Woman Challenges Herself To Do 100K Steps In A Day, Here's How It Went

While 10,000 is a healthy number of steps for everyone to aim for each day, one woman challenged herself to hit 100,000 in 24 hours—filming her progress throughout.

The day began with Paula Rodrigues waking up at midnight to go for a three-hour walk, before going back to bed for a few precious hours of sleep. She then spent the rest of the day walking or running around, until she finally reached the total of 100,000 at 11.48 p.m.

Rodrigues, from Ontario, Canada, was relieved when she saw the step count hit the grand total, but it wasn't all positive emotions. She told Newsweek: "The minute I was finished, I felt mixed emotions as I was so thrilled to have reached my goal, but I was also in so much pain."

It's thought that the average American does around 3,000 to 4,000 steps a day, which is far lower than the recommended target of 10,000 steps. However, the National Institute of Health (NIH) suggests that doing 8,000 steps a day can reduce a person's risk of death within the decade by 50 percent, compared to those who do 4,000 steps.

Some people may prefer doing high-intensity activities, such as running, to burn fat quicker than a slower walk. But the research conducted by the NIH highlights that the number of steps done in a day is more beneficial than the step intensity. Higher step counts were associated with lower risk of heart disease and cancer across all age groups.

After Rodrigues accomplished her goal of 100,000 steps on August 22, she spoke to Newsweek about the grueling but unforgettable experience.

She said: "I started moving at midnight exactly and walked or ran until three am. I woke up at quarter past eight and was out the door by nine am to continue, and I finished around 11.48 pm that day.

"I mostly did a combination of running and walking. I tried to keep it consistent and would walk the first 45 minutes of every hour and run for the last 15. However, due to the fact I had to keep charging my old Apple Watch, I had to run for the majority of the evening in order to hit 100,000 before midnight."

Understandably, Rodrigues' legs were incredibly sore at the end of the day, but she was also suffering with chest pains from the constant exertion. She would usually do around 10,000 steps most days, so to do 100,000 was a milestone achievement.

"The morning after, I was extremely sore in my legs but the pressure in my chest had gone away. However, the soreness only lasted a few days, and I was back at the gym by the end of the week, which I was very happy about.

"If you are looking to tackle the challenge, I would recommend training beforehand. Whether it's tackling 50,000 or 70,000 steps a week before, it will truly make a difference. It's something I regret not doing."

After completing the challenge, Rodrigues shared a video on her TikTok account (@paurodrigues) which documented the highs and lows from throughout that day. Since it was shared, the clip has already generated more than 2.7 million views, and over 191,000 likes from amazed TikTokers.

Alongside the viral video, she joked that she "still can't move" her legs afterwards, but she has received more than 1,200 comments on the video already.

One comment reads: "for comparison, when I did a marathon it was around 52-53,000 steps. This is insane."

Another person commented: "I was about to question why you would start at midnight, but wow I severely underestimated how much work that was."

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