What is the most amount of steps anyone has ever walked in a single day?

[Mmiller2827]

I am just curious about the most steps walked in a single day. I have 45,000, and it was tough getting that badge.

[mlsna]

I included the names you can easily fact check it ...   

Ultra marathon runners, do run 24 hours straight .... this is nothing new 

right from google:  A 24-hour run is a form of ultra-marathon, in which a competitor runs as far as they can in 24 hours. They are typically held on 1- to 2-mile loops or occasionally 400-meter tracks.

One ultramarathoner ran 80 hours straight and i believe holds the world recorder .... 

From October 12-15, 2005, Dean Karnazes ran 350 miles across Northern California without stopping. He didn't stop to sleep or to eat, or – in the most stupefying accomplishment of all – he did not even slow down to sample a Sonoma Valley chilled chardonnay. All told, he ran for 80 hours, 44 minutes without a break. 

[AdamMac]

I’m an ultramarathon runner and Fitbit user and have broken 100k steps in a day 5 times now with my very best being 104843 in May 2016. Most of these races start around midday so I get around 60 miles of running or walking, plus any pre-race incidental waking, in before midnight.

In 4 weeks I run a race that starts at midnight and lasts 24 hours so this will be my best opportunity to see just how many steps I can make in a day. I’ll keep you posted!

[FrostyBubbles]

For those that have responded about how people are getting 50K or more everyday....I was wondering that myself.  I accepted a friend request a few weeks ago from a much older man, who I do not know personally or ever met.  He has white hair, wrinkles and much older than I.  However, I see he recently got a badge for doing 90K steps in one day (he posted he did over 91K) in one day - walking with his dogs.  At a moderate intensity walk, he would have had to walk over 13 hours without stopping to eat, drink, use the bathroom or let the dogs have a break.  Sounds a bit unable to achieve.  I have noticed he regularly does somewhere near 40-50K steps every single day and anytime anyone gets even remotely close to his weekly step count - he gets in about 70K.  How can such an older man do this?????  I know it must sound silly for me to post this - but it really ticks me that people will go so far as to cheat with their step count - guess they always have to be number one; no matter what.

I did a google search as to how people cheat with getting such high step counts:  they put the fitbit on their dog and throw a ball in their home (small area) for the dog to run and chase; some attach it to a hamster wheel and others have attached it to a power drill and altered the "trigger" to make the drill turn constantly.  And for those who want stairs:  they throw the ball for the dog to fetch up the stairs - also because that algorithm works on altitude changes...just driving with tiny hills up/down will cause the Fitbit One to register stairs.  I drove from Florida - through mountains in Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana - it showed I did like 700 floors climbed that day.

[Aizen]

Earth badge done, 12713km´s done in 3 years 4 months and 3 week´s

[Ranger2537]

Same as all the other apps strava etc people find ways to cheat them. Humans are kind of funny social creatures that often will do anything to get the attention. 

[Ranger2537]

So about 6 miles a day everyday, impressive but at least believable unlike some of the posts unless of course there are really that many ultra marathoners out there.

[ceraffen]

 After reading all of this discussion I wanted to say that it's certainly possible to achieve some extremely high step counts in a day. I am 60 years old and for the past 10+ years have regularly competed in ultramarathons, including one 100 mile race that I completed in a little over 26 hours (I didn't have a fitbit then). I've surpassed 100k steps in a day 6 times and my highest daily total was 121k which was during a 100k (62 mile) trail race earlier this year - which took me over 16 hours to complete (mostly running but with a good bit of fast walking also). Since most races start early in the morning the step counts would almost never cover the entire 24 hours in a calendar day, but theoretically could. I've had my fitbit since 2014 when it was part of a fitness challenge at work - and during that challenge my high step counts drew several suspicions of cheating. It's a shame most people don't realize what humans are truly capable of physically.

[Jonnie4]

I recently decided to see how many steps I could do in one day, I literally would walk in circles if I was home, I’m not a marathon or ultra marathon runner! Anyway I was not able to go for the full 24 hours in a day like I originally wanted to because I got extremely tired and I’m a Marine Sergeant and work at UPS as a package car driver, so not saying I’m in amazing shape, but I am in overall good shape. Anyway by the time I was just about spent I clocked 105,830 steps, wooo what a day, I’ve tried this a few times but was never able to crack the 100k mark, it’s really not hard now that I look back, but a lot of people thought I was quite crazy walking in circles.

[ceraffen]

That's awesome Jonnie4 - congrats! Btw: My "soon to be step-son" (will be official on Dec. 30) is a Marine - he graduated from boot camp on Nov 2 and is now in Infantry Training. I have huge respect and admiration for anyone in the service, but especially for anyone in the Corps.

