Central Coast workers are being encouraged to put their best foot forward and walk to work
on Friday 2 September as part of Walk to Work Day.
Walk to Work Day encourages employees and employers to build regular walking into their
daily routines by walking to and from work, taking a walk at lunchtime if possible, and using
the stairs instead of elevators and escalators.
The annual event is celebrating its 22nd year and supports Diabetes Australia. In the last 12
months, 120,000 Australians have been diagnosed with all types of diabetes, making it the
fastest growing chronic condition in Australia. It can lead to a range of debilitating
complications including vision loss, limb amputation and kidney and heart disease.
Regular walking helps lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and can help people living with
diabetes manage the condition. It also helps prevent and reduce the impact of other chronic
diseases like heart disease and cancer.
Sally Freeman regularly walks around 1.5 kilometres from her home in Berowra to the train
station, before catching the train to Gosford and walking to work at Gosford Hospital.
“I started walking as part of my journey to work around May last year and I’ve found it’s not
only a great way to clear your head, but it’s also much more convenient,” Sally said.
“I don’t have to worry about getting a parking space at the station and leaving the car at
home allows me to do some studying on the train.
“It’s great because my walk to the station has a couple of routes and in the warmer months
I’ll take the bush track past Joe Craft’s Creek. It’s really picturesque.
“I also join a colleague for a walk at lunchtime as well. It’s nice to take a break from my
screen, get some fresh air and catch up. I come back feeling refreshed for the afternoon.”
For Sally, being active has become a real family affair. She is currently training for two 50-
kilometre ultra-marathons later this year which she will do with her two sisters, brother-in-law
and husband.
“I started doing triathlons in my late 30s and really caught the bug. I’ve now done 10, but the
ultra-marathons this year will be my furthest distance. I blame my brother-in-law who we
used to watch compete overseas in ultra-marathons. We thought, why just watch when we
can join him and compete?
“My husband and I are quite competitive, so I like to get some form of exercise in wherever I
can to help me train – whether that’s jogging with the kids when they ride to school, walking
with them to and from Guide Camp, or walking for short trips to our local post office.”
Nigel Tebb, health promotion officer at Central Coast Local Health District, highlighted the
importance of walking for good mental health and social connectedness.
“The Central Coast is such a beautiful place. Getting out and enjoying our beautiful region by
walking not only has great benefits for our physical health, but also reduces our risk of
anxiety, stress and depression, and helps us connect more with our community,” Nigel said.
“Walk to Work Day is great because it’s so easy to participate in. If you work further away,
use public transport and get off the bus or train a few stops earlier and walk for the remainder
of your journey. If you do need to drive, park a kilometre from your workplace and walk the
rest of the way. Walking a kilometre only takes about 10 minutes.
“For those of us working from home, you can walk to grab your morning coffee, or get out at
lunchtime and take a break from the screen. Every little bit helps.”
For more information on Walk to Work Day, visit www.walk.com.au.
To check your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, take a few minutes to visit
www.health.gov.au and complete the Australian Type 2 Diabetes Risk Assessment Tool
(AUSDRISK). What’s your score?