Spring walking challenges

Two public health campaigns on two sides of the Atlantic are betting on the same spring habit: get people walking, and make it easy to join. Springfield Memorial Hospital has opened a free May mileage challenge, while organizers in western England have set dates for a two-county walking drive. (memorial.health) (herefordshire.gov.uk) Memorial Health said its Mindful Miles program will run from May 1 to May 31 across central Illinois, with kickoff parties on April 30 in Decatur, Jacksonville, Lincoln, Springfield and Taylorville. Participants sign up through the Pacer app, and anyone who logs 50 miles or more in May gets a free T-shirt. (memorial.health) Springfield Memorial Hospital’s event is scheduled for 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on April 30 at the Edgar J. Curtis Memorial Learning Center, 228 W. Miller St. in Springfield. Memorial Health community health director Angela Stoltzenburg said the challenge is the system’s first regional walking challenge. (memorial.health) In Herefordshire and Worcestershire, the Walk This May Challenge will run from Wednesday, May 1, to Thursday, May 14. Herefordshire Council said the program will offer free walks lasting 10 to 90 minutes on easy ground at a relaxed pace, with no booking required. (herefordshire.gov.uk) The British challenge is being led by Active Herefordshire and Worcestershire, Herefordshire Council and Worcestershire County Council. Organizers said the routes are spread across both counties and are reachable on foot or by public transport. (herefordshire.gov.uk) Both campaigns are tying their events to mental as well as physical health. Memorial Health said Mindful Miles is meant to get people outside as the weather improves, and Worcestershire public health director Lisa McNally said walking supports heart health, reduces stress, improves sleep and lifts mood. (nationaltoday.com) (herefordshire.gov.uk) The Illinois program also builds on local experience with app-based walking contests. A Memorial Health blog post in March said participants in the 2025 “217 Challenge” used the same Pacer app to track cumulative miles, and one Decatur participant logged 385 miles in October. (blog.memorial.health) The Herefordshire and Worcestershire organizers are also leaning on last year’s turnout. They said walkers covered 4,723.18 miles in the 2025 challenge, which they described as the equivalent of crossing the 53-mile county border 89 times. (herefordshire.gov.uk) The pitch in both places is not speed or competition, but participation. Memorial Health said people can walk “anywhere, anytime” during May, and Herefordshire Council said its May challenge is built around beginner-friendly walks that residents can simply show up and join. (blog.memorial.health) (herefordshire.gov.uk)