London: The UK’s state-funded National Health Service (NHS) on Friday unveiled plans for a nationwide walking challenge that will reward people for completing the equivalent of a marathon over a month.
The “Movement 26.2” challenge, due to launch by January 2027, aims to sign up around 100,000 participants.
It aims to encourage participants to log their walks of a minimum of 20 minutes a day. Over a month, that would roughly add up to 26.2 miles (around 42 km) – the distance of a marathon.
“What I love about Movement 26.2 is its simplicity,” said British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“Walking 20 minutes a day, which adds up to a marathon over a month, is exactly that “a simple, achievable challenge that has meaningful benefits,” he said.
Participants will be able to log their walks online or through their phones and smartwatches. Those who complete the challenge will be eligible for rewards such as discount vouchers and other incentives.
“Physical activity should be part of everyone’s daily life choice, and Movement 26.2 is about exactly that “making movement part of everyday life again in a way that feels simple and achievable for everyone,” said Sir Jim Mackey, NHS chief executive.
“By helping people build regular walking into their daily routines, we have a real opportunity to improve physical and mental wellbeing and help people live longer, healthier lives,” he said.
The campaign, which builds on the NHS 10-Year Plan for healthy living, is being led by Olympics medal-winning athlete Sir Brendan Foster to create a movement that brings about long-term behavioural change in the country.
“Our bodies weren’t evolved to sit still. If you keep the machine working, it works. If you don’t keep it working, it doesn’t,” said Foster.
The NHS said the campaign draws on research by Harvard University Professor Daniel E Lieberman, which highlights how modern environments work against the way our bodies have evolved and contribute to inactivity.
“At its heart is a simple challenge: to walk the distance of a marathon over the course of a month. It’s about showing how small, everyday movement can quickly add up to something significant and achievable,” the NHS stated.
Health officials are said to be in talks with retailers and companies about setting up a new Movement 26.2-related loyalty scheme that will encourage healthy choices beyond the campaign.
