(sounds like a blast! – promoted by eli_beckerman)

The following was sent to the Berkshire area media today, announcing the participation of three Green-Rainbow candidates in the Josh Billings Triathlon.

THREE GREEN-RAINBOW CANDIDATES GO FOR THE GREEN IN THE JOSH BILLINGS

Three candidates, running in local Berkshires and statewide elections, have registered in the Josh Billings Triathlon event, which takes place on September 12, covering 5 towns in the Berkshires.  Lee Scott Laugenour of Lenox, Richard Purcell of Holyoke, and Mark Miller of Pittsfield, will respectively compete in the cycling, canoeing, and running events that benefit the Berkshire United Way.  Their team, “Going For The Green 2010,” will be one of 500 that participate in the event, which is in its 34th year.

Each candidate is on the ballot in November with the Green-Rainbow Party.  Miller and Laugenour are running in 2-way races for State Representative in the 3rd and 4th Berkshire Districts respectively. Purcell is on the ballot for Lt. Governor as Jill Stein’s running mate in her gubernatorial bid, which is a 4-way race.

“I’m using my bicycle to canvas during my campaign, which has helped me to train for the Josh,” Laugenour said.  He added that he has recently bicycled the entire 27-mile course from Great Barrington to Stockbridge.

Mr. Purcell and a campaign volunteer will be a two-man canoe team paddling 5 miles in the Stockbridge Bowl.  Purcell is a member of the Holyoke Canoe Club, training regularly on the Connecticut River.

This year’s Josh will be the first for both Laugenour and Purcell.

Mark Miller has participated in previous Josh events.  “This is a great way to have some fun, support good causes, set a fitness example, and give the public a different view of candidates from what they typically see during election years.”  He will run the six-mile course around the Stockbridge Bowl, finishing at Tanglewood, where music and other events continue until 4:00 on the lawn