Kennesaw City Council woman has 4,000-day power walking streak

KENNESAW, Ga - A Kennesaw woman has quite a streak going. Tracey Viars has power walked every day for the past 4,000 days. 

For almost 11 years she has been seen walking through Kennesaw, where she serves as a city council member.

"If you've never taken a great walk in your community, in your city you get to see a lot of things you don't really see in a car," said Viars.

She walks a brisk pace, with arms swinging, averaging about five miles a day.

Sometimes she walks in the morning, sometimes at night, but she says she hasn't missed a day for the past 4,000 days.

"Not with rain, not with snow, not with COVID, twice. Not with any illness, haven't missed at all," said Viars.

Her streak started in December 2011. She was surrounded by Christmas chaos and decided to go for a walk to clear her head. 

It worked.

The next day she did it again and again.

Everyday she goes out for a walk she posts it on social media. She says it helps keep her accountable.

"Every day I would take a selfie, and people make fun of me and call me 'selfie queen' or whatever, but it became my way to journal my journey and walk," said Viars.

Like most people, her time is limited, but she makes sure to fit her walk in between work and commitments.

"I'm a city council member, I have a small marketing company, I'm a commercial real estate agent, I'm a hospitality director at a local hospitality business so I don't have any more time than anybody else. I just make time," said Viars.

She finished off her 4,000th day in a row of power walks by walking into a local restaurant and celebrating the milestone with friends. She says she can't imagine her streak coming to an end anytime soon.

"I'm going to keep walking until I can't," said Viars.