Though they won’t actually be making the 3,300-mile journey from England to America, Gleason Family YMCA members will get to earn miles as points in the center’s Turkey Trek.

Participants will be competing in a mainly exercise-based challenge. The trek is designed as a race, in which members, represented by small boats with numbers, move between England and America. Seagulls with mile markers track the boats’ progress. It begins Nov. 9, and ends Nov. 23.

So far, there are about 30 participants, co-organizer and Wellness Director Chris Koziol said. He said the challenge “is really simple” and “all member-based”, but can only be done from within the Y itself. He said most of the challenge is primarily exercise-based, but there is a way participants may earn points without exercise.

“[Participants] can go into every department, and talk to an employee that works there,” Koziol said. “It gets people to go outside their comfort zones, and into other departments to see what’s happening.”

That particular challenge is worth 500 miles. Various activities are worth a range of miles, Koziol said. For instance, walking for 30 minutes is worth 100 miles, while a 60-minute group fitness class is worth 300 miles. The only catch is that only 500 miles may be earned in one day, in order to spread out the challenge, and make it fair for members who can’t spend as much time in the gym as others.

Membership Director Maria Golemo said she joined the trek, because it looked “interesting”, and would push her to work. But, perhaps more importantly, it is because she enjoys the social aspect of the YMCA.

“You won’t find me in the wellness center by myself,” Golemo said. “For a lot of us, the Y is a very social place, and it helps us do what we really need to do.”

She also said the trek will encourage people to work out, regardless of their age or size, and help them go to classes on their own.

“Sometimes it’s hard to go and do a class by yourself,” Golemo said. “As you work out and get the endorphins, and you start to look and feel better, you start to go out by yourself.”

The first female and the first male to reach Plymouth Rock from England will each receive a turkey. All other finishers will receive Turkey Trek t-shirts. Though the challenge begins on Nov. 9, members may join at any time. For more information, contact Chris Koziol at ckoziol@ymcasouthcoast.org.