The first Friday of April is National Walk to Work Day. April 1 is also known as April Fool’s Day. This means that National Walk to Work Day 2011 falls on April Fool’s Day. But that doesn’t mean that walking to work is a joke. In fact, in Arlington, it’s a way of life for at least 6 percent of Arlington residents! What about you?
Are you actually within walking distance of your workplace? If you don’t already walk to work, why not head out a little earlier than usual Friday and walk the distance? You might want to wear different shoes, but that’s probably the only change you’d need to make!
Maybe you don’t live close enough to work to walk. But walking is certainly part of your commute, whether you walk to a bus stop, a Metro station, a carpool, a bicycle, or (perish the thought) a car. So why not get on the bus or Metro at a stop or station that is farther from your home or workplace than your usual location and walk the rest of the way on April 1? Or park your bike (or your car) farther away from your workplace and walk the rest of the distance.
Of course, if your commute just doesn’t allow you to cover part of the distance on foot, think about walking at lunch or after work, before heading home. Check out our Walkabouts -- WalkArlington's series of neighborhood walking routes -- for ideas on where to go. See if any colleagues want to join you and make a social event out of it!
No matter how you work walking into your work day, chances are you’ll feel more energized when you arrive at work and more productive all day long. And you just might want to make every Friday Walk to Work Day, especially now that we’re in the prime spring/summer/fall walking season.
And just in time for Walk to Work Day, WalkArlington and Arlington Transportation Partners have put together a new resource to help you incorporate more walking into your workplace routine. WalkArlington Works: A Step-by-Step Guide to a Walking Workplace debuts online this week and in print next month.
This quick guide compiles ready-made resources for turning your workplace into a walking workplace in three simple steps. Check it out online or contact info@walkarlington.com with your name and mailing address if you’d like to receive a printed version in April.
Meanwhile, get your walking shoes ready for National Walk to Work Day on Friday, April 1. Then let us know how your walk to work goes, what you might do differently next time, and when you plan to do it again.
WalkArlington will be looking for you on the sidewalks and streetscapes of Arlington Friday. No foolin’!
Lauren Hassel
WalkArlington
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