The Effects of Walking on Mileage

Atlanta is a driving city. It is nearly impossible to live in the ATL (I'm hip like that) without having access to a car. Berkeley is sort of the opposite of that. I got rid of my car the second day after I got here (not an exaggeration). Between the lady and I we share one vehicle that I drive on average about once a week (grocery shopping or trail running/racing). Everywhere else I walk. And I LOVE it!

There are several factors that make this possible. Incredible weather. Proximity of campus and key stores, restaurants, etc. to our home. Decent public transportation system into the city. With all that, I sat down and tried to figure out much I expect to walk in 2009.

Round trip to and from campus (Haas): 2.2 miles
Trips per week: ~5
Additional mileage per week (shopping, getting coffee, etc.): 2.5
Total weeks of school: about 30 (accounts for some miscellaneous events)

Total miles walked per week during non school weeks: ~5
(This number is higher, because I often combine walking to and from schools with running errands. Five miles per week is a good approximation of how much I have walked during break).
Total weeks without school: 22

Total expected walking mileage: ~515 miles

Wow! Walking is certainly not a substitute for running, but it does qualify for cross-training doesn't it? (This may also explain why I lost quite a bit of weight last fall despite running less).