On June 6, 2021, I was walking up the hill to my house after rambling for a few miles around my neighborhood, and my Garmin watched buzzed on my wrist. I looked down at a message congratulating me for reaching my step goal (10,000 steps on the day) three days in a row – and winning the “3-day Goal Getter” badge. There’s not much that motivates me more than a badge – or a sticker, or a gold star. So, curious, I clicked on the badge icon in my Garmin Connect app. What’s this now? There was also a 7-day Goal Getter badge, a 30-day Goal Getter badge, and a 60-day Goal Getter badge. The 60-day badge was worth a whopping four points on the Garmin leaderboards (and if there’s anything that motivates me almost as much as a badge, it would be beating my former co-worker, Jose, on the Garmin leaderboards). Walking the last few steps up my driveway, I decided my new mission would be to keep my streak going long enough to capture the 60-day Goal Getter badge.

The first week, it rained almost every day. I made good use of my treadmill, walking my last few thousand steps in the evenings after the kids were tucked away in bed, listening to a podcast or watching my favorite YouTube channel (Miranda Mills). The steps ticked away and I was feeling pleased with myself as I widened the gap between me and Jose. (Peace and blessings, Jose, but you’re going down!) And then one evening, as I settled into a comfortable stride, the treadmill bucked – or felt like it bucked – and I went flying off the back. A moment’s exploration revealed that the belt was torn (I’d had the treadmill for over a decade and used it to train for several half marathons, so I guess this was bound to happen at some point). Y’all, do you know what’s expensive? Replacing a worn treadmill belt. It’s almost as much as a new treadmill. And considering that my treadmill, which was older than my firstborn, has been distinctly rickety for a few years – hey, it’s been well loved – it seemed like replacing the belt just wasn’t worth it. But I didn’t really want to bring a big new piece of exercise equipment into the house when we’re planning to move soon. So I needed a new plan – a plan that didn’t involve the treadmill – to keep my brand new 10,000 steps-per-day streak going.

New plan: lots and lots (and lots) of neighborhood walks; runs on my favorite section of the local bike path; local hiking; and when necessary, marching in place in the kitchen. I’m not proud. Sixty days came and went, and the badges stacked up (you can’t repeat the 3-, 7-, or 30-day Goal Getter badges, but you can repeat the 60-day Goal Getter badge up to 250 times) – and so did the points. And along the way, I decided that I really liked my 10,000 steps-per-day streak, and that I’d keep it going as long as I could. My new goal became a yearlong streak.

In a year, my feet carried me through miles and miles (and miles… and miles…) around my neighborhood and bike path and local parks – and up mountains, several of them, at my home NPS park, Shenandoah.

And they took me farther afield, to spectacular places – pebbly beaches and mossy rainforests in the Pacific Northwest; on runs around the Space Needle and down the Alaskan Way seawall on work trips to Seattle; to American icons in Colorado and Utah – including the spectacular Delicate Arch – and on wildlife rich hikes around four national parks in Costa Rica.

Along the way, I racked up lessons along with the steps.

• All steps count, even the ugly ones. Even walking loops around my living room couch. Even marching in place in my kitchen, or in the family room while watching TV. Like I said above, I’m not proud.
• A safe place to walk would be a nice perk. My street is a pass-through between two busier roads (or what passes for busier roads in my little exurb) and there’s a blind corner where I’ve seen my life flash before my eyes a few too many times as cars blew through the (clearly visible) stop sign and careened around the corner at ten or fifteen miles above the speed limit. On my grumpier days, I have been known to shout things like “Slow down!” or “This is a residential street!” Related: I can’t wait to move. Onto a nice, quiet cul-de-sac, please.
• Walking works, but a run will knock those steps out faster. Obviously. And if your neighborhood isn’t great for running (see above) find your local bike path access point. Finding my favorite spot to hop on the W&OD trail (easy, free parking plus decent scenery equals winning) was a game changer for weekday runs.
• Once in the habit, it feels weird – not a good weird – to not take 10,000 steps a day. If I get to evening without hitting my step goal, I feel twitchy and stiff until I get some movement in.
• A walk doesn’t actually take that much time, and a run takes even less (that’s bang for the buck) but it’s worth the time. And I usually have time for it. There are very few work tasks that can’t wait for me to get back from a walk or run that I’ve planned. Responding to an email in an hour – not ten minutes – is actually fine.
• Related: I have to plan for the walk or run, or it might not happen. I do have the time but often I need to affirmatively claim it for myself (and block it on my calendar). A little planning works wonders.
• Beautiful scenery – like national parks – and good company is nice, but a neighborhood walk with one of my favorite podcasts in my ears is delightful too.

Do you count steps?