The annual ‘Cycle to Work Campaign’ has been arranged since 1973. Health Minister, Bent Høie of Høyre (H), and the Minister of Transport, Ketil Solvik-Olsen of Fremskrittspartiet (The Progress Party – FrP) were among those who donned a bike helmet at Eidsvolds plass in the wee small hours of Wednesday morning to mark the start of the campaign being arranged for the 44th time.
Several other politicians attended the kick-off event.
Norway’s Athletics and Sports Union are responsible for the annual campaign, which simply involves getting people to cycle more often to their job. Last year, over 35,000 people got into action, and the Sports Union hopes for even more this year.
If haven’t got a bike, you can still participate. The main point is to become physically active on the way to work, so if you walk or run, you also gain benefits.
The use of electric exercise bicycles is also permitted, and if you do any strength training, play football, practice yoga, or swim, you also gather kudos and gain points on the fitness-o-meter.
The campaign runs over the course of 60 days in spring, and is really a non-competitive ‘competition’ between different enterprises. By logging your bike use throughout the spring days, either via an app or on a web page, both teams from various businesses and organizations, as well as individuals, may be rewarded for their efforts.
Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today
