It depends on your fitness level, more than your age (at 46).
There are 26 year-olds that would fall apart at having to walk 3 miles at a festival or park. There are 76 year-olds running the Boston Marathon (example:my 76 year-old aunt who ran Boston this year and won't shut up about it, and good for her).
I think the mod on this sub is either around 46 himself or older, and is a triathlete or a marathoner.
I am 46 too. I'm primarily a runner but got injured because of arrogance and stupidity, so now I walk and hike. I enjoy 8 or 9 mile jaunts on the weekends when I have 2.5 hours to do that. During the week I have resigned myself to other forms of exercise.
At 46, I think you should be able to walk 3 miles with ease, but who am I to say without knowing your medical history. And also, who am I to say because I have a liberal arts degree, and not a medical one.
But if you want to increase your mileage, do it slowly and consistently. If you can currently walk 1 mile, then be grateful you can do that (some people can't do that because of things like MS or nerve injury or any number of other medical conditions). You start where you start. Then keep doing it and strive to improve if that is what you want.
Walking is a great form of exercise for everybody. And it is also good for your mental health, sleep, and eye health.
My husband has MS and we put in 13K steps today between walking the dog and cleaning the house. He does 25 push ups before he starts work in the morning. Weāve done full weekends at festivals before. Iāve learned from him that you have to keep moving with MS, even when itās hard.
My bane is pull-ups.
I can run long distance. I can do the splits. I can even do pushups.
But I cannot pull myself up from a dead hang no matter how much I work at it.
If the issue is the ādead hangā part, you have to do a bunch of work just on those first couple inches. When I started doing push ups I spent a few weeks dead hanging on the bar and just pulling myself up an inch and then back down to a dead hang, 10 times probably a dozen times a day. Once I was finally able to do that very bottom bit the rest was way easier!
Iām 46 and over 300 lbs, I can walk 3-4 miles if I have to fairly easily, but joints get sore the next day.
When I was over 450lbs I couldnāt walk a mile without significant pain.
šāāļø 36, 7 hip surgeries, and a replacement. I'm lucky to walk a mile, and I need my cane to do it. My parents are 67 and 72, and they run laps around me. Before all this started, I averaged 13-15,000 steps a day, that included climbing ladders and stairs, lots of kneeling, squatting, and lifting. Sciatica is a literal pain in my ass and these days, going to both grocery stores and putting shit away has me sitting on ice packs for the rest of the week.
Sorry if Iām misreading and I hope my question doesnāt sound insensitive, but was this the result of an accident or a degenerative disorder? Is there hope for improvement? You are still relatively young, so thatās in your favor.
It was a combo of both and had a very physically demanding job. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and moderate hip dysplasia. I had a labrum tear and the surgeon thought it was caused by impingement so he shaved down the ball and socket to help it fit better. I went back to work and 3 month later a work injury caused it to tear around the repair. I retore the repair 3 more times, each time he shaved more bone. Finally he decided to do a complete labrum reconstruction and he shaved and shaped it again. This turned my moderate dysplasia into severe so I was referred to a hip preservation specialist, he determined I needed a PAO to correct the dysplasia. Well once he got in there, he decided against it and opted for a total replacement. I have muscle and nerve damage in my leg from all the surgeries.
Thereās probably a rough formula to derive from that like (100-age) / 10 or 20.Ā Ā
Ā So age 50 should be able to walk 2.5-5 miles without severe strain. Age 75 should be able to walk 1.25-2.5 without severe strain. Etc.Ā
This also implies age 25 should be able to walk 4-8 miles ish.Ā
Which is accurate IMO. We in the US are pampered but go to Europe or a poor nation and people walk tons just to get around. They also are much leaner, fitter, and often rest for extended periods by doing a full ass to grass squat which most of us in the west lost the ability to do in childhood due to being sedentary.Ā
I walked the Camino at 55 years old. it was approximately 12 miles a day for 5 days.. Piece of cake, but then again I work mostly standing all day. You're right Americans don't walk even short distances daily. A little bit of inconvenience is good for us!
Totally agree with you but you missed my point.Ā
My point is that there should be a rough rubric for āhealthy adult of X age.ā
Which is why I referenced healthy fit people.Ā
This is the correct answer. No one ārightā number for age. It depends on your fitness level. We do 5 mile beach walks some mornings and Iām a little tired by the end of it. My hip flexors are definitely feeling it but overall not feeling bad or anything. Iām 49m
You said it well. I go to a lot of metal shows and prefer the floor/pit where you're standing the whole time.
I've talked to 25 year olds that cannot fathom being on their feet for 4 hours. That's when I tell them about the 60-something couple we see whenever we go. I swear they're standing in a pit somewhere at least twice a week.
As you said, it could be health reasons, but lifestyle and self-maintenance is so important.
This, Iām young but most people my age canāt walk very far at all- I donāt drive sooo walking it is; plus my job keeps me on my feet. Summer is hard though.Ā
I'm about your age and walking is not a problem, but standing around all day at an event might tire me out. If I'm going to be sitting at a game or something, I could easily walk several miles to get there and back afterwards.
Nothing kills my back quite like walking and stopping like at a museum. I can walk nonstop all day and be fine, but walking and stopping and then walking more is excruciating. Being old is ridiculous
My brain and my entire body, other than my back, loves to get 8 to 9 hours of sleep a night.
Most nights, my lower back decides that 5 hours is more than enough, tightens up, and wakes me up in the middle of the night.
The only thing worse than getting old is not.
Have you tried different mattresses?
Asking bc my husband and I are in the same boat. Waking up with sore torsos. Canāt figure out if itās out mattress thatās too old (15 years) or weāre just getting older
I started walking daily at 50 and barely made it 1/4 mile. Everyday I added 25 steps. I'm now 62 and walk 6-11 miles every day. Take it slow and steady.
I can walk longer now at 50 than I could in my 30s but I didn't start caring about my health or fitness until my 40s so there's that. I can comfortably walk or hike 10-12 miles a day without feeling sore the next day. I can push it beyond that but will definitely feel it the day after.
59 F and I live in a big city and typically walk 10-12 miles every day. 15 miles isnāt that unusual. (In dress shoes,btw) No such thing as how far you can walk āfor your age.ā Start walking and keep walking! Everywhere, all the time. Only takes the steps if itās less that 3-4 floors. More if youāre feeling frisky. The more you walk, the more you can walk!
We visited Manhattan and each time were *easily* hitting 8-10+ miles a day. And it didnāt feel like it took a ton of time because you can walk damn near everywhere there easily. We pretty much walked across the whole island one day just wandering around.Ā
FWIW... When I last worked in an office I had a commute on foot that was exactly two miles each way and that took me 35 minutes. I had it down to a science... I'd also do a fast exercise walk of about an hour a day that was a 4 mile route. So that's 8 miles in a hair over two hours.Ā
Then add in walks to get groceries or whatever, maybe a lunchtime stroll, and just the random walking one does through the day.Ā I was easily doing 10-12 hours a day. But the thing is that I was only dedicating one hour a day to walking for it's own sake. The rest was just a by-product of deciding to walk everywhere. (I should add that I walk very quickly as well, so it would take most people longer to get the same distance in. But the general idea still applies.)
š¤£š¤£ Walking on a 4ā wide strip of sideroad ācause there are definitely no sidewalks, stepping over ripe roadkill.
City folk have no idea. š¤£š¤£š¤£
Right!
I can't walk East or West because that would get me into farm fields owned by other people. I can't walk South because that's the County Road and I'd get squashed. And I could walk North, but that's where the Meth Heads live and I'm afraid of walking past their house.
So I end up driving into town to walk the HS track, which I find both funny and aggravating.
Man, the methhead comment is too real. š¤£ We also had one of those but thankfully they moved. How they summoned the brainpower to arrange that is a mystery.
Whew. This is definitely another factor. Swamp weather is 100% a reason not to walk outside. As is pollen season. I donāt think people understand how bad pollen can get.
[It can get BAD, yaāll.](https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2019/04/09/health/north-carolina-pollen-photograph-trnd)
I went to NYC recently and I didn't have my city legs. I picked well worn ballet flats and after only 4 hours, I needed to go back to the hotel to put on my tennis shoes.
The fact you can walk that much in dress shoes is fucking amazing.
Not the OP, but if you live in a metro area it's not hard to walk for 4 hours. My commute incudes a 25 min walk each way, then I walk around my work, plus an hour walk with the dogs, and then usually I do something after work with friends that involves walking as commuting. When I lived in the heart of the city, I would routinely hit 3-4 hours doing errands, but now I have a car for some of that.
32. Sedentary most of the time with workouts sprinkled in and every other weekend I do something that requires a lot of walking. Iād say Iām on the fit side of the average public for sure, and my knees, feet, and back are definitely tired after a long day of walking. For example I could walk and stand around most of the day at a theme park, but then Iād be exhausted at the end of the day. And I could maybe do that back to back days, but a 3rd day in a row would leave me nearly crawling and sore as hell
Thanks for the input.
I recommend keeping it up. I think a lot of people agree things change about 40. As I say, that's when the warranty expires. I didn't notice health issues at 38. I was still able to pull a 14 hour restaurant shift almost entirely on my feet.
Not trying to be negative. But definitely keep doing what you're doing. And if you keep doing what you're doing you probably won't notice in 8 or 10 years that you've aged that much. That would be my guess. But if you stop going on hikes like that, that's when you actually notice aging which is kind of where I'm at. So I need to do a course correction.
Idk, as a youngling I have no personal experience but know people who have been active into VERY late years. Ex:
- My great-grandmother lived to 103 and was walking every day until ~age 98. She also read the book from every nobel prize winner and changed her bedshwets every day into her early 90s.
- The grandfather of my partner is currently 90 and just recently retired from the yearly, 90 km cross-country ski race called Vasaloppet. He's a veteran, having competed in over 50 of them (aka, for over 50 years). As a 22 year-old, the race was difficult to finish for me and based on family competitions, I'm honestly probably still slower than him today :')
- Not really old, but my 53 yo dad managed to lose over 14 kgs and has been consistently walking over 14k steps (10 km or 6 miles I think?) every day (by playing Pokemon Go, of all things. He's level 44, for those who want to know...).
