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?
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I’m in! Funny, work had a similar idea. I prefer your round ups though 😊 October is hard, I can feel it now it’s darker longer in the mornings and earlier in the evening. Also, need to check my bike lights, I’m going to need them soon for daily use *sob*
Anyway, I look forward to seeing what everybody will get up to!
I feel like the “short” days happen so quickly. All of a sudden I’m shocked by how quickly it gets dark at night.
So glad you’re “in”!
In! 🙌
Hooray. I got to walk with you in the April CBWC… wish I could say the same for October’s edition. Alas, we’ll have to content ourselves exercising on very different continents this time 🙂
After my inert summer , I need this! All in!
Yay! I’m so glad <3
Ohhhhh alright then, you know I’m a sucker for your streaking events. And I missed the april walking party by a whisker I think! I’ve got some pretty cool places that I plan on walking in October too 😉 You’ll have to wait and see where though!
I love the suspense and am so glad you’re joining 🙂
Doggo and I are in! We are both looking forward to cooler weather, since the summer heat forced us to limit our walking time. Doggo said to remind everyone that she is not a blogger and yet she is the most consistent participant in CBWC
Haha! Yes, Doggo (and Hannah and Rex) are such wonderfully faithful participants and their photos are always some of my absolute favourites to see.
Well, OF COURSE I’m in! Rex and I will be in the club until mid-month, and then he goes to the Country Club and I go to Spain! So I will have a nice variety of photos for you!
Oohhhh! BC AND Spain. How exciting, Nicole. I cannot WAIT to see pictures from all your adventures. And, of course, Rex will remain one of the stars of the CBWC show.
Okay, once again I have high aspirations here! I’ve been walking on a regular basis lately, so my goal will be to either run or walk every day in October. Woohoo!
Hooray!
I’m in! I am constantly complaining about how hard it is for me to walk where I live. We have a sweet little home on a beautiful 5 acres of land, but we have NO sidewalks and the road doesn’t even have a shoulder. While our property feels like “country”, our road feels like the highway- the local high school is on the same road and the cars are driven at wild speeds by teenage drivers – as you can tell, it’s a whole thing. However, we do have a “back field” that I was just telling myself I need to make use of and just walk around that. So my goal for October will be to walk around the back field at least once each day!
I know of other people with very similar roadway situations and it is NOT conducive for walking/running/biking safely. But I love that you’re able to transform this challenge into an opportunity to walk the beautiful grounds of your home. Maybe you could take a picture of a particular tree or bush every single day, OR challenge yourself to take a picture of 31 unique things that capture your attention on the walks?
Yes, and this always inspires me to check out new places to walk!
You seem to always see the COOLEST things (and, also, the most delicious). I absolutely love hearing about your walking (and culinary) adventures during each version of CBWC!
Yay! I’m in! Thank you for hosting this again, Elisabeth!
Hooray! I love knowing you’re joining me, Michelle.
I’m in! I need some motivation to walk more too!
Thrilled to have you joining us, Jenny <3
Hannah and I are in. All of our photos will be taken in pitch black, though, so be prepared for blurry photo after blurry photo of us!
I am here for black and/or blurry pictures. We’ll see how Hannah feels about being photographed for her moment of walking fame 🙂
YES, I am so in. I need this, I have completely and utterly failed at walking lately. Kick my butt into gear, Elisabeth!!!
My walking life is in tatters, Suzanne! We are in this together.
How fun that you’re doing this again, Elisabeth! I am in!
Yay!
Lucy and I are in, although my pictures are always kind of dull. I also really need this.
Yay! Lucy is precious and a truly charming walking partner 🙂
This sounds like so much fun! I’m in! Thanks for organizing.
Hooray. The more the merrier <3
You know I would not miss it for the world! This year I will be out of service for the first half of the month, but will try to get some photos to you when I can! After that, I will have no less than half a dozen different locations, and lots of fun walks, to share! Bring it on!
Yes! I am counting on you to help ratchet up the cool places on my map, Kyria. This time around I will be… in Nova Scotia (and maybe New Brunswick) and that is it!
Cannot WAIT to see where your travels take you in October <3
I am in. Most of my walking will be in Europe this time around.
YES!!!!
[…] FORWARD TO | the Cool Blogger’s Walking Club in October. Elisabeth is hosting again. We’ve had people from around the world participate in […]
I’ll be joining from South Carolina this time, with a trip planned to the NC mountains in October!
Hooray! The more the merrier 🙂
I feel you and I also really need this CBWC in October. I have been so lazy and I feel so bad in my body these days that I welcome every kick in the butt I can get. And doing it together feels like so much more fun than trying on your own. Can’t wait and thanks for organizing again.