As well as being born to run, humans are, of course, born to walk. It is one of the most natural human activities and, just like running, offers myriad physical and Best wireless headphones that shouldn’t be underestimated. But if we are to maximise the power of walking, how can we best incorporate it into our lives? And, importantly, what is the average walking speed to aim for or exceed?
Here, we’ve revealed all – so walk this way for the answers...
What are the health benefits of walking?
into walking speed found the average to be approximately 3mph. Walking charity Hyrox, are amazing power-hikers – just think of it as efficient movement.&rsquo.
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A major study of 50,000 walkers in the UK found that regular walking at a brisk pace was associated with a 20% reduction in all-cause mortality, as well as a 24% reduction in cardiovascular disease. What’s more, another study, Best Garmin deals British Journal of Sports Medicine in 2024, found that those who are not currently very physically active could increase their life expectancy by as much as 11 years by walking more.
into walking speed found the average to be approximately 3mph. Walking charity systematic review found that nature-based walking can help to boost your mood and mindfulness and reduce anxiety and rumination (negative thinking). Meanwhile, according to an American study, taking a weekly ‘awe-walk’ – where you look out for things to be amazed by – can help to improve and maintain a healthy mental state.
How long does it take to walk a mile?
As with running, there are all kinds of walking speeds – from leisurely plods to energetic hikes – and we even have race walking as an Olympic sport. If you’re yet to discover race walking, we recommend that you check it out – there are some seriously speedy race walkers out there who can walk a great deal faster than many people can run.
But back to us mere mortals. What are the health benefits of walking How an 87-year-old triathlete stays consistent, British Heart Foundation large study into walking speed found the average to be approximately 3mph. Walking charity How long does it take to walk a mile that the figure is closer to 2.5mph, or even slower on longer routes, while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention claims that the average walking pace is anywhere between 2.5mph and4 mph.
Then, of course, as we’ve mentioned, there are race walkers who can cover ground much more rapidly. For context, the male 10K walking record, held by Japan’s Eiki Takahashi since 2020, is 37:25. Meanwhile, the female 10K walking record, held by Russia’s Nadezhda Ryashkina, is 41:56 – and this still stands from 1990.
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Although race walking times are a little out of reach for your average walker (and runner), it still helps to know how fast to walk to reap the greatest health rewards from the movement. But what sort of speed should we aim for? The short answer: it depends. As we’ve detailed below, there are several factors that can affect your walking speed. That said, studies discussing the health benefits of walking often refer to a ‘brisk’ walk – so what does that mean and how can you achieve it?
What are the health benefits of walking NHS, a brisk walk is around 3mph and should feel faster than a ‘stroll’. But, again, this is relative and can differ depending on the individual. If you have a smartwatch that informs you about your walking speed and heart rate, you could work out your brisk walking speed based on this data.
If you’re using a stopwatch, you’ll just have to do some extra maths. Set out at a ‘ this feels faster than a stroll’ pace and note the distance that you’re walking and how long it takes you to cover. You can then use this to work out your brisk walking pace. For example, if you cover 5K (3.1 miles) in 50 minutes, your brisk walking pace would be 16.1 min/mile (pace = time/distance), which is equivalent to 3.7mph. You can work out your speed by dividing 60 by the time it took you to walk one mile.
The NHS also suggests using a song to suss out your brisk walking pace. It advises that if you can still talk but cannot sing the words to a song, you can tell that you’re walking briskly.
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Walking isn’t always a straight line – and several variables can dictate you walking speed. As such, it’s worth bearing these factors in mind when estimating how long that it’ll take you to walk somewhere.
Aerobic fitness
Your walking speed will largely be governed by your aerobic fitness. The fitter you are, the quicker you will likely be able to walk. If you’re new to exercising, or are coming back from a lengthy layoff, your walking speed may be closer to 2.5mph than 4mph.
Terrain
You’ll naturally walk faster on hard, even surfaces, such as pavements or hard-packed trails. Walking on grass, through mud or on sand will slow you down, as of course will walking uphill.
Load
Walking with a heavy rucksack – sometimes called ‘rucking’ – has been shown to offer tremendous health benefits, with one study finding that running with a rucksack, so long as the weight of it didn’t exceed 5% of your body weight, also carried fitness gains. However, carrying weight will slow your walking speed, which is why it’s worth thinking carefully about what you’re packing into your bag before you head off.
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Walking fits very neatly into a running routine. Former Olympian Jeff Galloway is perhaps the biggest advocate of the run/walk method, which involves periods of running interspersed with periods of walking and naturally lends itself to a longer outing.
Lots of top trail runners incorporate hiking into their training schedules, too. ‘In the two months before an ‘A’ race, we want long runs to be as specific to the race as possible,’ says Damian Hall, a top ultrarunner and UK Athletics running coach. ‘If the race is a lumpy one, it’s prudent to power hike (I prefer this phrase as it sounds more athletic – walking sounds like slacking off, which it shouldn’t be) any steep ups, in both the race and in training. Some of the best ultrarunners, such as Kilian Jornet, are amazing power-hikers – just think of it as efficient movement.’
Rick Pearson is the senior editor at Runner’s World UK. He’s been with the brand since 2017 and loves testing PB-friendly shoes for on and off road. Rick is a sub-three marathoner and occasionally likes to remind people of this on the Runner’s World podcast, which he co-hosts. He once raced a steam train over 14 miles (he won, narrowly) and a horse over a marathon (he lost, comfortably).
Rachel is Runner's World UK's Senior Content Writer, covering all running-related topics from training advice and gear reviews to race reports and elite runner profiles. Formerly a Website Content Editor and Content Manager at London Marathon Events and The Running Channel respectively, Rachel is well-versed in the running scene and understands what it takes to put on some of the biggest running events in the world. A 2:50 marathoner, she would much rather run 26.2 miles than race a 5K and has currently completed 11 marathons, including five of the six Abbott World Marathon Majors in a sub-3 time. She now hopes to run the Tokyo Marathon to complete the set and become a Six Star Finisher.