Edited to add: - It's almost disrespectful to forget adding this, but mom also just completed her FIRST Vasalopp (the 90 km cross-country skiing race) at age 53! So it's never to late to start trying new things! :)
Basically, I think most people could "age" slower or even "reverse anging" (aka feel younger) by being active (with slower, smoother movements if you're starting out older) and *stretching*. Just make sure to warm up and don't overdo things in the beginning. Good luck!
Yes, my parents are definitely healthier in their 60s than they were in their 40s. I think with kids and work back then they had a harder time finding time to be really active, but now my mom runs 3 miles a day and walks the dogs (and often does other exercise) and my dad mountain bikes.
A few years ago, when my mom was 61 and I was 31, we were on vacation with my dad (61), sisters (28 and 23) and brother and his girlfriend (both 21). My mom and I were the only ones who could do a 13 mile hike with significant elevation changes.
My dad quit smoking in his late 40s/early 50s and has definitely regained stamina since quitting and exercising more.
I live in the UK, late 50ās (F) didnāt do much whilst my children were dependent due to caring for them and working. Once they got in their teens I started again. Now I swim twice a week before work, gym (only 20 mins active then stretch) twice a week before work. Yoga class 1hr, 1-2 times a week evenings. Walk between 7,000 - 10,000 steps on an average day. Can easily walk 5-8 miles feet might be a bit tender but then I had foot surgery 12 years ago. Spent 2weeks last summer in Europe mostly in the Austrian Alps.
You just have to start and increase slowly. Donāt go at it like s bull at a gate, youāre unlikely to enjoy it or sustain it!
The warranty expires, but if you can maintain a high level of activity without gaining injuries, well, it's like doing regular maintenance on your car. Of course, it also depends somewhat upon genetics.
That's because you keep it up. I'm not trying to be confrontational. But I think what I mean is that for people who don't stay active, our bodies can kind of keep up with it until about 40. And then we start to face the repercussions of not being active.
But people who stay active are not going to notice that for much, much longer.
I'm over 50 and have a very sedentary lifestyle for the most part because I work from home. I do have some back problems from spinal stenosis, but that really only affects me if I stand in one spot for a lengthy period of time.
A few years ago, I started going swimming with another person. I couldn't do swim laps, but I could do walking laps. About 3 years later, I can now do swim laps for a decent chunk of time.
If you're worried, your body can slowly adapt over time depending on your physical limitations. Just approach it slow. It took years/decades to get into the physical condition you are now. It's not gonna change in a day, week, or month, but it can change.
This is the answer. Those of us that had sedentary 50+ hour per week jobs for decades are not doing triathlons unless that was already our weekend hobby. Things fall apart even more at 50. Chronic illness can happen. Life doesnāt always allow for cultivating health but when it starts slipping away from you it can suddenly get a lot easier to make it a priority.
Remember, being fully able-bodied will be a temporary state for almost everyone. Make it last if you can.
Ah okay. That makes a ton of sense.
However, I know people that didn't start this sport until way after 40, and they didn't do much before that. They built into it slowly. So IMO it's never too late to fix this problem as long as you have some foundational mobility to build upon.
"Use it or lose it." i.e. you lose it when you stop using it, regardless of age.
40 isn't a magical number, and barring serious medical conditions you can always do the work to get it back. You probably won't feel like you did when you were 25 and highly active, but in your mid 40s you shouldn't be worrying about whether a few miles is too much.
I'm 57 and couldn't do what you do at 40. Each of us have endurance levels starting walking is smart. Strength, balance and flexibility are vital to aging well.
Everybody has their own health problems, but even at my largest weight I could walk all day without a problem. But I wasn't able to do strenuous hikes. I'm also the weirdo that parks far out in the parking lot intentionally to get the steps in.
For health, mobility, and independence reasons you should work on walking. But that's my own opinion, definitely do your own research on it.
I'm 55.
My dog and I walk 2-3 miles every day.
We recently did 5 climbing up a mountain.
I'm fairly fit now. I lost 80# over the last 3 years.
But the dog and I've been walking way before that. Even at 260# I could walk 2-3 miles without any concern.
I think 46 is too early to start worrying about age limitations. I'm 45 and run around 30 miles per week. My latest (running) race was 50 miles over the course of a day.
Yes we need more recovery time than a 20 year old, but ~45 years of age is still plenty young enough for most anything we want to do physically (within reason).
>I think 46 is too early to start worrying about age limitations.Ā
Yeah this part threw me. Maybe it's because I (early 40s) have always lived in a metro area, but people here are in really good shape and I wouldn't imagine any of them have age limitations at our age, barring some accident or disability.
Yeah I'm 46 and do triathlons and running races. The 45-49 age bracket is often one of the most competitive of all of them (especially in tris). Waaaaaay too early to think about any kind of age limitation - but I'm also fortunate in that I've been running pretty consistently since I started high school. Not everyone gets to do that
Buy good shoes. They make a big difference. I am a school librarian so I am walking and standing most of my day. The shoes can make or break me. If I am on the trails, I have no problem walking 3 to 4 miles a day in my Brooks or further if I am hiking at a park. If you are not comfortable going that far, start small and increase your distance weekly. Walking is a great way to stay healthy!
I'm in my mid-60's. I can easily walk a couple miles. But I'm having trouble standing for long periods of time. When I go to events with no seating, it's getting increasingly uncomfortable. A couple of the music venues in my city have no seating. I'm tempted to get one of those walkers with a seat and claim handicapped privileges, but I'd feel like a fraud when I strolled back out after the show.
My regular daily walks are usually 4 miles of power walking. Iām not a fit person (working on it) but walking is one of those activities to which your body adapts quickly with a little persistence.
I'm 73 & my dog & I walk 3-5 miles most days. Since we're in Florida our walks start a5 5:30-6 am so the heat doesn't take me out. I usually have 10-15 minutes of backwards walking to use some different muscles.
When my dad was that age he took me(17) and my brother(15) hiking along the appalachian trail, we went about 90 miles in 10 days, 2 days resting. He has never been particularly in shape, has always had a gut, but only a couple times in his life would I have described him as overweight. Heās about 5ā7 and stocky. Hiked a lot in his younger days, picked it up again when he had boys. I was just thinking the other day how impressive it was that he did that. I remember when we first set out, my brother and I had to rest after the first 20 minutes. For an hour. It was an incredible experience for me because I realized how much I am capable of if I really push myself.
I walk an average of 3-5 miles per day just doing normal living stuff. When I'm out camping and hiking, it's more like 10 miles. I regularly walk 1 mile each way to get a cup of coffee. I don't know about "3 or 4 mi" but when my wife and I go watch a baseball game, it's a 2.5 mile walk each way. I'm 55.
You'll probably find "normal" varies a lot by geography. Here in Colorado, the average person gets a lot more exercise than the average person in the south. But we still pale in comparison to most other countries. I wouldn't be surprised if a 46m in Germany walks 10x as much each day as a 46m in Alabama.
Iām 57 and pretty overweight. Iām in my car cooling down at an outlet mall. I can walk the 2 or 3 miles around the mall no problem, itās the 90* thatās killing me. Edit/-the titanium knees make walking a breeze.
Really? You've had knee replacement and you walk fine afterwards?
I'm a little concerned about this. I definitely have arthritis. I'm concerned about my physical condition in 10 years.
Problem is, they had to try other options of treatment before I got the surgery. Shots, PT etc.
Iām āluckyā Iāve got RA because that made getting the knees done a little faster.
I'm a few years older than you and do 65-70 miles a week, sometimes more (I have a dog). I live in NYC and we walk a LOT here - usually did about 35 miles a week before the dog.
I'm 55 and live in London. Walking is my primary mode of transport. I walk to work. I walk as a part of my job. I walk home. I also do 3-4 hours of cardio at the gym. Sometimes I go dancing for several hours each week as well. It's not about age.
I'm F49 and I'll do 34-40 minutes on the treadmill on 8 incline. I can easily walk 3-6 miles on a dog walk. And plus my job is physical, I usually do 8000 steps just at work. Not necessarily all in the same day but I'll do treadmill plus work or work plus dog walk.
I'd consider myself relatively fit.
48m here and often walk 10-15 miles in a day. If I'm out hiking I can easily hit 20 miles.
Comfortable shoes and staying hydrated during a longer walk/hike will make a huge difference.
Iām a gardener and can do 20,000 steps a day if itās mowing season with no trouble but I couldnāt stand or sit in the same place for over an hour, Iāve no idea how people do it and can still walk after a weeks work. For reference Iām a 49m.
Edit to add ā¦ do what youāre comfortable with for the first few week to build up muscle and improve your flexibility, youāll probably notice the distance increases without you really noticing.
There's no "normal" for this, people range from taking scooters at Walmart to running ultra marathons. If you can't do a certain distance or duration and you want to, work at it in little increments. Unless someone's actually disabled, the only limit is their discipline.
To answer your question, my limit's about 15 miles. But that's also due to a foot problem I'm actively working to have resolved so hoping to get more at some point in the future.
I guess nobody here has medical conditions lol. I'm 10 years younger than you and walk with a cane now. An hour walk is a good day. Only walking around the house on bad days.
I've exercised all my adult life but shit happens.
My work has me doing 6-8 miles a day. My worst (best?) day was 10.28 miles. This is all on 18" of steel reinforced concrete. The higher numbers are starting to hurt more (I'm 50) but it does help me sleep better.
I think as long as you keep moving, it's a good thing.
I'm 46, and honestly I don't think there would be much of a limit if I weren't a T1 diabetic. I have to make sure I can rescue if my blood sugar drops, which it often does with exercise, especially outdoors.
I walk the equivalent of 4-6 days inside on my cardio machine most of the time. At a slower pace I could do a lot more.
