Join or Login to WAAm!
A simple wayFor a healthier life
Walking is a great way to achieve a healthier lifestyle. The Walk Across America program (WAAm!) is designed to be a fun way to get exercise, develop relationships and enjoy a better life.
Join us for a virtual Walk Across America as part of the Stanislaus County Club Wellness program. Teams of County employees will be virtually walking across the U.S. and competing for exciting prizes along the way.
As a reminder, before you dive into any kind of fitness program, it's always recommended to check with your healthcare provider.
What division should I join? So this part is REALLY IMPORTANT!!!
All participants will need to identify their expected level of participation to ensure that you are in the right place during our journey across America. Imagine watching the Tour De France and seeing a casual bicyclist pull up to the start line with their beach cruiser…..or imagine showing up to your weekly softball league and having Buster Posey step up to the plate for the other team….get the point? This program is designed for everyone with equal prizes available for every division, so make sure you take the time to pick the division that’s right for you!
RECREATION DIVISION
I'm ready for fun, but I'm not trying to win any awards or blow away the competition. I may want to increase my activity, but don't stress me out if I don't hit my goals or cross the finish line first!
CHALLENGE DIVISION
I'm ready for the challenge! I'm going to set goals and challenge myself to push hard from start to finish. I want this program and my team to push me to achieve great results, so let's go for it!
Registration
- Decide what division you would like to participate in: Recreation or Challenge; see descriptions above
- Decide if you would like to join as an individual or as a team ( keep in mind this is a team competition )
- If joining as an individual, send your name and division to WalkSupport@StanCounty.com ; we will add you to a team in your same division. You will still need to create a new account in the ITC created Walk Across America program.
- If joining as a new team, find 5-10 co-workers who would like to participate in your same division. ( minimum team size is 5; maximum team size is 10 members ) Send one email to WalkSupport@StanCounty.com with your team name and division.
- You will receive an email notification once your team has been created with instructions for accessing the Walk Across America program.
- For existing teams - the prior team names have already been uploaded. All participants will need to create a new account in the ITC created Walk Across America program and then join your team. ( keep in mind, the name in the first position will be the Team Leader )
- Final step… lace up your sneakers for the next leg in our Walk Across America
Rules for the Program
Join us on a virtual cross country "Walk Across America" as part of the Stanislaus County Club Wellness initiative. Teams of county employees will have the chance to virtually walk across the nation and compete for exciting prizes along the way.
Teams composed of county employees will monitor their weekly walking and running progress, submit their distances through an online program called Walk Across America ( an ITC created program that allows you to track your physical activity and see your ongoing progress) and compete to be the first teams to arrive at specific destinations as we "Walk Across America". See the FAQ section for further questions.
Teams will consist of 5-10 employees. Employees can either form their own teams, or individual employees can sign up as "Free Agents" to be placed on a team by Walk Across America Officials.
Teams will be divided into two divisions: Recreation and Challenge. At the start of each leg, teams may be placed into a new division based upon the results of the previous leg. In order to ensure that teams from each division arrive at each destination at roughly the same time, a distance multiplier may be applied. More information will be provided later about the application of the multiplier system as the competition progresses. ( to date, this has not been needed )
Individuals will report the distance they have covered in the Walk Across America program to the nearest tenth of a mile (i.e. 2.88 miles is approximately 2.9 miles). Participants are free to report distance as often as they would like ( please ensure you are not duplicating data ) so long as they report the distances they traveled the previous week by noon on Monday. For the purpose of this competition, a week runs from 12:01AM Sunday - 11:59PM Saturday. Walk Across America Officials will report the distance each team has traveled based on the team average the next business day (exceptions will be made on holidays landing on a Monday). Teams will be asked to designate a Team Captain to encourage and remind team members to log in and key in their step data, as well as to serve as the official team contact.
All teams who make it to the finish line by the deadline will have each team member entered in a drawing for a chance to win one of the grand prizes. Each new destination is considered a separate leg of the competition, and the team roster can only be changed between legs.
Why should employees consider participating in this competition? It's a great way to get healthier while having fun with your co-workers. There are also some really cool prizes along the way! Members of teams that arrive at the Winners' Circle at each destination will be entered into the Grand Destination Prize Drawing.
To celebrate reaching the seventh destination in the competition (Orlando, FL) all teams that make it will have each team member entered in a drawing for a chance to win fabulous prizes yet to be determined.
The virtual starting point will be at Tenth Street Plaza in Modesto, California, from which we will embark on a journey to various destinations (destinations subject to change throughout the competition) .The starting point for each new leg will be the end point of the prior leg.
