Alamo Commutes Announces WALKtober Challenge Winners
by Mia Garza-White
November 13, 2024
Alamo Commutes celebrated National Pedestrian Month with the WALKtober Challenge. Throughout October, participants were encouraged to log their walking trips for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card!
Walking is a healthy, sustainable way to get around, but safety is essential to make it accessible for everyone. By promoting safe walking environments, we help prevent accidents and create more connected, vibrant communities. Alamo Commutes encourages walking as part of a smart transportation strategy—it benefits individuals and the region as a whole.
We’re thrilled to announce our four WALKtober Challenge winners—meet them below!
Sydney
- Miles not driven:
- 112
- Pounds of emissions prevented:
- 98
- Calories burned:
- 10,412
- Money saved:
- $76.00
- Walking trips:
- 81
- How long have you been walking as a mode of transportation?
- For much of my adult life, my primary mode of transportation has been public transit, which inherently for me involves a decent amount of walking. Sometimes willingness to walk a little bit means less wait time for a bus, and sometimes the nearest transit stop or station is simply a few blocks down the road. That said, I've become more intentional about walking for walking's sake since March of this year.
- If you didn’t walk before, what motivated you to make the switch?
- I've had a few motivators to ramp up my walking this year. First was a recommendation from my doctor to start getting more physical activity for heart health. That got me to start taking walks in the morning and at lunchtime, usually just ambles along the River Walk, with an occasional errand packed in. The second was moving over the summer to a neighborhood that's fairly walkable. With where I live now, especially now that it's — knocks on wood — cooling off, when I'm planning out errands or just things to do, I'm finding it easier to map out my route knowing that if bus times aren't convenient, I can walk for one or more leg of the trip.
- What do you enjoy the most about walking as a mode of transportation?
- I definitely would have rolled my eyes at myself a year ago for saying this, but I find walking relaxing. It gives me time to think and process while also expending energy. I often use my walking time to listen to a podcast or audiobook or talk to my mom on the phone, which also helps center me. And, depending on where I'm walking, there's sometimes interesting things to see along the way. (I'm obsessed with the Egyptian geese families — baby geese! — that live on the River Walk). It's also just empowering knowing that I'm able to carry myself on my own two feet from one place to the next. I'm grateful to have a body that's capable of transporting itself.
- What do you most enjoy about the Alamo Commutes app or website?
- I appreciate how easy it is to track regular trips with the new auto-record feature. I have my daily commute and morning walk set to record on weekdays. I also set up my watch to start syncing my walking trips during the WALKtober Challenge. I think it's great how easy the Alamo Commutes app makes it to record trips and earn points.
Teresa
- Miles not driven:
- 85
- Pounds of emissions prevented:
- 76
- Calories burned:
- 8,715
- Money saved:
- $62.00
- Walking trips:
- 62
- How long have you been walking as a mode of transportation?
- I have been walking for the last two years but only got more serious since August.
- If you didn’t walk before, what motivated you to make the switch?
- I was motivated because it was an easy way to improve my health.
- What do you enjoy the most about walking as a mode of transportation?
- I enjoy having some thinking time while I walk.
- What do you most enjoy about the Alamo Commutes app or website?
- I like the ease of use of the website and the information it provides.
Yamini
- Miles not driven:
- 32
- Pounds of emissions prevented:
- 28
- Calories burned:
- 3,307
- Money saved:
- $22.00
- Walking trips:
- 60
- How long have you been walking as a mode of transportation?
- I have been walking as a mode of transportation since 2020, when my husband and I decided to go from two cars to one car to save money.
- If you didn’t walk before, what motivated you to make the switch?
- I first started walking in 2020 to get out of the house during the pandemic. It was also a great way to get exercise since all the gyms were closed.
- What do you enjoy the most about walking as a mode of transportation?
- I feel more connected to my community and neighborhood when I walk. I notice small changes in the landscape and neighborhood that I would have missed if I was zooming past in a car I love spontaneously running into friends, recognizing people as I walk or bike around town, or pausing to take in the beautiful sunset.
- What do you most enjoy about the Alamo Commutes app or website?
- I really enjoy seeing how much money I've saved by walking, as well as how many calories I've burned walking. It definitely helps keep me motivated!
Grace
- Miles not driven:
- 25
- Pounds of emissions prevented:
- 26
- Calories burned:
- 2,561
- Money saved:
- $17.00
- Walking trips:
- 52
- How long have you been walking as a mode of transportation?
- Walking has long been a welcomed option for me!
- If you didn’t walk before, what motivated you to make the switch?
- N/A
- What do you enjoy the most about walking as a mode of transportation?
- I find walking is a healthy means of not only getting to my destination, but an opportunity to meditate, relax, think, plan ahead, pray and appreciate my route's scenery.
- What do you most enjoy about the Alamo Commutes app or website?
- The app is so convenient to use and because I carry my phone with me, I can record trips readily and easily.