The connection between nature and physical activity was present among the Secondary students who, together with their physical education teachers, visited the Pance Ecopark on the 3rd (12th grade) and 17th (11th grade) of November to carry out the activity called “Plogging”. Plogging consists of combining the physical activity of running while picking up litter along the way, as you contemplate the natural beauty of our city and the beautiful flow of the Río Pance. Some rubbish found along the way was removed and at the end, the best reward was sharing this experience between classmates and teachers immersing themselves in the river and having a better connection with nature.
“This was an initiative that was born a long time ago with the groups to bring them here as a way to stimulate them to be physically active in a different way. The students have the opportunity to measure themselves physically and run 9 km, to experience the river, nature, jogging in a different environment to the School. Now we are implementing Plogging and as we contribute to the environment we also do physical activity,” said the Secondary Section Physical Education Coordinator, Maricel Vivas.
Some physical education teachers started the route running hand in hand with their more competitive students, others decided to do it jogging and the last group were those who wanted to go walking but all groups had the same goal in mind: to collect as much waste as possible.
“This activity is done every year but more as a physical jogging activity. This year we introduced the activity of picking up litter, to encourage the practice of Plogging, which has emerged as a form of sport and is attractive because it combines two things that are transcendental: physical activity, which is what keeps us healthy, and the environment, which also contributes to our health,” said Marina Reina, CCB Physical Education teacher.
Plogging was born in 2016 in Sweden and due to its important objective it spread to other countries and is increasingly being practised.
“It is a different experience to the usual CCB, a very interesting activity. We not only jogged but also picked up litter in the open air. At the end we all went to the river, something totally different that takes us out of the reality of going to school every day. I did the first lap jogging and the second walking, the teachers were very enthusiastic,” said Valentina Herrera, a student of 12.
It is hoped that this important activity will continue to be carried out with the aim of contributing to our environment as well as providing spaces for students to have the opportunity to share with their classmates and teachers in different contexts and connect them one hundred percent with nature, and demonstrate their willingness to contribute to the environment.
