Virtual · anywhere
Quick answer: yes. Every Running Mad virtual challenge welcomes walking, at any pace, and completion is what earns the medal, not speed. Treadmill miles count. Wheelchair miles count. Pick a distance you can realistically cover in the time you have, break it into daily chunks, log it and the medal is yours.
Walking is not the fallback option
There is a quiet assumption in endurance events that walking is what you do when the running goes wrong. On our challenges it is simply one of the ways people take part, and a large share of our participants choose it deliberately. Brisk walking raises your heart rate, is kind to joints and tendons, and is far easier to recover from than running. It is also sustainable. People abandon running plans because they hurt. Very few people abandon walking.
Does a treadmill or a wheelchair count?
Yes to both. We do not check where or how you covered the distance. Treadmill, track, canal path, pushing a chair around the park, laps of the garden: if you moved the distance, it counts. Log it and move on.
How to pick a distance
A comfortable walking pace is roughly 3 miles an hour and a brisk one closer to 4. That gives you a rough planning guide. A 1.5 mile challenge is a single walk of 25 to 30 minutes, which is why it suits children and complete beginners. A 5K is about an hour. A 10K is a long morning or two shorter walks. Anything from a half marathon upwards is meant to be spread over days or weeks, and 100 miles in two months works out at a little over 1.6 miles a day, which is a walk to the shops and back for a lot of people.
Breaking it down is how it is meant to work
Divide the total distance by the number of days you have, round up, and treat that as your daily minimum. Bank extra miles on good days so a wet Tuesday does not derail you. Splitting the distance is not cheating; the challenge is designed to be built up over time.
Making the miles easier
Sort your footwear first. You do not need expensive kit, you need shoes that fit. Walk with someone, because conversation makes the distance disappear and it is the single best predictor of whether people stick with it. Use the time for podcasts, audiobooks or phone calls. And log it as you go, because watching a total climb towards the target is unexpectedly motivating.
Next step
There is a longer guide on walking a virtual challenge, including how to get the family involved. When you are ready, choose from our virtual walking and running challenges and filter by distance.
Next step: Start walking: take on the 1.5-mile mini challenge or a 5K virtual challenge, or read why walkers belong here.
Frequently asked questions
Can you walk a virtual challenge?
Yes. Every Running Mad challenge welcomes walking at any pace. Completion earns the medal, not speed.
Do treadmill or wheelchair miles count?
Yes. Treadmill, track, park, garden laps or pushing a chair all count. Log the distance and move on.
How long does a walking challenge take?
At about 3 miles an hour a 1.5 mile challenge is a single 25 to 30 minute walk, a 5K is about an hour, and 100 miles over two months is a little over 1.6 miles a day.
Can I split the distance over several days?
Yes. Divide the total by the days you have, round up, and treat that as your daily minimum. Splitting the distance is how the challenge is meant to work.