1,000,000,000 lifetime steps ... is it possible??

My son just started walking. We like to keep track of how many steps he takes a day to record it in his baby book, so he wears a Fitbit. Maybe he will end up being the first on to reach 1 billion.

Richard Vonnegut wrote:

My son just started walking. We like to keep track of how many steps he takes a day to record it in his baby book, so he wears a Fitbit. Maybe he will end up being the first on to reach 1 billion.

That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard.

Anyway, regarding the OP: a billion steps is a pretty interesting concept. Not many engineered structures can survive a billion cycles, so interesting to think of our bodies handling that many.

I suppose our hearts must beat more than that many times in our lifetime, as a side observation.

I can't feel my pace wrote:

About 16,000 steps for a 10 miler.

Seriously? Your running stride is only about a meter long? Yikes.

Richard Vonnegut wrote:

My son just started walking. We like to keep track of how many steps he takes a day to record it in his baby book, so he wears a Fitbit. Maybe he will end up being the first on to reach 1 billion.

I would be interested to learn how many steps they take in a given day.

Come on, man... wrote:

I can't feel my pace wrote:

About 16,000 steps for a 10 miler.

Seriously? Your running stride is only about a meter long? Yikes.

Well, that was an estimate. I'm 50 and I run on trails mostly. In any case, in a recent half marathon I did 16,008 steps, so closer to 1.3 meter when racing. Still very short, I know, but well, stride length is the first thing that goes with aging

A billion divided by 30k steps a day yields 33,333 divided by 365 days per year gives you 91 years to accomplish it by averaging 30k steps a day. If you have a lot of mileage per week you are going to get a lot of steps, but consider on non distance running or hiking days, 10,000 steps is a standard per day that is a lot. I worked 10 hours yesterday at my job where I do a fair amount of walking compared to average adults. I got 18,000 steps. That's not the norm though. Id say you'd have a very hard time.

Borschtsoupkitchen wrote:

A billion divided by 30k steps a day yields 33,333 divided by 365 days per year gives you 91 years to accomplish it by averaging 30k steps a day. If you have a lot of mileage per week you are going to get a lot of steps, but consider on non distance running or hiking days, 10,000 steps is a standard per day that is a lot. I worked 10 hours yesterday at my job where I do a fair amount of walking compared to average adults. I got 18,000 steps. That's not the norm though. Id say you'd have a very hard time.

Mike Rossi could do it

for sure wrote:

Borschtsoupkitchen wrote:

A billion divided by 30k steps a day yields 33,333 divided by 365 days per year gives you 91 years to accomplish it by averaging 30k steps a day. If you have a lot of mileage per week you are going to get a lot of steps, but consider on non distance running or hiking days, 10,000 steps is a standard per day that is a lot. I worked 10 hours yesterday at my job where I do a fair amount of walking compared to average adults. I got 18,000 steps. That's not the norm though. Id say you'd have a very hard time.

Mike Rossi could do it

there was a thread about 100,000 lifetime running miles recently. and there was a guy with 250,000 miles. so he is easily at 400,000,000. half way there already

I cant feel my pace wrote:

for sure wrote:

Mike Rossi could do it

there was a thread about 100,000 lifetime running miles recently. and there was a guy with 250,000 miles. so he is easily at 400,000,000. half way there already

I followed that thread too and the runners world article. Those guys are all in their 60s. Halfway there is not very hopeful lol. Consider that they didn't log that many steps in their growing years (birth to say, 11 years of age). They got most of it done in the able bodied prime years. Unless they become the new Ed Whitlocks, a billion lifetime steps is out of reach. Maybe try reaching for a billion dollars instead.

Let's say you have a higher-than-average stride rate of 200 per minute. You'd need to run 5,000,000 minutes.

Let's say you are somewhat fast and average 6:40 per mile. You'd need to run 750,000 miles.

Let's say you ran a marathon every day. You'd need to keep that up for 28,626 days.

