165 km, 4 days, and an unforgettable journey of resilience and camaraderie

In this interview, we explore the incredible journey of Anthony, a faculty member and active reservist, who recently participated in the famous 4Daagse Marches in the Netherlands. Known as “The Walk of the World,” this annual event covers 165 kilometers over four consecutive days, pushing participants to their physical and mental limits.

Anthony shares not only the grueling physical challenges but also the powerful, shared spirit that carries walkers through. From carrying a heavy military backpack to enduring unpredictable weather and battling exhaustion, he found strength in the camaraderie and support along the route. With cheering crowds and moments of profound emotion, this experience transcended the physical march, leaving a lasting impact on his outlook.

Join us as Anthony reflects on the journey, the lessons learned, and what drives him to take on such challenges — even as he looks forward to doing it all again next year.

UNYP: Anthony, you’ve participated in the renowned 4Daagse Walk of the World in the Netherlands this summer, covering 165 km over four days. Why did you walk?

Anthony: I just started walking and kept walking (Anthony laughs). My apologies, I couldn’t resist the Forrest Gump reference. But honestly, as someone who works in education, I spend most of my day sitting in my chair or standing in the classroom. So, a year ago, I started training for this march by building up to 10-15 km daily. Completing the walk was the ultimate goal, but it turns out the training itself became incredibly meaningful for me, even if my cheerleaders at home might feel differently.

UNYP: That’s a serious commitment. Was it as challenging as it sounds?

Anthony: Walking 165 km over four consecutive days is grueling in a way that’s very different from high-intensity sports that last a few minutes or hours. In sports like running or cycling, you push yourself for a concentrated period of time, but here, it’s more about enduring discomfort, pain, and doubts day after day, starting very early in the morning (participants wake up at 3 AM). By the end of the second day, the fatigue builds up, and it becomes a mental battle as much as a physical one. The weather adds a layer of challenge too — on the second day, it was raining, and on the third and fourth days, we faced a heatwave, which made it almost unbearable and even dangerous, with no small number of people collapsing along the route (and later in the camp). The organizers shortened the route by 10 km on the last day for civilians.

UNYP: That sounds a bit dangerous.

Anthony: Everyone survived this year, but I recall that 2006 was the worst in modern history, when two people died and hundreds fainted on the route (the 4Daagse Marches go back more than 110 years, starting in 1909, with only pauses for world wars and Covid).

UNYP: And on top of the distance, you carried extra weight, correct?

Anthony: As an active reservist in the Czech Army, I chose the military route, which requires walking 40 km each day with a 16-18 kg backpack (you carry 10 kg of sand plus all the other things you need: water, clothes, etc.). That weight becomes significant after the first few dozen kilometers, and then to continue carrying it for four consecutive days under those conditions… it’s an intense experience.

UNYP: It is a lot.

Anthony: I was quite surprised that we walked many more kilometers a day than expected, as we spent some time walking to and from several rest points along the route. Each of them is quite large as they’re created for about 5,000 soldiers. On the last day, my watch showed 56 km instead of 45. However, the rest points are very useful, as you can eat plenty of soup, use a bathroom, resupply, change socks in the shade, and visit a Red Cross tent if needed (usually, you want them to work their magic on blisters).

UNYP: After all that, would you consider doing it again?

Anthony: Strangely enough, yes! I’d like to try again next year, maybe train a bit more when my nails grow back.

UNYP: Were there any moments that helped keep your spirits up?

Anthony: Having up to a million people cheering you on along the way is an unbelievable experience. There were moments when I felt tears in my eyes — not just from the pain but from a mix of sadness and joy. On the final day, I saw a young boy with a sign that read, “I don’t know you, but I am proud of you.” Moments like that stay with you.

UNYP: What would you say was the most important experience from 4Daagse?

Anthony: We helped each other on the route. You are not there to compete but to cooperate. All the time. This, along with the conditions and the efforts, made it a powerful yet untransferable experience.