UofT student walks 80 km to McMaster, logging 107,000 steps

A University of Toronto student set out to break personal walking record, trekking 80 km from U of T’s downtown campus to McMaster University in Hamilton

Vittorio Wang, a first-year humanities student at the University of Toronto and self-proclaimed marathon walker, claimed in a Reddit post that he walked 80 kilometres from the University of Toronto to McMaster in 23 hours.

Wang reportedly walked over 107,000 steps with only a water bottle, phone charger and his headphones tuned to a playlist of Radiohead. Guided by Apple Maps, Wang set off at 2:30 p.m. and arrived at McMaster the following day around 2:00 p.m., stopping only briefly along the way.

“I’ve always wanted to visit your beautiful campus,” stated Wang in his post, explaining that he took an additional detour to visit U of T’s Mississauga campus along the way, which increased his total distance to 80 kilometres.

Wang claims he has walked between Malaysian cities before moving to Toronto. Past walks have included crossing into Singapore to access pedestrian-friendly sidewalks, but this trek from Toronto to Hamilton was his longest yet. “I just wanted to beat my record and see if I could do it again,” said Wang in an interview with The Silhouette.

His route took him through suburban areas in Oakville and Burlington, avoiding highways but navigating quiet, late-night streets. Wang said that he kept breaks to a minimum, stopping only once around 6:00 a.m. at a Tim Horton’s in Oakville for a brief nap.

During the final stretch, he said that he began to feel the exhaustion set in. Wang recalled the overwhelming sense of accomplishment he felt upon reaching McMaster's main campus. “When I finally saw someone wearing a McMaster shirt, I knew I had made it. It felt surreal,” said Wang.

During his visit, a student in Thode Library helped him log onto a computer. After resting on campus, he took a GO bus back to Toronto. “Some people asked if I’d be walking back, but there was no way I could do that,” said Wang.

Reflecting on the journey, Wang shared that marathon walking provides a unique form of introspection. Friends and Reddit patrons responded enthusiastically to his story, suggesting he take on his next trek for charity, an idea he is now considering.

“If I could inspire others to try something like this, I’d be thrilled,” said Wang. While future plans aren’t concrete, Wang hinted at the possibility of another endurance challenge soon, perhaps this time with a group of like-minded walkers.