People have all kinds of hobbies. Some enjoy sports, others love cooking, reading, or traveling. And then there are people who simply enjoy walking. For most, walking is just a way to get from one place to another. But for one man from New York, it became something much bigger. This New Yorker enjoys walking so much that he decided to turn it into a long-term personal challenge. According to him, his ultimate goal is to walk all walkable areas of the world. Before attempting something that ambitious, however, he set a more realistic first target: Manhattan. Recently, he shared that he has officially completed that goal, and it took him an astonishing ten years.
At first glance, the claim sounds almost unbelievable. Walking all of Manhattan over a decade seems excessive, and some people were skeptical when they first heard about it. But the man didn’t just make the claim without evidence. He has been carefully recording his walks for years, using his phone’s GPS to track every route he took. Over time, this data formed a detailed map of Manhattan, showing exactly where he had walked. In fact, when viewed on his phone, the outline of the city itself is clearly visible.
According to his records, he walked roughly 14,000 miles in Manhattan alone, not counting repeat paths. When he included routes he walked multiple times, that number jumped to about 25,000 miles within New York City. Expanding beyond Manhattan, he estimates that he has walked around 50,000 miles across various cities. While the numbers are staggering, the GPS data backs up his story.
The man also made it clear that he is not the only person to attempt something like this. Others have taken on similar walking challenges, including Matt Green, who famously dedicated years of his life to walking every street in New York City. Still, completing Manhattan alone is no small feat, especially considering the time, consistency, and patience required.
Despite how long it took, the man insists this is only the beginning. He still hopes to continue walking and exploring cities around the world. More importantly, he encourages others to walk more in their own lives, even if they have no interest in completing such an extreme challenge. For him, walking is about exploration, curiosity, and forming a deeper connection with the places people often rush past.
Online reactions were mixed. Many people were impressed, while others were confused or even critical. “That’s cool, but does he have a job?” one commenter asked. Others questioned how someone with a full-time career could possibly dedicate so much time to walking. Some were less charitable, accusing him of being a trust fund kid or claiming he must be unemployed.
Still, plenty of users defended him. They argued that spending free time on something meaningful and healthy shouldn’t invite ridicule. One commenter summed it up well, saying, “I didn’t think there could be hate for someone who enjoys walking through the city, yet here we are in the comments.”
