I find walking a pleasurable way to get around. While I’ve never gone out for a Volksmarch, I do look at that column in Stripes’ travel section on Thursdays and think “someday.”

But on Friday, Aug. 10, my love of walking will be severely tested. My husband and I have signed up for the 38^th International Dodentocht, or Death March, which takes place in Bornem, Belgium, some 30 km southwest of Antwerp.

I just received in the mail a booklet that provides a route map and explains all the details. From 9 p.m., you must complete a 100-kilometer circuit within the space of 24 hours. The order of events will go something like this: between 1 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., those who have not yet registered may sign up in the tent in Bornhem’s village square; those who have pre-enlisted pick up their start cards at the same time and place; from 9 p.m., walk, walk, walk, checking in at control points scattered at distances approximately eight kilometers apart from one another, many of which are staffed by medical caregivers; finish the entire route prior to 9 p.m. on Aug. 11. You have the opportunity to have one piece of baggage forwarded to you for retrieval and usage at the halfway station, then forwarded back to the finish line. If you need to throw in the towel at any point, there is a “sag wagon” which will drive you back to a checkpoint and eventually the start/finish zone.

Some history of the Dodentocht. Inspired by their participation in the Nijmegen walks, members of the Hiking Club KADEE came up with a plan to organize their own hiking trip, which first took place in 1970 with 65 walkers. The participation of one walker from the Netherlands earned them the right to term it “international.” By 1974, participation exceeded the 1,000 mark. By 1987, the Dodentocht had become the largest 100-kilometer hike in Europe. Last year’s edition of the walk drew 9,033 hikers to Bornhem, of whom 4,116 made it to the finish line.

Will I finish? I honestly don’t know. But I’ve been training, and I plan to give it my best shot. If the finish line proves elusive, I can comfort myself in the knowledge that less than half of all participants completed the journey the previous year. The participant’s booklet urges you to keep it all in perspective- there are worse things in life than not reaching the finish…Taking part is more important than finishing or winning.

Are any Stripes readers planning on taking part? If so leave me a message. Perhaps we could walk a kilometer or two together.