The UK’s state-funded National Health Service (NHS) has unveiled plans for a nationwide walking challenge, called Movement 26.2, that will reward people for completing the equivalent of a marathon over a month. Due to launch by January 2027, the campaign aims to sign up around 100,000 participants.
The challenge will encourage people to log walks of at least 20 minutes a day. Over a month, that would roughly add up to 26.2 miles, or around 42 km, the distance of a marathon. Participants will be able to log their walks online or through their phones and smartwatches, and those who complete the challenge will be eligible for rewards such as discount vouchers and other incentives.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “What I love about Movement 26.2 is its simplicity. Walking 20 minutes a day, which adds up to a marathon over a month, is exactly that – a simple, achievable challenge that has meaningful benefits.” NHS chief executive Sir Jim Mackey said, “Physical activity should be part of everyone’s daily life choice, and Movement 26.2 is about exactly that – making movement part of everyday life again in a way that feels simple and achievable for everyone.” He added, “By helping people build regular walking into their daily routines, we have a real opportunity to improve physical and mental wellbeing and help people live longer, healthier lives.”
The campaign builds on the NHS 10-Year Plan for healthy living and is being led by Olympic medal-winning athlete Sir Brendan Foster to create a movement aimed at long-term behavioural change across the country. Foster said, “Our bodies weren’t evolved to sit still. If you keep the machine working, it works. If you don’t keep it working, it doesn’t.” The NHS said the campaign draws on research by Harvard University Professor Daniel E Lieberman, which highlights how modern environments work against the way our bodies have evolved and contribute to inactivity. “At its heart is a simple challenge: to walk the distance of a marathon over the course of a month. It’s about showing how small, everyday movement can quickly add up to something significant and achievable,” the NHS stated.
Health officials are also in talks with retailers and companies about setting up a Movement 26.2-related loyalty scheme to encourage healthy choices beyond the campaign. Overall, the NHS plan centres on a simple daily walking target, digital tracking and rewards to help more people make movement part of their routine.
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