Inaugural walk-with-a-doc event for Sarver Steppers at La Encantada deemed triumphant

[Promotional logo for the new Sarver Steppers walking club at La Encantada Shopping Center in Tucson]The newest walking club in Tucson debuted at 8 a.m., Friday, Feb. 22, at the La Encantada Shopping Center – the Sarver Steppers in partnership with the University of Arizona Sarver Heart Center and local vendors Haute Coffee and Lululemon.

Cara Deery, Sarver’s senior program manager for outreach and education, considered it a very successful launch with 11 people attending from the nearby community for the kickoff event. She noted that prizes are presented including a pair of shoes from Lululemon for the high stepper of the month.

“I am thrilled about the success of this event and the opportunities it presents to the U of A and the center for health promotion, community building and marketing,” Deery added. “The group was thrilled to participate today!”

[Three of the 14 people – including retired cardiologist Dr. Tom Lassar's wife, Jane –who took part in inaugural Sarver Steppers at La Encantada walking club event]Among participants was Tom Lassar, MD, a retired Sarver Heart Center member and faculty in the Division of Cardiology. His wife, Jane, is an avid walker at La Encantada and helped establish the initial connection between Jill Harlow, the mall’s activity manager, and the center, Deery said. 

La Encantada’s prior collaboration with Tucson Medical Center as a partner for a walking event ended during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the center was looking for a new partner.

[Signage at La Encantada Shopping Center promoting its new Sarver Steppers walking club]The Sarver Steppers will be walking daily between 6 and 9 a.m., and the frequency of the walks-with-a-doc activities is still to be determined. They’ll be planned for Fridays and will occur weekly, monthly or quarterly. And Sarver can bring any number of clinicians or researchers to participate.

Click here for a flyer to share for the Sarver Steppers. And you can see maps of walking routes at this link. There are two routes, each 0.3 of a mile in length – the Catalina Route and Saguaro Route – and a combined Ocotillo Route, including stairs, that also is 0.3 of a mile long.

[Sarver Heart Center outreach manager Cara Deery helps a Sarver Stepper with her Strava app to track her fitness activities.]Sarver Stepper participants are encouraged to download the Strava app, which offers a free service to track and record your fitness activities like walking, running, cycling and hiking. Social features also allow you to share your activities with friends and join clubs like the Sarver Steppers.

The initial 14 people recorded as members on the Strava club for the Sarver Steppers is expected to grow rapidly over the next week or so, Deery said.

“Members were excited at the opportunity to meet other walkers. One member, a 92-year-old woman named Charlotte, recently had to give up driving and is excited for the social and fitness benefits offered by the Sarver Steppers group. Her daughter, Karen, is the wife of Ken Wilund, PhD, director, U of A School of Nutritional Sciences and Wellness, whose interested in partnering on the initiative, too,” Deery added. 

She thanked Sarver physicians for their participation in offering quotes to help inspire the walkers. Those included:

■ “Movement is medicine.” | Raj Janardhanan, MD, MRCP, a professor of medicine in the college’s Division of Cardiology who is echocardiography director and medical director for non-invasive cardiac imaging at Banner – University Medicine Tucson.

■ “Walking not only improves cardiovascular health but also shown to improve mental and emotional health.” | Iniya Ranendran, MBBS, MPH, an assistant professor in the Division of Cardiology and a fellow in the Advanced Cardiovascular Imaging Fellowship Program.

■ “Use it or lose it!” | Craig Weinkauf, MD, PhD, an associate professor in the Division of Vascular Surgery at the Department of Surgery and member of the U of A Graduate Faculty.

Count your steps, count your points for prizes

  • [Map of three routes for Sarver Steppers walking club members at La Encantada Shopping Center]Download the free Strava app, join the Sarver Steppers “club,” and track your daily walk from one of the routes at La Encantada while enjoying the cool morning air.
  • Steps must be recorded only at La Encantada to be eligible for prizes.
  • About the routes:
  1. The Catalina (Upper Route): Length is 0.3 miles; three times around is approximately 1 mile.
  2. The Saguaro (Lower Route): Length is also 0.3 miles; three times around is approximately 1 mile.
  3. The Ocotillo (Upper & Lower Route): This involves a combination of using the Lower and Upper Routes to get the full mile. Length is also 0.3 miles; three times around is approximately a mile. This is the advanced route since it includes stairs.
  • Record your walk at La Encantada, use hashtag #SarverSteppers and post it on the Sarver Steppers “club” on the Strava app for a chance to win prizes!
  • Leashed pets are welcome.

See QR code on maps PDF for alternate way to download the Strava app. Click image to enlarge.

Questions? Contact Cara Deery, senior program manager, outreach and education, Sarver Heart Center, 520-626-2901 or caradeery@arizona.edu

Original story: “Inaugural walk-with-a-doc event for Sarver Steppers at La Encantada deemed triumphant”