Daily Walking
Steady walks built into the day; the easiest place to start.
Get-fit guides / Walking vs running
Walking vs running: which is better?
By the Exercise Explorer team. Last updated 13 November 2026.
Both are free, simple and good for you. Running is more demanding and covers more ground in the same time, while walking is gentler and easier to keep up for a lifetime. The best choice depends on your fitness, joints and goals.
Read this first. This is general information, not medical advice. If you have heart, joint or other health problems, check with your GP before starting running.
The short answer
- Both are linked to better health. A pooled analysis of 14 studies (232,149 adults) found that runners had 27% lower risk of death than non-runners, with no clear extra benefit from running more (observational).
- Walking more steps is linked to lower risk of death too: about 7,000 steps a day was linked to roughly 47% lower risk than 2,000, with smaller gains beyond that (observational).
- Running is higher impact and has more injury risk. A UK study of beginners on a Couch to 5K programme found only 27% finished it and 19% reported an injury.
- You do not have to choose. Many people walk most days and run once or twice a week.
Walking vs running: how they compare
Brisk Walking
Pace that raises breathing but still allows talking.
10,000 Step Target
Daily step goal tracked on a phone or watch.
Interval Walking (Japanese)
Alternate 3 minutes fast and 3 minutes easy walking.
Jogging
Easy, sustained running at conversational pace.
Couch to 5K
Nine-week walk/run plan building to 5 km non-stop.
Run/Walk (Galloway)
Planned run and walk intervals for any distance.
How each one helps
Evidence at a glance How much good research supports each option
StrongModerateLimited
- 1Daily WalkingStrong evidence
Low impact, free and easy to build up. The best starting point for most people.
30 min × 5/wkEffort ●○○○○Free - 2Brisk WalkingStrong evidence
A pace that gets your heart rate up. Counts as moderate activity.
30 min × 5/wkEffort ●●○○○Free - 310,000 Step TargetStrong evidence
Step counts give an easy target. Benefit is largest in the early thousands.
All dayEffort ●○○○○Free - 4Interval Walking (Japanese)Moderate evidence
Mixing faster and slower walking makes walking harder without running.
30 min × 4/wkEffort ●●○○○Free - 5JoggingModerate evidence
Higher impact and more demanding. Runners had lower risk of death in pooled observational studies.
30 min × 3/wkEffort ●●●○○Low cost - 6Couch to 5KLimited evidence
A structured walk-run plan for starting to run. Start once brisk walking feels easy.
30 min × 3/wkEffort ●●●○○Free - 7Run/Walk (Galloway)Limited evidence
Alternating running and walking lowers the load and makes running more manageable.
40 min × 3/wkEffort ●●○○○Low cost
What to avoid or go slowly with
- Doing too much running too soon. Joints and tendons adapt more slowly than your lungs.
- Worn-out or unsupportive shoes.
- Running through pain. A niggle that gets worse is a signal to stop.
- Running if you have a heart condition without medical advice.
- Seeing it as all or nothing. Walking days count.
When to see a doctor
Stop exercising and get medical advice if any of these apply to you.
Get urgent help now
- Chest pain or tightness
- Severe breathlessness, or fainting
Call 999 or go to A&E. Do not wait for a GP appointment.
Speak to a GP or call NHS 111 if you have
- Pain in a joint, shin or foot that does not settle after a few days.
- Dizziness or palpitations during exercise.
- A heart or joint condition and you are unsure if running suits you.
What the research says
A pooled analysis of 14 studies (232,149 adults) found that runners had 27% lower risk of death from any cause than non-runners, and no clear extra benefit from running more. The Copenhagen City Heart Study found the lowest death rates in people who jogged 1 to 2.4 hours a week at a light to average pace, though the numbers of strenuous joggers were small. These are observational studies.
A 2025 Lancet Public Health dose-response analysis linked about 7,000 steps a day to roughly 47% lower all-cause mortality compared with 2,000 steps, with smaller gains beyond that. This is also observational.
A 2023 UK study of 110 beginners on a modified nine-week Couch to 5K programme found that only 27% finished it and 19% reported an injury, and a previous injury made a new one far more likely.
We found no trials we had read in full that compare walking directly with running for health outcomes, so the comparison here is indirect.
Full references are listed under Sources below. Evidence ratings are our own plain-English summary of the research we found, not a medical opinion.
Frequently asked questions
Is walking as good as running?
Both are linked to better health. Running is more demanding, so it gives more fitness in less time, while walking is gentler and has less injury risk. We found no trials we had read in full that compare them directly.
Which burns more calories, walking or running?
Running generally burns more per minute, but walking for longer can burn a similar amount. Weight depends mostly on diet and overall activity.
Is running bad for your knees?
It loads the joints, and injuries are common among beginners, but we did not find evidence in this site’s research that running in itself damages healthy knees. Build up gradually.
How much running is enough?
In one analysis, the lowest death rates were seen at about 1 to 2.4 hours a week at a light to average pace, but these are observational findings.
Is walking enough exercise?
Brisk walking can meet the guideline of 150 minutes of moderate activity a week. Add strength work on two days.
Should I start with walking or running?
Most people do best starting with walking, then adding short runs gradually if they want to.
When should I see a doctor?
Get urgent help for chest pain, severe breathlessness or fainting. See a GP for dizziness, palpitations, or pain that does not settle.
Sources
- Is running associated with a lower risk of all-cause, cardiovascular and cancer mortality, and is the more the better? A systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2019. doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2018-100493
- Dose of Jogging and Long-Term Mortality. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2015. doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2014.11.023
- Daily steps and health outcomes in adults: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis. The Lancet Public Health, 2025. doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(25)00164-1
- “Couch-to-5k or Couch to Ouch to Couch!?” Who Takes Part in Beginner Runner Programmes in the UK and Is Non-Completion Linked to Musculoskeletal Injury?. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2023. doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20176682