A marathon is 42.195 km (26.2 miles), and a half marathon is exactly half that: 21.0975 km (13.1 miles). Here is roughly how many steps each takes:
- Walking a marathon: about 58,150 steps for someone 5'9" (175 cm) at a moderate 3 mph, or roughly 52,800 to 66,900 for adults from 6'4" down to 5'0".
- Walking a half marathon: about 29,100 steps at 5'9" (roughly 26,400 to 33,450 across the same heights).
- Running a marathon: often about 39,300 to 47,200 steps, based on a common range of 1,500 to 1,800 steps per running mile.
- Running a half marathon: often about 19,700 to 23,600 steps.
Running takes fewer steps because each running step covers more ground. Treat these as planning estimates, not targets.
| Distance | Walking (5'9", 3 mph) | Running (common range) |
|---|---|---|
| Half marathon (21.1 km / 13.1 mi) | about 29,100 | about 19,700–23,600 |
| Marathon (42.2 km / 26.2 mi) | about 58,150 | about 39,300–47,200 |
How many steps is a marathon walking?
The walking numbers use the same model as our steps to miles calculator and our guide to steps in a kilometer. At a moderate 3 mph, step length is about 41.4% of height (41.5% for men, 41.3% for women), and steps per mile is 63,360 inches divided by that step length. Rounded to the nearest 50 steps:
| Height | Step length | Half marathon | Marathon |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5'0" (152 cm) | 63 cm | ~33,450 | ~66,900 |
| 5'2" (157 cm) | 65 cm | ~32,350 | ~64,700 |
| 5'4" (163 cm) | 67 cm | ~31,350 | ~62,700 |
| 5'6" (168 cm) | 69 cm | ~30,400 | ~60,800 |
| 5'8" (173 cm) | 72 cm | ~29,500 | ~59,000 |
| 5'9" (175 cm) | 73 cm | ~29,100 | ~58,150 |
| 5'10" (178 cm) | 74 cm | ~28,650 | ~57,300 |
| 6'0" (183 cm) | 76 cm | ~27,850 | ~55,750 |
| 6'2" (188 cm) | 78 cm | ~27,100 | ~54,200 |
| 6'4" (193 cm) | 80 cm | ~26,400 | ~52,800 |
Sex makes little difference: at 5'9", the full distance is about 58,000 steps for a man and 58,300 for a woman. Pace matters more, because the model lengthens your step at faster walking speeds (see the pace table below). A measured walk of your own beats any table.
How many steps is a marathon running?
The running numbers use the same steps-per-mile ranges as our guide to steps in a mile of running, multiplied out to 13.1 and 26.2 miles and rounded to the nearest 100:
| Running pattern | Steps per mile | Half marathon | Marathon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Longer stride, faster continuous running | 1,300–1,550 | ~17,000–20,300 | ~34,100–40,600 |
| Common broad planning range | 1,500–1,800 | ~19,700–23,600 | ~39,300–47,200 |
| Shorter stride, slower running, hills or trail turns | 1,800–2,000+ | ~23,600–26,200+ | ~47,200–52,400+ |
Why no height column? In a treadmill study of recreational distance runners, height, leg length and limb mass were only weakly linked to preferred stride length at a given speed (correlations of 0.36 or lower, not significantly different from zero). The authors concluded that body measurements can't accurately predict an individual runner's stride (Cavanagh & Kram, 1989 (opens in a new tab)). Height is a fair shortcut for walking, but for running, pace explains much more.
Why running takes fewer steps than walking
Two things change when you go from walking to running: each step gets longer, and the steps come faster.
- Longer steps. At 5'9", our walking model gives a step of about 73 cm (28.6 in). The common running range of 1,500 to 1,800 steps per mile works out to about 89 to 107 cm (35 to 42 in) per step. Apple's Workout app defines running stride length the same way, as "the distance covered per running step" (Apple (opens in a new tab)).
- Higher cadence. Our model gives a 5'9" walker about 111 steps per minute at 3 mph. Inexperienced runners in one lab study chose an average of 77 to 80 strides per minute, or 154 to 160 steps (van Oeveren et al., 2017 (opens in a new tab)). In another study, 381 recreational runners filmed during a timed two-mile run or a 5K race averaged about 172 steps per minute (Szymanek et al., 2020 (opens in a new tab)).
