A reader writes, "For a very healthy and fit person, about how many miles can be walked continuously in 8 hours?" I answered a similar question on how far can a healthy person walk with no training. I have lots of experience with dragging untrained friends and family out to walk a 6 mile/10 kilometer volksmarch. That takes about two hours at an easy pace. They all survived, although many discovered they needed better walking shoes.
From personal experience, exceeding 8-10 miles, even if you are used to walking for 6 miles, is more of a challenge. You can do it, but are likely to develop blisters in new places. Shoes and gear that worked fine for two hours may not be ideal for four hours. This is why you should build up mileage steadily rather than leaping from no walking to walking for four hours straight. In training for a 13 mile half marathon or 26 mile marathon, you walk a long day every week and increase that mileage by a mile a week or two miles every two weeks. There is an amazing training effect that happens. Twelve miles may have seemed very difficult the first time you reached that distance. But six weeks later when you are walking 18 mile days, the first 12 miles are easy and no strain at all.
But how far could a fit, trained person walk in eight hours? I've always finished the Portland Marathon in about seven hours, with no breaks. If the walker is taking breaks and a meal stop, then 20 miles a day is reasonable for a well-trained walker. If they took no breaks and were going fast, they may be able to cover 30 miles.
Is this person going to walk for eight hours day after day, such as on a walk across the continent? Those who have done this have plenty of blister trouble the first couple of weeks, but then either drop out or go on covering 20 miles or more each day. The western pioneers usually covered 20 miles a day with the wagon trains, most of them walking rather than riding. I would definitely class them as trained walkers.
Your comment about 20 miles with breaks is spot on. I walked all 12 Breast Cancer 3-Day walks last year. I used to walk 15 minute miles; on the 3-Day is is more like 20 – 25; the journey is more important than the finish time.
I agree. Not long ago, I was doing 100 miles a week in 5 days of 16 miles plus a 10 mile day.
I’d stretched it out to 20 miles one cool & beautuful day. And thought why not go for 26.2 miles. Good grief! the last 6.2 miles was like day one of running. I needed, I learned, to come up slowly to any new distance.
Hi I just want to add to your walking information that the way to increase endurance is with the weight walkinig vest specifically I use the NYK walking
vest it fits perfectly no bulk no belts no crap just a sleek vest that is weighted slim cut bars so you look cute not like dog the bounty hunter and it has the perfect amount of weight for all not for body builders. see it nyknyc.com
Just work at toys r us. 20 mile days are the norm trying to keep that place picked up
As far as blisters go, trained or untrained as you may be, the solution is vasoline – lots of it. Put globs of it on and you will NEVER have a blister regardless of the distance walked.
I just walked approximately 28 miles in 8 hours, plus taking a 2 hour excursion to climb a steep, rocky mountain with no trail (total = 10 hours) with having only walked about 3-5 miles max prior to that in my life. I also had miserable shoes, and now I have very sore feet and legs.
I just walked 16 miles cross country with 1500 ft of vertical climb over a half mile in the the middle. Does that make me “experianced.”
You are probably right as far as taking a healthy approach, but I don’t think it’s completely necessary to work up slowly. I am a college student, pretty much sedentary, overweight, don’t exercise, have asthma, have had foot surgery…several things that would exclude me from the categories of experienced walker or healthy person. For one of my finals, I was worried about falling asleep while cramming, so I just hopped on my brother’s treadmill while I was reading. I ended up walking 30 miles in about 10 hours. I did have a blister or two and was pretty sore the next day, but it didn’t kill me and I didn’t fall asleep.
ye you are absolutly right .
I have recently started conditioning my body to climb the 3peaks of the united kingdom, i started off with 20miles along a coastal route near me and the last 4miles was very difficult, i did walk none stop 8am got back to my car at 3pm, please note i have not exercised to any level for the last 3years. i have since done this 3 more times and have actually realised how difficult this was the 1st time. I have also done some 15mile walks and they were nothing (a warm up). grit your teeth and push yourself through that pain barrier the benifit is astonishing and your tolerence curve is a lot higher if you do. remember just do not give up and think of children in africa who have to travel these sorts of distances everyday with half their body weight of water on their backs just to survive, this was a great way of pushing through the barrier for my self after all im a “healthy” brit whos also overweight eats and drinks to much, so i put it to you, i think a good starting distance is 20miles and expect blisters even with my £140 walking boots
I am 14 years old, and I walked 12 hours with out stopping and coverd 21.2 miles.
I’m a meter reader I walk about 5-23 miles everyday on heavy boots uphill, uneven terrain, climbing fences and getting chased by dogs. I do this 5 days a week, and I feel like total crap can someone call my company and tell them that we shouldn’t be walking in 4 pound boots
thank you.
get new boots sonnn
so i got kinda depressed the other day (im 17) walked 19 miles n 4 hours lol.. i feel proud
I am now 66 and I walk 8 miles a day 5 times a week . I feel great . My feet have now hardened ane the only important think is good footware .
myself and a friend are attempting a track across England (wainwright’s coast to coast) we have achieved the 3 peaks yorkshire and the national challenge are have decided to attempt in 4 days. Approx 50 miles a day, we are expecting to be walking for close to 16 hour days. Has anyone else attempted?
Never tried vaseline to ward off blisters but I was worried about blisters wearing newish walking boots on a 70 mile walking trip to Romania, the Carpathian Mountains (recommended!), I had not got in training so wouldn’t have made it – but I put my trust in a pair of 1.000 miles socks from Go Outdoors, worked a treat! Developed dreadful shin splints tho’, so training is essential really….
I searched for this after walking over 18 miles yesterday. I did not WANT to, but had to get somewhere and had no choice. I dont excercise at all.
Approximately 5 hours later i reached my destination, limping from a sore knee.
Hats off to folks who walk that far….it was an experience. One I will not attempt ever again.
I consider myself healthy, but definitelynot as fit as I thought I was. …
No previous training. Walked 75 miles in 3 days with a 25kg pack over mountain terrain. Legs ached but nothing i wouldent do again!
I walk 40 miles a day for work nonstop. I’m not allowed breaks. Tomorrow I have a 12 hour shift. Most of the time I’m also carrying 50lbs of weight with me.