Walking is an excellent exercise for your body, and it’s also a great way to clear your mind and put yourself into a better mental state.
However, it can sometimes be difficult to carve out time for walking. Or, you may want to know if you’re walking quickly enough to get all of the benefits from your excursion.
Knowing how long it takes to walk 2 miles can help you adjust your walking goals.
How long does it take to walk 2 miles?
On average, most people walk at a speed between 2.5 and 4 miles per hour. This means that they can usually walk 1 mile in between 15 and 22 minutes. We can simply double these times to find that it should take, in general, between 30 and 44 minutes to walk 2 miles.
However, several factors can affect your walking speed.
What affects walking speed?
One of the biggest factors when it comes to your walking speed is your overall fitness level. If you’re a beginner or are just starting to walk longer distances, you’ll probably be a bit slower than someone who walks frequently.
On the other hand, if you’re an athlete or you’re used to exercising frequently, particularly if that exercise includes routine cardio workouts, you’ll probably walk faster than the average person.
Someone who’s in shape will also become less winded, even over longer distances, which can also increase walking speed.
Another factor is what your goal for the walk is. If you’re walking to exercise, you may deliberately walk faster than normal, which will cut your time.
However, if you’re taking a leisurely stroll, your walk might take longer. If you take a longer time to walk 2 miles, you’re not doing anything wrong.
You may not be burning quite as many calories, but you’ll still be getting exercise, and you may be giving your mind a much-needed rest.
Walking also forces you to look at distant objects, as you’ll be looking ahead of you. This can help with eye strain, particularly if you spend a good deal of time working with computers or staring at screens, books, or small objects.
Terrain can also determine how fast or slow you walk. If you’re walking on a smooth or paved path, you’ll naturally walk a bit faster.
If the path is rough and you have to pick your way along, as you might on a more rugged hiking trail, your walk will often be longer, even over the same distance.
Again, a longer walk doesn’t mean you’re not getting all the benefits of the walk. A longer walk over rough terrain, or a walk that forces you to walk up and down hills, can take longer, but it may give you more of a cardio workout. It can also exercise more or different muscles.
Weather can also change your walking speed. You’ll walk more slowly when your muscles are cold, and damp weather can make paths slippery.
Hot weather, on the other hand, can also slow you down, as you might become tired or winded faster.
How many steps are in 2 miles?
How many steps you take depends on how tall you are and how long your stride is, so it does vary a bit.
However, most people have a stride length between 2.1 and 2.5 feet. This means that, in general, there are about 2,000 steps per 1 mile or about 4,000 steps per 2 miles.
Some people estimate that the number of steps in a mile is closer to 1,250, which would mean that 2 miles are equal to about 2,500 steps.
The faster you walk, the longer your stride will be, which means you’ll take fewer steps even though you’re exerting yourself more.
How can I improve my walking times?
The best way to improve your walking speed is to simply walk more. The more you walk, the more you engage your muscles and increase your stamina.
This means that you won’t become as winded or tired over longer distances, and your muscles will be prepared for lengthy walks, all of which increases your walking speed.
To further engage your muscles, remember to engage your core as you walk. This strengthens your muscles and can help you maintain a better posture.
A good posture, along with keeping your head up and your eyes forward, can help to increase your walking speed.
Relax your shoulders but keep your arms engaged. You may want to bend your arms slightly at the elbows. Letting your arms swing gently can increase your momentum and help you pick up the pace.
As you walk, don’t focus on taking longer strides. Instead, let your body move into a natural rhythm.
You can instead focus on pushing off the toes of your back foot to propel yourself forward more.
