Submitted by Jill Temples
SMT Writer
Jefferson City, Missouri – Gov. Jay Nixon and First Lady Georganne Nixon today applauded participants in the Governor’s 100 Missouri Miles Challenge for achieving their goal of logging 1 million miles on Missouri trails this year, and encouraged Missourians to continue to log miles atMO.gov as part of this outdoor fitness initiative. To celebrate this milestone, on November 12 the Governor will visit Nevada, Mo. where the community has used the 100 Missouri Miles Challenge to advance the goals of its Healthy Nevada Project, a wellness initiative designed to promote wellness and reduce health care costs.
“Here in Missouri, getting out and enjoying the outdoors isn’t just something we do, it’s part of who we are, and reaching our 1 million mile goal is a great example of how these outdoor traditions are stronger than ever in communities across our state,” Gov. Nixon said. “The First Lady and I are proud to celebrate this accomplishment with the 12,000 Missourians who have taken the 100 Missouri Miles Challenge and encourage Missourians to keep logging their miles online at MO.gov to see how many miles we can log by the end of the year.”
Launched to promote Missouri’s distinction as the 2013 Best Trails State in America, the outdoor fitness initiative challenges Missourians to complete 100 miles of outdoor physical activity by the end of the year. Since the official launch on June 1, 12,000 participants have completed more than 1,000,000 miles, including 347 miles by the Governor and 377 miles by the First Lady.
Earlier this year, Missouri was named the “Best Trails State” by American Trails, a national, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting our nation’s hiking, biking and riding trails. The award recognized efforts by federal, state and local agencies as well as private organizations to expand and improve Missouri’s comprehensive recreational trail system, which offers trails for a wide range of interests and abilities, including hikers, backpackers, cyclists, paddlers and equestrians.
Nearly 500 organizations – including schools, cross country teams and fitness clubs – have signed up to take the Challenge as a group, while almost 200 Missouri businesses have implemented the initiative into office wellness programs to promote overall health and physical activity among employees.
The Governor’s 100 Missouri Miles Challenge is a partnership with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and Missouri State Parks, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, the Missouri Department of Conservation, the Missouri Department of Economic Development and Division of Tourism, the Missouri Department of Transportation, the Missouri Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions and the Office of Administration.
For more information and to take the Challenge, visit MO.gov. Participants can also share adventures, post photos and learn about upcoming events by connecting with 100 Missouri Miles on Facebook and Twitter using #100MoMiles
