“It’s weird waking up at 2 a.m.”

David Guimond is sitting in the office, feet in sandals, blackened toenails poking out from beneath the cuff of his jeans.

“I put vaseline on my feet to prevent blisters, which worked, and took a handful of ibuprofen.

“Then I ate a stale bagel, did some stretches and reminded myself what I had to do and why I was going.”

What Guimond was doing on June 6 at 2 a.m. was preparing himself for a 63.5-kilometre hike — the Great Walk, an annual fundraising event put on by the Tahsis Lions Club on Vancouver Island — something that he intended to finish in under eight hours.

But why he was going was more important to him: he had spent weeks fundraising, gaining pledges that he planned to donate to the 100 Mile Hospice Palliative Care Society in memory of his close friends Rich Oenema and Erika Reti, who both passed away earlier this year after losing battles with cancer.

“I chose the hospice society because both Rich and Erika requested any donations on their behalf go to palliative care. And this way the money stays in 100 Mile.”

A 108 Mile resident, Guimond, 37, was one of 243 registered participants in the Great Walk, of only 194 who crossed the finish line. He was 19th overall.

“I met my goal,” he says. “I finished in seven hours, 44 minutes.”

It was hot the whole time he was staying on the coast, he says, but that day the sun took a rest and mist settled on the trail as the walkers and runners gathered.

Guimond was advised by participants to walk the first 13 kilometres, as it was all uphill, which he did. From there, he ran where he could.

“I stuck to my original plan, which worked out.”

His girlfriend, Rhonda Martins, also made the trek. “She put vaseline on her feet, too, but it didn’t work so well for her; her feet were really blistered and her big toenails fell off.”

Armed with only a running pack, water bottles and fruit, Guimond passed 16 checkpoints during the hike. “I never ate so many bananas in my life!”

In the end, Guimond says, the Great Walk was the hardest challenge he’s ever faced — but also the most rewarding.

“I had a personal goal to meet, and I had a fundraising goal that, with help from family, friends, my girlfriend and the community, I managed to raise $1,837.”

On June 19, Guimond presented a cheque to Brian Buzdegan, board member of hospice society, and explained how he raised the money. “Next year, I’m going to raise twice as much and I’ll do it in under seven hours. I’m going to work on more pre-planning and dedicate the run to the memory of Erika and Rich once again.”