You don’t have to be gasping for breath to get a good aerobic exercise. According to some health advocates, all you need to do is walk.

As a part of the statewide program Walk Across Arizona, the Community Health Advancement Partnership at the UA works to encourage individuals and families to increase their participation in activities that promote a healthy lifestyle. They hope to help the community reduce stress and lessen the social isolation of local residents.

Walk Across Arizona is an eight-week program beginning Feb. 1, where departments, colleagues, students, friends and family divide into teams of up to 10 members. Each team is granted a team captain, as well as a team name.

From walking up and down stairs of buildings on campus, to taking a stroll on lunch breaks – teams are encouraged to walk whenever possible, while tracking their mileage on a pedometer, which is included along with a t-shirt in the $10 registration fee.

“”Some people like to do it in a group, others on their own,”” said Nancy Rogers of Life and Work Connections, who coordinates the teams for faculty and staff. “”The concept is that you have a team captain that once a week records the miles from their team, so you can keep track of their progress.””

Out of 30 teams, University of Arizona President Robert Shelton was on the fifth “”most walked”” team last year.

His team captain, Carla Nunn believes Walk for Arizona is more than just exercising: it’s fun.

“”It’s good to feel apart of the whole university,”” said Carla Nunn, team captain of the President’s Office Pace Setters (POPS). “”Being part of a team makes you more faithful to your goals, while helping everyone to be more health conscious.””

Nunn said President Shelton and the POPS team will take a noon walk on March 3. The group will meet at the west end of the UA Mall by Old Main, and walk down to Park Avenue before returning to the Student Union Memorial Center.

Although teams are advised not to compete with each other, sometimes competition can be fun and motivating, Rogers said.

Garry Forger of the Learning Technologies Center was a member of the Trekking Techies, the team that beat Shelton’s and came in fourth place last year.

“”It makes you pay attention to the amount of exercise you’re getting,”” Forger said. “”It also helped me meet people in the building I never knew before, we’re looking forward to it this year.””