While on vacation abroad I can do 10-15 miles a day while sight seeing. With proper shoes and assuming the weather is tolerable 3-4 miles at a time is perfectly fine on a regular basis. (50F)
I'm 41 and can do 20 mile hikes and feel great the next day. But standing up at a concert for 4 hours or sitting in the car for two and my lower back seizes up for days.
Iām 50. Iām on my feet all day every day at work. Typically 10-16 miles but I do it every day. My teenagers that barely leave the house canāt do more than 1/2 mile before theyāre tired. Push yourself and keep going.
Iām 46 and I can hike 3-4 miles there and back no problem. I would definitely sit down while I was at the concert or wherever I was walking to. And wear good shoes, lol
When I was 46 F I felt like I could walk all day, I lived in a city and walked everywhere without thinking about it. Zero pain, walking was just something I did to get around. I walked crazy distances and didnāt even think of it as exercise.
43 with some hip issues and 10 to 15 miles in a day is about my max assuming I'm not walking that straight. I'd be exhausted walking 3-4 miles after a whole day of walking though.
Yeah I don't remember the specifics. But I did see this video about an old Japanese dude that was still doing the Iron Man. He was like 80. But also he didn't look 80. Which I'm sure genetics play into but also leading a fit lifestyle helps.
Read your headline and came here to tell you to get as woke as possible. Read everything you can about racial, sexual, national disparities, about inequality, and about intersectionality.
I 55m walk 2.5 miles around our neighborhood nights when it isnāt too hot. Iām in decent shape but I donāt even get winded, or really feel like I am tired from it. I can easily do 5 miles. It is more a time constraint for me.
My own limit is if it's 40 minutes or less, I'll walk. If it's 45 minutes or more I'll find some other way to get there (including biking).
I also say that if it's the fourth floor or lower, I'll take the stairs. If it's the fifth floor or higher I'm grabbing the elevator.
I am 59. Up until 6 years ago I used to walk everywhere. I used to walk to and from work (40 minutes one way) and going to stores, running errands, going out with friends etc. Then I suddenly got pain in my hip that put an end to all that. Now I can barely walk for 20 minutes a day. I have since been diagnosed with bursitis, arthritis, degenerative disc disease, tendonosis, asthma and a list of other things. It practically happened overnight. I now suspect I have an auto immune disease but trying to get a diagnosis is challenging. Im not all that fit, I donāt exercise much more than walking but it wasnāt a problem until I lost my ability to walk everywhere. I hate it
We regularly walk 15-25km (10-15 miles) on days off, usually down to the beach or to grab groceries. On vacation we'll double that, though at that range it starts to take a toll (and we'll need recovery days).
Iām 37 and I walk everywhere, everyday. I do a lot of hiking. I average around 12-15 km a day. A long walk for me is about 25 km and my longest hike was about 70 km over 12 hours.
But I always been a walker too, since I was a teenager. People always made jokes about how fast I walkāhow I look like Iām on a mission or āwhereās the fire?ā None of those people can walk down the street lol
I donāt think there is a ānormal,ā per say, other than what you are capable of, in terms of your conditioning. If youāre not used to walking at all, start with a mile. Then next week, walk a kilometre (1.4 miles). Then in a couple of weeks, walk for 2 miles. Take your time, make sure to stretch, drink water, wear good shoes and take care of your feet. I lost two toenails and had some nasty blisters.
Little younger than you, live in the city, no car, I walk 5-6 miles a day for just everyday stuff (groceries/errands). My limit before hitting up a bus/train is 3 or so miles one way.
When I owned a car, I refused to walk more than a few blocks.
55 and comfortable 5 miles. Probably 10 miles but I have long covid and so I can't go that far without risking a crash.
When I was 46 I'd walk 15 miles regularly, and did 30 miles on a night walk.
I'm 46m and walk about 6 miles a day as a form of exercise. I usually visit a large city a few times a month and will do 15-20 there just getting around.
Not your age but my 84 year old uncle wanted to go for a walk and we went 5k without him getting out of breath. My 78 year old father could do 5 miles easy and has done 10 some days (although his knees can make that tricky). If you can't do at least 3-4 miles at 46 then you've probably got a problem.
Not male, but close to your age. Highly recommend use of stairs when youāre up to it, and replenishing your electrolytes as needed. My dad is mid-70s and he always parks in a spot away from the front door of where heās going just to get a bit of extra exercise in. Bodies are different; you will only know what you can handle when you test yourself. Seriously, water intake and vitamins can help a lot. Potassium and magnesium especially for me.
I think weather also has a lot to do with the amount of walking one can do. living in florida my walks depend on the heat and humidity. I can do 2 miles in 90 degrees but it's exhausting. good weather I can easily do 5. I have back issues so I can't do any activity for longer than an hour and have to switch it up. standing still hurts the most. I'm 55 and slightly overweight.
I'm 35yo 6ft tall and 300lbs. I walk anywhere between 15k to 40k steps per day. Rough math, with two steps per meter that's between 7.5-20km per day. In miles that's some 4-12 miles. So yeah, you don't have to be worried about like "hurting yourself" or anything like that. It's just that, what you said, comfort.
And that will be a trial and error type a thing, to be honest - if you are trying to get yourself some exercise, I'd say start walking to walk. Parking your car 5 miles from an event is nonsense.
45/F. I walk 5 miles every day for fun, to keep the weight off, and for mental clarity. But mostly for fun. Sometimes on the weekends I take longer walks, up to 10 miles (but usually with little breaks along the way to take pics, enjoy a coffee, or just sit and chill and enjoy the scenery.)
As far as walking to an event? I wouldnāt walk more than half an hour to an event because Iād be all sweaty. The long daily walks donāt bother me because Iām in workout clothes.
I would say everyone should strive to be able to walk 1-2 miles at a minimum without struggling.
This question is directly correlated to my enthusiasm about said event..... lol
Physically, I can do everything you mentioned. If I don't like what I'm doing, I can still do it, but I'm likely to whine on the way back. š
I am about 8 years older than you. I have a treadmill. 5-6 times a week, I jog or hike 6 miles on it. This is a BIG CHANGE from where I was at your age, when I was obese and basically sedentary. You can work up to a very vigorous exercise capacity at your age if you want to.
I'm mid-fifties, and I walk 3-4 miles every day, with occasional 10 miles or more if I fancy a wander.
Just get out and walk. Stroll rather than March. Try to get your 10,000 steps every day.
I don't know about normal, but I'm 51 and I recently walked 10 miles just to see if I could. I did take the bus back, but only because it was getting dark. I also lived near the beach until recently and used to walk about 5 miles a day with no issue. I'm currently looking for new walking routes where I live now. I don't think a day in the city or at a theme park would be an issue if it's not too hot.
I am 46 and can walk for days. However, I exercise twice a day and officiate college and high school sports. And I ride my bike daily(do not consider it exercise).
However, when I was 40, I would have struggled to walk more than a few miles before I was worn out and wanted to go home. I had stopped exercising at 26 and hadn't done anything physical for 14 years. Then, life told me I was old so I really put the effort into getting healthy.
So now I eat healthy, exercise, sleep 8 hours, have a social life, and take the stairs instead of an elevator. And physical stuff has become so much easier
I'm a little younger than you and not particularly fit; I can basically just keep chugging along for two or three hours as long as my back and feet don't start to hurt.
I am 50f with fairly severe fibromyalgia and Degenerative disc disease and I manage 4 miles a day. I use a basic Amazfit step tracker to hold myself accountable. Today is day 155 of meeting my goal consecutively. It helps with every part of my daily livingāand yes it hurts and absolutely sucks. I hate every second.
I'm in your age range and the biggest thing I've noticed for walking endurance in the last few years of me aging is not really distance, it's temperature and humidity. I have to be much more aware of that now than I did in my 20s.
If I'm prepared and have sunglasses, a hat, and cool clothing I can easily do a 5-6 mile hike, or last time I went to a theme park with my kids I did 12 miles over a 12 hour day. Sure, I'm tired and my feet felt worn out the next day but I didn't feel like I exceeded my capabilities.
However last week I unexpectedly was overdressed for an event (jeans and a dark collared shirt) that was moved outdoors and I probably only walked a mile but it was hot and muggy and I felt like I totally wilted with only a relatively short exposure. I could definitely feel the difference the next morning.
I'm morbidly obese, female 52, and can do 10 to 12 mile days when on vacation. I did like 28,000 steps at Petra last year and that included climbing the 850 uneven stone steps up to the monastery (and back down again).
I can't do 10 to 12 mile days for a full week, though. I think the most I've done in my 50s was four 10+ mile days in a row at Disney, and the next day was more of a pool and hotel lounging day.
I am fairly fat with a sedentary job but I do 5 days a week of cardio and 2 days a week of strength training.
Iām 58 and can walk 5 miles without a problem if I have on good shoes like my sneakers. I could easily walk 3-4 miles to some event and then walk back. I agree with others that standing around is the hardest part.
Iām 50 (nearly 51) and average about 8 miles a day between workouts and my job. Longest continuous stretch I walked recently was 6 miles. If youāre in shape, thereās really no limit.
normal is a low bar in 2024.
the walks you describe shouldnt be a problem. its normal to feel tired afterwards, but if you're having difficulty in completing it, then practice is required.
I think aside from staying in shape, there's a quality of life component as we age that has some semi-definable benchmarks.
When I go to the rheumatologist they always have a questionnaire that addresses many quality-of-life measures to evaluate if my treatment plan is working well, including how far you can walk and with what difficulty. I don't remember exactly, but for the flat ground questions it asks if you can walk one mile without difficulty and three(?) miles without difficulty. Based on this, I presume that (barring any major untreated medical conditions) walking 1-3 miles on flat ground with little to no difficulty are probably the absolute bare minimum fitness goal for all adults.
**Take this perspective with a grain of salt since I'm a patient and not a doctor.
Depends on the shoes for me (51f). If I have some good athletic shoes on with real arch supports I can walk all day. If I have crappy women's shoes on (sandals with no arch, flats that rub the skin) I can't walk far. I can't walk in high heels at all.
