Every walking group starts the same way: one person says “fancy a walk?” and a couple of others say “go on then”. If you’re thinking of being that person, at work or with your mates, brilliant. Here’s how to start a walking group that people actually enjoy, and that’s still going strong a few months in.
Step 1: Decide who it’s for
A walking group at work feels a bit different from one with old school friends, so it’s worth a moment’s thought.
- With mates or family: usually smaller, more chatty, and happy to be a bit chaotic.
- At work: you might have people from different teams, very different routines and a wider spread of fitness levels. Keeping it relaxed and optional really matters.
- For a club or community group: you probably already have a reason to be together. Walking just becomes another thing you share.
Whichever it is, aim for “everyone’s welcome” from day one. The NHS’s walking for health page describes walking in a group as “a great way to start walking, make new friends and stay motivated”, and that works best when nobody feels they have to be sporty to join.
Step 2: Keep the ask tiny
“Join my walking group” can sound like a big commitment. “Want to walk a bit more this month, at your own pace, with a few of us cheering each other on?” sounds much easier to say yes to.
Be clear about what it isn’t: it isn’t a race, nobody’s going to see your step count, and nobody’s going to be told off for having a quiet week.
Step 3: Agree how “together” works
Not everyone can walk at the same time, especially at work. Shift patterns, school runs and meetings get in the way. So decide early whether your group is:
- Walking side by side, with a regular lunchtime loop or a Sunday morning stroll.
- Walking in parallel, with everyone walking when it suits them and staying connected through the group.
- A bit of both, which is where most groups end up.
The “in parallel” bit is exactly what Strideora is for. Everyone sets their own private daily step goal, steps sync from Apple Health on iPhone or Health Connect on Android, and the group score shows how often people hit their own goals. You’re a team even when you’re miles apart.
Step 4: Make joining easy
The fewer hoops, the more people join. In Strideora, the organiser creates the group and shares an invite code or link. Members join free in a couple of taps.
A couple of tips for the invite:
- Send it somewhere people already look: the team chat, the family group, the club newsletter.
- Say what to expect: “Set your own goal, nobody sees your numbers, we cheer each other on.”
- Give people a gentle start date, like “the first of the month”, so everyone begins together.
One thing to know: in Strideora you’re in one group at a time. So if you’re torn between a work group and a mates group, pick the one you’ll enjoy most for now.
Step 5: Pick a challenge that suits everyone
Strideora’s monthly league challenges give your group something to aim for together, with a new peak to climb each month. As the organiser, you choose the league level (Relaxed, Balanced or Ambitious) when you start the group, and then set a challenge each month.
You can change the level later, but it’s best to pick one and stick with it. If in doubt, start Relaxed. Early wins build momentum, and it’s much nicer to celebrate than to scrape over the line.
Step 6: Be the chief cheerer
As the organiser, your most important job isn’t counting anything. It’s encouraging.
- Cheer people in the activity feed when the group gets a notification that they’ve hit their goal or kept a streak going.
- Notice the quieter members and give them a friendly nudge, never a guilt trip.
- Post the odd comment in the feed about your walk: the view, the weather, the muddy boots.
- When the month wraps up, celebrate as a group, whatever the result.
Step 7: Keep it light at work
If it’s a workplace group, a few extra pointers:
- Keep it voluntary. A walking group should feel like a perk, not a target.
- Avoid anything that ranks colleagues. Strideora’s group score is about how often people hit their own goals, not who walks the most, so nobody’s singled out.
- Think about access. Some colleagues may use mobility aids, have health conditions or simply prefer to walk alone. Private goals mean everyone can take part in a way that suits them.
- Suggest a monthly “proper walk” together, like a lunchtime loop or an after-work wander, for anyone who fancies it.
Ready to round up your people?
Starting a walking group really is as simple as asking a few people and making it easy to say yes. Strideora is coming soon to iPhone and Android, and it’s built to make that bit easier.
If you’d like to be one of the first organisers, join the waitlist on our coming soon page and we’ll email you when it launches. Members join free, and organisers get their first month free.
