Dance, Jog, Kayak--Doesn’t Matter, Just Move!

Sign-ups Start Monday for Popular Online Exercise Program ‘Thrive Across America’

Maybe you already hit the treadmill or bike path regularly.

If you’re like a lot of us, you could use an extra nudge to ensure you’re fitting exercise in your routine.

That’s where Thrive Across America comes in.

The County is bringing back the popular online exercise program, offered through Kaiser Permanente. Starting Monday, employees can sign up for Thrive Across America, which will be held over an eight week period from Aug. 5 to Sept. 30. The program, which was also offered last year, encourages participants to exercise at least 30 minutes a day and then log the activity online. Based on the amount of exercise you record, you move along a virtual route from Maine to Hawaii, passing landmarks along the way. 

Employees can sign up individually or in teams and exercise in a wide variety of ways, from running, yoga, swimming and surfing to fencing, fly fishing or figure skating.

All active participants will receive awards. The top 10 performing teams and top three male and female individual winners will be recognized with special awards.

The program is also one of several employees can complete to become eligible for the iPad opportunity drawing at the end of the year. For more information on the drawing, see this information sheet (PDF).

Thrive Across America encourages employees to stay active, said William Erese, Wellness Coordinator for the County’s Department of Human Resources. It also helps build camaraderie among co-workers through competition.

Some good-natured rivalries even developed last year, and are expected to carry over into this year’s program, Erese said. Teams from the Department of Human Resources tied for first, and finished second and fourth, he said. Employees there are hoping to defend their first place finish, but they will face some competition. Erese said he’s received many inquiries from employees in other departments asking when the program will start again.

Not only can employees track their progress on a virtual route, but they also receive emails with recipes, and tips on weight and stress management, Erese said.

Thrive Across America was very successful last year, drawing a total of 1,455 participants. The vast majority were actively engaged, logging in their times three or four times a week. Over the 12 week period, participants logged a total of 2,245,232 minutes of exercise, Erese said.

“There are some programs that, as the years go by, they become a tradition,” Erese said. “Out of respect for those programs, you keep them as part of your tradition.”

For more information, visit thriveacrossamerica.com or look at the “Employee Wellness Program” section on InSite.