As runners speed up, most of the extra speed comes from longer steps. In Cavanagh and Kram's study, going from 3.15 to 4.12 m/s (about 11 to 15 km/h) raised stride length by 28% but stride frequency by only 4%. Modeling work agrees: up to about 7 m/s (25 km/h), far beyond marathon pace, longer strides drive most of the gain (Dorn et al., 2012 (opens in a new tab)). So faster runners usually take fewer steps.
How to estimate marathon steps from cadence and finish time
If you know your average cadence, there's a simpler method:
Total steps = average cadence (steps per minute) × running time (minutes)
A 4:30 marathon (270 minutes) at 165 steps per minute gives 165 × 270 = 44,550 steps, about 1,700 per mile. That's inside the common range above, so the two methods agree. The table spans 155 to 175 steps per minute, covering the study averages above. Rounded to the nearest 100:
| Pace | Half time | Half steps | Marathon time | Marathon steps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6:52/mi (4:16/km) | 1:30 | ~14,000–15,800 | 3:00 | ~27,900–31,500 |
| 8:01/mi (4:59/km) | 1:45 | ~16,300–18,400 | 3:30 | ~32,600–36,800 |
| 9:09/mi (5:41/km) | 2:00 | ~18,600–21,000 | 4:00 | ~37,200–42,000 |
| 10:18/mi (6:24/km) | 2:15 | ~20,900–23,600 | 4:30 | ~41,900–47,300 |
| 11:27/mi (7:07/km) | 2:30 | ~23,300–26,300 | 5:00 | ~46,500–52,500 |
| 12:35/mi (7:49/km) | 2:45 | ~25,600–28,900 | 5:30 | ~51,200–57,800 |
| 13:44/mi (8:32/km) | 3:00 | ~27,900–31,500 | 6:00 | ~55,800–63,000 |
Two cautions. Cadence tends to rise with speed (van Oeveren's team saw this even across a narrow range), so slow finishes usually sit toward the low end of each range. And the formula assumes steady running: walk breaks, aid stations and a crowded start all change the real total.
How long does it take to walk a marathon?
For a 5'9" walker, here is moving time and steps from the same model (step length grows a little as pace rises):
| Walking pace | Half marathon | Half steps | Marathon | Marathon steps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 mph (4.0 km/h) | 5 hr 15 min | ~31,850 | 10 hr 29 min | ~63,700 |
| 3.0 mph (4.8 km/h) | 4 hr 22 min | ~29,100 | 8 hr 44 min | ~58,150 |
| 3.5 mph (5.6 km/h) | 3 hr 45 min | ~26,900 | 7 hr 29 min | ~53,850 |
| 4.0 mph (6.4 km/h) | 3 hr 17 min | ~25,200 | 6 hr 33 min | ~50,350 |
The model's cadence at these paces is about 101, 111, 120 and 128 steps per minute. Stops come on top of these moving times, and if you're entering an event, check its official rules for any time limit. Try your own pace in the walking time calculator.
A walked marathon is a big jump from everyday walking. Build long walks gradually, as in our guides to a 5K walk and a 10K walk, and test shoes and socks on shorter outings first.
How phones and watches count steps while running
- iPhone. Apple says that when you carry your iPhone, its motion sensors track your steps, distance and flights climbed (Apple (opens in a new tab)). A phone left in a bag at the start counts nothing. For walking, iPhone counts stayed accurate in a pants pocket, shoulder bag or backpack in one study (Höchsmann et al., 2018 (opens in a new tab)).
- Apple Watch. On outdoor walks and runs, the watch keeps learning your stride length at different speeds. Apple suggests calibrating for about 20 minutes at each speed you usually run, with good GPS reception (Apple (opens in a new tab)).
- Both at once. Health doesn't simply add your phone and watch together. When several sources record the same data, the one at the top of your priority list takes priority (Apple (opens in a new tab)).
- Placement. In a large treadmill walking study, ankle and thigh devices were most accurate, then the waist, with the wrist least accurate at normal speeds (Mora-Gonzalez et al., 2022 (opens in a new tab)).
- Steps vs. distance. Consumer wearables tested at 4.3 to 13 km/h mostly counted running steps well, but every device's distance estimate was poor, with errors of up to 50%. No phones or Apple devices were tested (Wahl et al., 2017 (opens in a new tab)).
- Course vs. your route. Road race courses are measured along the shortest possible route an athlete could follow, and World Athletics recommends a 0.1% "short course prevention factor" (Technical Rule 55 (opens in a new tab)). Weaving around runners or taking corners wide adds distance and steps.
