I smoked for about 7 years then when I quit I started walking. This was in my 20's and as I remember it didn't take long, maybe a couple of months, for me to do an hour at about 20 minutes a mile. Now I'm fairly quick at about 17 minutes a mile? When I started, and for years after, I wore my old casual Reebok shoes until they were literally falling apart without any issue then!

I find that 1 solid hour gives me more relaxation than 2 half hour walks at different times of the day but I believe that the health benefits would be about the same. I take rest days myself and these often do wonders. The next day the walk feels amazing and my legs fresh. Taking a day off though is usually difficult though because I use walking as the cornerstone to my life!

Let me tell you, walking led me to a lifestyle that is total pure enjoyment of life that I never knew existed. Everything combined where I was able to concentrate and extract pure enjoyment out of life. I know that may sound unbelievable but it's true! Without walking it would not have happened. Right now however I moved to a city to be near a sick relative and my surroundings are currently very dangerous. I still walk almost everyday but I don't have that amazing total lifestyle that I used to have (like no safe walks by the sea!). These dangerous surroundings will however be changing sooner than later.

Good luck and I hope you really feel the benefits, and more, like I have for so many years.