Long-distance virtual challenges: how far per day

For comparison, U.S. health guidance asks adults for about 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, such as brisk walking. A daily walk of the length above fills most or all of that on its own.

A daily number makes every missed day feel like a failure. A weekly number absorbs a rainy Tuesday. Here is the same math by the week.

Take Kylin, at about 9.1 km a week. One way to cover it without thinking about it much:

• Monday, Wednesday and Friday: a 20-minute walk after dinner, about 1.5 km each.
• Saturday: a longer walk or an easy bike ride with family, 3 to 4 km.
• Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday: rest, or a short walk if you feel like it. Anything extra goes in the bank.

Swap in whatever you enjoy. A bike ride covers more distance in the same time, and cycling, hiking, swimming and rowing all count if the app records the distance.

• Set a weekly target rather than a daily one, so one busy day does not feel like falling behind.
• Get ahead early, while it is new. A buffer covers a sick week or a work trip.
• Attach it to something you already do: a walk after dinner, a lap at lunch, the walk home from the bus.
• Change activity when it gets dull. Variety also spreads the load on your legs.
• Check your progress in the app once a week, not every hour.
• Bring someone along now and then. A walk with a friend or a partner passes faster and is harder to skip.
• Keep a backup plan for bad weather: a treadmill, an indoor bike, or a walk around a mall.
• Give yourself a small reward at the halfway point, such as new socks or a favorite meal out.
• Start when your calendar is clear. The window only begins when you tap Start.

Long challenges have a shape. The first week is easy because it is new. Somewhere around weeks three to five, the novelty wears off and the finish still looks far away. That middle stretch is where most people stall, so plan for it.

• Weeks 1 and 2: get ahead. Bank a few extra kilometers while motivation is high.
• The middle weeks: change something. A new route, a bike ride, a walk with a friend, a podcast saved for walks.
• The last two weeks: watch the progress bar fill. Most people find the end pulls them through.

Any activity the app records distance for counts, and some cover ground much faster than others. These are rough figures for 30 easy minutes.

Mixing also spreads the load. Weeks of the same walk on the same pavement can leave shins and feet sore, while a bike ride or a swim gives them a break. Build up the amount gradually, and take a rest day when something hurts.

Divide what is left by the days left. Say you are on Phoenix and a busy month leaves you well behind. The new daily number will be higher, but usually by a few hundred meters, not miles. Add one extra session a week rather than trying to fix it in a single long day, which is how sore legs and shin pain start.

If you are truly stuck, write to info@xchallenge.us before the window closes. The how it works page explains what the team can do.

• Comfortable shoes. Weeks of daily walking show up worn-out shoes fast. If yours are flat or lopsided, replace them before you start.
• Good socks. Blisters stop more long challenges than tired legs do.
• A light or reflective vest. A two-month window in fall or winter means some walks in the dark.
• A way to carry your phone hands-free, since it is doing the recording.
• A rain jacket. Skipping every wet day adds up over two months.

Our running gear by level guide covers what is worth buying and what is not.

When the app records the last meter, it issues a certificate for the challenge, and the medal ships with its ribbon and gift box 5–10 business days later. Finish all four and the app adds a Digital Finisher Record for the collection, with each medal on it. Many people find the record of a couple of months of steady movement means more than the medal itself.

Turtle is the shortest window of the four, and Kylin has the lowest daily average. Phoenix and Dragon are the long ones. If you have not been active lately, try Loki first to see what your week can hold. The whole set of four is $129, and you can start each one when you are ready.

Read how to pick a challenge you will finish and when to start one.

• Can I walk all of Dragon? Yes. At 2 km a day it is about a 30-minute walk.
• Can I bank distance early? Yes. Every recorded session counts, so a strong first week gives you room later.
• Can I do two at once? Check in the app how your challenges are set up before you plan on it.
• Does a treadmill count? Yes, through the app’s indoor mode.

If you have a health condition, are pregnant, or have not exercised in a long time, check with a doctor before you start.

• Adult Activity: An Overview, CDC: 150 minutes of moderate activity such as brisk walking a week, which can be split into shorter chunks.