Walking Challenges and Charity Walks to Train For

These are organized walking challenges with a set route, a date on the calendar and support along the way, chosen for walkers who want a goal to train toward over a few months. Each entry gives the distance, terrain, timing and format, plus the entry or fundraising commitment where one applies, because those details decide whether an event suits your fitness, your sleep and your budget. They run roughly from the most approachable to the most demanding: city walks first, two of them at night, then a mountain day, a desert marathon, multi-day marches, 100 km challenges and finally the 24-hour mountain dash. Night starts and round-the-clock formats are flagged plainly, because walking through the small hours is a different kind of tired from a long day in daylight. The selection spans the US, the UK and mainland Europe, plus one of Asia's best-known team events. Self-guided long-distance trails and the Camino de Santiago are left out, since they deserve lists of their own; the Yorkshire and National Three Peaks are in because charities and guiding companies run them as organized events every year. Dates, fees and targets change from year to year, so confirm them with the organizer before you sign up.