How far is too far to walk to work?

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  • pomegranatecloud
    pomegranatecloud Posts: 812 Member
    I'd run or bike instead.
  • plantgrrl
    plantgrrl Posts: 436 Member
    In Chicago I walked a mile to and from work everyday, it felt like nothing with podcasts and stuff to look at. Here in Lynchburg, I walked about 2.5 miles to and from work, it was a little hazardous--narrow shoulders and no sidewalks. I didn't have much choice (one car in the house and my job had odd hours), but it was good exercise. My choice would be to walk home at that distance. You can shower when you get back. Getting off a few stops early on the way in can't hurt, but being sweaty at work all day wouldn't be my first choice.
  • Dominicj569
    Dominicj569 Posts: 30 Member
    I walked 3.6 miles to college each way (although that was to save money for beer rather than excercise, although I was super skinny and ate everything), 2.8 miles to work each way.
  • Sweet_Heresy
    Sweet_Heresy Posts: 411 Member
    Funny story, I used to walk 5 miles to work every day, work 8 hours, and walk home. Took me about an hour 15-hour and a half. I had no choice because I got into an accident and totaled my car.

    Rain, snow, heat, cold. It sucked. I wouldn't recommend it.
  • danika2point0
    danika2point0 Posts: 197 Member
    I would definitely second the suggestion of getting off public transport earlier OR maybe you could do just one way walking and public transport back. I cycle to-from work everyday but sometimes if it's nice or I want to work, I'll walk in and get a public bike back. Or vice versa! I would also support making sure to not wear yourself out doing too much, too fast. Another idea...if you're working in the university in a major city (I also work in one!) - I go out during my breaks and on lunch hour to run errands. You clock up a lot of steps going to the pharmacy, grocery store, and other various errands (hello H&M! okay, it's not good for your bank account but steps...). Good luck x
  • nordlead2005
    nordlead2005 Posts: 1,303 Member
    Personally, I'd walk up to 2 miles, that would be a 30 minute walk. If you can't do it in 30 minutes you can build up to it pretty quick. At your distance though, I'd bike. I'm contemplating biking to work myself, but it is a little further than you have to go and I'd have to buy a bike, which isn't a priority at the moment.

    Anyways, it is the same reason I live 15-20 minutes from my work by car. I'd rather not waste all of my day commuting.
  • ise311
    ise311 Posts: 107 Member
    12-13km from my place to work. Even just brisk walking to the train station, I'm already sweating. And that's an issue since I definitely do not want turning up at work in the morning drenched in sweat and stink.
  • MelissaPhippsFeagins
    MelissaPhippsFeagins Posts: 8,063 Member
    I fairly routinely walk 4.2 miles home from work in the summer, when the kids are out of school and don't need a ride home. . (hubby drops me off on his way to work in the morning.)
  • _kingbooble
    _kingbooble Posts: 25 Member
    Thats how I started, got off one stop early and then that built up to 5miles quite quickly and in Summer did both ways. When I first started walked really slowly as didn't want to sweat but then as got more into it was going around 4mph..
  • liftsalltheweights
    liftsalltheweights Posts: 73 Member
    2 hours is a long time to walk and I don't know about you but after putting in a full days work I'm exhausted and walking 2 hours home would be the last thing I'd want to consider doing.
  • gabrielleelliott90
    gabrielleelliott90 Posts: 854 Member
    Too far imo. Anything more than an hour to walk is too far.
  • MikaMojito
    MikaMojito Posts: 680 Member
    A friend of mine works shifts at a hotel and she walks there whenever it's not pouring down with rain or snowing heavily. That's how she gets in something like 30.000 steps most days.

    I personally wouldn't do it. I carry a very heavy workbag and the only showers are the shared ones in the school gym. School starts at 8. No way I'd be willing to walk as far and long as that every day. It doesn't apply to me though since my way to work is about 35km. I used to walk when it was only 3km.
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
    7.8 km is not quite 5 miles. So, to be safe and because I don't imagine you'd want to get to work all sweaty that'd be, say, 100 min (20 min/mi is a nice slow stroll). But, you do have to factor in waiting for street lights, etc.

    It'd be too far for me if I didn't want to run or cycle it. Too much time out of my day, especially both ways.
  • sanfromny
    sanfromny Posts: 770 Member
    For those who think it's too far....
    This man was 56 years old and walking to work for years.
    Bottom line? Time, will and determination. Anything is possible if you want something bad enough!

    http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/03/us/detroit-man-walks-21-miles-for-daily-commute/
  • liftsalltheweights
    liftsalltheweights Posts: 73 Member
    sanfromny wrote: »
    For those who think it's too far....
    This man was 56 years old and walking to work for years.
    Bottom line? Time, will and determination. Anything is possible if you want something bad enough!

    http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/03/us/detroit-man-walks-21-miles-for-daily-commute/

    Yes, and he did it because his car broke down and he needed to get to his job. OP is considering it to get some more walking in. BIG difference.

