Swim champ Diana Nyad launches walking initiative

GRIFFITH PARK (KABC) -- In 2014 after swimming 110 miles from Cuba to Florida, Diana Nyad had already set her next goal.

"You know what I'm going to do next Lori, I'm going to walk across America in the summer of 2016," Nyad said.

"And we're going to get a million people to walk with us, including you."

She and partner Bonnie Stoll cofounded EverWalk USA in the hopes of getting all of us on our feet.

"Everybody, every day, all the time. Walk," Nyad said.

A former racquetball champ and trainer, Stoll worries about the state of our kids' health.

"When we're looking at this younger generation of kids - the peripheral version is moving smaller and smaller because they're so used to looking at the screens," Stoll said.

They feel a simple walk can change that.

"When you're out walking in nature you're looking, you're noticing. You're using your entire body, especially your core," Stoll said.

This Sunday, Oct. 23, is the EverWalk launch. At Santa Monica's Civic Center, Nyad, Stoll, and more than 100 others will head to Redondo Beach and then some.

"And we go down about 20 miles and the next day we do 20 more. We wind up Saturday, Oct. 29 seven days, 145 miles in San Diego," said Nyad.

But day trippers are welcome. Down the road they're walking Boston to New York, Chicago to St. Louis and more. No gimmicks, no games, no fundraising, just basics.

"You don't need to be an athlete to walk," said Stoll.

Even though we all know how, that much walking can mean blisters, bone spurs, hip and knee discomfort. They encourage you to put one foot in front of the other and practice.

Even if you can't walk on Sunday the ladies would love for you to come on down and cheer them on.

They want to get the word out: EverWalk Nation. Put it in your head you need to be walking at least three days a week.