The Cool Bloggers Walking Club Is Back! Join the October Walking Challenge

Somehow I blinked and we zoomed right from walking together in April to it being time to organize the October edition.

This will be the 6th iteration of the Cool Bloggers Walking Club (CBWC)—a very low-key April and October walking challenge—and… I need this.

Exercise has been so low on my list of priorities lately. One of the delightful things about living in Europe was the fact that I rarely needed to consciously plan for walks. They just happened. Walking to/from public transit, exploring cities, even walking through airports. I got outside virtually every single day we were experiencing life on another continent.

Since coming back to Canada, it’s been hot and humid and I’m lazy and I just don’t LIKE EXERCISE. Wah. (It still ASTOUNDS me that a few years ago I walked a minimum of 1 km every single day for a year. And, for the most part, enjoyed doing so.)

If you’re new here and wondering what in the world I’m talking about, you can check out all my previous CBWC posts here…

But I’m going to explain it quickly anyway. Here’s the deal:

We’ll be aiming for 10 minutes of intentional movement every day in October. Here are a few extra important—but perhaps non-obvious—details:

• There is no blogging required! You do NOT have to be a blogger to participate. In fact, many of the people who join in do not have any online presence. I realize the Cool Bloggers Walking Club title can be a bit daunting, but it’s where we started and I even put it to a vote (blogging democracy for the win). The vote was so close I said forget democracy. (THIS IS NOT HOW I FEEL IN REAL LIFE, but when lots of people wanted it to stay as CBWC, the thought of changing All The Things didn’t make it seem worth it!)
• There are no marathon distances necessary. You can walk around the block once and call it good. No one is going to be comparing distances or speeds.
• Walking is the default activity, but anything goes. I will virtually cheer on anyone who is dancing, stretching, running, marching in place, etc.—whatever gets you moving counts for this club.
• There is no need to aim for perfection. We’re looking for participation and connection. If you miss a day, please keep walking/moving!

To inspire you, here are some summary pictures from our most recent edition (April 2026):

Here’s a printable tracker so you can mark your progress and watch your streak grow.

Quick Essentials

• When: October 1st–31st
• Who: Anyone, anywhere. Yes, that means you. And your friends. (And your pets.)
• How: Move your body.
• Where: Treadmill, neighbourhood, office, hotel room—anywhere you can move.
• Why: Community, fun, a little sanity boost, and we all know it’s good for us to move our bodies.

Weekly Recaps

One of the most enjoyable parts of the process—at least for me—is reading about and seeing pictures of people walking all around the world.

In order to pull together weekly recaps celebrating everyone’s efforts, I need your help! Please send me photos, blog links, or notes about your walking adventures to optimisticmusings {at} gmail {dot} com.

• Blog posts: Send me the link and a short note if you want to be featured.
• No blog? No worries! Send exactly what you want published in your blurb.
• Photos & collages: Send a single photo you’d like included, or—even better (I will award virtual brownie points and gold stars)—a collage you’ve already made. This helps reduce my workload while still allowing me to celebrate everyone’s walks, stories, and adventures.

SPREAD THE WORD

I realize the start date is still weeks away, but there’s work to be done. Share this! Forward it to your friends, colleagues, or anyone who could use a bit of movement and connection this October.

I’ll periodically post reminders in the lead-up to October 1st, but I wanted to give everyone plenty of time to think about participating and recruit others.

Your turn:

• Who’s in???
• Any questions?