  • freakymistkd
    freakymistkd Posts: 586 Member
    edited March 2016
    Personally I wouldn't want my working day to be that long. Walking for two hours before work, getting changed going to work, then coming home getting changed and walking for two hours is a lot different mentally then adding two hours to you working day. But that's just me :smile:
  • danielasaur
    danielasaur Posts: 63 Member
    OP here! Today I went to work directly by metro, but on the way back I walked 5.4km of the way! My metro route does kind of a U over water/highways so I cut out the trickier parts of the walk by walking to the last convenient metro stop, getting on for four of my nine stops, and then I got off early and walked the last 3.4km home! I listened to a podcast (and a half) the entire time, so it went by pretty fast, but the whole thing took about an hour and a half! It was a little cold and rainy today, but overall very enjoyable!! Will definitely do again!! :grin:
  • allaboutthecake
    allaboutthecake Posts: 1,535 Member
    danielasaur wrote: »
    OP here! Today I went to work directly by metro, but on the way back I walked 5.4km of the way! My metro route does kind of a U over water/highways so I cut out the trickier parts of the walk by walking to the last convenient metro stop, getting on for four of my nine stops, and then I got off early and walked the last 3.4km home! I listened to a podcast (and a half) the entire time, so it went by pretty fast, but the whole thing took about an hour and a half! It was a little cold and rainy today, but overall very enjoyable!! Will definitely do again!! :grin:

    Excellent! Thanks for the update!


  • KareninLux
    KareninLux Posts: 1,413 Member
    When we moved to Europe we chose where to live based on my resolve to walk to after years of either a driving or bus commute. Since Augus 2013 I have been walking 6 kms to work every morning. It now takes me just over one hour. I am much fast than now than when I began. In the summer I will sometimes walk both to and from. If I am pressed for time I can drive halfway, park the car and then walk. I love it. You just need the right weather gear, I even use trekking poles in the winter when it is slippery out.
  • danielasaur
    danielasaur Posts: 63 Member
    OP HERE AGAIN!! I DID IT! After my rousing success with skipping stops on Monday, I decided to try walking home today; as expected it took about 2 hours, and the extra couple of kilometers added from Monday were KILLER, but despite how sore my legs are, I'm PUMPED! Never thought I could, let alone WOULD, do it! Great day for motivation!
  • CollieFit
    CollieFit Posts: 1,683 Member
    Perfect little biking distance. :-)
  • allaboutthecake
    allaboutthecake Posts: 1,535 Member
    danielasaur wrote: »
    OP HERE AGAIN!! I DID IT! After my rousing success with skipping stops on Monday, I decided to try walking home today; as expected it took about 2 hours, and the extra couple of kilometers added from Monday were KILLER, but despite how sore my legs are, I'm PUMPED! Never thought I could, let alone WOULD, do it! Great day for motivation!

    SUPERB! Isn't it a great feeling to have accomplished something you never thought you could!
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,732 Member
    I used to live 6.7 km from work, one way.

    Occasionally I would walk home ... I'd take the bus there, and then walk home. And that was OK. I don't think I'd want to walk much further than that.

    Much more often I'd ride my bicycle both ways ... in fact, I'd cycle approximately 80% of the time.


    If I lived 7.8 km from work, and especially if the route was relatively flat, I'd definitely be cycling. Sadly, I live a very hilly 17 km from work ... so bus it is, but I do try to get off early, if the bus is running on time, and walk some distance.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,732 Member
    danielasaur wrote: »
    OP HERE AGAIN!! I DID IT! After my rousing success with skipping stops on Monday, I decided to try walking home today; as expected it took about 2 hours, and the extra couple of kilometers added from Monday were KILLER, but despite how sore my legs are, I'm PUMPED! Never thought I could, let alone WOULD, do it! Great day for motivation!

    :mrgreen:

    Good for you!! :)

  • paradi3s
    paradi3s Posts: 343 Member
    If I could walk everywhere without getting sweaty and late I would! But I agree, it does seem a bit too far. I like the biking idea, but there's no bike lane where I'm from and i can only bike around the village without the chances of getting run over haha
    What I do is skip the commute from my campus to the train station and walk. It's a 30min walk and does fine w me!
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