My Joyful Journey Life—Eight Happy Hours for an Outdoor Newbie

    Four ordinary office workers, only one of whom had any experience with outdoor hiking, some didn’t even know each other before, yet they managed to support and help each other through 24.9 kilometers.
    It all started with Doraemon’s first-ever "Joyful 3,000 Meters" outdoor experience, a brand event organized by GORE-TEX®, and her first attempt at the outdoors. From then on, she fell in love with walking in nature.
    It was precisely because of that joyful outdoor hiking experience that this eight-hour non-stop walk came about. In the ripe cornfields, Doraemon and her teammates spread out the map and carefully studied the race route. Since the race had just begun and the path from the county town into the rural roads was decent, the "2012 Doomsday Team" followed the main group and walked with ease. Although the "Challenge 8 Hours" race isn't nearly as long as the Yukon Arctic Ultra, the basic rules are similar—you must form a team of four, with at least one member of the opposite sex, start and finish together, and only then can the donated funds be used for charity. For these people who had rarely or never experienced outdoor hiking, this became one of their motivations to keep going.
 

    The terrain grew increasingly difficult, shifting from country paths to overgrown thickets, and a steep climb began to take its toll on the team’s stamina. Due to busy work schedules, the four had only one group meeting before the race, and none of the planned training sessions ever happened. No one had knee pads or trekking poles, and some didn’t even have time to buy proper hiking shoes, so they wore regular sports shoes instead. The mountain path grew more treacherous, with narrow trails that only allowed single-file passage right next to cliffs. Everyone had to hold onto the mountainside and walk with extra caution. What started as lively chatter soon turned into nothing but heavy breathing. The most common phrases among the teammates were "Watch your step!", "Look where you’re going!", "Stay closer to the inside!", and "Be careful of that rock..." Loose gravel caused "An Zai" to slip several times during the descent, scraping his hands.
 

One centimeter on the map equals one mountain to climb in reality

    The real challenge came when climbing the 12-kilometer Jinshanling section of the Great Wall. With their energy already drained from the previous climbs, they reached the wall at noon. Under the warm sun, everyone began to sweat, yet the winds coming out of the watchtower exits were extremely strong, making the damp heat in their feet especially uncomfortable. Doraemon’s previous "Joyful 3,000 Meters" experience had taught her a lot of professional outdoor knowledge, so she was the only one in the team wearing professional hiking shoes with a Gore-Tex® lining—and the only one who didn’t need to take off her shoes to "relax" her feet during breaks. On the subsequent sections of the Great Wall, the frequent ups and downs put immense strain on everyone’s knees and ankles. Relying on the pain-relief spray provided by volunteers, they climbed down the wall using both hands and feet. Afterward, the team felt like they might fail the "Challenge 8 Hours," as those 12 kilometers had taken them nearly three hours.
 

    "Pain and joy at the same time" was their true feeling throughout the journey. They were tired and suffered, but no one complained. Some got injured, but no one gave up. Choosing to join the race was a crazy thing to do, and halfway through, they realized that the outdoors was tough—but also joyful. Tired in body, joyful in spirit—that’s the continuation of the "joyful journey" spirit: enjoying the pleasure of walking on various paths, enduring the test of willpower, strengthening friendships, and contributing a little bit to disaster-stricken areas.
    Seven hours and one minute—an unexpected result. The four outdoor newbies finished the race within the allotted time, successfully donating the funds, getting to know each other better, and making plans to keep walking joyfully together. There’s an irresistible charm to outdoor hiking that allows people to forget their original reasons for stepping into nature and simply enjoy the physical and mental experiences and pleasures. It’s precisely for this reason that the Gore-Tex® brand established the Joyful Journey Club in 2012, calling on those who love and enjoy the outdoors to experience the charm of "Joyful Journey Around the World." Through professional technical support, exceptional product experiences, and practical event backing, they hope to get more people to join the walking community and enjoy the happiness that comes with it.