My 3 -Peat 3 Day Experience

This is another article I had posted elsewhere but never to my own blog. (Could I be anymore of a slacker?)

When I did my first Breast Cancer 3 day walk in 2008-I thought it would be a onetime thing. That bucket list item I could do, then cross off. Little did I know that it would become my passion?

So here I sit…sore after doing my 3^rd Susan G Komen for the Cure Breast Cancer 3 Day walk, in a reflective mood. 3 days, 60 miles, 1 goal…a world without breast cancer. It seems so simple in writing; however the reality is starkly different. There were over 1500 walkers and over 350 crew members in the Arizona walk. It was a mini town. There was the sea of pink tents we camped in. And let me tell you, while the “official” temp was a low of 41, I can guarantee you it was colder than that. My bag the next morning had frost on it and while my tent was zippered up tight, there was still dew INSIDE my tent the next morning.  It was NOT 41 degrees.

There was the post office where we could pick up any mail sent to us by loved ones. There was the dining tent (heated for the first time thank heavens!) where we ate and watched the program, there were the port-a-potties, the 18-wheeler shower trucks, the medical tent, and god bless the national sponsors Energizer, AT&T, Bank of America and New Balance for providing Internet access to check email and our social networking sites, for plugs to charge our cell phones, and for chair and foot massages!

There was the Remembrance tent.  As I stated, this was my third year walking, however it was the first year I found myself inside the Remembrance Tent. Outside were the white tents from the other cities…with messages written on them from loved ones, to those they had lost in the battle. Inside were the pictures of former walkers and/or crew members from 3-Days around the country in years past who were no longer with us. I don’t know why I was so afraid of going into this special tent in years past. Maybe because thankfully-I have not lost a relative or loved one to this dreaded disease…yet? Or maybe it was because I know how emotional I get on the walk anyways and I was scared? I don’t know why I avoided the tent. But I went this year. It was one of the few quiet places in camp. While it was steps away from the dining tent and the loudness of camp program, those sounds were drowned out.  No one spoke in the Remembrance Tent.  No words were needed. Our sniffs and soft cries were all that needed to be “said” as we looked at the names and faces of too many people lost. Of brave women who walked and crewed for years doing all they could to raise money and awareness to hopefully find a cure. There were women who had registered to walk in events in 2009 and 2010 that could not participate as their battle ended before they could walk.  I have made a vow NEVER to skip this very important part of the 3 Day again. Shame on me for not visiting sooner. My resolve was strengthened Saturday night. I looked at those faces smiling back at me, some with hair, some without-and I knew more than ever why I take this sometimes painful journey. For them, for myself, for my nieces, for my sister, my mom, my friends, for you and your loved ones. So someday I won’t have to take that journey.

Day one started out with stretches and Opening Ceremonies. While some of it was the same, there were some differences. As we dropped off our gear and walked down into Freestone Park where Opening was held, there were white strips where we could write the name and a quick message to those who have lost their fight with Breast Cancer. These strips were then attached and raised on the flag pole as a “Memorial Flag”. It was a touching site to see so many names…too many names.

After Opening we were officially off to start our journey. I cannot say thank you enough to all the communities we walk through. The support we receive is amazing. From people standing in their drive ways with water, Gatorade, candy, stickers, or just standing there watching us pass by clapping and saying “Thank You”. It is an amazing and humbling site. We passed little kids handing out pink lemonade, Red Vines (my favorite!), passed messages written in side walk chalk to keep us going.

The firefighters…oh my stars the firefighters! They come out dressed in pink to cheer us on. This year the Gilbert F.D handed out these beautiful key chains. It was a circle that said “Fight like a girl” and in the middle was a spinning pink boxer glove with a pink ribbon on it. Fight Like a Girl indeed.  I gave this keychain to Michelle, my co-worker that I first started to walk for.

Each year there are designated cheer stations. These are NOT to be missed as a walker. We get sprayed with water bottles to cool down, get applauded by strangers, but it is also a place to meet friends and family for a hug, some tears and a boost that keeps us going.

There are the costumes the walkers wear, the spectators wear, and that the safety crew wears. Just when you have seen it all…someone comes up with something new. You never know WHAT you will see on the 3 day!

But mostly, there is time to reflect, to talk, and to remember. Walking 20 miles a day leaves a lot of time to think.  We talk with people we have never met before and soon, you are friends. We share stories about why we made the decision to walk in the first place. We share stories with the virgin walkers of what to expect, and why we keep coming back.

This year, one of the teachers at my youngest son’s daycare walked. This was her first year. I had her join our team and we spent a lot of the 3 day walking together.  Seeing the event through first timer’s eyes brought me back to three years ago when I was a virgin walker. Seeing her get emotional at the cheering stations, crying due to the pain of a blister she was too afraid to look at, seeing her laugh and smile…it all brought back memories. And while I still cry at the cheering stations, seeing her cry made me cry all the more.  I was so proud of her! Being able to walk up to her when she came across the finish line and give her a hug and cry with her…I remember how I felt the first time I did it. Hell I cried again this year thinking “I did it”.  I was honored to be able to tell her how PROUD I was of her, to hug her, and then tell her, “Let’s go get a victory shirt!”, then walk with her to do just that.

We joke that as walkers, we’re cheap. We get so excited to come into a pit stop and get a sticker for our badge, or to stop for the Girl Scouts who are handing them out. We’ll walk for STICKERS! Well, I walk for those and the Red Vines. I admit to being a licorice snob and won’t stop for a Twizzler…but if someone has a case of Red Vines…oh, I grab one every time!

Day one took us through Gilbert, Chandler and into Tempe. Day two took us through Tempe, up through ASU and on into Old Town Scottsdale. From there we went through Papago Park and back through Tempe to camp. Day three for the first time ever they bussed us to start our day. We started out in the shadow of Camelback Mountain walking past multi-million dollar homes in Paradise Valley and through the Biltmore area. We then passed through into Phoenix and came right down Central in the heart of downtown. We then crossed through the Willa and Encanto neighborhoods that are designated as historic districts. We finally arrived at Closing at the Arizona State Fairgrounds.

I started this the day after the walk. It’s taken me until Wednesday to finish. I know there are sights and sounds I am forgetting. I’m sitting here 3 days out…still a tiny bit sore but not too bad. The worst has passed. My ankles are swollen as the excess water we took in and the extra salt starts to leave the body…but I don’t care if my toes look like sausages right now. I don’t care that my cute pedicure is ruined (to be corrected this weekend with a nice new pedicure). All I know, is I am looking forward to doing it again. I have already signed up for 2011. I just need to decide if I am still walking in Arizona or if I want to pick a new city. I am open to suggestions!

I care that Arizona walkers raised over $4.4 MILLION dollars for the Susan G Komen for the Cure. A large portion of which will stay with the local affiliate to help men and women with little or no insurance get the care and treatment they need. I care that soon, I won’t have this event to look forward to each year as we will not need to have one…we will have found the cure. I care that because of some of the most amazing people…I was able to walk this year when I didn’t think I was going too.  I care that with each footstep…we are closer to the cure. I care that each footstep is for the Survivor’s. For they are the TRUE hero’s. They are why I walk. They are my inspiration, my hero’s.

I have one last request of everyone. Candy Coburn came to camp and did a concert as well as performing at Closing Ceremonies. She has a song titled “Pink Warrior”. She is donating 100% of the profits of the song to the Susan G Komen for the Cure. Please, go and download the song.

Thank you!