How Far Do You Walk During Vacation?

In an informal poll of friends, I asked how many steps they had taken on their last vacation.

It’s an odd question.

They weren’t counting. But they were noticing that they were walking a lot. A LOT. Many folks have apps on their phones that keep track in the background, and they would check them at the end of the day. Not because they were counting, but because they were tired. They were curious about how much they had walked, going from museum to church to statue to cafe to river to hotel to venue to museum. Or in other words, while enjoying their sightseeing, how much had they walked?

6 miles
8 miles
10 miles

They had walked a lot. More than they had ever thought. They had found it was more fun (and perhaps cheaper) to walk to their destinations rather than jump in a taxi and check out.

Pictures Tell the Story

What was their evidence of their miles? Well, yes, their app might have given them a length, but their feet told a better story. Their pictures and memories told the best stories.

So let’s bring this story back to pedometer, Fitbit or other measuring device you might have. How hard is it to put in 8 miles on a pedometer?

For me, it’s next to impossible.

When my walking goes from an adventure to a measurement, there’s nothing longer than a mile. or two. or eight. Because then I’m paying attention to my steps, my distance or my pace. It’s boring. Really boring. Only when my mind is focusing on anything else BUT the amount of steps I’m taking do I actually get lots of steps in.

Lots.

Every day I walk at least 10,000 steps. Not because I’m counting. Because I’m consciously making the choice to adventure by foot to destinations fueled by my curiosity. Not by my pedometer.

The minute my mind goes to counting, I can’t get 10,000 steps in to save my life. Seriously.

So what’s the moral to the story? We all want to enjoy our vacations, engaging in the destination as richly as we can. That richness comes from discovering by foot. And in my informal survey, that means you’ve got to be able to walk 8 miles a day for possibly 10 days in a row.

Your Best Vacation Ever

Thus, how do you get fit and ready for the best vacation you’ve ever had?

By throwing out your pedometer or your Fitbit and just walking.

Not measuring.

Just walking.

It’s okay to look at your measurement tool at the end of the day to see how far you went (cuz it is fun to see big numbers), but your goal is to ignore it. Don’t let your pedometer be your guide, let your adventure take its flight.

~Let’s adventure together.

Chris

PS I use Walksome as my background-running app. And for shoes, I love the Keen Oakridge. What apps do you use? What shoes do you wear?