
Running his way into my heart.
Being
It turns out that the caloric difference between walking and running a mile is pretty minor, and that speed does play a small role. In general, the faster you go, the less efficient your body is – and thus, more calories burned. But the numbers aren’t as dramatic as you might expect and clearly a number of other variables come into play.
Calories burned per mile for a 160-lb person:
Walking
2.0 mph – 91
2.5 mph – 87
3.0 mph – 85
3.5 mph – 83
4.0 mph – 91
4.5 mph – 102
5.0 mph – 116
Running
5.0 mph – 116
6.0 mph – 121
7.0 mph – 119
8.0 mph – 123
9.0 mph – 121
10.0 mph – 131
My 100-block walk was about 5 miles and we managed a 4.5 mph clip. That’s 510 calories. If I had done a fast 9 mph run, it would have amounted to 605 calories. That’s not a big difference considering the exertion of a 9 mph run. Of course, the run would have taken half the time – but with increased joint stress or injury risk than walking.
Just looking at the numbers, it’s easy to see why walkers swear by the exercise. Of course, calories burned while exercising don’t tell the full story. Runners can enjoy significant benefits after exercise is complete – like the huge metabolic increases associated with interval training. Plus, sweat is good for your body – and really great for your skin.
Are you a walker or a runner? What do you like best about it?