What happens when you walk 100,000 steps in one day?

BruceHedtke

My personal best is 68,500 steps in a day. It was one long hike and when I returned to the trailhead, my feet were sore but other than that, I could have gone for a few more miles. I've always found on long hikes that it hurts more to stop and start again than to just keep going. I'm not a fast walker, so doing 100,000 steps in a day would probably take most of the day for me.

janejellyroll

My best day was over 60,000. That's pretty typical for a marathon day for me once you combine the racing and the walking around associated with it.

Lolinloggen

56K steps done Nothing happened, apart form being hungry at the end. I was well prepared and trained.

Duck_Puddle

I’ve been close to 80k several times. None of those things he describes have happened to me. Especially when most of those steps were on a treadmill (which is softer and more forgiving than asphalt or concrete).

Bleeding feet/ankles at less than 10k? Blisters? What was he wearing? Was he even remotely prepared to cover this distance?

I am usually tired after a 20+ mile run (and all the other movement of the day) and sore if it’s a race. But not like anything he’s describing. Good grief.

Note: I’m short with a short stride and run about 2400 steps/mile.

BruceHedtke

I hadn't read the article before posting the first time, but I read it now. While the symptoms he was experiencing seemed unlikely (given that the number of steps he took before getting bloody ankles and feet was just...well, if he had routinely walked that amount, he should've been conditioned for it), one thing he said was very true. On long walks/hikes, you think about your feet and legs but might not think about other parts of your body that suffer.

For me, I used to make sure I had proper footwear and socks and pants but never put much thought into the rest of my outfit. And on a long hike, I always had sore shoulders. Then I started wearing a backpack and just the ability to grab onto the straps every once in awhile and give your arms/shoulders a "rest" made a world of difference. Suddenly, my shoulders and neck didn't ache when the hike was over. I can't say I enjoy how sweaty my back gets when wearing a pack, but it's a small price to pay for less pain on a hike.

yirara

I only did about 31000 today, mostly during a hilly forest hike. I was dearly underdressed for the windchill (sat under the shower for ages to warm up afterwards), forgot the second roll of chew-able candy for extra energy (ran out of food about halfway in), but otherwise no problem. Not bad, considering I'm rather unfit at the moment. So basically with more food, something warm to drink and warmer clothes I could have gone on.