By Peggy Sue McRae, Journal contributor
With seasonal changes turning toward the dark, cold and wet side of the year you may be looking for a way to inspire your step counting, keep track of your exercise routines, or add some fun and rewards to your commitment to staying active.
How would you like to walk through jungle canopy on an elevated steel bridge in the heart of the city-state of Singapore? If actual world travel is not within your means or convenient to your schedule consider exploring the world of virtual trekking. For several years I have been using the Conqueror’s Challenge app to add fun, interest, and accountability to my fitness goals.
Here is how it works. Throughout the day I count my steps. At the end of the day I log my steps and other fitness activities (converted into distance) onto the Conqueror’s Challenge app. After logging in my distance for the day I open the map to see how far my marker has progressed along the path of my chosen journey. Then I switch the map to “street view” to see the actual place.
Last night when I logged in I found myself in the jungle canopy above Singapore. At various points along the way I’ll receive “postcards”. I received a postcard last night that described Singapore’s Southern Ridges, an elevated trail system linking five urban parks.
When you complete a challenge you are sent an impressive medal. I started with a hike along Hadrian’s Wall; my conquests also include the Inca Trail, Sparta to Athens and the North Coast 500 in Scotland.
These challenges cost $30 apiece and vary in length. My most recent completed trek went for 500 miles along the north coast of Scotland. I chose a long one to get more miles for my money and because my family is fiercely proud of our Scottish Highland heritage.
The fun thing about this trek is that my sister Sally joined me. It’s great to have the camaraderie. A highlight of the Scottish trek for me was that this trek went through Beauly, the village my McRae grandparents were from. I have to admit though, 500 miles was a long slog.
I’m glad to say Sally is still traveling with me. After the windswept Scottish coast we wanted something different so selected a package deal of three Asian cities including Singapore, Bangkok and Tokyo. Part of the appeal is that neither of us knows anything about these places. Part of the fun is learning something new.
Our initial research on Singapore took a fun twist when we discovered the Harriet Gordon mystery series by A. M. Stuart. These mysteries feature a plucky English murder solving suffragette in late colonial Singapore and are yet another way to reward ourselves for taking all those steps!
Keeping active and keeping it fun is the goal. Whatever activities you get up to this fall I wish you the joys of discovery and good health.
The Conqueror Challenge: http://www.theconqueror.events/
