Getting moving.

I'm participating in the Global Corporate Challenge which starts tomorrow.  I've heard of it before, but never really understood what it's all about.  When I was invited to join a team I did some research and joined without hesitation.

Here's what the front page of the website says:

The Global Corporate Challenge® (GCC) is a leading, global workplace health and wellness program.

To date, our behavioural change program has delivered scientifically-proven results to over 3,400 of the world’s leading organisations.

Results include improved physical and mental health, enhanced productivity, reduced absenteeism and a stronger culture of resilience.

The GCC offers an effective balance of motivation, inspiration, support and education which has engaged and empowered over 950,000 people from 105 countries to change their lives.

That's a pretty big statement! Even before I've begun, the challenge has influenced my behaviour.  

I finished work for my client at about 5:45pm and it was already dark in Perth.  I was out near the airport so had to catch a cab back to the hotel.  After a long day and coping with being in a different time zone, my impulse was to crash back in my hotel room.  With my eye on the GCC I made a different choice.  

It was a warm evening so I dropped my bags off and went for a walk.  As I left the hotel, I took the stairs to the ground floor instead of taking the lift.  The streets were still busy with people making their way home so I felt safe to wander around by myself.  I walked the length of the mall and poked around a couple of arcades that I never wandered down before.  Nothing flash, nothing too much, but I felt better for it.   I was out for about half an hour and had more energy than before I went for a walk.  It helped me shake off the day.

Tomorrow I'll have to do more if I'm to reach the minimum 10,000 steps per day.  I am facilitating tomorrow and will spend a fair amount of the day on my feet, so it will be interesting to find out what difference working on my feet makes to my mobility on a day. The day after will be a bigger challenge because I'll spend most of the day sitting on an aeroplane.  I'm already planning to spend my waiting time at the airport walking around rather than sitting and waiting.

The design of the GCC is clever.  I'm part of a team and we've been told we're starting in Rio de Janeiro.  There's a fun but serious pledge that we've taken and there are apparently mini challenges along the way.  We carry a pulse - a sophisticated pedometer - and are required to enter the steps we take into our profile. My pulse is sitting beside my toothbrush as suggested so I don't forget to wear it. (Note to self, do I do that every day or every week?)  There's a competitive edge and also the sense of commitment to the team.  

I'm pleased to be participating and interested to see the impact it has on my daily movement habits.

Who else is participating? First time?  Share you experience.