This past weekend marked the 2012 edition of Oxfam Trailwalker, a gruelling hike in support of Oxfam Canada. Teams from several law firms took part in the event, and competed for the Lawyer’s Cup.
The Blakes Walk in the Park team has been guest-blogging at lawandstyle.ca about Trailwalker. This is their post-walk report; read their pre-walk posts here and here.
Blakes Walk in the Park: By the numbers
- Team members: 4
- Blisters: 21
- Swollen ankles: 1
- Sprained knees: 1
- Injured backs: 2
- Bruised calf muscles: 1
- Kilometres walked: 70
- Hours spent walking: 30
- Funds raised for Oxfam Canada: $4,400+
The plan was simple. Walk five kilometres per hour between checkpoints until we reached the halfway point; sleep; and then continue walking until we reached the 100 kilometre mark.
At the starting line on Friday morning, there were about 300 trekkers including our intrepid team of four. Pei Li, Dara Lambie, Jane So and I were armed with water bladders, sunscreen and energy bars. The excitement in the crowd was contagious as we walked the first stretch together along the white sandy beach of Lake Huron. As the several hundred trekkers passed pristine beachfront property, you could hear chatter, like “Oh! I like the bay windows on that house!” and “Someone jot down the real estate agent’s number on that For Sale sign!”
The enthusiasm continued throughout the morning. Trekking through an expanse of marsh, our team would point out jeweled dragonflies, water lilies that decorated the glassy surface of the water and swallows that swooped in and out of the rushes.
Then the pain began. At about 30 kilometres, there were signs of blisters. What started out being called “a beautiful day” was now an afternoon of scorching sun and we had already run out of water. During this stretch, we crawled on our bellies under a gate and we climbed hands and feet over a hill using rope. It’s not just a walk.
By evening, our team sauntered into the 40 kilometre checkpoint cowboy style, with legs spread apart swinging like wooden pegs. Our superb support team was waiting for us with a bucket of cold water to combat swelling feet and a meal that was divine (it was burgers and pasta). Picture this: Jane was lying on her stomach as she received an excruciating massage on her injured calf, and at the same time, she was devouring a burger to stay on schedule. We were on a timeline, so we took advantage of whatever efficiencies we could.
The next stretch of the trail was agonizing on many levels. After walking for about 10 hours already, my own knee was injured and I was relying on hiking poles. My teammates had blisters that made their toes double in size. Back injuries were also flaring up. We went forward.
We trekked up and down several hills. We adapted to the pain by swinging our body parts in various ways and lunging our hiking poles before each foot. It was completely dark, and from the way we were walking a passerby would have easily mistook us for zombies instead of a law firm team trying to raise money for women’s rights.
It was pitch black by the time we walked over Highway 400. The stars were out but we had no energy to look up. It was after midnight. Exhaustion and pain became overwhelming, so our team lay down on the highway asphalt. We slept for a short while, during which I opened my eyes once to see the tires of a car roll by.
We reached the halfway point just after 1:30am. Our shoes were weighted down with mud after crossing through a partially flooded path thanks to a beaver dam. We slept that night as best we could.
The next morning, our team was ready to attack the trail again. I had sprayed some cooling agent on my knee to numb the pain. Toes and heels were mummified with medical bandages.
By midday, the heat seemed to worsen, and so did yesterday’s injuries. Each step was accompanied by audible wincing and grimacing. We reminded ourselves we were doing this for a great cause and propelled ourselves forward. We told jokes, shared stories and listed our victory foods to get our mind off the pain.
At the 70 kilometre mark, however, our team retired together due to injuries. We felt proud that we had raised over $4,400 for Oxfam’s programs to improve the lives and rights of women and girls. We pushed our bodies through extremes and trekked for 70 kilometres. We are so grateful for the wonderful care of our support team, without whom we would not have accomplished as much as we did. Our heartfelt thanks go to Choo Yeung, Pora and Ping.
Of the approximately 300 trekkers, over half completed the full 100 kilometres. It was an incredible experience that was worth the cause. Already we’re considering doing it again.
Wilfred So is a Patent Agent at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP Toronto