The majority of Americans drive from one place to another.
However, we don’t always have a car or public transportation readily available to us.
What happens if you are two miles away with no way to power forward except your legs?
Most of us consider two miles walking distance if we miss the last bus, or our car breaks down on the side of the road.
While inconvenient, anyone in reasonably good health can complete the journey without too much of a problem.
If you find yourself in a situation where you are required to walk two miles, you probably want to know how long it will take you to get to your destination.
How Long Does It Take To Walk Two Miles?
It takes around 30 to 40 minutes to walk two miles.
Using the typical leisurely walking speed of three miles per hour (mph), it will take you 20 minutes to walk one mile if you walk at a consistent pace.
To do the math, let’s start by finding the time it will take to walk one mile.
Divide 60 minutes in an hour (time) by three mph (speed) to get 20 (total amount of time walking).
Since we will be walking two miles instead of only one, we will need to double our findings.
It takes 40 minutes to walk two miles at a rate of three mph.
Some people walk a little bit quicker at a rate of four mph.
If walking at a rate of four mph, it will take 15 minutes to travel one mile and 30 minutes to travel two miles.
How Long Does It Take To Run Two Miles?
If you are in a serious hurry, you may opt to run instead of walk.
Running speed varies from person to person based on age, weight, physical condition, gender, and a number of additional factors.
For a short run, such as two miles, most people run at a rate between six mph and eight mph.
Assuming that you run at a consistent pace for the entire two miles, it will take 20 minutes to run two miles at a rate of six mph and 15 minutes to run two miles at a rate of eight mph.
Do you want to know more about how fast the average person runs?
We answer the question here: “How Fast Does the Average Person Run?“
How Long Does It Take To Drive Two Miles?
Let’s compare how long it takes to walk or run compared to driving.
Going 20 mph in a residential zone, it will take you six minutes to drive two miles (assuming you don’t get caught in traffic).
If you are driving 40 mph on a busy street, it will take you three minutes to drive two miles.
On a fast expressway going 60 mph, it will take you 1.5 minutes to drive two miles.
Exactly How Far Is Two Miles?
Is two miles a short distance or a long distance?
Many people don’t have a vivid concept of exactly how far two miles is, so we will provide you with some data to flesh out the concept for you a little better.
Two miles comes to roughly 10,560 steps.
If you don’t want to count all those steps, you can try to gauge your distance in blocks.
While city blocks vary greatly in size, you can estimate 20 city blocks to equal one mile.
That makes two miles roughly 40 blocks.
These numbers estimate a city block to be about 500 feet long.
Since blocks aren’t necessarily consistent, you can use a football field to visualize a mile.
One mile consists of roughly the length of 17.5 football fields.
That means there are 35 football fields in two miles.
Muscles Used When Walking
While you may use a wide range of muscles during your walk, depending on the particular course, we will cover some of the main muscles you will be using.
1. Calves
Your calves are the muscles located behind your lower legs.
These muscles allow you to control pressure as you take each step and facilitate the movement between the knee and the ankle.
2. Hamstrings
Hamstrings are the muscles behind your thighs.
These muscles allow you to bend your knees.
3. Quadriceps
Your quadriceps consist of four muscles: rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and vastus intermedius.
These muscles are located in the front of your thigh, and they also facilitate knee movement.
As you pick up the pace, your quads will experience more strain than the other muscles mentioned.
4. Abdominals
You will find your abdominal muscles in front of your body between your pelvis and ribs.
You will use your abdominal muscles to control your hips and your core.
Tips To Increase Time When Walking Two Miles
Many people enjoy a leisurely stroll.
However, if you find yourself under a time constraint or want to increase the number of calories you burn, you will want to walk faster than normal.
Here are some simple tips to help you cover two miles faster than you normally would.
1. Wear Proper Walking Gear
Wear comfortable and breathable clothes that allow you to move easily.
More importantly, wear comfortable shoes with advanced support on the bottom.
Sandals and flats generally won’t give you the protection at your heel that you will need to remain comfortable.
2. Stretch
Before you start walking, take advantage of the benefits of stretching before exercise.
Stretch your arms, legs, and core using one of a variety of useful running stretches:
- Knee hug
- Standing quad stretch
- Seated hamstring stretch
- Heel lifts
- Seated twist
You can also stretch out your body by starting at a slower pace and gradually increasing speed over time.
While stretching, you want to feel tension without taking it so far that you hurt yourself.
3. Breathe Properly
Many people get winded after a certain amount of exercise.
You won’t be able to proceed at the same pace if you don’t have enough oxygen pumping through your blood.
Practice deliberate, deep breathing throughout your walk.
If you have preexisting respiratory issues, stay alert for signs of risky breathing patterns and avoid wasting breath talking.
4. Consume Plenty Of Nutrients
Your body requires nutrients to fuel its activity.
Before you walk, eat healthy foods that contain plenty of protein and other nutrients.