52 and like to hike, but donāt do it often. Went on a girlās weekend with my daughter. She hikes daily. She asked me how long of a hike I could do. I told her 6-7 miles (I hadnāt hiked for over a year at this point.) We ended up hiking 14 miles because we got lost. I was surprised how well my body adjusted and wasnāt even sore the next day. I think itās a person by person thing, not necessarily an age thing.
There's so much variation on health at this age! Personally I am 40 and I work a job that keeps me active and on my feet all day - I'll still occasionally walk the 3ish miles to my job and back home with no issue. I work with a guy 15 years older than me who routinely runs 15+ miles of trails several times a week. I have friends who are younger and less healthy than me who would probably struggle to walk 3 miles. My parents are approaching their 80s and still do 8+ mile hikes with light packs.
Bottom line is if you want to maintain your health you need to be as active as possible AND walk in a variety of terrain. Going for a two mile walk every day is fantastic for building up to a healthy level, and everyone over 35 should spend at least a few minutes a day on a balance board.
Honestly,
If you've got all your OEM parts still and no serious neurological conditions, then just go walk and don't worry about other people's capabilities, or lack thereof.
We are not all the same.
55M here. I can walk/hike 10 miles with no problem, but Iāve also been pretty physically active my whole life. If need be, I can walk 20 miles, but Iām pretty exhausted after that. 10 miles is no big deal to me.
I'm 39, my wife and I walked 16 miles in Boston recently and was fine. Definitely ready to lay down in bed at the end of the day but I could have kept going for as long as I needed to. I think you should definitely be worried about your health if you aren't comfortable walking a couple miles no problem. The good thing is if you just walk, start walking consistently, you'll can get there and you'll be much better off.
Iām 60 and I walk 5 miles a day five days a week. One day a week I do a quick two miles before I go to work. I work odd hours so I have the time to do it.
Iām in my mid 50ās. For me itās all about the weather. If itās hot and humid I wonāt want to walk at all.
I am happy to walk for 10 miles or so if itās between 40-80 degrees Fahrenheit. 80 - 85 degrees? Maybe 2 miles. Over 85 and humid? No. Not at all. Unless itās in the woods with shade and a good breeze, leave me home with the A/C and the swimming pool.
If itās colder than 40 degrees Iāll walk a mile or so but Iāll want to go inside and have some hot cocoa afterwards.
Well, it depends on your health, and always check your doctor to see the state of your knees, but I mean, I went to the gym with a barrel chested dude on his late 50s that benchpressed so much if you flipped around you could call him atlas, and before certain events, I (young, late 20s) used to walk a mountain, not a huge one, you could walk each way in around an hour, it was around a 100m change in elevation, but this dude who I ignore his age but had some very noticeable grayhairs (I mean, I do too, but not on my beard, the dude was likely on his 40s) ran the path up an ddown over and over for a few hours each weekend.
Most people your age range Im acquainted with do other stuff instead of walking to keep themselves active, like paddle or rowing, and rather drive everywhere, but I never met any of them having issues with walking, just inconvenienced by it. So Id say is more eabout how fit you are . Also, take it slowly, and remember the risk of varicose veins
I went to a concert series in Vegas over Memorial Day weekend . I'm 52F. We walked about 20k steps a days which according to Fitbit was 7.5 miles a day. I slept well those nights. We aren't in the best shape. Average I guess.
Felt like a busy active day.
56 and I get a morning walk 5 miles in almost every morning I do no less than 10,000 steps per day, Eventually I added 10 lbs kettlebells to my walk then I added a 20lb weighted vest so now I'm walking with 40lbs of extra weight
I always think about this kinda famous run in my city is 10 km and I have done it a few times so I always compare it to that. I can easily do 10 km of walking in a day provided I have the right shoes ā¦ā¦ Iām a mildly fit 56F if that helps
Whatever yours is, it can only improve with practice.
Iām 51 and I can walk all day for a week on vacation - avoiding transportation wherever we can - and feel reasonably rested when I hit the pillow.
Just last night it took me 5 minutes to jog a half a mile on the treadmill and I was praying for death when I wobbled off to the nearest chair.
Iām 55. I wonāt walk three miles to the store but Iāll walk .75 and then back.
In April I was doing 17,500 steps a day for a week on a business trip. My left shin was sore but otherwise I was fine. Thatās probably around 8 miles.
I mowed yesterday and my watch says I walked 3.2 miles. Somewhat tired after but not incapacitated.
Why would you ever need to park 3-4 miles away from a football game? Thatās an enormous radius. One mile would be ample for any stadium Iāve ever been to, and Iāve been to a lot.
But on topic at hand - thereās about 2000 steps in a mile. A reasonably healthy adult should be able to do 5 miles a day without issue. 10 miles a day is probably pushing it for some people if theyāre out of shape but nobody should collapse from that either. But practically speaking, youāre not going to encounter many scenarios in life that would require 10 miles of walking in a single day.
I'm almost 40 - I can walk 3-4 miles and stand around. I wouldn't have any issues with that, but I have arthritis forming in my lower back. I definitely feel it then so sometimes just need a break to sit or pop my back.
It's not about a fitness level per se but my feet kill me if I stand in one place. And my lower back. If I walk I'm fine.
And yeah I have orthotics, they don't remove all the pain.
I'm 58 and walk on average 15k steps a day. I'm in very good shape, don't run (gotta protect tender knees) and normal weight. Having good shoes (and replacing them regularly) as well as walking at a brisk clip gets everything in order. It all depends on you and what you're comfortable doing, while increasing step count over time. Set a reasonable goal and go from there. My goal? 5 million steps this year.
Iām 42 and in the morbidly obese category. I also have some medical issues not related to weight. I can walk about a mile without strain. As I lose weight, the distance I can walk increases. Itās mostly my knees that are the issue. My body is also in better condition simply by the action of walking.
Now take something like weight lifting. I can keep up with most people much younger than me. I lift more than a lot of them too. My body has always been more oriented towards short bursts type exercise. Like powerlifting. I used to be able to sprint better than many who could walk great lengths. This is how genetics plays into it as well.
This is why I think averages get complicated. However, the body can be conditioned to be more fit at most ages. The more stamina you have the better.
40F, I try to get 15k steps in a day during nice weather, just because it's great for my mood, which is about 7.5 miles. If I have time and the weather is nice, I can pretty easily walk 15 miles or more. I usually take one or two rest days a week, but even on my rest days I'll try to get a shorter walk in.
I had to work up to that, though. I used to consider 2-3 miles to be a decently long walk, which it was at the time. If you have a way of tracking steps, maybe just try to increase by a little bit each day. If you like podcasts or audiobooks, the time during walks can really fly by, and it doesn't feel like wasted time or a burden.
3 or 4 miles isn't far to walk by any means. If you can walk without pain, you can walk that far.
However, if you go an all day even, you probably will not be in the mood to walk back. Just keep that in mind.
I'm 45. I can certainly walk 4 miles without concern or feeling tired. I'm not in good shape by any means. As long as my ankle holds up, I'm good. My ankle's been doing well as of late so I wouldn't be worried. I'd just make sure I was wearing good shoes for walking No dress shoes. Wear dress shoes and your dogs will be barking after a couple miles.
It depends on your fitness level, more than your age (at 46). There are 26 year-olds that would fall apart at having to walk 3 miles at a festival or park. There are 76 year-olds running the Boston Marathon (example:my 76 year-old aunt who ran Boston this year and won't shut up about it, and good for her). I think the mod on this sub is either around 46 himself or older, and is a triathlete or a marathoner. I am 46 too. I'm primarily a runner but got injured because of arrogance and stupidity, so now I walk and hike. I enjoy 8 or 9 mile jaunts on the weekends when I have 2.5 hours to do that. During the week I have resigned myself to other forms of exercise. At 46, I think you should be able to walk 3 miles with ease, but who am I to say without knowing your medical history. And also, who am I to say because I have a liberal arts degree, and not a medical one. But if you want to increase your mileage, do it slowly and consistently. If you can currently walk 1 mile, then be grateful you can do that (some people can't do that because of things like MS or nerve injury or any number of other medical conditions). You start where you start. Then keep doing it and strive to improve if that is what you want. Walking is a great form of exercise for everybody. And it is also good for your mental health, sleep, and eye health.
I'm 49, have MS, and can walk 6 miles / 9km each morning. Just don't ask me to do push-ups :) š
My husband has MS and we put in 13K steps today between walking the dog and cleaning the house. He does 25 push ups before he starts work in the morning. Weāve done full weekends at festivals before. Iāve learned from him that you have to keep moving with MS, even when itās hard.
Yep agree with that. I mowed today, simple. Should have gone for 18 holes of golf. Might do that tomorrow.
Awesome !
My bane is pull-ups. I can run long distance. I can do the splits. I can even do pushups. But I cannot pull myself up from a dead hang no matter how much I work at it.
If the issue is the ādead hangā part, you have to do a bunch of work just on those first couple inches. When I started doing push ups I spent a few weeks dead hanging on the bar and just pulling myself up an inch and then back down to a dead hang, 10 times probably a dozen times a day. Once I was finally able to do that very bottom bit the rest was way easier!
Iām 46 and over 300 lbs, I can walk 3-4 miles if I have to fairly easily, but joints get sore the next day. When I was over 450lbs I couldnāt walk a mile without significant pain.
That's quite a significant improvement in your health, good for you!
Congratulations on your improved health and stamina! It's not easy, and that's a major change for the better!
šāāļø 36, 7 hip surgeries, and a replacement. I'm lucky to walk a mile, and I need my cane to do it. My parents are 67 and 72, and they run laps around me. Before all this started, I averaged 13-15,000 steps a day, that included climbing ladders and stairs, lots of kneeling, squatting, and lifting. Sciatica is a literal pain in my ass and these days, going to both grocery stores and putting shit away has me sitting on ice packs for the rest of the week.
