39 miles per day?

[fishlovindog]

I belong to a few of the activity groups and i'm averaging about 15-16k steps per day which is about 8 miles. In some of the groups I have seen averages of up to 80k steps per day or 39 miles per day. Is that even possible? That's a marathon and a half every single day. Any thoughts? Are people actually able to achieve that?

[shipo]

---

@SuiJuris94 wrote:

Well, yeah, I get that to get more steps I'd have to get more steps, but I'm wondering how they fit it into their schedules.  Do they do a lot of walking on their jobs, if they are employed?  How much time does it take to walk 39,000 or 50,000 or 100,000 steps in one day?  I know that FitBit also registers steps when riding a bicycle, or at least mine did.  I think I take every opportunity to walk more every day including walking during my lunch hour, but I've never been close to 39,000 steps in one day.  My record is somewhere beyond 25,000, but less than 30,000.  And I've had my FitBit for four years or so.  I just don't know how to manage to get more steps in on a daily basis.

---

I cannot speak for everybody here, just myself...

My days are broken up by horse days and non-horse days; on horse days I take care of 11 horses, the rest of the week I'm just your normal office puke sitting in front of a computer.

On horse days I typically log 10,000 steps (feeding them, walking them out to the pastures, and cleaning up the barn) before I ever get into the office, another 3,000-4,000 while at the office, and another 4,000 in the evenings bringing my charges back in from the pastures and feeding them.  Long story short, on horse days I typically get 20,000 steps without doing any exercise.

Most days (i.e. horse days and non-horse days): I'm a distance runner; my typical daily workout ranges from a quick 6-miles (roughly 9,000+ steps) to 10 or more miles (figure anywhere between 16,000 to 22,000 steps).

Then there are days where I don't take care of the horses and don't go for a run either; on these days 10,000 steps is sometimes difficult to log.

Net result, my daily step counts typically range from a low of 5,000 steps to upwards of 39,000 steps (I've never crossed 40,000 in a calendar day but I have crossed 50,000 in a single 24 hour period).

Then there is the title of this thread, "39 miles per day?"; for a walker that would equate to roughly 78,000 steps, and for a typical amateur runner somewhere in the 60,000-65,000 step range.  Yeah, I'm not going there anytime soon.  😛

[BruceBu]

@SuiJuris94 -  most important things for me in averaging high steps/miles (I've been averaging a bit over 40 mi the last week, and hope to do so the rest of the month, as part of a challenge):

1) Walk don't run - running may get some steps quicker, but the energy expenditure per step and per mile is much greater that walking. I think there are only a very, very few people that can maintain these numbers by running.

2) Train up until you have enough endurance to go for 3 or 4 hour blocks non-stop. If you have to keep taking breaks, you'll never make it. Train cadence until a modest 120 -130 is comfortable for those long blocks: The other morning I did laps around a lake under the mountains (very pleasant) for 4 hours: 15.7 miles and 29K steps.

3) background stepping - do you watch TV, particularly sports? A basketball game is good for 12K, 1/2 hour of news 3.5 K

4) Time management - get used to the idea that there is no sit-on-your-butt idle time. If you need 'idle' time, walk slowly for a while. Eat, drink, and brush your teeth on the move. If you do computer work that requires creative thinking (not service jobs), compose and analyze your thoughts on the move, then take them to the computer for quick transcription. If you work, what do you do with your breaks - a brisk 20 minute walk can be a great break - same for lunch, only longer.

5) Don't try to make your average every day: I like a three-day cycle: (40-60-80)xN is a lot easier than 60's forever.

6) hopefully you don't need much prep for a walking session, just out the door or jump on the mill. Anytime you're changing clothes and driving somewhere, you're not walking.

7) The arithmetic for how much time it takes is pretty simple, make an honest evaluation as to whether it is something you want to do. Make sure you do it as quickly as possible without much empty time - if you do add empty time into your walking regime, it will indeed take all day and you still may not be getting where you want to go. It takes a lot of commitment to do it, even short term, and much more long term.

