Walk your way to great health - with NBK

Posted by amrina alshaikh on December 6th, 2019

It’s so easy that everybody can do it, and its health benefits are wide-ranging. Walking benefits not just your body, but also has positive impacts on your mental and emotional state. Brisk walking is especially recommended for those struggling with excess weight, diabetes, low blood pressure, joint pains, and mental health issues like depression and anxiety, among others.

Why choose walking?

• Every person, young or old, can walk. You don’t require special equipment or clothes to walk, apart from a pair of good quality walking shoes.
• Walking has many cardiovascular benefits, apart from providing tensile strength and flexibility to the muscles and joints.
• It is one of the few exercises that have the lowest potential for injury, unless you use the wrong kind of footwear for walking.
• Apart from keeping your muscles and bones in good shape, walking improves the mood and alters the mental state. When you walk briskly and sweat, the body responds by rushing endorphins (feel-good hormones) into the bloodstream. The endorphins promote calmness, reduce the effects of stress and anxiety, and improve your mood post-walk. Walking is thus, highly recommended for those who cannot take up more challenging forms of exercise, and those who suffer from mental health issues.

Whether you walk at a speed faster than a stroll or power walk, it is clear that the exercise has tremendous benefits for you. If you are an avid walker and would like to participate in a walking race with like minded individuals, you can do so in December – the NBK Walkathon 2019 is here! Walking as part of a race with hundreds of other participants is always great fun – and there are superb prizes up for grabs, too.

What is the NBK Group Walkathon?

A leading entity in the financial space in Kuwait, NBK Group stands for so much more than just business and finance. The company is invested in individual wellbeing and good health as well. A testament to this fact is the famous NBK Walkathon, an annual event that was started 24 years ago. This year, in the year 2019, it completes 25 years and every person wishing to have good health and a long life can walk their way to the finish line!

Details about the Walkathon

What: The NBK Walkathon 2019

Where: Green Island to Shuwaikh Beach Park

When: December 7, 2019, 8.30 am onward

Distance: 11 km

Categories: There are two main categories for adults who are not aged 50 and above – male and female. Men get blue T-shirts and women get red T-shirts. There are other colours as per age groups:

• Green: Ages 12 to 20
• Light blue: Ages 21 to 35
• Yellow: Ages 36 to 49
• Black: Ages 50 to 59
• Red: Age 60 and above

The prizes: 100 winners will be chosen. First prize is KD 300, second prize is KD 200, third prize is KD 100 and fourth to 10^th prizes are KD 50 each. There is also a draw for the Renault Megane RS 2020 and Renault Duster 2020 by the event’s partner, Al Babtain Group. However, you must be a Kuwaiti national and a Walkathon 2019 participant to be eligible for the draw.

How to register: Log on to nbkwalkathon.com to register. Only online registrations are accepted.

Other important details

• Upon registering, you qualify to get a competition kit comprising cap, T-shirt, event brochure, and number bib with RFID tag (to note your walk and distance).
• Collect the competition kit from the NBK Walkathon tent you can see at Green Island, from 1 pm to 9 pm.
• Last date for collecting the competition kit is December 5, 2019. If the event organisers run out of running bibs and T-shirts, you may have to go without them even if you have already registered.
• All registered participants to be present at the start point one hour before the race begins.
• The race winners’ ceremony will be held at 11 am at Shuwaikh Beach Park.
• Free bus transport will be provided between the two points (start and finish) from 6.30 am onward. Water and medical assistance will be available throughout the race route.
• You can park your car at the start or finish line. Gulf Road in front of the Green Island will be closed at 7 am to general motorists.
• The judges’ decision regarding participants taking outside help or violating walking rules is final, and disqualification cannot be challenged.

What’s next after registration?

• Collect your competition kit at the time and venue mentioned above.
• Make sure that the step counting RFID chip in your number bib is not damaged.
• Be present at the starting point one hour before the event begins. The event is considered finished only after the prize distribution is concluded.

Good luck, and see you at the NBK Walkathon 2019!