How long does it take to walk 2 miles? All you need to know

Walking is one of the ultimate therapeutic exercises that help you burn calories, lose pounds and gain health. You do not need to go for a long distance to burn calories. All you need is to walk at the right pace and continuously.

If a mile might take 15 to 20 minutes at a normal pace, how long does it take to walk 2 miles? It will depend on different factors to be discussed in the content below. Read on to learn more!

How Long Does It Take To Walk 2 Miles?

The duration will certainly vary from one person to another depending on their age, weight, and body condition. If you regularly go for long walks, finishing the walk 2 miles away will take less time.

In general, 2 miles are equal to about 30 to 40 minutes. You can start walking slowly, but as soon as you are into the flow of things, you can walk faster and finish your walk 2 miles distance earlier or approximately.

What Muscles Are Used When Walking 2 Miles?

Covering a lap of 2 miles around your neighborhood might not be a big deal, but you should be aware that your legs are the third and largest group of muscles in your body. You must know you will use all your legs, knees, and ankles muscles when walking.

Here are the muscles involved when walking 2 miles:

Quadriceps

It includes your thigh muscle which helps extend the knee joint. It comprises four parts, the vastus medialis, the vastus lateralis, the rectus femoris, and the vastus intermedius. These four muscles attach to your femur through your quadriceps tendon. The rectus femoris originates below the hip bone and connects with your patella via a tendon.

Hamstrings, Gluteals

These three muscles connect your ischial tuberosity to your tibia, fibula (through your tendons), and femur through a massive tendon in each leg.

The gluteus maximus attaches to your pelvis and two femurs via tendons. The gluteus medius attaches to your ilium and both hemispheres of your gluteus maximus.

Plantar Fascia

It is a piece of dense connective tissue that runs along your foot parallel to the Achilles tendon. It joins the bottom of the 2nd and 3rd metatarsals and even a part of the 4th metatarsal bone. It connects all these bones at their base through multiple small ligaments. Hence, it helps create a strong arch on your feet when you walk 2 miles distance.

Tibialis Posterior

It originates from several bones, including your tibia and fibula, as well as 8-10 small foot bones (cuneiforms). It helps flex the foot.

The movement of this muscle is facilitated by other muscles, such as the tibialis anterior, extensor digitorum longus, and peroneus longus.

Upper Arm Muscle Group

The group comprises three different but complementary muscles, including the biceps brachii, the triceps brachii, and the teres major. They cover the proximal arm down to the elbow. These three muscles form a functional unit that produces powerful flexion and supination of the upper arm with extension at the elbow joint.

Trapezius

It is a large muscle that wraps your spine from the base of your skull to the base of your neck. It originates from cranial, spinal, thoracic, and lumbar vertebrae. Its primary function is to raise your shoulder blades together to protect them when running or bending over a long period.

Back Muscles

The erector spinal muscle groups are the largest in your body and can be seen as a bow tie on the back of your neck. They originate from the vertebrae at L4-L5, S1-S2, L1, and C6. The spinal erectors function to maintain lordosis or curvature of the spine when you stand or sit for long periods.

In general, when you walk, it will help in stretching out these muscles. It will strengthen your lower extremities and make you feel more energetic for the day.

Factors affecting the time it takes to walk 2 miles

If you go for a walk 2 miles in your free time, it might take longer for a female walker than a male one. Don’t get this wrong. Gender is not the only element affecting the duration of walking 2 miles. Below is the list of factors to go through.

Gender

Males are generally faster than females. They have faster muscle paces and bigger muscle bones than women.

Age

The older you are, the slower your stride will be. You will also feel your muscles and joints aching while walking 2 miles distance. The more you walk, the more pain you experience later onwards, called delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).

Young individuals might consume 40 minutes to complete a 2-miles distance. If you are above 50, it will take 120 minutes to finish walking 2 miles because of less fast muscle pace and slower bone growth.

Walking Speed

It will depend on your walking speed with the right distance between steps. The faster you walk, the closer you come to covering ground or walking 2 miles distance.

Your Breath Rate

The average breathing rate for an adult is 16-20 breaths per minute or 12-16 steps per minute at a slow walking speed of 50-60 steps per minute, and usually, doubles that number if they take long, rapid strides.

Fitness

The more your body is fit to walk, the quicker you will walk 2 miles distance. It will all depend on your exercise program and lifestyle. If you resist walking, walking 2 miles takes 1-2 hours or more.

Weather and Terrain

The climate and terrain will play a role when walking 2 miles. It is very hot in summer or very cold in winter. It will affect your pace. You might be affected by cramps and sprain when walking uphill.

Clothing

Your clothing should be light and breathable when walking 2 miles distance. You should not dress with a thick layer of clothes, or you might sweat while walking 2 miles distance.

Your Shoe Quality

The best type of shoe for walking 2 miles is a running shoe that has been personally fitted for your feet and gait cycle.

Benefits of Walking 2 Miles

You will gain these benefits by walking 2 miles every day:

Stress Relief

When walking or running, the body releases endorphins which are your natural form of morphine. These endorphins block the pain from getting to your brain; hence, it helps reduce stress in your body if you are constantly stressed at work or home.

Better Health

Walking will help you live longer and better. The human body, including your heart, lungs, and muscles, is made to move.

Weight Management

If you can walk 2 miles every day, then it will help you lose weight because of the calories burning you are doing during the session. It is simple to lose or manage weight.

Better Sleep

It is common for people who have irregular sleep patterns to suffer from insomnia because their bodies are not used to sleeping at certain hours of the night or day. If you can sleep well at night, then it might be beneficial for your mind and body health.