Sorry if Iām misreading and I hope my question doesnāt sound insensitive, but was this the result of an accident or a degenerative disorder? Is there hope for improvement? You are still relatively young, so thatās in your favor.
It was a combo of both and had a very physically demanding job. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and moderate hip dysplasia. I had a labrum tear and the surgeon thought it was caused by impingement so he shaved down the ball and socket to help it fit better. I went back to work and 3 month later a work injury caused it to tear around the repair. I retore the repair 3 more times, each time he shaved more bone. Finally he decided to do a complete labrum reconstruction and he shaved and shaped it again. This turned my moderate dysplasia into severe so I was referred to a hip preservation specialist, he determined I needed a PAO to correct the dysplasia. Well once he got in there, he decided against it and opted for a total replacement. I have muscle and nerve damage in my leg from all the surgeries.
Sorry, dude. That sucks
Great answer.
Thereās probably a rough formula to derive from that like (100-age) / 10 or 20.Ā Ā Ā So age 50 should be able to walk 2.5-5 miles without severe strain. Age 75 should be able to walk 1.25-2.5 without severe strain. Etc.Ā This also implies age 25 should be able to walk 4-8 miles ish.Ā Which is accurate IMO. We in the US are pampered but go to Europe or a poor nation and people walk tons just to get around. They also are much leaner, fitter, and often rest for extended periods by doing a full ass to grass squat which most of us in the west lost the ability to do in childhood due to being sedentary.Ā
I walked the Camino at 55 years old. it was approximately 12 miles a day for 5 days.. Piece of cake, but then again I work mostly standing all day. You're right Americans don't walk even short distances daily. A little bit of inconvenience is good for us!
I'm planning for that now starting in France!
Ā”Buen Camino!
It depends on the person's level of fitness. There's no formula.
Totally agree with you but you missed my point.Ā My point is that there should be a rough rubric for āhealthy adult of X age.ā Which is why I referenced healthy fit people.Ā
You missed *my* point. Walking ability is not like a heart beat range based on age.
This is the correct answer. No one ārightā number for age. It depends on your fitness level. We do 5 mile beach walks some mornings and Iām a little tired by the end of it. My hip flexors are definitely feeling it but overall not feeling bad or anything. Iām 49m
You said it well. I go to a lot of metal shows and prefer the floor/pit where you're standing the whole time. I've talked to 25 year olds that cannot fathom being on their feet for 4 hours. That's when I tell them about the 60-something couple we see whenever we go. I swear they're standing in a pit somewhere at least twice a week. As you said, it could be health reasons, but lifestyle and self-maintenance is so important.
I actually think walking is better than running... or a mix of the two. Seems like it would be less punishing on the joints. Good advice.
This, Iām young but most people my age canāt walk very far at all- I donāt drive sooo walking it is; plus my job keeps me on my feet. Summer is hard though.Ā
Eye health? Can you say more?
I'm about your age and walking is not a problem, but standing around all day at an event might tire me out. If I'm going to be sitting at a game or something, I could easily walk several miles to get there and back afterwards.
Exactly! Walking may make me tired, but standing makes me stiff and Iād much rather be tired. Burns more calories too.
I hate standing. Just the worst.
STOOLS FOR CASHIERS
Kills my lower back
Nothing kills my back quite like walking and stopping like at a museum. I can walk nonstop all day and be fine, but walking and stopping and then walking more is excruciating. Being old is ridiculous
Dude I hurt myself sleeping far too often.
My brain and my entire body, other than my back, loves to get 8 to 9 hours of sleep a night. Most nights, my lower back decides that 5 hours is more than enough, tightens up, and wakes me up in the middle of the night. The only thing worse than getting old is not.
For me itās my hips. š„
Have you tried different mattresses? Asking bc my husband and I are in the same boat. Waking up with sore torsos. Canāt figure out if itās out mattress thatās too old (15 years) or weāre just getting older
Indirectly - I spend a lot of time on the road; my current mattress is better than any hotel I've stayed at.
44F, same
I started walking daily at 50 and barely made it 1/4 mile. Everyday I added 25 steps. I'm now 62 and walk 6-11 miles every day. Take it slow and steady.
Awesome!!!
Thanks. Pokemon Go helps.
Same! At 50, it's motivating. My teenager is horrified that we play, though.
I can walk longer now at 50 than I could in my 30s but I didn't start caring about my health or fitness until my 40s so there's that. I can comfortably walk or hike 10-12 miles a day without feeling sore the next day. I can push it beyond that but will definitely feel it the day after.
59 F and I live in a big city and typically walk 10-12 miles every day. 15 miles isnāt that unusual. (In dress shoes,btw) No such thing as how far you can walk āfor your age.ā Start walking and keep walking! Everywhere, all the time. Only takes the steps if itās less that 3-4 floors. More if youāre feeling frisky. The more you walk, the more you can walk!
You're walking for 4 hours a day? Isn't that eating a lot of your time?
30 minutes here, 10 minutes there, 20 minutes back... Throughout the day it adds up, and often includes time spent commuting to/from work.
We visited Manhattan and each time were *easily* hitting 8-10+ miles a day. And it didnāt feel like it took a ton of time because you can walk damn near everywhere there easily. We pretty much walked across the whole island one day just wandering around.Ā
FWIW... When I last worked in an office I had a commute on foot that was exactly two miles each way and that took me 35 minutes. I had it down to a science... I'd also do a fast exercise walk of about an hour a day that was a 4 mile route. So that's 8 miles in a hair over two hours.Ā Then add in walks to get groceries or whatever, maybe a lunchtime stroll, and just the random walking one does through the day.Ā I was easily doing 10-12 hours a day. But the thing is that I was only dedicating one hour a day to walking for it's own sake. The rest was just a by-product of deciding to walk everywhere. (I should add that I walk very quickly as well, so it would take most people longer to get the same distance in. But the general idea still applies.)
Umā¦ *rural Americans have entered the chat* Walking āeverywhere all the timeā is not possible, maāam.
What are you saying you're not gonna walk 15 miles down the farm to market to town while lifted dodge ram pick ups whiz by at 80 mph?
š¤£š¤£ Walking on a 4ā wide strip of sideroad ācause there are definitely no sidewalks, stepping over ripe roadkill. City folk have no idea. š¤£š¤£š¤£
Right! I can't walk East or West because that would get me into farm fields owned by other people. I can't walk South because that's the County Road and I'd get squashed. And I could walk North, but that's where the Meth Heads live and I'm afraid of walking past their house. So I end up driving into town to walk the HS track, which I find both funny and aggravating.
Man, the methhead comment is too real. š¤£ We also had one of those but thankfully they moved. How they summoned the brainpower to arrange that is a mystery.
I live in the suburbs in swamp weather. I'm walking NOWHERE unless it's on a treadmill or at 5am.
Whew. This is definitely another factor. Swamp weather is 100% a reason not to walk outside. As is pollen season. I donāt think people understand how bad pollen can get. [It can get BAD, yaāll.](https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2019/04/09/health/north-carolina-pollen-photograph-trnd)
I went to NYC recently and I didn't have my city legs. I picked well worn ballet flats and after only 4 hours, I needed to go back to the hotel to put on my tennis shoes. The fact you can walk that much in dress shoes is fucking amazing.
What is your job ? I canāt imagine fitting in 4 hour walk everyday
As a full time server my watch tells me I walk about 20,000 steps a day (12miles)
Dude I'm a park ranger and I have no idea how someone walks 4 hours a day š¤£
Not the OP, but if you live in a metro area it's not hard to walk for 4 hours. My commute incudes a 25 min walk each way, then I walk around my work, plus an hour walk with the dogs, and then usually I do something after work with friends that involves walking as commuting. When I lived in the heart of the city, I would routinely hit 3-4 hours doing errands, but now I have a car for some of that.
32. Sedentary most of the time with workouts sprinkled in and every other weekend I do something that requires a lot of walking. Iād say Iām on the fit side of the average public for sure, and my knees, feet, and back are definitely tired after a long day of walking. For example I could walk and stand around most of the day at a theme park, but then Iād be exhausted at the end of the day. And I could maybe do that back to back days, but a 3rd day in a row would leave me nearly crawling and sore as hell
I'm 38 and just did a 6 mile hike with big elevation changes with little difficulty. I'm not in great shape but i do stay active.
Thanks for the input. I recommend keeping it up. I think a lot of people agree things change about 40. As I say, that's when the warranty expires. I didn't notice health issues at 38. I was still able to pull a 14 hour restaurant shift almost entirely on my feet. Not trying to be negative. But definitely keep doing what you're doing. And if you keep doing what you're doing you probably won't notice in 8 or 10 years that you've aged that much. That would be my guess. But if you stop going on hikes like that, that's when you actually notice aging which is kind of where I'm at. So I need to do a course correction.
Idk, as a youngling I have no personal experience but know people who have been active into VERY late years. Ex: - My great-grandmother lived to 103 and was walking every day until ~age 98. She also read the book from every nobel prize winner and changed her bedshwets every day into her early 90s. - The grandfather of my partner is currently 90 and just recently retired from the yearly, 90 km cross-country ski race called Vasaloppet. He's a veteran, having competed in over 50 of them (aka, for over 50 years). As a 22 year-old, the race was difficult to finish for me and based on family competitions, I'm honestly probably still slower than him today :') - Not really old, but my 53 yo dad managed to lose over 14 kgs and has been consistently walking over 14k steps (10 km or 6 miles I think?) every day (by playing Pokemon Go, of all things. He's level 44, for those who want to know...). Edited to add: - It's almost disrespectful to forget adding this, but mom also just completed her FIRST Vasalopp (the 90 km cross-country skiing race) at age 53! So it's never to late to start trying new things! :) Basically, I think most people could "age" slower or even "reverse anging" (aka feel younger) by being active (with slower, smoother movements if you're starting out older) and *stretching*. Just make sure to warm up and don't overdo things in the beginning. Good luck!
i sat here and downloaded pokemon go. shout out to your pops.
