• Always warm up prior to undertaking a long walk – walk slowly for 10 minutes or walk in place for 3 to 5 minutes.
• If you are a stranger to exercise, we would recommend that you build up the mileage that you train over slowly. It helps in this instance to think in terms of time, rather than distance; several ten minute walks a day for the first few days should help to break you in.
• You should try to leave whole weekends free for long training walks. Training where you put in walking 15-20 miles in a day, and complete back-to-back, two-day walks, will pay off in improving your fitness level.
• If they are new, make sure you have broken in your walking boots prior to setting off on the Challenge.

Beginner/Basic: 4-6 miles of walking per week. Start off by introducing an exercise programme into your routine, in addition to walking.

Beginner/Intermediate: 8-10 miles of walking per week. Build up your stamina slowly by increasing the length of your walk a little for each session. Begin training on hills to prepare muscles for upward walking.

Intermediate: 16-20 miles of walking per week. Increase targets and build stamina. Lots of hill training.

Advanced: 20-25 miles of walking per week. Walk every day for at least one hour*, followed by at least one weekend in the month of back-to-back walking – 5-6 hours on Saturday AND Sunday. On other weekends, walk for four hours on at least one of the days. Rest on at least one day of the week.