Last year, St. Bede parishioner Bob Mahr gutted out the 53.5-mile walk down the Virginia Capital Trail from Richmond to Jamestown alone, raising more than $4,800 for the Williamsburg House of Mercy (WHOM), a non-profit that helps those in need.
That journey took place over the course of two days. This year, attempting the walk in a single day, Mahr made it 42 miles, taking over 90,000 steps in 14 hours. But the job was still finished, as the endeavor became a relay – Sam Samorian and Colin Pugh, fellow parishioners at St. Bede, joined midway and carried the torch for Mahr to the end of the trail.
Also joining this year’s walk were Mahr’s neighbor, Leo Charrette, and Dave Clemens, St. Bede parishioner. Two of Mahr’s friends from out-of-state also joined the group: Bob Gannon, from Connecticut, and Bill O’Shaughnessy, from New Jersey. Mahr and the local group raised over $7,000 for WHOM, while O’Shaughnessy raised over $7,000 for St. Joseph’s Health in New Jersey.
In contrast to last year’s walk, which largely took place on June 22 in 99-degree heat, this year’s walk on April 12 was damp and muddy.
“My very first steps on the trail were into a puddle that covered both feet,” said Mahr. “There were several places we had to navigate around the trail because the water had pooled.”
The group persevered; Samorian joined at the halfway point, and Pugh joined with about 15 miles to go.
“I’ve done some half-marathons before, but this was just as challenging, if not more,” said Pugh. “When you’re walking, it’s a different muscle group than when you’re running. I was sore for a couple of days.”
During the journey, the men discussed how to make the event an annual fundraiser that more people can join.
“I had a woman calling me out of the blue saying she wanted to join next year – ‘Can I do six miles? Can I do thirteen?’ I told her, you can do whatever you want to do,” said Mahr.
Samorian added, “While it’s not out of the realm of possibility [to walk 53.5 miles in a day], it’s not the best thing for your body long-term. Adding the relay element would also give people that feel intimidated by the distance a chance to participate, even if they walk a mile.”
Pugh said that he admired Mahr for knowing his limits. “As men, we like to overdo things,” he said. “The biggest cross for him on that day was taking a knee at 40 miles. It was a big step of humility for him to pass the torch.”
Pugh found out about the walk through the men’s fellowship group at St. Bede. He added that the walk was a great opportunity to get to know other Catholics.
“We had some really good discussion and dialogue,” he said. “Fraternity, and having a journey and something to strive for, are incredibly important.”
“St. Bede is a big parish with over 3,300 families,” said Samorian. “This provided another opportunity for us to get to know each other in different ways.”
Mahr, meanwhile, is already planning for next year, looking for ways to increase participation and raise more money for WHOM. This year, for those who donated $100 or more, the walkers placed memory stones and offered special prayers at stops along the way. Besides the relay format, Mahr added, another enhancement might be choosing a time of the year with reliably better weather.
“We don’t know when yet – maybe sometime in the fall – but there will be a walk in 2026,” he said.
In the distance, Mahr imagines the possibility of a huge annual event with enthusiastic participation, one that could someday consistently raise significant funds for WHOM.
“I ask myself, ‘What can you do to move God’s kingdom forward?’” he said. “You plant a seed, you water it, and it grows.”