July 21, 2004
Legislators Compete in "Tour de Salt Lake" for Physical Fitness Grant and Yellow Jersey
NCSL Legislative Fitness Challenge illustrates ease of daily physical activity
SALT LAKE CITY - Like Lance Armstrong, hundreds of state legislators are vying for a yellow jersey this week. In a less strenuous version of the famed bike race through France, state policymakers at the National Conference of State Legislatures Annual Meeting are racing in and around the Salt Palace Convention Center.
To win this “Step With It”™ legislative fitness challenge, a legislator must log the most steps by Thursday afternoon. The winner also will receive a $1,000 donation from “Step With It”™ for a physical activity program in his or her legislative district, along with a yellow shirt donated by the Utah Host State Committee. The winner will be announced at 8:30 a.m. Friday morning.
The challenge started on Tuesday, when legislators started receiving pedometers to track their progress. Coca-Cola donated 5,000 to make this event possible. As America strives to control the obesity epidemic, project organizers hope this challenge shows that you don’t have to spend weeks biking through the Pyrenees Mountains to stay in shape. Experts suggest setting a goal of 10,000 steps a day - the equivalent of five miles.
“The Step With IT ™ program is being activated in school districts all over the country,” said Matt Echols, of Coca-Cola. “This legislative fitness challenge shows legislators how to incorporate physical activity into everyday life.”
Suzanne Smith of the American Heart Association agrees. “What we are trying to do with the pedometers is to show that small steps make a difference - in personal health and when legislatures take action to make healthier communities.”
NCSL’s health program reports that the pedometers are popular and the lure of a prize has encouraged more members to take part.
“This challenge is a great way to demonstrate how easy it can be to fit physical activity into our daily routine,” said Leslie Robbins of the NCSL Healthy Community Design program. “By simply parking your car further away from a store or the mall, and walking that extra distance, can really help in increasing your fitness.”
Downtown Salt Lake City is considered a pedestrian-friendly community, Robbins said. Crosswalk lights chirp to let walkers know when to cross the street. They also count down the seconds left before the light changes. At crosswalks without lights, pedestrians can carry an orange flag to the other side of the street to make it easier for cars to see them.
“We hope that when legislators go home after participating in this challenge, they think about how walkable their own communities are,” Robbins added.
NCSL’s Healthy Community Design program is a cooperative effort among several organizations. It promotes active living as a way of life that integrates physical activity into daily routines through community design.
NCSL is a bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs of the states, commonwealths and territories. It provides research, technical assistance and opportunities for policymakers to exchange ideas on the most pressing state issues and is an effective and respected advocate for the interests of the states in the American Federal System.
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