So, I've clearly been sitting on my butt too long to answer this. Hope it helps - tIme to move

[SuiJuris94]

Thanks for all the useful information! I do some of the things you
suggest. I always walk when brushing my teeth, I walk in the hallways at
work while I'm reading cases, I walk to the lake near my house (a little
over 3.5miles, and hilly) with my dogs a lot, and I walk at lunchtime most
days. I also never just get up from my desk, do what I have to, then sit
back down. I always take a couple laps around the floor, throwing in a few
flights of stairs along the way.

[Marcy]

---

@BruceBu wrote:

It is not possible only for those of you who cannot do it. I have averaged 54k steps, 31 miles/day for a period of a month. I would question the wisdom (but not the possiblity) of doing it as a year-in-year-out average.

---

I don't think any of us in this thread question people getting ~54k steps per day. The original poster questioned 80k steps / 39 miles per day.  There are some Fitbitters who are averaging 80k+  steps per day for seemingly months on end.  At that point, it seems unlikely from a time/lifestyle perspective unless they are an ultramarathoner on a record-breaking quest. People are making world news doing much less than 80K/39 miles per day, i.e. a marathon a day for a year. 

[shipo]

---

@Marcy wrote:

...People are making world news doing much less than 80K/39 miles per day, i.e. a marathon a day for a year. 

---

Think about it, a typical 3:30 marathon is run in about 42,000 steps give or take a few thousand.  Even the Ultra Marathon folks I know don't average 50,000 steps a day over the course of a month (but they might occasionally average it during a heavy training week).

[fitnessjunkiee]

I have someone that average 90k. I do not know what the person is doing but to me, that seems impossible doing almost every day. I think that person eat, sleeps, and breathes walking. 

[shipo]

If they're logging 90,000+ steps per day, then they're either blatently cheating, or they are performing tens of thousands of fake steps.

[fitnessjunkiee]

That was my same thought. Now when I look back, this person is now averaging about 110k steps. Now that does not seem even possible. I think this person is cheating or just walks non-stop without sleeping. 

[shipo · Accepted solution]

That or they've strapped their Fitbit on their hamster.  🙂

[Ladylisroc]

I do not work, so I have all day to take walks on my treadmill at home, my neighborhood, and while watching tv. I try not to sit and watch tv. I can take a nap also. Please don't forget aerobics instructors and Zumba or Cize or even the Beach body people. Personal trainers even. I would inquire of a person what they do during the day. I get steps in while someone is at work. Dedicated stepping will get desired results. Not random steps back and forth. Just ask people what their secret is...

[shipo]

The thing is even Zumba and Cize instructors don't get anywhere near 39 miles per day (which equates roughly to 75,000 or more walking steps in a day).  It is pretty safe to assume most folks claiming such numbers are cheating in one fashion or another.  I can make that claim with a fair degree of confidence because many folks challenge the claims of the "high steppers" and so far at least, only two or three have come forward with supporting documentation or plausible explanations on how they've achieved such high numbers.  Based upon their stories, such lofty thresholds are really difficult to meet, and cannot consistently be done day-in-and-day-out.

Like the old phrase says, "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof."

[nkotblove]

Wow that's wonderful job that you are walking more....
Last night I walked for 16,000 steps my profile is frozen for the last 3 days now

[shipo]

---

@nkotblove wrote:
Wow that's wonderful job that you are walking more....
Last night I walked for 16,000 steps my profile is frozen for the last 3 days now

---

Really?  Hmmm, when I look at your profile I see the following:

• Mon: 14,540 steps
• Tue: 11,140 steps
• Wed: 16,116 steps
• Thu: 6,304 steps

The good news is it does appear your tracker is syncing properly.

[Purplepiggie]

There are a few gentlemen in there 80's in my hometown who walk everywhere and probably average more than 30miles daily on a regular baisis. But they are in freaking amazing shape I am talking probably 10% or less bodyfat and I figure if they can be in that good of shape in there 80's surely I can get in shape and be somewhat healthier.