In order to compete in this competition, competitors are required to track the distances they run, walk, bike etc ... One great option to consider is buying a pedometer to track the distances walked in your normal day-to-day activities. Pedometers range in price from $1.00 to over $100 - generally; the less expensive ones will be the least accurate. A pretty good pedometer can be purchased from any major retail store (such as Walmart or Target) for under $10.
With a smartphone, such as an iPhone or Samsung Galaxy, participants can track their distance data by using either the Apple Health App or the Samsung S Health App. Those without an Apple iPhone or Samsung Galaxy phone can search for other free distance tracking applications, including: Map My Walk; Runkeeper; Strava; Map My Run; Garmin Mobile Connect; Nike+; Runtastic; Wahoo; Movescount; Charity Miles; and Localeikki.
Those individuals with any other wireless-enabled wearable technology device that tracks number of steps (i.e. Fitbit, Garmin Vivofit, etc.), are not required to purchase a pedometer. All individual team members will be required to report their activity every week through the Walk Across America program. Team captains are encouraged to remind team members to log in and key in their step data.
Alternatively, competitors may utilize distance maps for popular walking routes around County Facilities. Employees should feel free to create and share their own maps of routes around town using Google, Apple, or Bing Maps to track their distances. Participants can even track route distances utilizing a car's odometer.
In the end, this is a friendly competition and participants are expected to enter their distances in good faith.
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Can I use my Fitbit/Apple watch (or another device) be linked to the new program?
The new program will not link to a device and will equalize the contestants; everyone will be required to enter the time/steps into the WAAm! site, however, steps/activity can be tracked from a device and entered into the WAAm! site.
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Will there be a phone app for the new program?
No native app at this time, this program is an ITC created program specifically for Stanislaus County employees! The program can be accessed by using your desktop or mobile web browser.
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What is the distance to the destination?
The average distance each team will need to reach is 637 miles to be entered into the prize drawing.
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Where will we be going for this leg of the journey?
We are currently in New Orleans, LA and will be heading to Orlando, FL in this next trip.
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What happens when the first team arrives at the destination?
Once the first team arrives (from each league) the "winning window" will open for the other teams to rush to the finish line. The "winning window" will close 2 weeks after the first teams have arrived.
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What do if I don't have a team to join?
If you want to walk and do not have a team to join, we will take all of the "onsies" and combine to make a team of at least 5, but no more than 10. The first person added will be the team leader and a list of teammates will be given out.
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What are my options if I only have 4 or less to make a team?
We can add some of the "onsies" if you have a team that does not meet the minimum of 5 teammates. (please request to add to the team via email walksupport@stancounty.com)
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What if I have more than 10 to form my team?
The teams can be divided into 2 - A & B teams, but no more than 10 allowed.
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What is the difference between Recreation & Challenge teams?
Challenge team was expected to be the more advanced walkers/runners with the Recreational being the casual walkers and the intention was to add a distance multiplier to the results to "equalize" the teams, but we have found that the recreational teams are just as fast as the challenge teams.
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When will the next leg start?
The Summer/Fall leg of the walk will begin on July 21, 2019 on our trip to Orlando, FL.
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Can I add/delete a teammate after the journey starts?
The teams can be adjusted during the "open window" which occurs 2 weeks prior to the start of each leg and will continue for approximately 3-4 weeks after each leg begins. Plenty of time to make adjustments. Once you are on a team you are locked in for that leg.
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If I already have a team, how do I join?
Click on the following link: WAAm! then click - register an account... complete the data then choose your team from the list.
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If I don't have a team, how do I join?
Follow the instructions above, but do not join a team, then you will placed with another team by Walk Support - if you find a team prior to the beginning of the journey, please email to be added to that team walksupport@stancounty.com
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What is the prize for this leg of the journey?
Please see the section labeled "Prizes" on the My Club Wellness web site: http://www.myclubwellness.org/walk.shtm
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When will this leg end?
Once the first team arrives (from each league) the "winning window" will open for the other teams to rush to the finish line. The "winning window" will close 2 weeks after the first teams have arrived.
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Where do I ask any questions not covered here?
Please email walksupport@stancounty.com if you have further questions. Please also reference the web site: http://www.myclubwellness.org/walk.shtm for questions.
Note: These rules are subject to change as this is our first Walk Across America competition. Walk Across America Officials may make some adjustments in order to keep everyone on the same pace, and teams may be moved into a different category after each virtual destination point.
Disclaimer: Links or references to other information or organizations are for reference only and do not constitute an endorsement. The County of Stanislaus is not responsible for content on referenced sites.
