See you next Election Day!

Nutritionists will squirm when they see voters carrying a red, white and blue sprinkled donut from Krispy Kreme in one hand and a free cup of coffee from Starbucks in the other – the perfect breakfast.  How about a free BBQ from Shane’s Rib Shack and a scoop of Ben and Jerry’s for dessert?  Well, if you are going to partake in all the free junk food, let’s get a jump on the calorie-fest!  Start the day with a short run, brisk walk or a quick bike ride to your polling place – that should at least take care of the half-in-half in your tall coffee, right? 

Perhaps the healthiest freebie is some free music for your iPod:  http://www.rockthevote.com/pledge/  At least you have some new tunes to listen to on the way to the polls or while standing in line!

We are all exhausted from enduring the endless mudslinging, bad commercials, false promises and talking heads acting like they know what the voters are really thinking.  I love this stuff but don’t think I can take another minute.  I’m glad for tomorrow and I looking forward to turning all the negative into a positive and head to the polls!

Me, I’m running.  How will you get to the polls?  Run?  Walk?  Bike?  This is the easiest decision you can make tomorrow…way easier than those ballot initiatives I’ll be researching tonight!

Happy Election Day!
Kelly

“Exercise Your Right” is now even more relevant to this election.  Getting out of our cars and hitting the polls a different way – by walking to the polls or making apart of your daily running or bike route – is a way to get healthy and save gas.  There’s even an environmental piece to this – less air pollution. 

It’s been a strange last couple of weeks.  In Atlanta, we have not only endured the stock market plunge and bad economic news, but we couldn’t event get gas.  Waiting in line for 45-minutes to pay $4.25 for gas was about the most ridiculous thing I’ve done in a while.  Now that it’s straightened out, the city is relieved, gas prices are declining and people are more relaxed.  This town is dependent on gas and people’s commute times are ridiculous.  I spend at least an hour in the car a day commuting – more likely 90-minutes. 

On November 4th, I plan to run to the polls.  What do you plan on doing?

I am here in Virginia visiting my sister and it is DEFINITELY a battleground state.  There are not many things to talk about besides the campaign, the candidates, the politics and the latest post on YouTube.  Virginia is isolated from the gas crisis that plagues my mind down in Atlanta, but no one can get away from the news about the economy.  The CAMPAIGN is it here – Yard after yard is dotted with McCain or Obama yard signs.  Busy street corners display large signs saying ”McCain Country” or “Obama/Bidenfor Change”.  The hours of 6-9 PM are busy with ID calls or calls asking for volunteers and prime time TV has constant campaign adds.  Seriously, I have only been in town 24-hours and this is happening! 

As a reminder, Monday, October 6 is the deadline for voter registration in many states.  In Georgia alone, there are 400,000 new voter registrations.  Don’t be left out.  Register to vote, educate yourself and then go and vote.  And of course, don’t take your car to the polls – walk, run or bike! 

Also, there is some very fun merchandise at CafePress.com: http://www.cafepress.com/exerciseurright  Of course you need something fun to wear to the polls on November 4th!

During the November 2006 election, I was training for the ING Georgia 1/2 marathon.  Instead of driving to the polling place, I decided to run there to get in a little mileage for the day.  My polling place is 1.23 miles away so it’s not a difficult round trip.  That morning, I threw on my clothes, ran the 10 minutes to Avondale Middle School, voted and was home in no time. 

While I was voting, people were asking – did you run here?  I thought it was strange that a little over 2 miles is considered difficult – even a walk is totally doable.  I continued to run to my polling place through the next election and during the presidential primary.

Now it’s September 2008 and I am currently training for the Army 10-miler in DC.  Primary Day was on a Tuesday – weights day – and a run to the polls was the perfect warm up.  During my run home from the 2008 Georgia primaries, I thought – this isn’t hard, everyone can take a little bit of time to run, walk or bike to and from their polling place.  And so it begins…

Exercise is something so important in our lives to maintain health and manage stress.  It’s also a way to be social by getting involved at a gym, joining a running group or exercising with friends and family.  Exercise as the way to get to the polls seems like a natural pairing – polling places are most likely public buildings centrally located in a community.  My vision for Election Day is seeing people Run, Walk or Bike to the polls.  Whether voters go alone or with friends and neighbors, this year, we should Exercise our right. 

November 4, 2008 is an important day.  It matters that we all get to the polls and I hope that you use that time to Exercise Your Right to Vote – do something besides just voting.

Run, Walk or Bike to the polls!

http://www.exerciseyourrighttovote.com/index.html