Below is a sample companion training schedule for someone who might like to build up to walking, say a 10k (6.2 mile) event. In this case, I've used bicycling and swimming as the companion elements to walking.

For some folks, a “beginner” schedule would start off with walks of a couple miles or more. Nice, but hardly realistic if the last time your exercised was a year when bouffant hairdo’s and bell-bottom pants were in vogue!

Below are 2 schedules: STAGE ONE is for those who are starting at Square One. Don’t be embarrassed. Everybody has to start somewhere and the fact that you’ve started at all while the other 82% of Americans are still on the couch is a major miracle!

It seems that the amount of exercise required to maintain an ideal body weight is somewhere around 300 minutes of activity per week.

There are lots of fantastic walking events around the world that accomplish distances up to 6-7 miles. Volkswalking, for instance, is available around the world. Many volkswalks are 10 kilometers in length (6.2 miles). Check out event walks in your community. And, look at running events to see if there is a walk associated with the run (marathons, for example). Lots of these are in the 3-5 mile range.