Man playing squash for 24 hours in support of Georgetown Hospital

The last time Peter Mumford did a squash marathon fundraiser, he was surprised how well it went. 

After playing for 24 hours straight, he went home, watched some hockey on TV, went to bed a couple of hours later and woke up at his usual time of 6 a.m. the next morning. He had his coffee, a banana and then decided to take his dog for a walk.

Then about 10 minutes into his walk, reality set in. 

“I had to call my wife to come pick me up,” he said. “My legs just stopped working.”

That might be enough to scare most people away from ever attempting such a feat again. But not Mumford.

Starting Friday at 6 p.m. at the Georgetown Racquet Club, he's once again setting out to play for 24 hours to raise money for the Georgetown Hospital Foundation.

“In September 2020, I was lucky (because of COVID restrictions at the time) to be able to get in and have surgery and the staff was unbelievable,” he said. “Then when my mother-in-law had to go into the hospital, the staff was amazing. I just felt it would be beneficial to give back for all the hospital did for our family.” 

His goal is to raise $5,000 and he’s already past the halfway mark before ever stepping foot on the court, with more than $3,200 raised.

Mumford’s previous fundraiser in April of 2022 taught him some valuable lessons – apart from not taking the dog for a walk the next morning.

He said changing shoes and socks every few hours is important. He has planned out his snacks and meals to give him boosts of energy throughout the night. He plans to play some games left handed to prevent his arm from tiring. He’s even got a few indoor pickleball games included to give some non-squash playing opponents an opportunity to take part.

With a good base of physical endurance – Mumford ran the Toronto half marathon three weeks ago – he said it's the mental longevity that's the most challenging part.

“The physical part is OK, but around 11 a.m. on Saturday you kind of hit a wall,” he said. “You find ways like music to keep mixing it up and keep yourself energized. And last time around 1 p.m., I caught a fourth wind and that pushed me through.”

He’ll also have physiotherapist Giuseppe Galifi from Studio 2 Wellness on hand to help keep him loose and prevent any injuries.

That will be important because Mumford’s competitive side won’t let him simply go through the motions. At about six games per hour, he expects to play approximately 144 games. Last time he won more than 100 games, and he’s hoping to do the same this year.

Spectators are welcome to come out and watch. The club is located at 215 Armstrong Avenue.

Anyone wishing to donate can do so on the Georgetown Hospital Foundation website.