I Want to Walk

What Do I Need?

Walking to Work

We’re insanely jealous of people who can walk to work. Here’s how to get started:

How far away is my work?
You can figure out the distance between your home and your office by using Google Maps Pedometer. If you zoom in and double click your path, you can find out the distance as well as how many calories you’ll burn. The average person can walk a quarter mile in five minutes. So even if you live 1.5 miles away, you could be at work in 30 minutes.

Combine your trip with other transportation modes
Here’s another secret: you don’t have to walk the entire way. For instance:

• If you find yourself pressed for time, you could carpool in to work in the morning, and walk home when you have less time pressure.

• If your work is just a little too far away, you could walk part of the way and catch a bus or train for the other part of your commute.

• You can drive part of the way to work, and leave your car some distance from your work.

Other ways to make walking part of your workday

• Walk to lunch or walk some errands in the middle of the day.

• Walk your kids to school before you go tow work.

Tips for walking to work:

• Wear comfortable shoes. Trust us, you do not want to wear those high heels if you’re walking to work. Leave the pretty shoes at work the day before or carry them with you. If you are walking a longer distance or if it’s hot, wear a cotton t-shirt to walk and then change into work clothes when you reach the office.

• Carry your belongings in a comfortable bag or backpack.

• Be visible. Never assume you can be or have been seen by drivers. Scan the area and be aware of motorists, especially at intersections or if you don’t have sidewalks where you work.

• Be prepared for bad weather. If the forecast calls for rain, wear proper clothing, such as rain pants, raincoat, and hat. Carry an umbrella.