To Whom it May Concern

Ever since the dawn of time mankind has wondered, "Just how many calories am I burning?" While the first cavemen often decided this debate with blunt objects, modern man has turned to Science. Yes, Science!, the answer to all of man's problems not relational, emotional, or spiritual can show us the way! And with regards to this timeless question we can turn to "How Many Calories Are You Really Burning?" by Amby Burfoot in Runner's World magazine.

Through undoubtedly impeccable research Miss Bigfoot has determined that there are three main determining factors governing how many calories you burn from all that knee bent running about. And they are:

Weight: It's quite simple. The more you weigh the more you gotta carry from point A to point B and the more work you do. The more work you do the more energy you expend. Ta da!

Distance: Surprise, surprise, work and caloric expenditure are also dependent on the distance you travel. Amazing!

Means of Travel: Despite claims by some less informed there actually are significant differences in energy demands between walking and running. At low speeds running burns more calories per a mile as the body's motion and center of gravity changes to a larger degree than through a controlled, well mannered walk. All that hopping means that though you've travelled the same distance in space over land your body as a whole has moved through more space in getting there. At higher speeds, on the other hand, say of > 4 or 5 mph, things change. Your running pattern does not change significantly (though to be exact there are mild differences that can be appreciated), but your walking style becomes much more forced and unnatural requiring the use of considerably more energy. As such, a fast walk burns more calories per a mile than an equally paced run. Surprising? I guess!

All that breath-taking revelation aside, the important part is the numbers. According to a 2004 report by group of researchers at the University of Syracuse the following calculations apply:

Running - Total calories burned/mile = .75 * wt in lbs

Walking - Total calories burned/mile = .53 * wt in lbs

So in conclusion let me make this simple calculation.

A 170 lb man treks 5 miles in snowshoes. Assuming a brisk hike in snowshoes to be equatable to an otherwise normal run, he burns 637.5 calories. Booyah.