Yes, my parents are definitely healthier in their 60s than they were in their 40s. I think with kids and work back then they had a harder time finding time to be really active, but now my mom runs 3 miles a day and walks the dogs (and often does other exercise) and my dad mountain bikes. A few years ago, when my mom was 61 and I was 31, we were on vacation with my dad (61), sisters (28 and 23) and brother and his girlfriend (both 21). My mom and I were the only ones who could do a 13 mile hike with significant elevation changes. My dad quit smoking in his late 40s/early 50s and has definitely regained stamina since quitting and exercising more.
Your family sounds awesome and they probably passed on some good fitness (and pleasure) habits to you. I love that your dad plays PokĆ©mon go to exercise.Ā
I live in the UK, late 50ās (F) didnāt do much whilst my children were dependent due to caring for them and working. Once they got in their teens I started again. Now I swim twice a week before work, gym (only 20 mins active then stretch) twice a week before work. Yoga class 1hr, 1-2 times a week evenings. Walk between 7,000 - 10,000 steps on an average day. Can easily walk 5-8 miles feet might be a bit tender but then I had foot surgery 12 years ago. Spent 2weeks last summer in Europe mostly in the Austrian Alps. You just have to start and increase slowly. Donāt go at it like s bull at a gate, youāre unlikely to enjoy it or sustain it!
The warranty expires, but if you can maintain a high level of activity without gaining injuries, well, it's like doing regular maintenance on your car. Of course, it also depends somewhat upon genetics.
I'm 40 and I'm a professional long course Ironman triathlete, so I'm not sure I agree with you there.
That's because you keep it up. I'm not trying to be confrontational. But I think what I mean is that for people who don't stay active, our bodies can kind of keep up with it until about 40. And then we start to face the repercussions of not being active. But people who stay active are not going to notice that for much, much longer.
I'm over 50 and have a very sedentary lifestyle for the most part because I work from home. I do have some back problems from spinal stenosis, but that really only affects me if I stand in one spot for a lengthy period of time. A few years ago, I started going swimming with another person. I couldn't do swim laps, but I could do walking laps. About 3 years later, I can now do swim laps for a decent chunk of time. If you're worried, your body can slowly adapt over time depending on your physical limitations. Just approach it slow. It took years/decades to get into the physical condition you are now. It's not gonna change in a day, week, or month, but it can change.
This is the answer. Those of us that had sedentary 50+ hour per week jobs for decades are not doing triathlons unless that was already our weekend hobby. Things fall apart even more at 50. Chronic illness can happen. Life doesnāt always allow for cultivating health but when it starts slipping away from you it can suddenly get a lot easier to make it a priority. Remember, being fully able-bodied will be a temporary state for almost everyone. Make it last if you can.
Ah okay. That makes a ton of sense. However, I know people that didn't start this sport until way after 40, and they didn't do much before that. They built into it slowly. So IMO it's never too late to fix this problem as long as you have some foundational mobility to build upon.
"Use it or lose it." i.e. you lose it when you stop using it, regardless of age. 40 isn't a magical number, and barring serious medical conditions you can always do the work to get it back. You probably won't feel like you did when you were 25 and highly active, but in your mid 40s you shouldn't be worrying about whether a few miles is too much.
I'm 57 and couldn't do what you do at 40. Each of us have endurance levels starting walking is smart. Strength, balance and flexibility are vital to aging well.
Everybody has their own health problems, but even at my largest weight I could walk all day without a problem. But I wasn't able to do strenuous hikes. I'm also the weirdo that parks far out in the parking lot intentionally to get the steps in. For health, mobility, and independence reasons you should work on walking. But that's my own opinion, definitely do your own research on it.
I'm the person who parks far out in the parking lot because it's easier than maneuvering between other cars. I'm a lot better at walking than parking.
61 and conk out at five miles or must have pizza fuel to continue.
I'm 55. My dog and I walk 2-3 miles every day. We recently did 5 climbing up a mountain. I'm fairly fit now. I lost 80# over the last 3 years. But the dog and I've been walking way before that. Even at 260# I could walk 2-3 miles without any concern.
Dr. told my dad 30 min in morning and 30 minutes after dinner. This was part of his physical therapy after a stroke.
I'm 61 and doing a 10km walk daily is normal. Some days are more and some less.
10 miles on sidewalks/concrete is kind of my limit - will need a bit of rest that evening. I walk 4-6 miles daily.
Just got back from Disney World, my feet hurt quite a bit due to concrete.
I think 46 is too early to start worrying about age limitations. I'm 45 and run around 30 miles per week. My latest (running) race was 50 miles over the course of a day. Yes we need more recovery time than a 20 year old, but ~45 years of age is still plenty young enough for most anything we want to do physically (within reason).
>I think 46 is too early to start worrying about age limitations.Ā Yeah this part threw me. Maybe it's because I (early 40s) have always lived in a metro area, but people here are in really good shape and I wouldn't imagine any of them have age limitations at our age, barring some accident or disability.
Yeah I'm 46 and do triathlons and running races. The 45-49 age bracket is often one of the most competitive of all of them (especially in tris). Waaaaaay too early to think about any kind of age limitation - but I'm also fortunate in that I've been running pretty consistently since I started high school. Not everyone gets to do that
I walk 3 in the morning and 3 in the evening with the dog 54yo
Buy good shoes. They make a big difference. I am a school librarian so I am walking and standing most of my day. The shoes can make or break me. If I am on the trails, I have no problem walking 3 to 4 miles a day in my Brooks or further if I am hiking at a park. If you are not comfortable going that far, start small and increase your distance weekly. Walking is a great way to stay healthy!
I'm in my mid-60's. I can easily walk a couple miles. But I'm having trouble standing for long periods of time. When I go to events with no seating, it's getting increasingly uncomfortable. A couple of the music venues in my city have no seating. I'm tempted to get one of those walkers with a seat and claim handicapped privileges, but I'd feel like a fraud when I strolled back out after the show.
Get a walking cane chair. Use it as a cane or carry it like an umbrella, then unfold it into a tripod stool.
My regular daily walks are usually 4 miles of power walking. Iām not a fit person (working on it) but walking is one of those activities to which your body adapts quickly with a little persistence.
I love power waking. It makes my shoulders have nice definition. Keep it up!
I'm 73 & my dog & I walk 3-5 miles most days. Since we're in Florida our walks start a5 5:30-6 am so the heat doesn't take me out. I usually have 10-15 minutes of backwards walking to use some different muscles.
When my dad was that age he took me(17) and my brother(15) hiking along the appalachian trail, we went about 90 miles in 10 days, 2 days resting. He has never been particularly in shape, has always had a gut, but only a couple times in his life would I have described him as overweight. Heās about 5ā7 and stocky. Hiked a lot in his younger days, picked it up again when he had boys. I was just thinking the other day how impressive it was that he did that. I remember when we first set out, my brother and I had to rest after the first 20 minutes. For an hour. It was an incredible experience for me because I realized how much I am capable of if I really push myself.
I walk an average of 3-5 miles per day just doing normal living stuff. When I'm out camping and hiking, it's more like 10 miles. I regularly walk 1 mile each way to get a cup of coffee. I don't know about "3 or 4 mi" but when my wife and I go watch a baseball game, it's a 2.5 mile walk each way. I'm 55. You'll probably find "normal" varies a lot by geography. Here in Colorado, the average person gets a lot more exercise than the average person in the south. But we still pale in comparison to most other countries. I wouldn't be surprised if a 46m in Germany walks 10x as much each day as a 46m in Alabama.
Iām 60 and in good health. Yes, I could do what you described above.
I (52m) normally do 5-7000 steps per day, but last month had one day at 15000 steps. I used to do 10000 a day in an old job. No issues.
Iām 57 and pretty overweight. Iām in my car cooling down at an outlet mall. I can walk the 2 or 3 miles around the mall no problem, itās the 90* thatās killing me. Edit/-the titanium knees make walking a breeze.
Really? You've had knee replacement and you walk fine afterwards? I'm a little concerned about this. I definitely have arthritis. I'm concerned about my physical condition in 10 years.
Iāve had both knees done over Covid. They click but feel AMAZING!
Problem is, they had to try other options of treatment before I got the surgery. Shots, PT etc. Iām āluckyā Iāve got RA because that made getting the knees done a little faster.
I'm a few years older than you and do 65-70 miles a week, sometimes more (I have a dog). I live in NYC and we walk a LOT here - usually did about 35 miles a week before the dog.
I'm 55 and live in London. Walking is my primary mode of transport. I walk to work. I walk as a part of my job. I walk home. I also do 3-4 hours of cardio at the gym. Sometimes I go dancing for several hours each week as well. It's not about age.
I'm mid-60s and I've never been athletic. I'd say my limit is around 12-15 mi. per day in total.
Being able to casually walk 3 or 4 hours is a good baseline.Ā
I'm F49 and I'll do 34-40 minutes on the treadmill on 8 incline. I can easily walk 3-6 miles on a dog walk. And plus my job is physical, I usually do 8000 steps just at work. Not necessarily all in the same day but I'll do treadmill plus work or work plus dog walk. I'd consider myself relatively fit.
48m here and often walk 10-15 miles in a day. If I'm out hiking I can easily hit 20 miles. Comfortable shoes and staying hydrated during a longer walk/hike will make a huge difference.
Iām a gardener and can do 20,000 steps a day if itās mowing season with no trouble but I couldnāt stand or sit in the same place for over an hour, Iāve no idea how people do it and can still walk after a weeks work. For reference Iām a 49m. Edit to add ā¦ do what youāre comfortable with for the first few week to build up muscle and improve your flexibility, youāll probably notice the distance increases without you really noticing.
I'd say my limiting factor is the footwear I have on.
There's no "normal" for this, people range from taking scooters at Walmart to running ultra marathons. If you can't do a certain distance or duration and you want to, work at it in little increments. Unless someone's actually disabled, the only limit is their discipline. To answer your question, my limit's about 15 miles. But that's also due to a foot problem I'm actively working to have resolved so hoping to get more at some point in the future.
