“Ask yourself: ‘Can I give more?’. The answer is usually: ‘Yes’.”

-Paul Tergat, Kenyan professional marathoner

I ran across something better today. Actually, I walked across it.

An article on good.is led me to an application for my Android phone called Charity Miles. It promised to donate 25 cents for every mile I ran or walked, and 10 cents for every mile I biked.

Intrigued, I loaded up the app then looked at my shoes. Crocs. Not exactly running shoes. Certainly not the kind of shoes I’d want to walk in either. I didn’t have my running gear either as I had put in 17 miles at the beach over the past few days and needed some rest. Nonetheless, I thought I would try it out on my lunch hour.

With Crocs on, I set out. I was first instructed to select a charity from the seven available. I chose the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research for reasons I’ll explain someday. Then, I had the complicated task of pressing the Start button., which I successfully did. Finally, I walked.

A simple timer kept track of my time, an odometer kept track of my distance down to the hundredth of a mile. There was a third button which said Impact. I chose not to press this button just yet. Instead, I just walked and enjoyed the sun.

Ultimately, I had walked three miles at about a four mph clip. Not bad in Crocs and not bad considering that I didn’t even plan to exercise today.

When I got done, I accepted the sponsorship by posting to Facebook. Then I pressed Impact. I had funded about seven minutes of Parkinson’s research. Not much, but not bad for a free donation to a worthy cause. And if I use it everyday, and if all my friends try it, and their friends, and their friends … Well, you know. It adds up to a lot.

Like they wrote on greatist.com,

“… CharityMiles is also approaching philanthropy from a grassroots angle. Rather than seek out lump sum donations, CharityMiles believes that lots of little donations (a quarter here, a dime there) can make a huge difference…”

Charity Miles. Another simple way to give back and get some exercise too.

Even in Crocs.

Today’s gift of time … Walked three miles for people who can’t walk anymore.