Hello!

Week 5 of VäljaQtse—the “week of the vein”—ended last night. If you met the vein quota over five days, the raffle ticket is yours. Now the sixth week begins, and it’s different from all the previous ones: this time, the system won’t tally anything for you. This time, you’ll have to be more proactive and record your results yourself.

Week 6 Challenge: 2 km of walking

This is the UKK walk test—a method developed by the UKK Institute in Finland to measure endurance without running and without a lab. You’ll need a relatively flat 2 km stretch, a stopwatch, and your heart rate monitor. It’ll take about 20 minutes of your time.

This Week’s Challenge

August 31–September 6. Walk 2 km as fast as you can, measure your heart rate immediately after finishing, and enter your result. You’ll earn a raffle ticket for completing the walk and submitting your result—your time doesn’t affect this. Fast and slow walkers get exactly the same entry.

This isn’t a competition, and there’s no bar you have to clear. There’s no such thing as a “too slow” result—there’s just your number for today, which you can add to in a couple of months. Your time and final heart rate, combined with your age, gender, and body mass index, will give you a fitness index, and this result will remain even after the campaign ends.

Before you begin: This test requires physical exertion

Walk 2 km as fast as you can. For most people, this is completely safe. In some cases, however, it’s wise to skip this week or talk to your doctor first.

Do not take the test if:

• you have a heart or cardiovascular condition, or have experienced chest pain or unusual shortness of breath during physical activity;

• your blood pressure is uncontrolled or fluctuates;

• you are currently sick, have a fever, or are still recovering from an infection;

• you have an injury or pain that worsens when walking;

• you are pregnant or have recently given birth.

During the test: If you feel chest pain, severe dizziness, or nausea—stop immediately. Your health is more important than the test result.

The UKK walking test has been developed and validated in healthy people aged 20–65. If you’re outside this age range, you can still take the test and save your results. Unfortunately, the index itself hasn’t been properly validated for your age group.

If you decide to skip it, that’s a perfectly reasonable decision, and the campaign will continue as usual for you. A leisurely walk at your own pace offers the same health benefits as a brisk walk—just without the numbers—and your steps will still count toward your daily total.

How to Take the Test

• Find a 2 km stretch that’s as flat as possible. A track is the most accurate: 5 laps on the inner track = 2 km. A GPS app on your phone or a marked fitness trail also works. Choose a straight, flat stretch and avoid strong winds, hills, and slippery surfaces—these will make your results incomparable to your next attempt.

• Warm up by walking gently for 5–10 minutes. Start the stopwatch at the beginning of the route and stop it exactly at the 2 km mark.

• Walk at a steady, brisk pace the entire way—don’t start too fast, and don’t sprint at the end. Don’t run: one foot must always be on the ground, otherwise the test is invalid.

• Measure your heart rate immediately at the finish line. This is the most important step and the easiest one to forget—your heart rate starts to drop within seconds. If you’re using a heart rate monitor, check the reading as soon as you stop; if you don’t have a monitor, count your beats on your wrist or neck for exactly 10 seconds—we’ll calculate the rest. Set your timer before you start.

We already have the rest of the information: the index requires your age, gender, height, and weight, all of which are in your profile. Check before the test to make sure your weight is up to date—it affects the result.

How the Results Are Recorded

The form for entering your results will be available later this week—it’s not up yet. You can take the test in advance. Just remember the time and your final heart rate, or take a screenshot on your phone, and enter them once the form goes live. We’ll let you know when it’s available.

You can already find the week’s description, all safety information, and the complete instructions on the campaign page under Week 6.

Check out the VäljaQtse Week page

Weekly VäljaQtse Vol. 6 runs through Sunday, September 6. The test lasts the entire week—take it whenever it’s convenient for you.

Happy walking!

The campaign runs from July 27 to October 4, 2026. Each successfully completed weekly challenge earns you one entry into the grand prize drawing, which will take place on October 4. The grand prize is a €1,000 Estravel gift card.