Tony says walk one million metres to win a £150 bar tab
A WOKINGHAM resident has launched a new fitness challenge to tackle heart disease one step at a time.
Earlier this year, Tony Eames launched the Million Metre Challenge in a bid to inspire one million people from across the globe to improve their wellbeing.
Now, he has opened the programme up to shop workers and is encouraging the borough’s to get moving this summer for the Wokingham Retail Shop Challenge.
The challenge asks shop workers based in the area to work as teams and travel one million metres by walking or running over the coming months.
The challenge is virtual, meaning staff can track their progress through an online portal and compete with one another.
“I’ve worked in retail all my life and it’s been through quite a difficult time during the pandemic,” Mr Eames said.
“I thought it’d be good to create a wellbeing programme to get retail workers out and about, and make other people aware that the shops are back so they should get out and support them.”
Now, Mr Eames hopes it will help bring Wokingham’s business community together while promoting physical health.
“I’m local, I shop in Wokingham and I think it’s important to support our community,” he said. “I want to bring retailers together and engage people.”
He took part in his own million metre rowing challenge in 2017 and said it “changed [his] life”.
“I’m a totally different person now,” he explained. “I’m more focused and fitness is part of my everyday life.
“My objective with the Wokingham Retail Shop Challenge is to get more people involved and help them kickstart their own fitness process.
“My primary objective is to get people doing more fitness.”
The first shop team to complete their million metre challenge will win a £150 voucher to spend at a nearby pub.
The organiser said the Wokingham Retail Shop Challenge is the first of many and said he is planning to launch a range of community competitions in the future — including a Walk 300km Summer 2021 Challenge.
Mr Eames, who lives in Wokingham with his family, launched the Million Metre Challenge as part of his ongoing mission to raise awareness for heart charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY).
He was diagnosed with a potentially fatal heart condition, known as Long QT, when he was 12.
The Million Metre Challenge has worked with CRY over the past three months on a 25 Million Metre Challenge too.
The Wokingham Retail Shop Challenge is taking place from Monday, May 31 until Sunday, July 25 and entry is free.
For more information and to sign up, visit: www.millionmetre.com/wokingham or email info@millionmetre.com