100km … the distance between Toronto and Barrie …. It only takes just over an hour to drive that distance it could not take that long to hike that distance, could it?

That’s exactly what I thought the first time I saw a magazine ad for Oxfam Trailwalker’s 100 km hike.  It was mid January 2010, and I was flipping though the Spring Made Fun publication of fitness classes and activities, and ad caught my attention:  a photo of four mid-twenty aged women in hiking attire with a caption that read: Teams of  4, 100km, 48 Hours

I was hooked.

I went to www.oxfamtrailwalker.ca and did some research . Oxfam Canada is an organization dedicated to aiding communities around the world to help end poverty, strengthen women’s rights and equality, and develop sustainable communities.  In times of crisis, they provide aide to the areas most in need by delivering supplies, food and the necessary tools to rebuild in the wake of a disaster. I’d never heard of Oxfam but within minutes of reading about their initiatives I was convinced I had to participate.

The Trailwalker event has been around since 1981, it was used as a military exercise in the Hong Kong’s elite army training. Since then, it’s grown into one of the worlds toughest leading sports challenges.

What is it exactly? Teams of 4 individuals with the goal to complete a 100km trail in 48 hours or less.  Each team must start together, check in and out of each checkpoint together and finish together.  Doesn’t sound so bad right?

The hike is not only physically and mentally demanding but there is also a fundraising challenge.  By registering a team you commit to raising a minimum of $2,500.00. This money goes directly to assist developing countries, making a difference in the lives of women, girls, men and boys in the fight to end poverty.

My new task was to find 3 other people to join my team and start raising money.  I didn’t think it would be tough to find three people that were as equally interested as me, but I decided to try to get an all girl team and complete the hike in 26 – 30 hours.    Within days I had our team; or so I thought.  Over the next couple of months our team lost 2 members and eventually I recruited what would become the Sisters with Blisters. This is our intro and story. Stay tuned for the challenges we’ll face as we train for one of the hardest and most physically demanding  things ever.

Coming up: Part II: Meet the Sisters with Blisters!!