I can only manage 6 miles ...what am I doing wrong?

[redsaidfredd]

Trying to get fit.
I went out walking today.
Got to 6 miles and was knackered.
My feet,legs and back were aching.
I want to get up to 10/12 miles per day.
Any tips ?
Is 6 miles enough ?
Or is more recommended

6 miles is good, we all need to start off somewhere, just increase gradually over time. Also remember gradient, terrain, obstacles like stiles all make a difference. I used to be able to walk 20 miles, I'm now exhausted after 6 due to inactivity over lockdown

I can run a half marathon, I do run about 40 miles every week but I'm still tired after a 6 mile walk, I think that's usual.

I'm sure you could build up to 12 miles but you'll need to do it gradually, as with any exercise.

Ignoring the flip flops for a minute

What sort of time do you plan per mile?

I need to lose weight and tbh that sounds like it would be very time consuming. I'd also find it boring unless it was amazing scenery.

Well that's 6 miles more than me today so well done.

I honestly think flip flops are going to be a major part of the problem here OP.

Also if you have gone from nothing to this even in decent walking shoes it is going to hurt at first.

Just build gradually as others have said.

@Ostara212 I was averaging around 16 mins per mile.

[quote redsaidfredd]@Ostara212 I was averaging around 16 mins per mile.[/quote]
I rather like walking but I wouldn't want to devote 2.5 hours a day to it...if you live somewhere pretty then it's probably very different though!

10 to 12 miles daily is rather a lot OP and could easily lead to injuries IMO unless you're lucky. Feet, ankles, knees and hips don't always like a lot of repetitive exercise. It would also be time consuming as others have pointed out. I walk about 5 miles most days, with the occasional 8 or 9 mile to change it up and it has helped me lose weight and keep the weight off. So you might not need to do as much as you think to achieve your goals.