Exercise and the workplace

I've written several times about the work-run-life balance. I am fortunate to work for a group that values exercise and active lifestyles. There is a locker room with showers in our office. Many co-workers bike to work. I have run as a means of commuting to the office, and am not the only person who has. No one thought my run-commute was crazy. In fact, many of us share tips about the best way to pack a change of clothes.

In a funny twist of fate, I almost scared off a long-time friend when she applied for a job at my company by telling her that "Not everyone there runs, but everyone does something -- hiking, kayaking, swimming, biking. It's a pretty active place." At the time, this friend never worked up a sweat for anything more active than a few holes of golf. With a cart. And cocktails. Fortunately she ignored my commentary and accepted the job offer anyway. It wasn't until months later that she admitted that the active-lifestyle crowd nearly scared her off!
(Side note: That conversation took place a few years ago. Since then she's completed a handful of 5ks... Maybe it's contagious?)

However, as this week's Dilbert comic strip points out so well, most companies don't understand the need to run during a lunch break:



The cartoon made me chuckle, so I had to share the running humor.

So... what's your workplace like? Are you considered a slacker if you run?

Or are you considered a slacker if you don't run?