Form also shifts during a race: 179 runners filmed at km 8 and km 40 of a marathon showed lower speed and stride frequency near the end (Chan-Roper et al., 2012 (opens in a new tab)), so late miles may not match early ones.
Practical notes for training and race day
- Use steps to describe, not to judge. A lower count isn't automatically better running.
- Build volume gradually. In a year-long study of 874 novice runners, those who raised weekly distance by more than 30% over two weeks seemed more prone to certain distance-related injuries than those who raised it by under 10%. The authors called this exploratory (Nielsen et al., 2014 (opens in a new tab)).
- Be careful with cadence targets. A systematic review found that a higher step rate at the same speed appears to reduce several loading measures linked to running injuries (Schubert et al., 2014 (opens in a new tab)). But in Szymanek's study of 381 runners, preferred step rate wasn't associated with injury. Change form gradually, ideally with a coach or physiotherapist.
- Respect warning signs. Pain that changes how you move, swelling, or pain that worsens run after run deserves an individual assessment. Stop and get urgent care for chest pain, fainting or severe shortness of breath.
Stepsly is an iPhone app that reads your steps from Apple Health, as counted by your iPhone and Apple Watch, and shows goals, streaks, history and widgets. Its insights even show your lifetime distance in marathons. It isn't a running, GPS or pace app, and it has no Apple Watch app of its own. It's free to download; Stepsly Pro is required. View Stepsly on the App Store (opens in a new tab).
Questions people ask
How many steps is 42 km?
42 km is essentially a marathon (42.195 km). Walking at 3 mph, it's about 58,150 steps for a 5'9" adult (roughly 52,800 to 66,900 across heights). Running, it's commonly about 39,300 to 47,200 steps.
How many steps is 21 km?
21 km is just under a half marathon (21.0975 km). Walking, it's about 29,100 steps at 5'9". Running, it's often about 19,700 to 23,600 steps.
Is a marathon more than 50,000 steps?
Walking, usually yes: at 3 mph the model gives 52,800 at 6'4" and 66,900 at 5'0". Running, usually no, though a slow run with short steps or a run-walk mix can pass 50,000.
Should I aim for 180 steps per minute?
Not necessarily. Body size doesn't reliably predict a runner's preferred stride (Cavanagh and Kram). In van Oeveren's study, inexperienced runners had their lowest heart rate at about 166 steps per minute, a little above the 154 to 160 they chose. Any change is best made gradually, with qualified guidance if it's about pain.
Why does my watch show a different step count from my phone?
They sit in different places and the phone may not be with you all day. Health also gives one source priority when both record steps, so its total won't equal the two added together.
Sources, notes & disclaimers
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Official distances: World Athletics Competition & Technical Rules (Book C, C1.1 & C2.1), Technical Rule 55: Road Races (opens in a new tab) lists the Marathon (42.195km) and Half-Marathon as standard road distances (PDF page 160). A half marathon is half of 42.195 km, 21.0975 km.
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Walking estimates: our calculators' model, described above; at other paces, step length scales with the square root of speed ÷ 3 mph. It's a rule of thumb, not a measurement of you.
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Running estimates: the steps-per-mile ranges from our running mile guide × 13.109 or 26.219 miles; the cadence table is cadence × finish time.
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Cavanagh & Kram, Med Sci Sports Exerc 1989 (opens in a new tab); Dorn et al., J Exp Biol 2012 (opens in a new tab); van Oeveren et al., PLoS One 2017 (opens in a new tab); Szymanek et al., Int J Sports Phys Ther 2020 (opens in a new tab); Schubert et al., Sports Health 2014 (opens in a new tab); Nielsen et al., J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2014 (opens in a new tab); Chan-Roper et al., J Sports Sci Med 2012 (opens in a new tab).
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Device accuracy: Wahl et al., Front Physiol 2017 (opens in a new tab); Mora-Gonzalez et al. (CADENCE-adults), Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 2022 (opens in a new tab); Höchsmann et al., Scand J Med Sci Sports 2018 (opens in a new tab).
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Apple Support: See your activity summary (opens in a new tab), Calibrate your Apple Watch (opens in a new tab), Workout views and running metrics (opens in a new tab), and Manage Health data (opens in a new tab).
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This article is general education, not coaching or medical advice. Talk to a qualified professional before a big change in training, or if you have pain, an injury or a health condition that affects exercise.
