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Start! Walking Challenge

Frequently Asked Questions

Why walk?

Walking is a low cost exercise that burns calories, improves blood flow, increases bone strength, as well as providing a number of other health benefits.  And you can do it anywhere - all you need is a good pair of shoes!  Check out our Walking Fit Facts page for more info.

Do I need to walk at a certain time or following a certain route?

No – you can walk anywhere, anytime.  Just don't forget to log your miles on-line through the MyStart!  Online Tool.  That's the only way we know how many miles you've walked.  To  register for the MyStart! Online Tool, follow the Registration Instructions.

How can I figure out how far I walked?

There are a number of different ways to figure out your walking distance.  Here are a few quick tools and techniques:

• Use a pedometer to count your steps.  On the MyStart! Online Tool you can convert your steps into miles.  1,000 steps = 0.5 miles

• Use an on-line tool like Gmaps Pedometer.  Through this site, you can plot out your route and find out just how far you walked.  You can also use this site to plan new routes to walk.

• On average, we walk a mile in 20 minutes.  So if you don’t have a pedometer and don’t have time to plot your route on Gmaps Pedometer, you can quickly estimate the distance you walked by how long you spent walking.  A 30 minute walk would be approx. 1.5 miles.

How can I find other people to walk with?

There are a couple options for walking with others:

• Take advantage of all the walking tours offered around DC.  You might want to check out DC by Foot – offering free tours around Washington DC daily.  Or for $10 you can join a Washington Walks tour and explore one of the many DC neighborhoods.

• Motivate your coworkers or other GW staff to walk with you.  Whether or not they are part of the program, they might appreciate the opportunity to get some exercise and turn out to be a great walking buddy!

Where can I walk?

You can walk anywhere! 

Check out the walking routes we mapped out for you on the Foggy Bottom and Virginia campuses.  We tried to include a number of different routes at increasing distances.  If you have suggestions for additional routes, let us know!

In addition, if you are looking for ideas around the Foggy Bottom and Mount Vernon area, check out these links provided by Lerner Health & Wellness: Walking and Running Routes

Or, you might consider trying out this self-guided GW walking tour of the Foggy Bottom or Mount Vernon campus

How do I register for the program?

The official program site is: http://startchallengetool.com/
To  register for the MyStart! Online Tool, download and follow the Registration Instructions.  Through this site you will be able to record your miles and calculate your total walking distance.