A TikToker Walked a Marathon On Her Under-Desk Treadmill During the Workday
Learn how one woman walked 26.2 miles from her desk and if you should attempt to do it yourself.
Under-desk treadmills are marketed as a great way to get a little activity in while you work, but one woman took that concept and ran with it. Kristen Hollinghaus Seninger actually walked a marathon during a workday — and she documented the whole thing on TikTok.
Seninger, who previously walked a half marathon on her compact treadmill during her workday, shared in a now-viral TikTok that she logged an impressive 26.2 miles while working from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.
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"If you thought I was crazy before, you're going to think I'm even crazier," she says in the video. She decided to walk the marathon to mark the one-year anniversary of having her walking pad and wanted to hit "one more goal" before the year was done, says Seninger in the clip.
In the video, Seninger straps her Apple Watch to her ankle to log her mileage and starts walking. "Besides eating breakfast and the occasional bathroom and drink break, I walked consistently from 8:15 [a.m.] to around 11:40 a.m.," she shares, noting that she got "super hot" along the way. Still, she was determined to go at her fastest pace earlier in the day since she typically feels more energized then, she explains.
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Seninger hops off the treadmill just before noon to have a Diet Coke, eat lunch, and relax a little bit, before diving back into her walk. Seninger started to develop a blister on her heel, "but I just powered through," she says. She takes another break at 15.75 miles to grab some food and then gets back to it before stopping for a final stretch break.
Seninger eventually ends her walk at 4:39 p.m., according to her video. In the end, Seninger actually walked slightly more than a marathon: 26.41 miles, to be exact. "I can't believe I just did this," she says. "I'll likely never do it again, but I do feel very accomplished."
Seninger got a walking pad to help her stay active while working a remote desk job. "I don't like just sitting in my chair for eight hours straight," she recently told Runner's World. She gradually increased her mileage and then decided to tackle a marathon before the end of the year.
If you have an under-desk treadmill, you might be wondering if you could pull off something like this. But is it a good idea to log a marathon during your work day?
There's no reason why a generally healthy person can't walk a marathon if they put their mind to it, says Albert Matheny, M.S., R.D., C.S.C.S., co-founder of SoHo Strength Lab and Promix Nutrition. "I think it's alright, as opposed to the opposite of sitting for eight hours, which isn't good for your health," he says. ICYDK: Research shows sitting for long periods of time can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and other sedentary activities may increase risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer.
If you want to try walking a long distance — or even a marathon — during your day, Matheny suggests building up to it, though. Meaning, try walking a few miles during the day and then gradually tack on more mileage to build up your stamina.
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To tackle a longer distance such as a marathon or half marathon, Matheny stresses the importance of being aware of your posture. "You don't want to be craning your neck down or slouched over, which can create all sorts of problems and raise your risk of injury," he says.
Finally, if you're newer to walking longer distances, 10,000 steps (the equivalent of five miles) "is a good baseline," says Matheny. However, "more is not always better," he says. "You don't have to walk a marathon, but the idea of walking while you work from home is great." As always, listen to your body and consult your doctor before trying a new exercise routine or activity.