[StJamesPhysed]

Completed a planned mission for 151000 steps in Canada Day. In 2017  fell short of an attempt at 150 000 steps to coincide with Canada’s 150 birthday. This year was the redemption run. Completely a step based goal in the prairies in flatlander territory and the rolling hills of Spruce Woods Manitoba. After start at exactly midnight 23 hours of moving was able to check off this goal! Actually blew up my 6 year old original Fitbit Flex AND It got close to 150k and the lights went wonky and it shut down. Had a garmin back up....

[Ronlaub]

I have also done four 24-hour races and watch dozens of other people each time do over 100k steps in a day. The thing I will debate is the people that try to claim that they AVERAGE over 100k steps a day throughout a month (and sometimes every month). I know and have seen the toll that 100k steps in 24 hours takes on a body. Not even the top ultra runners or marathoners train like that day after day.

[ceraffen]

151,000+ steps is fantastic! Congrats!!

[ceraffen]

Totally agree - even seasoned ultrarunners would have a tough time keeping that up for so many days. I've done a couple multi-day runs, including one where I went 200 miles in a little over 5 days and my legs and feet were absolutely trashed afterward. There are a very few I have seen who have done cross country runs in the US and are able to consistently hit high daily mileages but only very few.

[George8]

I got 66,000 in a day when walking in the lake District.

[WendyB]

@FrostyBubblesRetired people have a lot of time to do stuff like this. Why couldn't an older person do it?

You are stero typing which is wrong

BTW Im 65 an did 50K one day without cheating

[Whyshoshoni]

I have a lot of admiration and respect for all those getting such an awesome number of steps!  My best day was 30,475 steps in June.  I was on vacation, great weather with a beautiful beach to walk ... haven’t been able to top it yet.  Happy stepping to all this new year!

[Whyshoshoni]

@FrostyBubbles Very interesting that your Fitbit recorded 700 sets of stairs during your multistate drive.  I live in Colorado and very frequently drive in the high peaks of the Rocky Mountains, with increases of 5000’ - 8000’ in elevation, and my Charge 2 has never recorded the altitude change as stairs.  And the southern mountain peaks are nowhere near as high as in the west. 

[FrostyBubbles]

Congrats Wendy!  I did not say every older person could not do a large number of steps.  You did 50K in one day and you are 65.  No big deal.  I am close to your age and do over 50K many times.  I spoke about the one individual, who is probably in his 70's or maybe older - it was obvious by all his pictures.  There is no way this guy was doing over 70K steps every single day.  I am a health care professional (and executive).  I have been around seniors for decades.  I know that the majority (not all) cannot come close to doing 70K steps or more on a daily basis.  Many have difficulty getting in a few thousand.

You might want to consider being a bit more polite in your remarks instead of being a bully and a name caller.  I did not stereotype and I am not wrong.  I talked about the one guy and then explained the great deal of information that is online and videos on youtube where people cheat to get these high step counts.

[FrostyBubbles]

@Whyshoshoni - at that time, I was using my Fitbit One which uses an algorithm to sense a change in altitude; when it hits the magic change, it identifies it as a flight of stairs.  I called and spoke with a rep at fitbit.  This happened back in 2015.  And I would guess that maybe that is one of the reasons they no longer sale the "One".   I can see where it would come up with so many stairs climbed.  I live in Florida, only 1.5 miles from the Gulf of Mexico - so I am pretty much at sea level.  After driving through FL, GA, TN, KY and into Indiana - even small hills going up and down just a few feet will show stairs climbed.  This was over a 1K mile drive - so it does not surprise me.  The height of a mountain isn't exactly what makes the stair numbers go  up - it is the up and down the hills (or mountains).  I'm not sure what the "One" would show if my drive was pretty much up hill for the most part....  my drive was up, down, up down, etc etc.  When I stopped in Louisville, KY, just driving the interstate for about 30 miles showed that I did 40-50 flights of stairs.  And that is not a mountain drive.  Not sure about all the technical stuff with the One --- all I can say is this is what mine did.  Maybe just a flaw in the device

Lucky you living in CO.  I have been there many times on business.  Beautiful place to be, visit,  live.

[Whyshoshoni]

Thank you for the explanation, @FrostyBubbles!  The algorithm must be the difference vs the altimeter and barometric pressure.  Sometimes my charge 2 doesn’t record stairs on trails that it usually does, even when weather is identical, so I feel “cheated”, but on windy days, woo hoo!  Many that I haven’t earned lol.  I guess it all balances out in the end.  

We love CO, lots of outdoor opportunities and great weather.  But very lucky you too!  My best step day ever was on Indian Shores/Indian Rocks beach.  There is something about walking along the endless beach with water as far as you can see.  You are very lucky to call the Florida Gulf Coast home!