also recorded. Lead researcher Dr Marc Sim from ECU’s Institute for Nutrition Research said the findings reveal important evidence for the role diet plays in overall health. “Our study has shown that diets high in nitraterich vegetables may bolster your muscle strength independently of any physical activity,” he said. “Nevertheless, to optimise muscle function we propose that a balanced diet rich in green leafy vegetables in combination with regular exercise, including weight training, is ideal.” Muscle function is vital for maintaining good overall health, especially bone strength later in life. “With around one in three Australians aged over 65 suffering a fall each year, it’s important to find ways of preventing these events and their potentially serious consequences,” said Dr Sim.

You can now view and enjoy the latest issue of Walking New Zealand magazine online for only $2.50 at http://www.walkingnewzealand.co.nz

Active and POP website goes live!

POP (pelvic organ prolapse) is a common condition, affecting about one in two women. Fit, active women too!

Mothers, sisters, wives, partners, our daughters. It affects our family, work and social life. And yet, due to it’s location in the body, an intimate area, it is not talked about!

Over the last 12 months, Anja Morris has been in contact with a range of pelvic physios, as well as active women around New Zealand who have experienced a prolapse. The response was overwhelming; women told their stories, shared their experiences, and offered advice on something they thought would never happen to them.

The result of their collaboration is the Active and POP website.

Together, they talk about POP to raise awareness and remove the stigma and provide links to helpful resources. Most importantly, they want women to know that they are not alone and that they can live an active life again. www.activeandpop.org.nz

When walking was a spectator sport

A brief history of Pedestrianism. Did you know that in the 1800s watching people walk was America’s favourite sport? Pedestrianism was, at the time, the most attended spectator sport - hundreds of thousands would cheer the next Pedestrian Champion of the World!

Walk talk

Free ride bikes take off

A new community bike-sharing scheme, ‘Free Ride’, has recently launched in Lower Hutt, Wellington.The brightly branded and geotracked Free Ride bikes are available to use at special bike racks outside the Naenae Clubhouse and Naenae Library for anyone to take and borrow to get around the city, returning them to the bike racks once finished.

New Cobham Drive cycleway now open in Wellington

Earlier in March, NZ Transport Agency joined Wellington City Council, mana whenua and the local community for the opening of the Cobham Drive section of Tahitai. These walking and bike paths are part of a future route around the edge of Wellington Harbour from Miramar cutting to the central city. These will also make up part of the Great Harbour Way, a future 72km safe signposted route around the entire perimeter of Te Whanganui a Tara / Wellington. The path was officially opened by MP for Ōhāriu Greg O’Connor, Mayor Andy Foster, and Deputy Mayor Sarah Free. Students from Evans Bay Intermediate School rode along the new paths after the ribbon was cut. “This is one of our busier biking routes so it’s very pleasing that this stretch is now safer and easier to ride than it was – and that people on foot now have a safer place to walk and run,” said Deputy Mayor Sarah Free. “The 430m of new rock revetment has been engineered to spread the force of the sea and help to protect this coastline of reclaimed land, the new paths and state highway. The rock revetment will also provide better places for kororā (little blue penguins) to nest.” The next stages to provide walking and bike paths around Akau Tangi / Evans Bay are underway now.