Science

Is How Fast You Walk More Important Than How Far?

By Kim Fisher · October 2026 · 3 min read

405,981 adults. The brisk walkers carried cells that looked years younger...

and the total amount they walked barely changed it.

The part almost nobody mentions is what that same pace may do for the ache you woke up with.

Gravel under my sneakers. Hills in the distance. One hand tucked in my vest pocket. These days I don't finish a walk asking how far I went. I ask how I walked.

What the research found

Researchers at the University of Leicester looked at 405,981 adults in the UK Biobank. People who described their usual pace as steady or brisk had longer telomeres than slow walkers. Telomeres are the protective caps on your chromosomes, and their length is used as a marker of biological age.

Here's the surprising part. When the team checked wrist-worn activity trackers, telomere length tracked with how intense people's everyday movement was, not with the total amount. A genetic analysis also suggested that the pace was driving the telomeres, not the other way around. The researchers estimated that a lifetime of brisk walking could mean a biological age up to 16 years younger by midlife.

Why this matters for the ache

This month, a study in the journal Menopause looked at 3,523 women aged 40 to 60. The ones who moved regularly had 34 percent lower odds of living with body pain, even after accounting for weight, menopause stage and medications.

A second paper in the same journal pooled 12 randomized trials with 1,003 women in the menopause transition. Physical activity improved depression, mood and quality of life, and aerobic movement like walking showed the strongest effect on depression and overall quality of life.

The honest fine print

The pain study is a single snapshot, so women in less pain may simply move more. The telomere study relied on people describing their own pace, and a telomere is a marker, not a promise. So we say "went with," never "cures." Your own body gets the final vote.

The reframe

You don't need more miles. You need a few minutes that change your breath.

How fast is brisk?

About 100 steps a minute. A review of 38 studies landed on that number as the doorway to moderate intensity for adults. Count your steps for 15 seconds and multiply by four. Twenty-five steps in 15 seconds puts you right there. If 100 feels easy, nudge toward 110.

Three things to take with you

• Test your pace once this week. Count steps for 15 seconds, multiply by four, and aim for 100 or more.
• On an achy day, try ten brisk minutes. Rate the ache from 1 to 10 before and after. Let your own numbers speak.
• Trade one long, slow walk for two shorter ones. Walk at a pace where you can talk and can't quite sing.

I am strong, I am steady, I am still becoming. I walk with purpose, with breath, with grace. Today I let my pace speak louder than my distance.

Frequently asked questions

Is it better to walk faster or walk longer after 50?

Both count. The research suggests pace carries more weight than people expect. In 405,981 adults, brisk walkers had longer telomeres, and it tracked with intensity rather than total activity.

How many steps per minute is brisk walking?

About 100 steps a minute is the research marker for moderate intensity. Count for 15 seconds and multiply by four. If it feels easy, aim for 110.

Can walking help menopause aches and joint pain?

In 3,523 midlife women, regular movement went with 34 percent lower odds of body pain. It's an association, not a guarantee, so rate your ache before and after a brisk walk and see what your body tells you.

Does walking help mood during menopause?

A review of 12 randomized trials with 1,003 women found physical activity improved depression, mood and quality of life, with walking-style aerobic work showing the strongest effect on depression.

If this landed

If you'd love support building this into your weeks, The Ageless Reset is six weeks to learn the moves and a full year of community and coaching to keep them, on the easy days and the achy ones. Cohort 3 begins February 1, 2027, and the waitlist hears everything first at thekimfisher.com/waitlist.

I see you. I've got you. You're not behind.

With love,
Kim