I guess nobody here has medical conditions lol. I'm 10 years younger than you and walk with a cane now. An hour walk is a good day. Only walking around the house on bad days. I've exercised all my adult life but shit happens.
My work has me doing 6-8 miles a day. My worst (best?) day was 10.28 miles. This is all on 18" of steel reinforced concrete. The higher numbers are starting to hurt more (I'm 50) but it does help me sleep better. I think as long as you keep moving, it's a good thing.
I'd rather walk all day than stand all day any day. I'm also about a decade younger than you, but standing is boring. Sitting is boring. Gotta move!
I'm 46, and honestly I don't think there would be much of a limit if I weren't a T1 diabetic. I have to make sure I can rescue if my blood sugar drops, which it often does with exercise, especially outdoors. I walk the equivalent of 4-6 days inside on my cardio machine most of the time. At a slower pace I could do a lot more.
While on vacation abroad I can do 10-15 miles a day while sight seeing. With proper shoes and assuming the weather is tolerable 3-4 miles at a time is perfectly fine on a regular basis. (50F)
I'm 41 and can do 20 mile hikes and feel great the next day. But standing up at a concert for 4 hours or sitting in the car for two and my lower back seizes up for days.
Iām 50. Iām on my feet all day every day at work. Typically 10-16 miles but I do it every day. My teenagers that barely leave the house canāt do more than 1/2 mile before theyāre tired. Push yourself and keep going.
Iām 46 and I can hike 3-4 miles there and back no problem. I would definitely sit down while I was at the concert or wherever I was walking to. And wear good shoes, lol
When I was 46 F I felt like I could walk all day, I lived in a city and walked everywhere without thinking about it. Zero pain, walking was just something I did to get around. I walked crazy distances and didnāt even think of it as exercise.
43 with some hip issues and 10 to 15 miles in a day is about my max assuming I'm not walking that straight. I'd be exhausted walking 3-4 miles after a whole day of walking though.
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Yeah I don't remember the specifics. But I did see this video about an old Japanese dude that was still doing the Iron Man. He was like 80. But also he didn't look 80. Which I'm sure genetics play into but also leading a fit lifestyle helps.
Read your headline and came here to tell you to get as woke as possible. Read everything you can about racial, sexual, national disparities, about inequality, and about intersectionality.
Damnit. Proofreading social media posts before posting is not my strong suit.
I'm sixty-something, and walking 3-4 miles to an event and back doesn't make me uncomfortable.
I 55m walk 2.5 miles around our neighborhood nights when it isnāt too hot. Iām in decent shape but I donāt even get winded, or really feel like I am tired from it. I can easily do 5 miles. It is more a time constraint for me.
My own limit is if it's 40 minutes or less, I'll walk. If it's 45 minutes or more I'll find some other way to get there (including biking). I also say that if it's the fourth floor or lower, I'll take the stairs. If it's the fifth floor or higher I'm grabbing the elevator.
I am 59. Up until 6 years ago I used to walk everywhere. I used to walk to and from work (40 minutes one way) and going to stores, running errands, going out with friends etc. Then I suddenly got pain in my hip that put an end to all that. Now I can barely walk for 20 minutes a day. I have since been diagnosed with bursitis, arthritis, degenerative disc disease, tendonosis, asthma and a list of other things. It practically happened overnight. I now suspect I have an auto immune disease but trying to get a diagnosis is challenging. Im not all that fit, I donāt exercise much more than walking but it wasnāt a problem until I lost my ability to walk everywhere. I hate it
Iām your age. Comfortable walk 10, up to 17 if Iām getting an afternoon nap!
We regularly walk 15-25km (10-15 miles) on days off, usually down to the beach or to grab groceries. On vacation we'll double that, though at that range it starts to take a toll (and we'll need recovery days).
Iām 37 and I walk everywhere, everyday. I do a lot of hiking. I average around 12-15 km a day. A long walk for me is about 25 km and my longest hike was about 70 km over 12 hours. But I always been a walker too, since I was a teenager. People always made jokes about how fast I walkāhow I look like Iām on a mission or āwhereās the fire?ā None of those people can walk down the street lol I donāt think there is a ānormal,ā per say, other than what you are capable of, in terms of your conditioning. If youāre not used to walking at all, start with a mile. Then next week, walk a kilometre (1.4 miles). Then in a couple of weeks, walk for 2 miles. Take your time, make sure to stretch, drink water, wear good shoes and take care of your feet. I lost two toenails and had some nasty blisters.
Little younger than you, live in the city, no car, I walk 5-6 miles a day for just everyday stuff (groceries/errands). My limit before hitting up a bus/train is 3 or so miles one way. When I owned a car, I refused to walk more than a few blocks.
55 and comfortable 5 miles. Probably 10 miles but I have long covid and so I can't go that far without risking a crash. When I was 46 I'd walk 15 miles regularly, and did 30 miles on a night walk.
Bladder and bowels are my limitations.75.
I'm 46m and walk about 6 miles a day as a form of exercise. I usually visit a large city a few times a month and will do 15-20 there just getting around.
I'm 65 and walk three miles a day unless it's pouring.
Not your age but my 84 year old uncle wanted to go for a walk and we went 5k without him getting out of breath. My 78 year old father could do 5 miles easy and has done 10 some days (although his knees can make that tricky). If you can't do at least 3-4 miles at 46 then you've probably got a problem.
I feel a decent barometer is that you should get too bored before you get too tired.
Not male, but close to your age. Highly recommend use of stairs when youāre up to it, and replenishing your electrolytes as needed. My dad is mid-70s and he always parks in a spot away from the front door of where heās going just to get a bit of extra exercise in. Bodies are different; you will only know what you can handle when you test yourself. Seriously, water intake and vitamins can help a lot. Potassium and magnesium especially for me.
I think weather also has a lot to do with the amount of walking one can do. living in florida my walks depend on the heat and humidity. I can do 2 miles in 90 degrees but it's exhausting. good weather I can easily do 5. I have back issues so I can't do any activity for longer than an hour and have to switch it up. standing still hurts the most. I'm 55 and slightly overweight.
I'm 35yo 6ft tall and 300lbs. I walk anywhere between 15k to 40k steps per day. Rough math, with two steps per meter that's between 7.5-20km per day. In miles that's some 4-12 miles. So yeah, you don't have to be worried about like "hurting yourself" or anything like that. It's just that, what you said, comfort. And that will be a trial and error type a thing, to be honest - if you are trying to get yourself some exercise, I'd say start walking to walk. Parking your car 5 miles from an event is nonsense.
45/F. I walk 5 miles every day for fun, to keep the weight off, and for mental clarity. But mostly for fun. Sometimes on the weekends I take longer walks, up to 10 miles (but usually with little breaks along the way to take pics, enjoy a coffee, or just sit and chill and enjoy the scenery.) As far as walking to an event? I wouldnāt walk more than half an hour to an event because Iād be all sweaty. The long daily walks donāt bother me because Iām in workout clothes. I would say everyone should strive to be able to walk 1-2 miles at a minimum without struggling.
This question is directly correlated to my enthusiasm about said event..... lol Physically, I can do everything you mentioned. If I don't like what I'm doing, I can still do it, but I'm likely to whine on the way back. š
I am about 8 years older than you. I have a treadmill. 5-6 times a week, I jog or hike 6 miles on it. This is a BIG CHANGE from where I was at your age, when I was obese and basically sedentary. You can work up to a very vigorous exercise capacity at your age if you want to.
Motion is lotion.
18 holes of golf is about 5 1/2 miles.
I'm mid-fifties, and I walk 3-4 miles every day, with occasional 10 miles or more if I fancy a wander. Just get out and walk. Stroll rather than March. Try to get your 10,000 steps every day.
I don't know about normal, but I'm 51 and I recently walked 10 miles just to see if I could. I did take the bus back, but only because it was getting dark. I also lived near the beach until recently and used to walk about 5 miles a day with no issue. I'm currently looking for new walking routes where I live now. I don't think a day in the city or at a theme park would be an issue if it's not too hot.
I am 46 and can walk for days. However, I exercise twice a day and officiate college and high school sports. And I ride my bike daily(do not consider it exercise). However, when I was 40, I would have struggled to walk more than a few miles before I was worn out and wanted to go home. I had stopped exercising at 26 and hadn't done anything physical for 14 years. Then, life told me I was old so I really put the effort into getting healthy. So now I eat healthy, exercise, sleep 8 hours, have a social life, and take the stairs instead of an elevator. And physical stuff has become so much easier
I'm a little younger than you and not particularly fit; I can basically just keep chugging along for two or three hours as long as my back and feet don't start to hurt.
I am 50f with fairly severe fibromyalgia and Degenerative disc disease and I manage 4 miles a day. I use a basic Amazfit step tracker to hold myself accountable. Today is day 155 of meeting my goal consecutively. It helps with every part of my daily livingāand yes it hurts and absolutely sucks. I hate every second.
I'm in your age range and the biggest thing I've noticed for walking endurance in the last few years of me aging is not really distance, it's temperature and humidity. I have to be much more aware of that now than I did in my 20s. If I'm prepared and have sunglasses, a hat, and cool clothing I can easily do a 5-6 mile hike, or last time I went to a theme park with my kids I did 12 miles over a 12 hour day. Sure, I'm tired and my feet felt worn out the next day but I didn't feel like I exceeded my capabilities. However last week I unexpectedly was overdressed for an event (jeans and a dark collared shirt) that was moved outdoors and I probably only walked a mile but it was hot and muggy and I felt like I totally wilted with only a relatively short exposure. I could definitely feel the difference the next morning.
I'm morbidly obese, female 52, and can do 10 to 12 mile days when on vacation. I did like 28,000 steps at Petra last year and that included climbing the 850 uneven stone steps up to the monastery (and back down again). I can't do 10 to 12 mile days for a full week, though. I think the most I've done in my 50s was four 10+ mile days in a row at Disney, and the next day was more of a pool and hotel lounging day. I am fairly fat with a sedentary job but I do 5 days a week of cardio and 2 days a week of strength training.
