Plymouth’s own will be stepping out with the big cheese this May. In a community bonding effort, Mayor Jeff Wosje is hosting a ‘Walk with the Mayor’ event, slated for 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 1, at the Plymouth Community Center, inviting locals to hit the pavement with him. The kick-off for the city's involvement in the Step to It Challenge, an annual competitive foray into fitness hosted by Hennepin County, promises to bring neighbors together for some trail-treading chitchat.

During the free-of-charge, hour-long stroll — no sign-ups necessary — attendees can indulge in some light refreshments, which include snacks and water, handed out while supplies hold up. The May 1-28 challenge entails communities vying for the top spot in categories like ‘Most active community’ and ‘Most actively engaged community’, a title Plymouth carried home last year.

Participants in the Step to It Challenge can track their daily physical activities, including walking, biking, running, and even playing with their kids, through a variety of means such as a fitness tracker or pedometer. They can record these on the challenge's official site, which provides a convenient conversion chart for all manner of movements.

“We were thrilled that Plymouth won first place for most active community last year,” Recreation Program Coordinator Zach Swenson mentioned in a bulletin. Plymouth had impressively racked up over 73 million steps, fueling excitement among organizers about the community's competitive spirit this time around. “I’m excited to help promote this fun challenge and encourage residents to log their steps to help Plymouth compete again this year,” Swenson said.

The Step to It Challenge will bring together 25 communities within Hennepin County in a contest of motion and camaraderie, pitting friend against friend in the most neighborly way possible. The ultimate goal? To get everyone's feet moving and to zoom past their personal finish lines towards healthier, more active lifestyles.