City Invites Residents to be “Mile Markers”

Have you made your New Year’s Resolution yet? If not, The Roanoke City Parks and Recreation Department is asking Roanokers to consider participating in the Roanoke 100 Miler program. The format is simple: Log 100 miles worth of exercise in 100 days. Any “human-powered” activity is fair game: walking, running, hiking, biking, paddling, blades, etc. You can’t ride horses, and you can’t use anything motorized.

“We just want to get people active and outdoors to keep them healthy and fit,” says Outdoor Event Specialist Joe Hanning, who’s leading the program. Hanning says he prefers that folks try to get outside, but recognizes that some days are just too cold. When that’s the case, it’s OK to walk at the mall or to use treadmills or exercise bikes.

The Roanoke 100 Miler starts on Jan. 7, 2012, and ends April 15. A kick-off event will be held on Saturday, Jan. 7, at 10 a.m. on the Roanoke River Greenway in Wasena Park. On that day, participants are invited to come out for the announcement of the program’s start, and walk across the bridge to Vic Thomas Park where they can log their first mile on the greenway. In the case of inclement weather, the announcement will be held in the Wasena Park shelter.

The program has a nominal fee: $19 if you want an official 100 Miler t-shirt, $9 if you skip the shirt. The preferred way to sign up is via the dedicated website, www.Roanoke100Miler.com, where you’ll find a link to Parks and Rec’s ActiveNet enrollment system.

During the program, Hanning will communicate with participants through email messages from “Active Andy” – the official event mascot – who will be everyone’s exercise buddy for the duration of the program. The messages will offer fitness tips and other information to help keep folks motivated through the winter.

There will be a series of random prize drawings throughout the program period. However, prizes will not be linked to mileage benchmarks, since participants will monitor their own progress and can complete the 100 miles at any time.

The Roanoke 100 Miler program is sponsored by Fleet Feet Sports. To learn more, visit www.Roanoke100Miler.com, or contact Joe Hanning at 540-853-1276.

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