This summer, up to 2,000 Pittsburgh residents are expected to participate in the 2010 "Ready, Set, Walk!" challenge, an eight-week program that promotes walking as a viable means of transportation.

Presented by the Airport Corridor Transportation Association, Oakland Transportation Management Association and Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, the challenge encourages people to get off the road and onto the sidewalk.

According to the Clean Air Campaign, the average American walks two to three miles a day, but those with more sedentary lifestyles walk as few as one.

Health experts recommend people walk five miles a day -- the equivalent of 10,000 steps -- for physical fitness and healthy living, so most Americans would need to add at least two miles to their daily routine to meet that goal. The Ready, Set, Walk! Challenge encourages residents to add a mile, or approximately 2,000 steps, per day.

As a transportation management association "we educate and encourage folks to consider commuting alternatives, such as public transit, carpools, biking and walking as a way to get to work or school," said Mavis Rainey, executive director of the Oakland Transportation Management Association.

"So, it was natural for us to promote walking not only as a part of a healthy lifestyle, but as a commuting alternative that assists with reducing traffic congestion and improving air quality."

On Monday, the three organizations started registering walkers and handed out free resource kits that included a pedometer, T-shirt, blinkie light for safety and other information. Participants will log on to the website, walk-challenge.org, at the end of each day and record the number of steps they've taken, based on the count on their pedometers.

The program comes with many incentives. Each week, each association will award prizes such as an iPod Shuffle, to randomly selected participants. At the end of the challenge, a grand prize -- a $1,000 gift certificate to the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort-- will be awarded to the person who has walked the most of all participants.

"It's for anybody, anyone can participate," said participant Pattye Stragar, an operations manager of fitness and aquatics at Carnegie Mellon University. "You don't need a track, you don't need a gym. You can just go out and walk and it motivates people to be healthy and fit for life."

You can register for the program or and find out all details at the website or by calling the Oakland association at 412-687-4505.

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