The nutrients will give you energy.
You can also keep trail mix or beef jerky on you to boost your energy when you feel yourself feeling a little hungry.
By the same token, you want to stay hydrated.
Drink water before your walk and bring a water bottle with you.
5. Maintain Good Posture
Posture plays a large role in how your body absorbs the stress it experiences while walking.
If you walk with poor posture, it will cause pain more quickly.
Here are some tips on how to maintain good posture while you walk:
- Walk tall
- Keep your head up
- Push your shoulders back
- Look forward
- Swing your arms
6. Listen To High Energy Music
Music has transformative powers that transcend physical limitations.
Use the power of music during your walk.
High energy songs can keep your energy up.
The music can also distract you, allowing time to fly by more quickly.
Is Walking Two Miles A Day Good Exercise?
Is walking good for the body?
Since health is relative, the answer depends on your current physical condition and activity level.
In general, a brisk walk is never harmful to the body.
There are a number of benefits to taking regular walks, especially as you get older.
Walking encourages heart health and mobility.
However, someone who wants to lose weight won’t see much progress from only walking two miles a day.
Walking doesn’t burn very many calories.
The faster you walk the two miles, the more calories you will burn.
Start slowly to adjust to the physical stress and continue to walk faster and faster until you get to a running pace if you want to lose weight.
Possible Injuries While Walking
Walking at a leisurely pace doesn’t put too much strain on the body.
However, injuries can still occur, especially if you already have mobility issues.
While rare, some of the typical injuries you can encounter while walking include:
- Blisters
- Sprained ankle
- Stress fracture
- Lower back pain
- Shin splints
- Achilles Tendinopathy
- Morton’s Neuroma
If you do experience an injury when walking, allow your body to rest as soon as you reach your destination.
Treat blisters with antibacterial ointment and cover them with a Band-Aid.
Drink plenty of water and take Ibuprofen to reduce inflammation and soreness.
When your injury heals, take short walks, gradually increasing the difficulty level as your body adjusts.
See a doctor if you experience intense pain or an injury that won’t go away.
A doctor may suggest professional physical therapy.
Walking Two Miles Conventionally Vs. Walking Two Miles On A Treadmill
If you want to make a two-mile walk/run a part of your regular exercise routine, you may consider achieving your goal on a treadmill at the gym instead of on a trail outside.
Will you get the same results walking on a treadmill as you would outside?
We will cover the advantages and disadvantages of walking on an outdoor trail and a treadmill.
Pros And Cons Of Walking Outside
The first advantage you get from walking outside is that you get fresh air and beautiful scenery.
You’ll also activate more muscles since the outside terrain requires you to negotiate more twists, turns, and obstacles.
Running outside means running on tough concrete, which can create more ground reaction forces, straining your legs.
Furthermore, you may not be able to run outside if you don’t have a quiet trail nearby or in cases of extreme weather.
Pros And Cons Of Walking On A Treadmill
When you run on a treadmill, the surface offers shock absorption to protect your legs.
You also get a wide range of customizable options, an improvement over walking outdoors since you can’t customize the elevation and patterns of the terrain.
Treadmills give you a large amount of data as you walk, including your heart rate, the distance you ran, and how many calories you burned
Most treadmills don’t give you the same scenery or fresh air as walking outside.
Buying a treadmill or paying for a gym membership also costs a lot of money, whereas running outside is virtually free.
Tools To Get The Most Out Of Your Walk
Many of us remember when we would exercise without using technology to assist us.
However, some of the technology available can enhance the benefits we receive from a walk.
Here are some of the tools you can use to get the most out of your two-mile walk.
1. Step Counter
One of the popular devices used by walkers and runners today of all experience levels is a step counter.
As the name suggests, a step counter counts your steps.
Many step counters even allow you to share your results with friends and family, creating friendly competition and motivation.
2. Heart Monitor
Wear a portable heart monitor to keep you aware of the strain you are putting on your heart.
Your maximum heart rate depends on your age.
A 20-year-old can safely exercise with a heart rate of 200 beats per minute (bpm).
A 45-year-old will not want to exceed 175 bpm.
A 70-year-old should not allow their heart rate to get higher than 150 bpm.
If you reach your maximum heart rate, slow your pace down.
You can gradually pick up the pace again once you get your heart rate under control.
3. Arm Band
You don’t want to carry your phone with you in your hand for the duration of your walk.
Put your phone in an arm band or a tight, designated pocket in your leggings or jacket.
Conclusion
Whether you need to walk two miles out of necessity or plan to incorporate a two-mile walk into your exercise routine, you can assume you’ll complete the two-mile walk in 15 to 20 minutes at a steady but comfortable pace.
If you walk faster to the point that you bring your pace up to a run, you will reach your destination much faster and burn more calories.
If you do decide to tackle your two-mile journey at a faster pace, stretch first and challenge yourself without causing damage to your body.
Happy trails!
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