Mayor's Fitness Challenge Concludes With AchievementBy Jack Guerino, iBerkshires Staff
03:09AM / Monday, July 20, 2015 | |
 Mayor Richard Alcombright welcomes participants to the Fitness Challenge conclusion at Saturday's Farmers Market. |
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Although losing to Pittsfield by nearly 100 points, the North Adams Mayor's Fitness Challenge was still deemed a success.
Mass in Motion Project Coordinator Amanda Chilson announced Saturday at the Farmers Market the results of the 10-week long fitness challenge in which residents competed individually or in teams to gain points for healthy eating and exercising.
In its second year, the challenge took on a bigger scope and Pittsfield joined in on the competition. Chilson said Pittsfield won with an average of 1,237 points, but North Adams was right behind with 1,134.
This defeat did not faze Mayor Richard Alcombright.
"This is the culmination of another great Mayor's Fitness Challenge, and we didn’t really lose to Pittsfield," he said. "We have numbers that can prove that we have bigger numbers and better numbers."
Alcombright said that even though North Adams trailed by 100 points, the challenge still accomplished what it was supposed to do: get people thinking more about their health.
"This has been a great initiative for two years and it has done what it was intended to do, to basically have people think about those one or two things that they can do to change their lives in respect to their health their fitness," Alcombright said. "A positive change will typically lead to another positive change and ... and in this challenge we saw a lot of success and great things."
Chilson confirmed this statement by sharing a few of the great accomplishments of competitors.
She said participants lost 9, 12, 15 and even 30 pounds and increased water and vegetable consumption, and other participants through the program were able to get their diabetes under control.
She said some participants started adding exercise into their lives, had more healthy food in their homes and spent less time in front of electronic devices.
One participant new to the city made more friends and felt more involved in the community.
Chilson announced team Black Tank Mafia as the winners. Becky Miner, Raya Todd Kirby, Aimee Bullett, Carolyn Beaudreau and Kristin Irace had an average of 2,038 points.
The individual winner was Carrie Diehl with 1,467 points.
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