Movember 60km: How to Hit the Distance Without Hating It

Sixty kilometres sounds like a lot until you break it down. It is about 2km a day, roughly 25 minutes of walking. You can do that on a lunch break, after work, or with a mate on a Sunday morning.

Movember runs from 1st to 30th November this year, and the Move challenge asks you to walk or run 60km over the month. This year’s campaign line is Make a Growmitment, which is all about taking it on with a friend. This guide covers how to get the distance done, where your 20kg weighted vest fits in (and where it does not), how to grow the moustache, and the most important bit of all: talking.

What Is Movember, and Where Does the Money Go?

Movember is a charity focused on men’s health. It funds work in three areas: mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer.

The number 60 is not random. Movember says around 60 men die by suicide every hour across the world, and each kilometre you move stands for one of them. That is why this is more than a fitness challenge.

The money you raise supports research, services and programmes in those three areas. A few facts worth knowing: testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men aged 15 to 39, and around 10.8 million men globally are living with or beyond prostate cancer. Early checks and early conversations save lives.

You can sign up and set up a fundraising page at Movember. If you are a UK taxpayer, your supporters can add Gift Aid to their donations, which boosts what the charity receives at no extra cost to them.

How to Hit 60km in a Month Without Hating It

The secret is boring but it works: make each walk small and make it a habit. Here is how we would do it.

Do the maths on day one. 60km over 30 days is 2km a day. Or 15km a week, which is four walks of around 4km.

Pick your days and stick to them. Put your walks in your diary like you would a training session.

Bank early kilometres. Bad weather will show up. If you get ahead in week one, a wet Tuesday will not wreck your month.

Log every walk. Seeing your total climb is a brilliant motivator.

Make it social. Ask a mate to join you for one walk a week. You are far less likely to skip when someone is waiting.

Stay safe in the dark. The evenings are drawing in, so stick to well lit routes and make sure you can be seen. A treadmill counts too.

Where Does Your 20kg Weighted Vest Fit In?

Let’s be honest, because it matters. Walking 60km in a 20kg vest is not a good idea for most people. You do not need it to complete the challenge, and wearing too much weight for too long is a quick route to a sore back, hips and knees.

The vest is a bonus, not a requirement. Use it for part of some walks, and let the rest of your kilometres be nice and easy. Wearing it does not make the kilometres count double, but it does make a normal walk feel like a proper session.

Here is what makes the Gravity Fitness 20kg Weighted Vest handy for this. It has removable, adjustable solid metal weights, so you can take weight out and start light. It has foam padding for comfort and fully adjustable Velcro straps for a snug fit. The low profile design keeps the load close to your body so you can move naturally.

A good rule of thumb: start at around 5% of your body weight, and do not go above about 10% in the early weeks. If you weigh 80kg, that is 4kg to 8kg. So for most people the full 20kg is a goal to build towards over months, not a starting point. If you cannot get your vest light enough, use a rucksack with a few kilos in it for now. Our weighted vest research round up goes into more detail on who should start light.

Your Four Week Movember Walking Plan

This plan gets you to 60km with room to spare, and builds your vest time gradually. Wear the vest for the end of your walks, not the whole thing, and only add weight when the current load feels easy.

The golden rule: only change one thing at a time. That means distance, pace or weight, never all three together.

How to Tell Your Vest Is Too Heavy

•       Your walk changes. If you are leaning forward or taking short, shuffly steps, take some weight out.

•       Your breathing gets shallow. You should still be able to chat.

•       Something hurts. Pain in your back, neck, hips, knees or feet is a stop sign, not a challenge.

Taking weight out is not going backwards. It is how you make sure you are still smiling on 30 November. If you have any back, joint or medical concerns, speak to your GP or a physio before you add load.

Opening Up: The Most Important Kilometres

Here is the bit that matters most. Movember exists because too many men struggle in silence. Walking is one of the easiest places to start a proper chat, because you are side by side, moving, with no pressure to look anyone in the eye.

Movember uses a simple four step approach called ALEC, based on a framework developed by R U OK?. Here is how it works:

Ask. Check in on a mate. A simple “How are you really doing?” is a great start.

Listen. Give them time and do not rush to fix it. Often, being heard is enough.

Check in. Follow up a few days later. It shows you meant it.

You do not need the perfect words. You just need to show up. Why not make one of your four weekly walks a walk and talk with a friend? No phones, just a chat.

And if that person is you, it is okay to say it out loud. Speak to a mate, family member or your GP. If you are struggling right now, you can call Samaritans free on 116 123 at any time, day or night. 

Growing the Moustache: A Coach’s Guide

Let’s keep it light for a moment. Here is how to give your moustache the best chance.

Start clean shaven on 1 November. It gives you a fresh canvas and a great before photo.

Be patient. The first two weeks can look a bit patchy. Resist the urge to trim too early.

Keep it tidy. Once it has some length, give it a light trim around the lip line and comb it daily.

Wash it. You will be sweating in that vest, so a quick wash after each walk keeps things fresh.

And if the moustache just will not grow? No problem at all. The Move challenge counts just the same. Every kilometre and every conversation is what makes the difference.

Raising Money and Sharing Your Progress

Set up your page early and tell your story in your own words. People give more when they know why you are doing it. Post your walks, share your total as it climbs, and thank everyone who donates. People who share their progress tend to raise more.

Tag us on Instagram at gravity.fitness with your vest walks, and we will cheer you on. Not sure where to walk? Find your nearest outdoor gym on our calisthenics park map, or read why calisthenics meet ups are the new run clubs.

Movember Walking FAQs

Do I have to wear a vest for the Movember 60km? No. The vest is optional. Walking or running 60km is the challenge.

Is a 20kg vest too heavy for walking? For most people, yes, at least to begin with. Take weights out and start at around 5% of your body weight.

Can I walk and run my 60km? Yes. You can walk, run or mix the two, and spread it across the month however suits you.

Can anyone take part? Absolutely. Whether you grow, move, host or donate, everyone is welcome.

Your Takeaway

Aim for around 2km a day, make one walk a social one, and use your vest sensibly for the final part of a couple of walks each week. Then use those walks to check in on the people around you.

Ready to add some resistance to your Movember miles? Browse our weighted vests and pick the load that suits where you are today. Want more ideas for building strength? Our free Gravity Calisthenics app has guided workouts to follow. Now get your boots on. The first km is waiting.