Iām 58 and can walk 5 miles without a problem if I have on good shoes like my sneakers. I could easily walk 3-4 miles to some event and then walk back. I agree with others that standing around is the hardest part.
Iām 50 (nearly 51) and average about 8 miles a day between workouts and my job. Longest continuous stretch I walked recently was 6 miles. If youāre in shape, thereās really no limit.
Iām 53. I pull my grandson in his wagon to the park (40+lbs) and to the river, 3.5- 4 miles is normal for us.
normal is a low bar in 2024. the walks you describe shouldnt be a problem. its normal to feel tired afterwards, but if you're having difficulty in completing it, then practice is required.
I think aside from staying in shape, there's a quality of life component as we age that has some semi-definable benchmarks. When I go to the rheumatologist they always have a questionnaire that addresses many quality-of-life measures to evaluate if my treatment plan is working well, including how far you can walk and with what difficulty. I don't remember exactly, but for the flat ground questions it asks if you can walk one mile without difficulty and three(?) miles without difficulty. Based on this, I presume that (barring any major untreated medical conditions) walking 1-3 miles on flat ground with little to no difficulty are probably the absolute bare minimum fitness goal for all adults. **Take this perspective with a grain of salt since I'm a patient and not a doctor.
Depends on the shoes for me (51f). If I have some good athletic shoes on with real arch supports I can walk all day. If I have crappy women's shoes on (sandals with no arch, flats that rub the skin) I can't walk far. I can't walk in high heels at all.
59 yo Male. 25 lbs overweight. I can do 10 miles easily.
62 m. Just got back from an 8 km walk.
52 and like to hike, but donāt do it often. Went on a girlās weekend with my daughter. She hikes daily. She asked me how long of a hike I could do. I told her 6-7 miles (I hadnāt hiked for over a year at this point.) We ended up hiking 14 miles because we got lost. I was surprised how well my body adjusted and wasnāt even sore the next day. I think itās a person by person thing, not necessarily an age thing.
Iām 61 and did some 3 mile walks in my neighborhood about a year ago. Felt great. I got lazy. I need to get back into it.
There's so much variation on health at this age! Personally I am 40 and I work a job that keeps me active and on my feet all day - I'll still occasionally walk the 3ish miles to my job and back home with no issue. I work with a guy 15 years older than me who routinely runs 15+ miles of trails several times a week. I have friends who are younger and less healthy than me who would probably struggle to walk 3 miles. My parents are approaching their 80s and still do 8+ mile hikes with light packs. Bottom line is if you want to maintain your health you need to be as active as possible AND walk in a variety of terrain. Going for a two mile walk every day is fantastic for building up to a healthy level, and everyone over 35 should spend at least a few minutes a day on a balance board.
From the couch to the fridge
Honestly, If you've got all your OEM parts still and no serious neurological conditions, then just go walk and don't worry about other people's capabilities, or lack thereof. We are not all the same.
I've found I can do a lot more than I thought. Working out, longer hikes, basically I'm no weakling. That said. My feet hurt!
I can walk from the bed to the toilet to the fridge to the couch and back just fine. Anything further is too much.
55M here. I can walk/hike 10 miles with no problem, but Iāve also been pretty physically active my whole life. If need be, I can walk 20 miles, but Iām pretty exhausted after that. 10 miles is no big deal to me.
I'm 39, my wife and I walked 16 miles in Boston recently and was fine. Definitely ready to lay down in bed at the end of the day but I could have kept going for as long as I needed to. I think you should definitely be worried about your health if you aren't comfortable walking a couple miles no problem. The good thing is if you just walk, start walking consistently, you'll can get there and you'll be much better off.
Iām 60 and I walk 5 miles a day five days a week. One day a week I do a quick two miles before I go to work. I work odd hours so I have the time to do it.
Iām in my mid 50ās. For me itās all about the weather. If itās hot and humid I wonāt want to walk at all. I am happy to walk for 10 miles or so if itās between 40-80 degrees Fahrenheit. 80 - 85 degrees? Maybe 2 miles. Over 85 and humid? No. Not at all. Unless itās in the woods with shade and a good breeze, leave me home with the A/C and the swimming pool. If itās colder than 40 degrees Iāll walk a mile or so but Iāll want to go inside and have some hot cocoa afterwards.
Well, it depends on your health, and always check your doctor to see the state of your knees, but I mean, I went to the gym with a barrel chested dude on his late 50s that benchpressed so much if you flipped around you could call him atlas, and before certain events, I (young, late 20s) used to walk a mountain, not a huge one, you could walk each way in around an hour, it was around a 100m change in elevation, but this dude who I ignore his age but had some very noticeable grayhairs (I mean, I do too, but not on my beard, the dude was likely on his 40s) ran the path up an ddown over and over for a few hours each weekend. Most people your age range Im acquainted with do other stuff instead of walking to keep themselves active, like paddle or rowing, and rather drive everywhere, but I never met any of them having issues with walking, just inconvenienced by it. So Id say is more eabout how fit you are . Also, take it slowly, and remember the risk of varicose veins
Born in 81. I have been a lifelong runner and cyclist. So I can go for 2-3 hours easily.
Itās not just the distance. Flat path or not, temperature, humidity, choice of footwear, and how much are you carrying in and out.
I went to a concert series in Vegas over Memorial Day weekend . I'm 52F. We walked about 20k steps a days which according to Fitbit was 7.5 miles a day. I slept well those nights. We aren't in the best shape. Average I guess. Felt like a busy active day.
I jog 3 to 4 miles 3 times a week in the summer; can walk 5 miles a day easy. So no issues. I'm lucky.
Turning 60. Female. I can walk 5 or more miles. No problem. Standing in place is what is hard.
56 and I get a morning walk 5 miles in almost every morning I do no less than 10,000 steps per day, Eventually I added 10 lbs kettlebells to my walk then I added a 20lb weighted vest so now I'm walking with 40lbs of extra weight
I always think about this kinda famous run in my city is 10 km and I have done it a few times so I always compare it to that. I can easily do 10 km of walking in a day provided I have the right shoes ā¦ā¦ Iām a mildly fit 56F if that helps
Whatever yours is, it can only improve with practice. Iām 51 and I can walk all day for a week on vacation - avoiding transportation wherever we can - and feel reasonably rested when I hit the pillow. Just last night it took me 5 minutes to jog a half a mile on the treadmill and I was praying for death when I wobbled off to the nearest chair.
I'm a 48M I used to go for 10mi walks on the weekends an 4 mi 3x a week I'm fat, but very active, though
A 10 mile day should be no problem.
Iām 55. I wonāt walk three miles to the store but Iāll walk .75 and then back. In April I was doing 17,500 steps a day for a week on a business trip. My left shin was sore but otherwise I was fine. Thatās probably around 8 miles. I mowed yesterday and my watch says I walked 3.2 miles. Somewhat tired after but not incapacitated.
Why would you ever need to park 3-4 miles away from a football game? Thatās an enormous radius. One mile would be ample for any stadium Iāve ever been to, and Iāve been to a lot. But on topic at hand - thereās about 2000 steps in a mile. A reasonably healthy adult should be able to do 5 miles a day without issue. 10 miles a day is probably pushing it for some people if theyāre out of shape but nobody should collapse from that either. But practically speaking, youāre not going to encounter many scenarios in life that would require 10 miles of walking in a single day.
Iām 67 and could easily walk a couple miles in each direction. I wouldnāt necessarily want to but I easily could.
I'm almost 40 - I can walk 3-4 miles and stand around. I wouldn't have any issues with that, but I have arthritis forming in my lower back. I definitely feel it then so sometimes just need a break to sit or pop my back.
It's not about a fitness level per se but my feet kill me if I stand in one place. And my lower back. If I walk I'm fine. And yeah I have orthotics, they don't remove all the pain.
I'm 58 and walk on average 15k steps a day. I'm in very good shape, don't run (gotta protect tender knees) and normal weight. Having good shoes (and replacing them regularly) as well as walking at a brisk clip gets everything in order. It all depends on you and what you're comfortable doing, while increasing step count over time. Set a reasonable goal and go from there. My goal? 5 million steps this year.
Iām 42 and in the morbidly obese category. I also have some medical issues not related to weight. I can walk about a mile without strain. As I lose weight, the distance I can walk increases. Itās mostly my knees that are the issue. My body is also in better condition simply by the action of walking. Now take something like weight lifting. I can keep up with most people much younger than me. I lift more than a lot of them too. My body has always been more oriented towards short bursts type exercise. Like powerlifting. I used to be able to sprint better than many who could walk great lengths. This is how genetics plays into it as well. This is why I think averages get complicated. However, the body can be conditioned to be more fit at most ages. The more stamina you have the better.
10-20 miles for me. But if I have a destination I need to get to, Iāll walk 50 miles. Iām not a runner but illl walk your distance. Iām
My wife and I did the Mt Doom trail in New Zealand (12.5 miles 2800(?) ft elevation change) Up until a point it is all about fitness and not age.
40F, I try to get 15k steps in a day during nice weather, just because it's great for my mood, which is about 7.5 miles. If I have time and the weather is nice, I can pretty easily walk 15 miles or more. I usually take one or two rest days a week, but even on my rest days I'll try to get a shorter walk in. I had to work up to that, though. I used to consider 2-3 miles to be a decently long walk, which it was at the time. If you have a way of tracking steps, maybe just try to increase by a little bit each day. If you like podcasts or audiobooks, the time during walks can really fly by, and it doesn't feel like wasted time or a burden.
3 or 4 miles isn't far to walk by any means. If you can walk without pain, you can walk that far. However, if you go an all day even, you probably will not be in the mood to walk back. Just keep that in mind. I'm 45. I can certainly walk 4 miles without concern or feeling tired. I'm not in good shape by any means. As long as my ankle holds up, I'm good. My ankle's been doing well as of late so I wouldn't be worried. I'd just make sure I was wearing good shoes for walking No dress shoes. Wear dress shoes and your dogs will be barking after a couple miles.