Pathletes finish first in AT Team Steps Challenge
Posted on May 24, 2021 by Carol McPhail
Six teams chalked up millions of steps in February and March during the virtual Race
the AT Team Steps Challenge, a wellness initiative hosted by the Office of Graduate
Medical Education and JagFIT.
The first team to amass 4.3 million steps – the length of the Appalachian Trail --
was the Pathletes team from pathology. The IMcredibles from internal medicine placed
second, and the Competitive Coordinators beat out team Shade from radiology to finish
third. Other teams included the Coderunners and FAMMED.
Carole Boudreaux, M.D., associate dean for Graduate Medical Education, said the challenge
was organized to promote physical well-being and was part of an initiative to pursue
overall well-being through a new curriculum.
“I was very pleased with how many residents, faculty and staff participated in the
Appalachian Trail Challenge,” she said. “As the challenge progressed, we saw how it
was also a wonderful opportunity to build community as teams and ‘rivalries’ among
the departments.”
She said the GME office intends to make the virtual race a yearly event.
The Race the AT Team Steps Challenge began Feb. 14, when the six teams began counting
steps on a virtual Appalachian Trail. The real AT is a 2,180-mile public footpath
that traverses the Appalachian Mountains between Springer Mountain in Georgia and
Mount Katahdin in Maine.
For the GME challenge, hiking the AT virtually often meant hitting the gym, walking
at home or making laps around the hospital during a break.
“I have an alarm set for 4:35 a.m. to get in 3.5 miles at the track before work,”
said Jennifer A. Russell, MA, CPC, director of operations for pathology and radiology.
Russell, a member of the Pathletes team, racked up more than 1.9 million individual
steps during the challenge – the most by a single participant.
Russell said her teammates motivated each other to do their best. “Dr. (Elliott) Carter
bought a Fitbit when this challenge started, and almost hourly, we were all comparing
how many steps we had,” she said. “Pam Frink is the ultimate JagFIT fan and tried
to keep us motivated. Farhana (Akther) started a group text where we would compare
steps and cheer each other on.”
At one point during the challenge, the IMcredibles caught up with the Pathletes. “We
really started upping our game,” Russell said. “Many of us would do a quick lap around
the University Hospital campus at lunch to keep moving, and many of us kept a set
of sneakers under our desks in case we had a break and could get some steps in.”
As the winning team, the Pathletes will receive customized T-shirts, JagFIT fleece
blankets, JagFIT water bottles and JagFIT beanies. Individual winners also will receive
prizes.