The next session of NDSU Extension Service’s Walk N.D. Challenge will begin Sept. 11. Participants have an eight-week period to walk 200 miles. The challenge will end Nov. 5.

To reach the 200-mile goal, participants need to walk about 10,000 steps a day at least five days a week. That's the equivalent of walking five miles a day.

This is how the program works: Put on a pedometer in the morning and record the number of steps taken by the end of the day. Then report the number of steps every two weeks. Participants without a pedometer, should record one mile or 2,000 steps for every 20 minutes you walk.

Report progress online at www.walknd.com or on a mail-in postcard. Email reminders to report progress will be sent to those participating online.

You can join Walk North Dakota as an individual or part of a group. Groups that haven't participated in the program should send an email to info@walknd.com. You don't need to live in North Dakota to participate.

The registration fee is $10 for anyone age 19 or older and $5 for youth 18 and younger. North Dakota 4-H'ers can participate free of charge.

Go to the Walk North Dakota website at www.walknd.com to register. For more information, contact Linda Hauge at (701) 231-7964 or info@walknd.com.

Since May 2004, when the program started, 4,150 participants have walked 1.6 billion steps, or about 802,734 miles.