Running, Walking and Pedometers

I've been wearing a pedometer for a while now. I do occasionally forget to put it on in the morning (or take it off to change and neglect to put it back on). Regardless, I find that when I exercise, I usually tally 7000 to 10,000 steps per day. When I don't exercise, getting to 2000 is about all I end up with.

One question that I've been seeking to answer is, "What is the difference between running and walking on a pedometer?" Wearing it in a recent 10-mile race gave me some good running data. It seems that when I run, I usually tally about 1600-1700 steps per mile. This compares with the 2000 per mile that seems to be pretty close to the truth when I walk. I usually run at a moderate pace, putting in most of my miles between 7:30 and 8:30 pace (that roughly equates to 4:40 - 5:15 per km).

So, for me, my step count seems to be 15% - 20% less per mile than when I walk.

A further note on pedometers: current recommendations are for 30 minutes of exercise daily for health. Many of the pedometer advocates suggest 10,000 steps per day. This would equate to about 5 miles of activity. While it's a great goal, and one that will go far to helping people lose weight, it is probably more than most of us truly need. I think that most of us would do fine if we got to 6000 or 7000 steps per day. That would still represent 3 - 3.5 miles of activity, and would burn some 300-350 calories (yes, technically kilocalories). This activity level would take us about 45 - 55 minutes if we move at 15 minute miles (a brisk pace for most people). Further, since most of us will walk perhaps a mile in the course of "normal life", this can be cut down to about 30 - 40 minutes of "exercise" plus normal activity.

So, my suggestion is to aim for 30+ minutes of dedicated exercise supplemented with living a more active life (park a bit further away, walk to lunch, or take a stroll around the block) and you'll have enough activity to maintain health.