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Wellness Trail

Health and Wellness is a goal we all share and the WSSU Wellness Trail is a great way for students, faculty and staff to get out and exercise while on campus. Take a break from your day and walk the one mile loop with your roommates, classmates or colleagues. With moderately steep grades in some parts, the loop will get your blood pumping and your heart rate up! Elevation changes over the trail by approximately 120 feet with the lowest elevation being 764 feet and the highest at about 884 feet.

Wellness Trail elevation graph

Walking is one of the simplest and least expensive ways to increase one's physical activity level and improve one's overall health. It is a weight-bearing exercise that helps maintain bone density and is easy on joints. Walking at a brisk pace is considered moderate-intensity physical activity, and doing this most days of the week for 30 minutes or more enables you to meet the criteria for physical activity for health benefits recommended by ACSM and the American Heart Association.

wellness trail map

How long will it take you to walk the Wellness Trail? How many calories will you burn completing the loop? The information below will help you determine how fast you are moving and how many calories you are burning. For example, if it takes you 12 minutes to walk one mile, your speed is 5 miles per hour. One's speed and a few other variables influence the volume of oxygen one consumes - or VO2. How much oxygen one consumes relates to the calories one burns and this depends on bodyweight, so we have added calculations for people of differing weights.

People in these weight ranges will burn between 90 and 240 calories by walking one mile. A 12 oz can of soda has about 140 calories, so a 70 kg (154 lb) person needs to walk one mile to walk off that soda.

Time to walk the Wellness Trail based on weight
Time (min:sec) 50 kg (110 lb) 60 kg (132 lb) 70 kg (154 lb) 80 kg (176 lb) 90 kg (198 lb) 100 kg (220 lb) 110 kg (242 lb) Approx. Steps
30 103 123 144 164 185 205 226 2000-2500
24 97 117 136 156 175 195 214 2000-2500
20 94 113 131 150 169 188 207 2000-2500
17 91 109 127 145 163 181 199 2000-2500
15 90 107 125 143 161 179 197 2000-2500
13:15 88 106 123 141 158 176 194 2000-2500
12 109 131 153 174 196 218 240 2000-2500
11 109 131 153 174 196 218 240 2000-2500
10 107 129 150 172 193 214 236 2000-2500
09:15 107 128 150 171 192 214 235 2000-2500
08:30 114 126 147 168 189 210 231 2000-2500
8 105 127 148 169 190 211 232 2000-2500
07:30 105 126 147 168 189 210 231 2000-2500
7 104 125 145 166 187 208 228 2000-2500
06:30 102 122 142 163 183 203 224 2000-2500
06:15 103 124 144 165 185 206 226 2000-2500
6 104 124 145 166 187 207 228 2000-2500


How to use this Table:

  • First, walk or jog the trail, which is approximately one mile. Time how long it takes.
  • Second, if you don't know your bodyweight, weigh yourself.
  • Find the time it took you to complete the mile in the first column.
  • Then read across to find the column that corresponds to your bodyweight.
  • The number in the column that corresponds to your bodyweight is an approximation of how many
    calories you burned.

Example 1: I walked the trail in 17 minutes and I weigh 176 pounds. I burned approximately 145 calories. Example 2: I jogged the trail in 11 minutes and I weigh 186 pounds. I burned between 174 and 196 calories.

By using an inexpensive pedometer, or an app on your phone, you can estimate the number of steps you take each day. A goal of 10,000 steps per day is recommended for most adults. If you typically walk 8,000 steps per day, then additionally walking one loop of the trail will bring you close to 10,000. For most adults, one loop is approximately 2000-2500 steps.

Starting a Walking Program - a handy publication from the American College of Sports Medicine that discusses how to start a healthy walking program.

*Prior to beginning any exercise program, including the activities depicted on this page, individuals should seek medical evaluation and clearance to engage in activity. Not all exercise programs are suitable for everyone, and some programs may result in injury. Activities should be carried out at a pace that is comfortable for the user. You should discontinue participation in any exercise activity that causes pain or discomfort. In such event, medical consultation should be immediately obtained.