When one hikes the entire Appalachian Trial––all 2,175 miles from Georgia to Maine––he or she earns a trail name from fellow hikers along the way. Sailman lives on a sailboat when not hiking, a karaoke singer who became a hiker is known as Wedding Singer, Exhibitionist hikes without a shirt, Seaweed eats nori and brown rice for dinner. The list goes on, but none has the ring of triumph like Gloria Marquez who became known as Walk In Glory during her trek north.

Years of deep thought, months of planning, and countless hiking excursions went into Gloria’s preparation for the big hike and the mountains that stretched ahead of her.

Inspired by Sailman to hike the Appalachian Trail, Gloria purchased some needed equipment and jumped on the trail for trial runs. Having no idea how much of her it would actually require, she said just before embarking for the real thing, “This definitely is a bigger project than I envisioned, maybe I was misled.”
 
After many days of stressing, scurrying, packing to get ready, and some 17 packed boxes to be mailed to 17 locations along the way, she realized, “This is a big deal!”

Traditionally, only 10 to 15 percent of hikers who start the trail actually finish. As of 2007, the recorded number of hikers who actually completed the trail was only 9,583, and among them was Walk In Glory!
 
Add to her success that she celebrated her 60th birthday on the trail at a hostel in Harper’s Ferry, WV and her story becomes even more impressive. 

Gloria’s seven siblings came in to celebrate from various parts of the country – California, Oregon, Boston, New York, etc., as well as her kids from Florida and San Diego. After Gloria’s having lived in the woods for three months with bear, moose, bikers and a harsh case of Lyme’s disease, this must have been quite the party!

On www.TrailJournals.com on the last day of her hike, Gloria wrote, “10/11/02 Hooray! Yippee! Yahoo! I am done, finished, caput, through, fini, complete, ended...Katahdin Peak 5.2 mi. - 10.4 mi. round trip. My legs are wobbling and my feet are throbbing. It feels really good...more later. Peace.”

An inspiration to her family and friends, Gloria wasn’t kidding when she said “more later.”
 
In December of 2008, her son said he wanted to do something radical and chose to run a marathon. That’s all it took. In January of 2009, Gloria signed them both up for the Disney World Marathon to be run a year later.

Hiking at least two to three strenuous hikes per week on her own–– and with the local Chargers and Re-Chargers groups––Gloria added running to her regime, and ran her first race at the 29th Annual Turkey Trot on November 11, 2009 in Southern Pines.

At age 67, running her very first race, Gloria came in third for women in her age group! At the time, the 13.1-mile race was the farthest Gloria had ever run at one time. Not so today, as she doubled her own record when finishing the Disney World Marathon this past January!

Gloria is an inspirational friend, mom, sister, aunt, new grandmother, nurse, etc., and all who know her agree that she is not only a go-getter, but also a kind, generous, loving influence in their lives. With a personal motto of “What I decide on will be done,” Walk In Glory (now Run In Glory!) is a shining light to everyone she touches.