Somewhere along the way, walking stopped being the thing you do before you’re “fit enough” to run, and started being the actual goal for a lot of people. No dread the night before, no sore knees the next day — just shoes on, door open, go.

It’s the kind of exercise that doesn’t ask you to be motivated. You can walk while tired, while thinking about something else entirely, while barely trying. That low bar turns out to be exactly why people stick with it long after gym memberships get forgotten.

There’s nothing to prove on a walk. No pace to beat, no app yelling at you. Maybe that’s the real appeal — one of the few habits left that doesn’t feel like a competition with yourself.