GUTS TO GLORY
Walking Across America for Kids

Photos by Jean Davidson.

By Timir Banerjee

It was last year during a pig roast on one of those beautiful August evenings in Washougal, WA when I felt that I needed to conquer a new horizon. I told Elaine (my wife) I want to walk from Louisville, KY to Portland, OR in next spring of 2005 to bring awareness for the Society for the Prevention of Aggressiveness and Violence among Adolescents (SPAVA). SPAVA was introduced in Kentucky as a violence prevention program about seven years ago after a shooting took place at Heath High School in Paducah, KY.

Glen Miller, my friend and neighbor in Washougal, WA, heard me and said, “I will walk the last hundred miles with you.” We were all drinking beer and licking our fingers as we plucked off meat from the cooked hog on the grill. This gourmet event was to promote brotherhood and sisterhood in our community in the spirit of SPAVA.

I soon formed a committee of SPAVA well wishers to plan the trip and arrange volunteer drivers to discuss the details of a support van, media coverage, Web page, the exact route that is most suitable for walking at that time of the year (heat and tornadoes), and the rules and regulations of different states through which I would be walking. In the meantime I prepared myself psychologically and physically for the walk in sweltering heat that would take me almost 90 days to finish. I knew that walking alone would require a lot of determination but it would be a great time for reflection and self-evaluation. I was convinced that I would be a better person after this trial of physical challenge.

I increased my endurance by running about 100 miles a week on the treadmill at 6 1/2 -degree inclination. This helped me to determine that I would need approximately 5,500 to 6,000 calories daily to prevent any weight loss. I was also able to gauge the amount of electrolytes and water I needed to prevent muscle cramping. This planning is essential in long-distance athletic endeavors.

I walked in a local park for hours to develop calluses on my feet and to understand the pain of prolonged walking on concrete. In this way I developed tolerance. (However, it became obvious during the actual cross-country walk that I hadn’t done enough to harden my feet.)

During the event, I ate two bananas and drank almost five to six liters of fluids with some electrolytes daily. I sucked on lemons every day to keep my mouth moist particularly on the days when the heat was above 105 degrees. This type of temperature was not uncommon through Nebraska and Idaho.

I learned that there are no particular shoes that are right for such extreme sports. The dynamic of the feet changes during prolonged walking and the heat from the concrete combined with the heat generated by the friction of the feet, socks, and the insoles produced blisters almost every day. The cushions on the insoles and arch support helped to reduce foot pain. A high-number sunscreen, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory liniments, cotton balls, and Band-Aids were my constant companions. It was important to take breaks every two to three hours and place my feet on cold cans or ice bags to reduce discomfort.

The cavalcade of joyful symbols around my heart fueled the energy to move my legs not so much as to reach my destination as to enjoy the journey with SPAVA as my mission. Finding the next exit was my passion and walking for peace my obsession. The impetus for a prize was not there nor was a lure for monetary gain. There was no group or gang to instill strength in me. However, I kept thinking that the program taught Jenny to sing, “I know the difference between sympathy, apathy, and empathy” and Joe to express with gaiety, “I have respect, honor, and integrity” and it taught Eureka to like herself for who she is. It was exciting to think about 10-year-old Melissa whispering into the microphone, “I learned to be confident by being in SPAVA.” The sound of a 150 pairs of clapping hands almost knocked the walls down. These are my school children and the walk was for them.

I became keenly aware that all the qualities needed during neurosurgical training combined with my faith are essential in accomplishing this goal. The need for a positive attitude is the key ingredient in this dish marinated by a chain of flexibility, adaptability, acceptance of discomfort, persistence, and determination in trying times.

I made new friends. I felt loved and often touched by the generosity of strangers who bought me lunch and dinner even before they learned my name. I sang poorly some songs from Ronnie Milsap and Stevie Wonder but mostly the Beatle’s song, “With Our Love We Can Change the World.” I believe that is the way the lyric goes. I solved problems and reconciled with those who I might have slighted. I felt relieved and joyful every day as though I wore new clothes and had washed away the old stains. At times I felt that I was in that state of consciousness when all my senses are in tune and as though I could see with my eyes closed as I marched along the interstates and highways. I shared the land with antelopes, foxes, eagles, coyotes, rabbits, prairie dogs, field mice, and rattlesnakes in the spirit of “this land is for you and me.” It was in this state of mahamudra (Sanskrit) that I constantly felt energized and never tired. I thanked God every day and expressed my gratitude for the opportunity to love and to live. When I reached Fort Vancouver, WA after finishing 83 marathons (walking) in 87 days I was not tired but excited and exhilarated not because what I accomplished but because I felt my God walked with me.

Timir Banerjee is a retired neurosurgeon, elementary school teacher, author from Louisville, KY. He is also the executive director of SPAVA Inc. Visit www.spava.us. for more information or call 502-485-8185.