Let's say you started this endeavor at age 12 and never missed a day. When you got to a billion steps, you would be 90 years old.

Good luck.

` wrote:

Let's say you have a higher-than-average stride rate of 200 per minute. You'd need to run 5,000,000 minutes.

Let's say you are somewhat fast and average 6:40 per mile. You'd need to run 750,000 miles.

Let's say you ran a marathon every day. You'd need to keep that up for 28,626 days.

Let's say you started this endeavor at age 12 and never missed a day. When you got to a billion steps, you would be 90 years old.

Good luck.

Sounds extremely tough, I agree. Borderline impossible. But at the same time, it is not completely out of the question. Ok, ok. Half a billion would be a very decent goal too, but that one has been done already, most likely. Now with technology tracking your every step, starting early and living a longer, healthier life someone just might be able to do it. Yes, you would need extreme longevity like Ed Whitlock, but nothing that's totally against the laws of physics. People do live into their 90's and remain active. Note that with this game all steps count, so even when you are no longer able to run you can still walk and keep getting closer to the ultimate goal (insert Dr Evil smile) of 1 BILLION steps!

Consider those 100,000 + milers. At 1-2k steps per mile, then they would have around 100,000,000-200,000,000 steps from running. The top runners over 200,000 would be between 200,000,000-400,000,000 steps. That doesn't include walking but indicates that this total for a lifetime is unlikely.

jjjjjjj wrote:

Consider those 100,000 + milers. At 1-2k steps per mile, then they would have around 100,000,000-200,000,000 steps from running. The top runners over 200,000 would be between 200,000,000-400,000,000 steps. That doesn't include walking but indicates that this total for a lifetime is unlikely.

yes, it cannot happen by accident. like, oh, I ran 250,000 miles and look, I'm also at 1 billion steps. clearly, one would also have to walk a lot, every day, for at least 50 years, but probably more like 70-80 years. and all that walking might or might not help with running. but your calculation correctly shows that some people are close to being half way there. and they are *only* in their late 60s, so if they started earlier, and also if they lasted longer, they might do the full billion. but it has to be a targeted effort. and it cannot be just one person shooting for a billion, this would require many attempts which would mostly fail. but if someone starts keeping track of all steps since early childhood and is an avid walker, who later becomes a streak runner/walker and also lives to 90 years or even a bit older. hey, you never know, maybe. it might happen

Richard Vonnegut wrote:

My son just started walking. We like to keep track of how many steps he takes a day to record it in his baby book, so he wears a Fitbit. Maybe he will end up being the first on to reach 1 billion.

How does a Fitbit fit on a baby?

Just hack your phone/watch and enter 1 billion.

Walk 10,000 steps/day at work.

Run 7 miles/day w/5 ft stride.

= 5,330,000 steps/day.

Do that 5 days/week, 260 days/year.

Takes 187 years.

Begin there.

Too early for this on a smartphone! Corrected: Walk 10,000 steps/day at work.Run 7,392 steps/ day (7 miles w/5 ft stride).= 17,382 steps/dayDo that 260 days/year (5 days/week)17,382 × 260 = 4,519,320 steps/yearTakes 221yr 17wk. Start there.

The Lark Ascending wrote:

Walk 10,000 steps/day at work.

Run 7 miles/day w/5 ft stride.

= 5,330,000 steps/day.

Do that 5 days/week, 260 days/year.

Takes 187 years.

Begin there.

Why the fascination with meaningless random milestones?

Metoo wrote:

Richard Vonnegut wrote:

My son just started walking. We like to keep track of how many steps he takes a day to record it in his baby book, so he wears a Fitbit. Maybe he will end up being the first on to reach 1 billion.

How does a Fitbit fit on a baby?

On his wrist. I had to rig it up with another old Velcro band I had.

As to the question of how many. The highest he's gotten is just under 4,000. As of yesterday, his average is 1,380. He's only been walking for two months though, so I think they will just keep going up. It helps when your steps are so small. ;)