How Do I Know How Fast I am Walking?

Question: How Do I Know How Fast I am Walking?

How do I know how fast I walk? The calculators you have want a walking speed in order to calculate calories.

Answer: Here are some rules of thumb for how fast you are walking. Calories burned per mile do not vary much at different walking speeds, so you do not need to be exact.

• Daily Steps: If you are just tracking your daily steps with a pedometer as you go about your job or putter around the house, you can use 2 miles per hour or 2.5 miles per hour. That is 3.2 kilometers per hour to 4 kilometers per hour.
• Easy Health Walk: If you take an easy walk around the neighborhood or park, able to keep up a full conversation, use 3 miles per hour or 5 kilometers per hour as a rule of thumb.
• Moderate to Brisk Walk: If you are walking at a determined to swift pace and breathing noticeably, use 4 miles per hour or 6.5 kilometers per hour.
• Fast Walking: Fast walkers usually know their speed or have measured it. Racewalkers can walk 5-6 miles per hour or even faster. That is 8-10 kilometers per hour.

How to Measure Your Speed with the Google Map Pedometer

You can measure your walking speed by using a watch and any convenient route using the Google Map Pedometer. You can start from any US address or you can zoom in and out until you find your location. Then click to draw the route on the map to find out an accurate distance. Input your time and weight and it will tell you your speed, pace, and calories burned.

Measure Your Speed at a Track

Most outdoor running tracks, such as the one around your local high school football field, are 1/4 mile or 400 meters around the inside lane. Start from a set position on the inside lane, note your time, and circle four times to get your minutes per mile.
Pace Calculator
Convert Miles and Kilometers
Track Calculator: This calculator from the North American Racewalking Foundation allows you to measure distance on variously sized tracks, lanes other than lane 1, and more.

Gadgets to Measure Your Walking Speed

You can measure your walking speed with fancy speedometers. Some use GPS for accurate tracking without any calibration, but work only outdoors. Others, such as the Nike+iPod Sport Kit use a shoe sensor accelerometer and can be used indoors as well. Some pedometers estimate speed as well as distance, but must be accurately calibrated.
Walking Speedometers

Predicting Race Speed and Finish Time

If you are entering a walking event and are unsure about how fast you might walk various distances, this calculator can help you predict your race speed and time.
Running Times Race Prediction Calculator: Enter your actual times for various distances to predict your time for any other distance.