My 100,000 Steps Challenge: Lessons Learned from Falling Short And How To Finish Next Time

Introduction

I had never heard of a 100,000 step challenge in 24 hours until a month ago. Being a lover of walking I told myself a week later I could do this. I even made a plan for where I would attempt to complete the challenge…

But I quickly realized it would be too hot in June to attempt the challenge. So I changed all my plans and told myself I would attempt this within a week locally.

Walking 100,000 steps in 24 hours sounded like the ultimate test of endurance. I was pumped, ready to push my limits and prove that I could conquer this challenge.

Preparing for the Challenge

I set my goal at 100,000 steps because I wanted a challenge that would really push me. I had been walking 10,000 – 20,000 steps a day for several years. I knew mentally I would not have a problem because I had completed things much tougher than this in my life.

Of course I was a month away from turning 66…

What You Need to Have

I watched many videos and read articles written by men and women who had attempted or completed the 100,000 step Challenge. I noticed that most of the people were 30-40 years younger than me, but I didn’t think about that as a problem because I am in excellent condition.

Comfortable shoes are a must! Several pairs are best. I had 3 pair with me and used two. Hydration is big. I had a big thermos of coffee to start the morning and had bottles of water with Hydrate Electrolyte Packs to add to the water.

My coffee was my normal morning drink. Mushroom coffee with MCT Oil, Collagen Peptides, scoop of Creatine and teaspoon of Cinnamon. Followed that up with a bottle of water and Hydrate while making the 20 minute drive to where I would start my 100,000 challenge.

I had Cliff bars101 and trail mix for snacks and a Meal Replacement high calorie/protein bar. I knew I would also need a meal or two along the way. You burn a ton of calories and energy walking 100,000 steps. I figured it would take me 14-18 of walking not counting rest stops.

I also had a fully charged phone and a good playlist to keep my spirits up along with a mobile charger if needed. I also had a change of shorts and an extra t-shirt.

I had four places in mind that I could walk. They were all 15-20 minutes apart. I figured this would give me time to rest while driving to the different areas I would walk.

The Attempt

My idea was to set my 24 hours from midnight Friday night to midnight Saturday. I actually was awake at midnight and walked a quick 2000 steps. I then went to bed and slept 4 hours, waking up at 5am. I loaded everything up and was on my way to the park I was going to walk.

Then after about 10 minutes it hit me. I DID NOT load everything. I forgot my cooler with my ice and water. I needed the ice for my left foot which has Plantar Fasciitis… I had a frozen bottle of water that I would on my left heel when driving to other spots to walk or as needed.

When I finally started walking the sun was up but the first 3 ½ hours went by smoothly. I was making good progress and feeling confident. My foot was aching a little at first but the more I walked the better I felt.

So I left for a quick drive to my gym where I would walk a few hours on the dreaded treadmill and then use the Hydro Massage chair on my back and muscles for 10-15 minutes. Walking 2 hours on the treadmill was about all I could stand and my back was tightening up a little so using the massage chair was one of the smarter things I did.

At this point it was about 12:30 pm and I was at about 35,000 steps… not bad but I realized I was 10,000 steps behind where I wanted to be. I said to myself I can make that up with no problem.
I ordered a 32 oz. high protein Smoothie and and also ate a meal replacement bar while driving to my next walking location… It’s on the river and has lots of shade. I was looking forward to it and thought I would walk at least 3 hours or more.

But… the biggest majority of the walk was closed due to flooding….

Very disappointing.

So I jumped in my vehicle and made the quick 10 men ride to another part of the Riverwalk to walk. I knew I was behind but I figured I would walk at least 12 miles here and that would add around 25,000 steps.

But as the hours passed, fatigue started to set in, and my back pain increased. I tried to stretch it out a bit but not much luck. I also got really hungry. I stopped a few miles short of my goal and decided I would get something to eat and drive back to the park where I started.

I was now at 55,000 steps and knew it would take walking until midnight to have a chance.. But it was a longshot. I would need to run some if I could to have a chance.

I knew I had about 3 hours before it started getting dark and I could walk safely there after dark if I wanted to.

I arrived at the park with about 2 ½ hours of daylight left. I immediately tried walking faster. I even jogged a little but that made my back worse. However I kept walking until dark. But I really slowed down the last hour.

I drove home and actually walked in place for 2000 more steps before calling it quits. There is a small park close to where I live that I was going to try and complete the steps but I knew I just could not walk anymore…

Final tally- 64,000 steps.

What Went Wrong

I made a lot of errors… Couple dumb mistakes cost me.

I underestimated how tough it would be. I wasted the first 7 hours with sleep and very little walking. But the biggest issue is I should have kept my original plan and waited another 2-3 weeks even if it would be warmer then..

Lessons Learned

Make a plan and stick to it. Don’t rush into something as big as this was.

I learned that it’s important to listen to your body and pace yourself accordingly. Mental resilience is important but be aware your body can fail you if you have chronic problems. I should have stretched my back more and had a way to get 2-3 massages as needed.

Also I needed a couple hour long rest stops to rest, get off my feet, eat and hydrate.
And it’s okay to fall short as long as you learn from the experience.

Preparation for the Next Attempt

For my next attempt in 4-5 months, I’ll focus more on pacing (walk faster for periods of time) and getting in a few longer walks like 35,000- 50,000 steps. I’ll also make sure to have a support person to walk some with me and bring food or water as needed.

Conclusion

While I didn’t reach my goal of 100,000 steps, I gained valuable insights and experiences from this challenge. It’s not always about reaching the destination but the journey and the lessons learned along the way. Having said that, I know I can complete 100,000 steps in 24 hours and am very confident I will do it.

Call to Action

I encourage you to set your own challenges, big or small, and see what you can achieve. Remember, it’s not about the end goal but the journey and the lessons learned along the way.