GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) – A 22-year-old young woman from Gridley is preparing to take a very long walk.

Marisela Cardenas, Gridley High School Alumni and student at San Francisco State University, has been training to walk the 150+ miles from Gridley, CA to the heart of San Francisco. When asked why she wants to walk such a long distance she replied, “There’s a lot of meanings behind this walk but like, the biggest part about it is just showing people that you’re capable of anything you put your mind to and your soul into.”

With each step, Cardenas hopes to promote the prevention of domestic violence against women and rape - raising awareness about the obstacles she believes many women face. In a fitting tribute, Cardenas is timing her arrival to San Francisco to coincide with the Women’s March SF, to be held on January 18^th, 2020.

Cardenas is planning on giving herself a 5-day window to make it to the march on time – a little over double what Google Maps estimated would take–2 days, 16 hours. Her planned route will take her through both wild and high traffic areas, and she plans on carrying non-lethal protection. “I want to experience what it is like to be homeless,” she says, opting not to carry any camping gear, only light basics.  Additionally, only her father will know her location and will monitor her with GPS tracking technology.

Physically, she has been preparing her body for the trek by running 8-10 miles a day, walking to her destinations and increasing her exercise wherever possible. Cardenas went through a period of hibernation – eating and drinking large amounts, storing the energy. She says that in the weeks approaching her departure she will restrict both her food and water intake and ramp up her practice of sleep deprivation. She said, “I want to go to the next level and challenge my body physically.”

Cardenas is being sponsored by some locals and local businesses. The Family T-Shirt Factory donated her athletic wear, Casa-Lupe Market donated new shoes, and David, Augustin and Stephanie Cardenas have helped fund her mission. Any extra donations or proceeds will be used towards her college debt. She is currently just 30 credits shy of a Bachelors in Kinesiology at SF State University.

The power walker plans to make a documentary of the physical/emotional stresses and growth that she experiences during her trek, posting it on YouTube and Instagram. “There’s going to be a lot of critics telling you that “Oh, this is impossible -this is something you can’t accomplish,” says Cardenas, “but can’t is a word for those that don’t believe in themselves and I believe I can accomplish anything I put my mind to.”