Dreams on the road, accomplished in 27.5 hours
May 25, 7:00 AM
In the early morning of Avallon, France, 188 teams gathered at the starting line. Among the crowd, four team members clad in full Gore-Tex® gear stood out with their spirited demeanor.
"We Chinese believe that 'if you want to do a good job, you must first sharpen your tools.' So we started preparing half a year ago. Since we all have day jobs, we made the most of our evenings for workouts and weekends for training hikes. Over these six months, we climbed Mount Haba, trekked in Mentougou, and barely missed any 100-kilometer races," said Cai Yingyuan, a media professional and team member. "And our Gore-Tex® gear was far superior to that of most other participants."
Their thorough preparation gave the team an early advantage. At the start, persistent rain and dropping temperatures posed challenges, but the durable, highly breathable three-layer Gore-Tex® fabric jackets protected the team from branch scratches and rain. "We didn’t expect it to be so cold in late May in France. We’d checked past weather data, but this year was unusually chilly. Luckily, we had the three-layer Gore-Tex® jackets—otherwise, it would’ve been really tough!" said Su Ziling.
The initial stage went relatively smoothly, but after the second aid station, the muddy paths increasingly troubled the participants.
"About a third of the trail was pure mud—it was extremely difficult to move forward. At one point, I accidentally stepped into a puddle, and my shoe instantly turned into a 'submarine.' But when I pulled it out, the inside was still dry!" Cai Yingyuan recalled with excitement. "Even though the temperature was low, our bodies were sweating continuously due to the prolonged exertion. But thanks to the high breathability of the three-layer Gore-Tex® fabric, we barely noticed—it was only the sweat on our faces that gave us away."
May 25, 11:00 PM
By the midpoint of the race, the initial excitement had worn off, fatigue gradually set in, and to make matters worse, some team members began to suffer injuries.
At the 40-kilometer mark, female team member Sha Lu suffered an iliotibial band injury, experiencing "excruciating knee pain." She nearly broke down, describing it as: "Before dark, I was still somewhat aware, but afterward, I honestly don’t remember how I got through it." Another team member, Zhao Xin, also began experiencing severe pain in his feet due to fatigue-induced swelling. The aid station physiotherapist told them this type of pain was untreatable. "At such a critical juncture, even the smallest factors could lead to a total collapse. From the beginning, we agreed not to talk about quitting—and we all stuck to that!" said Zhao Xin, a civil defense worker and team member. "When your body is severely pushed to its limits, every extra burden feels magnified. Fortunately, our Gore-Tex® gear was lightweight, reducing the load. Later, when the rain stopped, we could even scrunch up the jackets and stuff them into our backpacks... Based on my past experience, hiking such long distances usually requires changing clothes midway, but this time, we wore the same gear from start to finish. Even after navigating through thickets, branches, and rugged rocks, we emerged completely unscathed."
With just 5 kilometers to the finish, female team member Sha Lu suddenly burst into tears. Without a word, her teammates silently supported her, helping her move forward slowly but steadily.
At 10:39 AM on May 26, 2013, the four "Trailwalkers" crossed the finish line together, completing the course in 27 hours and 30 minutes.
Next dream goal: Join Oxfam Trailwalker events worldwide
With this, the French leg of the Oxfam Trailwalker, supported by the Gore-Tex® brand, came to a close, and the dreams of the four participants reached a fulfilling conclusion. Reflecting on the French Oxfam Trailwalker, team member and media professional Cai Yingyuan remarked: "Although we faced pain, doubt, denial, and moments of collapse during this challenge, what we gained in return was the joy of success and the thrill of achieving our dreams. Our next goal is to take part in Oxfam Trailwalker events around the world, spreading the spirit of self-help and public service." Perhaps this is the true allure of the outdoors.
Zhang Jingwei, General Manager of Gore Beijing Branch, stated: "Our strong support for these athletes stems from our consistent respect and encouragement for outdoor dreams. The participants' perseverance and aspirations align perfectly with the Gore-Tex® brand’s philosophy of 'Endless Possibilities.'" ⟦
It is reported that in addition to sponsoring this year's Oxfam Trailwalker event, the Gore-Tex® brand has been organizing the "Endless Experience – Gore-Tex® Outdoor Dreams Come True" campaign since 2007, dedicated to "making every outdoor dream come true." To date, six editions have been successfully held, collecting a total of 13,705 outstanding travel proposals and involving nearly 160,000 participants.