How To Determine Your Pace Count

Find an area of known length (can be any length).  Traditionally, people use a length of about 100 meters (328 feet), but any distance you know and are comfortable pacing four or five times will do.

1. Starting with your left foot, begin walking.  Count your paces down the entire length of the known distance.  Do not change your pace from the normal style in which you walk.  This will lead to an inaccurate count!
2. Once you have your initial pace count from one length, record it, and repeat the process three more times.  This allows you to fall into more regular strides and eliminates the possibility of statistical anomalies.  Record your numbers in some way (for example, recording them in a small notebook).  Many will lose track of their pace count after several passes, and having to start over from the beginning is frustrating and time-consuming.
3. Average your pace count from each pass and that will give you your average pace count.

There are several things to consider when initially determining your pace count:

• What sort of terrain will you be walking?  An individual's pace count varies based on the type of terrain they traverse.  When determining your base pace count, you should walk terrain similar to that that you will be measuring.
• What will the weather be like?  If it is windy, raining, snowy, foggy, or any other way inclement weather, your pace will be thrown off.  Thus, you should try to determine your pace count in conditions similar to those in which you will be using it if at all possible.
• What will you be wearing?  The length of an individual’s strides changes based on the tightness and weight of their clothing.  So, be sure to wear similar weight and style clothes when you determine your pace count.