#SouthWestMoves virtual challenge about fun, exercise, community

This Victorian school holidays the south-west is tasked with combining artwork and exercise.

South West Sport is hosting #SouthWestMoves from September 19 to October 4.

Participants can run, walk, swim or cycle but the fun won't stop there.

They've got to use a fitness tracker such as Strava to draw a shape or picture.

The fitness tracker will draw the circuit a participant has completed with its GPS.

Participants can share their design on social media or Strava (there is a South West Sport group on Strava) .

There are prizes for the most creative designs.

The worldwide virtual activity has already seen a whale, Pac-Man and guitar drawn thanks to people hitting the pavement.

READ MORE:

South West Sport program manager Andrew Sloane is eager to see the artwork that emerges from the south-west.

"We're not interested in leaderboards or how far people have gone, we're interested in people moving and getting to see some great creative images along the journey," he said.

Sloane said it didn't matter whether people drew elaborate circuits or stick figures.

"We just want people engaging, moving and enjoying something a little bit different," he said.

Sloane said Strava was a great platform to create GPS drawings.

He doesn't want people turned off thinking it's an application just for athletes. It can be downloaded free.

It's SWS's second virtual event for the year after hosting one at the end of June.

Sloane believes the latest challenge can encourage people to undertake regular exercise.

"We've certainly heard local stories of people who have walked every street of their town," he said.

"Having some sense of accomplishment in your psychical activity can be motivating to continue to do it and form those psychical activity habits."

The program manager said virtual events helped promote a sense of community spirit during the coronavirus pandemic.

"Being able to connect with people through even social media is paramount for our sense of community connection as much as anything else," he said.

"The great thing about virtual challenges is you're one of many people, even if you're not physically there with them you know you're not alone."

Warrnambool Tri Club, Warrnambool Athletics Club and Port Fairy Cricket Club are among the groups which have hosted a virtual event this year.

SWS has a long list of links to sport-based and home workouts people can undertake on its website.

There is also a list of virtual challenges people can participate in, some of which extend beyond the south-west.

Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in the south-west.