@Kwijo Alternatively, that's a trip of just over 37 miles in a single afternoon. The Boston Marathon is about 26mi and the winner is typically in the 2:10 range... but that's a pro runner on easy terrain, unladen, with support staff, not climbing a mountain, not concerned about getting attacked (Well. In a normal year.), but also no magic resources either.
On the other hand, this
is for a full scholarship from the commoner division, so I guess they're not too concerned with a failure rate of everybody that isn't either a demigod or cheating.