Facts and Figures on the President's Fitness Challenge

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
June 21, 2002

Facts and Figures on the President's Fitness Challenge

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Location: Fort McNair

Purpose: The President and First Lady will lead runners and walkers in the President's Fitness challenge to help promote the President's fitness agenda. The President encourages Americans to be physically active every day, to eat a nutritious diet, to get preventive screenings for disease, and to make healthy choices, including avoiding tobacco and drugs and the abuse of alcohol. Extensive research has shown that improving overall health and preventing disease and premature death is as easy as making small adjustments and improvements in the activities of daily life.

Distance: The President will lead runners in a 3 mile run. The First Lady will lead walkers in a 1.5 mile walk

Time: The run and walk will start together at 8:30 a.m.

Participants: 400 members of the President's White House staff and members of the President's Cabinet, including HUD Secretary Mel Martinez and Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman.

Entrance Fee: To participate in the race, participants must commit to donate hours of service or resources to the community or faith organization of their choice. This entrance fee is consistent with the President's call on Americans to help their communities and our most vulnerable citizens by committing to serving significant time for others. Representatives of the USA Freedom Corps and six community-serving organizations will be at the race to help register participants for their service.

Race Starter: Major General Jim Jackson (commanding General at Fort McNair) will start the race. A cannon will serve as the starting signal.

Race Scoring: ChampionChip will score the race with their cutting edge chip system. All runners and walkers, including the President and First Lady, will have a small chip on their shoes that will provide instant digital scoring and race split times.

Certification: The course has been officially certified by the race director for the Army 10-Miler.

Refreshments: There will be water stations at the starting line, at the halfway point on the course, and at the finish line. Participants will also have fruit, juices and other healthy refreshments available at the race.

Time Splits: Time splits will be displayed on digital clocks to all runners and walkers at the one and two mile markers.

Fitness Expo: At the race, there will be stations that highlight the pillars of the President's fitness agenda. The U.S. Army will also have a climbing wall on the infield.

Special Guests: Special guests at the run today will include four athletes who will represent the U.S. in the 2003 World Special Olympics Games -- Kevin Boyd (competing in the 100 and 200 meter wheelchair races and the softball throw); Lindsey Wilkes (she will compete in the 200 and 400 meter dash and long jump); Kevin Gafford (shotput and 100 meter dash); and Daniel Bailey (400 and 800 meter and high jump). These athletes will be at the USA Freedom Corps booth on the infield to help register participants for their service.

Presentation: After the race, representatives from the U.S. Army will present the President with the first artillery shell fired at his inauguration last year.

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Location:	Fort McNair
Purpose:	The President and First Lady will lead runners and walkers in the President's Fitness challenge to help promote the President's fitness agenda. The President encourages Americans to be physically active every day, to eat a nutritious diet, to get preventive screenings for disease, and to make healthy choices, including avoiding tobacco and drugs and the abuse of alcohol. Extensive research has shown that improving overall health and preventing disease and premature death is as easy as making small adjustments and improvements in the activities of daily life.
Distance:	The President will lead runners in a 3 mile run. The First Lady will lead walkers in a 1.5 mile walk
Time:	The run and walk will start together at 8:30 a.m.
Participants:	400 members of the President's White House staff and members of the President's Cabinet, including HUD Secretary Mel Martinez and Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman.
Entrance Fee:	To participate in the race, participants must commit to donate hours of service or resources to the community or faith organization of their choice. This entrance fee is consistent with the President's call on Americans to help their communities and our most vulnerable citizens by committing to serving significant time for others. Representatives of the USA Freedom Corps and six community-serving organizations will be at the race to help register participants for their service.
Race Starter:	Major General Jim Jackson (commanding General at Fort McNair) will start the race. A cannon will serve as the starting signal.
Race Scoring:	ChampionChip will score the race with their cutting edge chip system. All runners and walkers, including the President and First Lady, will have a small chip on their shoes that will provide instant digital scoring and race split times.
Certification:	The course has been officially certified by the race director for the Army 10-Miler.
Refreshments:	There will be water stations at the starting line, at the halfway point on the course, and at the finish line. Participants will also have fruit, juices and other healthy refreshments available at the race.
Time Splits:	Time splits will be displayed on digital clocks to all runners and walkers at the one and two mile markers.
Fitness Expo:	At the race, there will be stations that highlight the pillars of the President's fitness agenda. The U.S. Army will also have a climbing wall on the infield.
Special Guests:	Special guests at the run today will include four athletes who will represent the U.S. in the 2003 World Special Olympics Games -- Kevin Boyd (competing in the 100 and 200 meter wheelchair races and the softball throw); Lindsey Wilkes (she will compete in the 200 and 400 meter dash and long jump); Kevin Gafford (shotput and 100 meter dash); and Daniel Bailey (400 and 800 meter and high jump). These athletes will be at the USA Freedom Corps booth on the infield to help register participants for their service.
Presentation:	After the race, representatives from the U.S. Army will present the President with the first artillery shell fired at his inauguration last year.