Wrapping up our first Commuter Challenge

Our first-ever Commuter Challenge wrapped up at the end of August. Its conclusion was lost in the ruckus of Bike Philly preparations, but it should not go unnoticed.

The premise was simple: walk or bike to work! We created a free website in which you could log your miles, create or join workplace teams, and see how you stacked up against other Philly-area commuters.

Thousands of commuters took the Challenge, and from mid-May until the end of August they compiled some impressive numbers:

• 18,485 commutes taken by foot or by bike
• 149,281 miles traveled
• 7,314,800 calories burned by active commuting
• 146,296 pounds of CO2 emissions prevented (if the commutes had otherwise been taken by car)

Biking or walking to work provides wide-ranging benefits for the commuter and his or her employer. Morning exercise makes you more alert and energetic during the workday. It saves you money on transportation. It's environmentally-friendly. Studies have found that active employees are healthier employees, taking fewer sick days and using less health insurance (kind of a no-brainer study, frankly). Perhaps most importantly - it's fun!

We will be bringing the Commuter Challenge back next year. If you participated this summer, we'd love you to fill out a short survey on your experience. We want to know how it went and what you did and did not like, so we can make it better next year.

In the meantime, keep bicycling and walking to work!