How to walk 20,000 steps in less than a day

Note: This list could be adjusted if one had access to a car. Or a spouse. Both things I don't have this week.

Walk your three girls to school.

Less than 10 minutes after arriving home, receive a call from said school and walk back to pick up one sick child.

30 minutes later walk to pediatrician's office. Arrive to be told he is gone for the day, and is off tomorrow (he doesn't take appointments, so no need to call ahead). Quick moment of frustration and an almost-tear (note: this won't add to your step count). Walk all the way back home.

Leave sick child at home with housekeeper and walk to office. Achieve 10,000 steps by 10AM.

Walk to pharmacy. Buy new battery for thermometer to measure level of sickness in child(ren). Walk to landlord's house to drop off late rent check. While walking, receive another call from school. Another child is sick and needs to be picked up.

Walk home, get stroller, walk to school to pick up second sick child. Go home.

15,000 steps before noon.

An hour later, walk back to the school to pick up third child. Be thankful she is healthy. For now.

At home, lay sick baby down to sleep. Walk outside neighborhood and take a taxi with two older girls to swim class.

After dropping off girls at swim class, walk to nearby coffee shop and buy an extremely well-deserved iced latte. And a bonus donut. (note: this may counteract some of the steps for the day. But who the heck cares?) Enjoy these while watching swim class and be amazed at your daughters' mad swimming skills.


After swim class, walk to play area and wait for taxi.

Arrive home. Congratulations, you've reached 20,000 steps and it's 3:30PM.

Spend at least half an hour combing through the house looking for insurance cards to make an appointment with a new doctor. That puts you at 21,000 steps. You still need to make dinner, and help your oldest with her homework in another language, while holding a fussy baby, get three kids to bed, finally take a shower, and rest those sore, aching feet. Most likely you will walk at least another couple thousand steps before you crawl into bed.

Another option to achieve 20,000 steps: go for a really, really long run.

My only advice: Next time, wear better walking shoes.