Exciting news for people who like to put one foot in front of the other, via the Washington Business Journal. Maryland has become the first state in the country to adopt an official state exercise, and they’ve chosen walking.

Much like official state flowers, songs and birds, this potentially new tradition of naming an official exercise is no doubt doomed to end up being something no one knows until they get a question about it at pub quiz. Still, Maryland can now boast of being the first state to do it. But they chose… walking?

In attempt to slash the price tag for public health problems in Maryland, walking was chosen because it is low impact and merits high results.

Of course we’re tempted to make fun, but hey, if officially encouraging walking can get more Marylanders out of their cars and on two feet, that works for us. Then again, aren’t official designations supposed to encompass some thing or idea that a state already strongly identifies with? Maryland residents don’t really spend a lot of time walking, in our experience.

And don’t think we’d bring this up without asking the obvious: what would D.C.’s official exercise be, should it adopt one?

Photo by andertho