Cornerstone Health in Alexandra has retained its two year-old title as Otago's most active medical practice after winning Sport Otago's region-wide pedometer challenge.
During the month of March 40 teams from 25 practices throughout Otago took up the challenge which provided the opportunity to participate by entering a team of four GPs, nurses and administrative staff.
Each team had to accumulate as many steps and ‘‘stepequivalents'' as possible by allocating a pedometer to one team member each working day.
The team recorded a total of 717,332 steps, a distance of about 574km.
The group has won a $400 voucher to use at the Sanctuary Day Spa at Oakridge Resort at Wanaka.
Team members were determined to retain their title and they watched carefully each week as others recorded their week's activity on the Internet.
‘‘We had been known to go out walking with our husbands following behind in the car with the headlights on so we could see where we were going,'' Vyv Weller said.
This year, the teams were allowed to go biking and swimming and the activities were worked out into steps for distances travelled.
Dr Williamson had completed an 82km bike-ride and Meg Paulin had walked 14km from Earnscleugh to Alexandra five days of the week and back home again.
