How Many Miles Can You Walk in a Day?

Walking is one of the most underrated forms of exercise, considering how easy it is to do and the numerous health benefits it can provide.

If you find it challenging to make it to the gym, finding ways to fit more natural walks into your daily schedule can be an easy way to keep your body strong and healthy. 

In this article, we will cover some easy ways for you to fit more miles into your weekly walking schedule, as well as provide tips that can help you walk longer and more comfortably.

What Is the Longest Walk Ever Recorded?

The record for the longest walk in a day was over 142 miles. This world record was set by Jesse Castaneda in Albuquerque, New Mexico. 

To set this record, he had to walk an average of just over 5.9 miles every hour.

The longest unbroken walk record was set by a man named George Meegan, who walked for 7 years straight, walking all the way from the Southernmost tip of South America, all the way through to Alaska. 

This long-distance walk lasted for 19,019 miles. 

How Many Miles Does an Average Person Walk?

The average walking distance of each person varies depending on where they live, but in the US, most people walk roughly 2 miles a day, approximately 5,000 steps.

Track Your Walking Distance

Are you wondering how many miles you can walk in a day, or are you interested in finding new ways to increase your mileage?

You won’t be able to do either without first getting in the habit of tracking your mileage and creating a walking program that will allow you to safely and consistently increase your miles.

Using a walking app can help you challenge yourself enough during your regular walks to start seeing results, but in a way that is also safe for your body.

Walking.Diet has helped people around the world get in the habit of regular exercise and can help you reach your unique fitness goals, whether you’re looking to lose weight, increase your strength, or just live a generally more healthy lifestyle.

How to Increase the Walking Mileage?

The number of miles you walk every week can affect all aspects of your fitness level. 

Increasing your mileage is an easy way for you to make an impact on the number of calories you burn and how quickly you build muscle and will make or break your progress if you’re trying to build up your endurance to walk a marathon.

In this next section, we will give you some tried and true tips for increasing your walking mileage safely and effectively.

#1 Walk wherever you can

A way for you to naturally reap more health benefits from walking and walk long distances without even thinking about it is to start walking instead of driving.

Whether that means choosing a couple of days a week that you walk home from work, or challenging yourself to walk to the corner store instead of taking your car, these small changes can actually make a big difference in your weekly mileage.

#2 Get your friends to join

Going for long walks can feel much easier when you have friends who can join you. Not only can they keep you accountable for any walking goals you might have set, but they also offer a little distraction and the chance to make your walks more fun.

Walking at a comfortable pace while chit-chatting with your close friends can make the time fly, allowing you to comfortably walk long distances without even noticing how far you’ve gone. 

#3 Walk a little faster

Speedwalking is a walking style that involves picking up your pace from around 3 miles per hour to between 5–7 miles per hour. This increase in speed challenges your body, forcing your muscles to work harder and helping you build strength and improve your cardiovascular fitness.

Not only that, but increasing your walking speed will allow you to squeeze more miles into a shorter amount of time, making this an easy option for anyone wanting to reach their goal mileage without spending hours a day doing so.

#4 Use the 10% rule

This rule is self-explanatory and can be used for walking, running, weightlifting, and anything else that requires increasing the muscle load to continue challenging it, which is the way that muscles grow stronger.

The 10% rule recommends you gradually increase your daily walks by no more than 10% every week or two. 

If now you can naturally walk 2 miles, then next week, you can try walking 2.2 instead of trying to walk 4 miles. Slight increases like these help keep your body safe, reducing your risk of stress fractures and other walking-related injuries.

3 Tips for a Long Walk

There are some simple things you can do to prepare yourself for a pre-walk that will make a big difference in how many steps you can take without running out of energy. 

This section includes some easy changes that you can make to keep you feeling comfortable so you can hit your maximum distance.

#1 Pick proper shoes

Even if you invest in a nice pair of shoes, there will come a time when you need to replace your old pair since they lose their structural integrity after mile 300. 

Having to endure blisters while you walk or afterward is a sure way to keep you from walking long distances. 

If you experience any pain while you walk, from blisters on your skin or in the bones or joints in your lower legs, it could be time to re-invest in a comfier pair that offers better support. 

Some shoes are specifically designed for walking, offering more flex through the sole, which can help keep your feet feeling comfier.

#2 Choose comfortable and warm clothes 

How many miles you can walk in a day can be seriously affected by not dressing appropriately.

Whether your clothing is too tight, leaving behind red lines on your skin, or doesn’t cover your thighs, leaving you vulnerable to chafing – feeling any sort of skin irritation or discomfort is a sign that you’re not wearing the right fit.

Not dressing appropriately can make it difficult to feel comfortable as you walk, causing you to pack it in early before hitting your desired distance walking. 

#3 Plan food and water in advance

Having a snack and some water packed can also make a big difference to your mileage, especially if you’re walking on a hotter day.

Being dehydrated while exercising can decrease your overall performance and leave you at risk of experiencing more serious illnesses like heat stroke. 

Always make sure to bring a bottle of water with you. And either plan a lunch break where you can stop to eat something along the way or just pop a banana or bar in your pocket to eat as you walk.

Bottom Line

Walking is an underrated form of exercise that, when done consistently, can offer many of the same benefits as running while putting the body under significantly less stress.

While the average American walks around 6,000 steps a day, increasing their daily mileage to reach 10,000 every day will mean they walk an extra 28,000 steps a week, which can have a big impact on weight loss, muscle gain, and cardiovascular health.

Wearing comfortable workout gear, packing snacks, and walking with friends are all great ways to increase your mileage and walk for longer.