Question
"How many calories do you burn when racewalking for one hour?"

Lola
Honolulu, HI

Answer
Racewalking is an excellent way to burn or expend calories. As a general guide, strolling along at a 3-4 miles-per-hour pace (20-15 minute miles) expends about 100 calories per mile. An actual number of calories expended would need to be assessed by an individual oxygen consumption test.

However, estimates can be made based on factors such as intensity (speed) and weight or more specifically lean body mass. Some caloric expenditure examples are listed below.

In a Columbia study by Professor Gutin it was noted that at a 5 miles-per-hour pace (12 minute miles) a walker expended 530 calories and, interestingly, a runner expended 480 calories. At a 6 miles-per-hour pace the walker expended 734 calories and the runner 660. The efficiency of running uses less energy or expends less calories. This information was confirmed in EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY, by McArdle, Katch, and Katch.

Again, racewalking is an excellent way to burn calories. Good luck!

Theresa Taylor-Dusharm

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