With midterms and Halloween coming up, there are ways to relieve stress such as exercising and planning ahead, but as college students we have so little time. There is a month–long event that hopes to give students a relief from their academic worries and foster future exercise behavior.
Winthrop Recreational Services is hosting their annual “Walktober” event at the West Center, which encourages students to walk a series of weekly increasing miles on Tuesdays and Thursdays around campus and downtown Rock Hill. The event will be hosted the entire month of October, giving students and faculty members the opportunity to participate in and walk during common time at 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Laura Davis, the coordinator for recreational services and the West Center commented on how the main goal is to have people at Winthrop exercise together.
“We want to encourage our entire campus that exercise can take place outside of the typical gym setting and happen in a group setting where you can chat with friends and have others to help cheer you on to accomplish that exercise goal,” Davis said.
This year marks the fourth year that Walktober has been part of Winthrop Recreational Services, and this year the previously faculty and employee exclusive event is being opened up to include the students.
“I believe this is a great event for students to participate in. They can converse with others on campus; be that with other students or faculty/staff,” Davis said. “Also since our race routes were built upon areas in the Winthrop/downtown Rock Hill area, this can show them places to eat, shop, explore, or where to enjoy a nice picnic.”
Each week will feature a different course with varying miles, going both on campus and expanding into downtown Rock Hill, to add variety for participants.
“Other than a change of scenery each week, we are trying to push our participants to increase their daily activity as each week progresses. We start off at 1.5 miles and work our way up to 3.5 miles,” Davis said.
As it is the middle of the semester, the West Center is focused on finding ways to appeal to returning and new runners by scheduling the activity during common time so students wouldn’t miss their classes.
“Scheduling events for a large population is always the most difficult part of planning events. We scheduled Walktober during “common time” and when some faculty/staff could take their lunch break. But I do know some areas are also more busy when common time occurs,” Davis said.
One of the ways that Walktober is going to appeal to new students is using a new phone application that allows students to register beforehand, during the month, along with other group fitness classes this semester.
“This year, for our fitness programming, we have added using an app called WU Rec Sports to pre-register for events and group fitness classes,” Davis said. “Our final goal is to have at least 68 unique individuals participate in Walktober, which will double the participation from previous years.”
Apart from walking around campus grounds, each week will have participants go around downtown Rock Hill to see the town and what gives the city its local charm.
“We will walk around Glencairn Garden, Fountain Park, Knowledge Park, Winthrop Lake, and the Winthrop campus. Each is a little part of what makes living in Rock Hill so great,” Davis said.
Additionally, the town of Rock Hill is planning to host events and will be able to coordinate with Winthrop University during Walktober and for upcoming events in the spring semester.
“Other events in the city and community are held in several of these areas, and maybe this will help the Winthrop community be involved in further events or be familiar with the location of the events,” Davis said.
If you’re looking for a fun way to de-stress and explore Rock Hill with your fellow students and professors, you still have most of the month to take a stroll with the Winthrop Recreational Services.
“Please come out and walk with us. We had 36 walk during our first Walktober session today [Oct. 1]. Check-in begins at 11:00 a.m. in the West Center lobby,” Davis said.
Photo: Gabby Gardner/ The Johnsonian
