The new Vaevae Challenge

Following hot on the heels of World Health Day, the Cook Islands public health department has started another Vaevae Challenge.
Vaevae means ‘legs’ (in CI Maori) and the idea is to get more people walking or doing some other form of exercise.
We’ve had similar contests in the past and they’ve been very popular.
Teams of between four and six people from the workplace, clubs, schools or just friends, keep track of how much exercising they do. They get points for each half-hour’s-worth and the team with the most points at the end of six weeks wins the challenge. There are extra points every now and again for things like group walks or taking extra people along with you, best uniforms (Cook Islanders love an excuse for getting a new T-shirt designed), best team photo and so on.
The challenge has been run before – in fact it’s back by popular demand – and a lot of people will be walking or jogging in the early morning, at lunchtime or after work.
Quite a few will carry on at the end of the competition.
One thing about living in a tropical island paradise is that the weather is good for getting out and about most of the time!
Hash House Harriers combined their regular Monday run with the vaevae start so participants could choose between long and short courses, runs, jogs or walks. Something for everyone.