Tomorrow begins my next 3 Day adventure

I took the day off today in order to prepare, pack, and get some regular sleep since I've started working a late swing shift. A dear friend has loaned me a real air mattress this year. I am thrilled about that since a camping pad wasn't enough to stay comfortable last year.

I've lost almost 55 pounds since I did the 3 day last year, so I'm hoping that helps me. The fact that I wasn't able to complete the recommended training to build up endurance has me a little stressed, but I feel healthier and stronger than I was last year even though I haven't been able to get in many long walks. I HAVE been exercising and strength training.

I've got my checklist and will be off to WalMart to pick up any last minute items. 

I'm a little freaked out at the prospect of having a stranger as a tent mate. "Hi, I don't know you, but let's sleep together in a tent for a weekend". Crossing fingers that it's not terribly awkward. I'll let you know how it goes. Since I'm the sole team member this year, I had no choice but to leave my tent mate selection to fate.

I received another donation today, proof that fundraising efforts can pay off even at the last minute. I am waiting on a company match to come through to take me to the finish line with my fundraising. Even though it hasn't posted yet, the 3 day coaches were able to help me get an extension, since we know it will be posting, just not in time for the event and my online check in last week.

Year 2 of the 3 Day...

I'll be honest...I didn't think I would make the fundraising minimum this year. My team shrunk this year for various reasons (babies, health, moves, etc.)...and I was left as the sole walker representing "Team Keeping Abreast". That combined with some of the recent press for Susan Komen this year (can't avoid mentioning that) I really felt like my fundraising would fall short and I would not be able to participate. Last year (my first) was so powerful for me emotionally. I signed up for 2012 before I even walked in 2011. That's how determined I was to participate again.

Thanks to a company match at work for cash donations, I will have enough donations to allow me to participate. I realize Susan G. Komen has the bar raised high. For some, this is a deterrent...It's a scary proposition to commit to raising $2,300 or give up participating in the event. You train, you fund-raise...and at the end of the day...what if you don't make it and you have to sit it out?

All that risk, is worth it to me. ME - a skeptic...go-raise-your-money-and-walk-your-walk-but-don't-talk-to-me-about-it-I've-had-cancer-and-don't-want-anything-to-do-with-that-crap. All I can say - is take a leap, go for it. do something bigger than you...Take the risk and you may very well be surprised at the result....

One last thing...even though you think you won't make it...You'd better train your butt off, because otherwise you'll be like me looking at 4 weeks to the event and realize you MADE it and need to get your butt in shape for the 60 mile walk!! 

The day after the Susan G Komen 3 Day for the Cure

All 6 of us walkers are back home now. I imagine each of us had a different experience these last 3 days. For me there were tearful moments, moments of pride, amazement, discomfort, gratitude for my friends who joined me, and even disbelief that I was there. I had moment of playful fun, moments of delirium, exhaustion and all of those moments were so worthwhile.  

Not all of the team were able to complete all 60 miles, though Angie was able to walk the entire route, Keisha, Briauna and Christine completed nearly all the miles as well.  We ALL accomplished raising about $14,000 of the over 5 million raised by the Seattle 3 Day for the Cure event. Regardless of how many miles we were able to walk, that is a HUGE accomplishment. 

At the start of this 3 Day for the Cure commitment, we all had doubts about being able to raise the funds. It loomed like a daunting, impossible task.  We all put our faith in each other and our supporters and pulled together. We each fund-raised on our own as well as pulled together for the successful garage sale and fashion show. Those two group fundraising efforts helped ensure each of us would be able to raise the required $2,300 and participate in the walk. As team captain, that was my goal and I'm glad we accomplished it! 

I'll have more to write in the coming weeks and days as I prepare to do this all over again. I have set up the team Keeping Abreast for the Seattle 2012 walk. If anyone is interested in joining this year, let me know and I will provide the team password and instructions about how to join. We can do this together! 

5 more days!

I did a final bit of shopping today. I got a long pair of pants, capri pair, and a pair of shorts as well as 2 extra work out shirts. All from WalMart as Under Armor doesn't carry my size. *jerks* When this is all said and done I'll do a recap of all the items we *needed for sure* to make a list for others to refer to.

My daughter and I are currently using the walker check list from the 3 Day participant center to pack.

Since there is a 35 pound weight limit, we will use our WII fitness system to weight the items. We will name our bags as a "pet", stand on the board and figure out how much they weigh. Creative, right?

We just found out one of our walkers is pregnant! Not me or my daughter, thank goodness. She's still going to walk, but intends to take it easy.

I do not feel entirely "trained" though I've sure made great strides these last few months. I did more uphill walking yesterday as a way to "Cram" for the hills I know we will face on the route. Leave it to me to procrastinate till the last minute on the hard stuff. When I decided this earlier this year I could barely walk a mile without really feeling exhausted. I've done a 12 mile walk, but time didn't allow me to really follow the training plan. I'll find out how bad I'll regret that in a few days. *alert: if you plan to do the 3 Day, make sure you have plenty of time during the weeks leading up to train as prescribed*

More Choices to Support the Team!

shopping

Today I was able to shop for some of the lingering items I knew my daughter and I would need to pack for the 3 Day. Thanks to many previous bloggers I was able to feel confident about what to purchase for my fanny pack. Susan Komen has a great checklist but real life examples and experiences are an added plus.

We were able to go to an outdoor store in Burlington, Wa and purchase almost everything we still needed.

We are borrowing sleeping mats and we have plastic for the tops and bottoms of the tents.

I still needed a light weight sleeping bag as the one we have today is heavy and bulky. I decided on a microlight sleeping bag that is good to 45 degrees and is very compact.

My daughter and I both needed fanny packs and water bottles. We also had to purchase ponchos, emergency blankets (according to the list, but not sure why yet), a small "camping" type mirror, some plastic travel bottles for sunscreen and both of us needed big ol' duffle bags which we found for only $18 each. HUGE ones! On the getting ready conference call - they said - we don't care how big the bag is and we prefer everything IN it instead of attached to it - so we went BIG.

We had to go to WalMart for the rest of our list - like moleskin, Neosporin, cloths pins, baby powder, water bottles, cheap wrist watches since we won't have our cell phones for time keeping, anti-friction stuff - they didn't have Bodyglide so we opted for Monistat Soothing Care Chafing Relief Powder (which I read about on another blog). It was also like half the price I saw online for Bodyglide.

All together it was about $255 and this isn't a complete list. The most expensive items were MY fanny pack (about $40), the two duffle bags ($18 each), and the special high tech sleeping bag (about $40).

I also ordered the team "fight like a honey badger" T-shirts from Zazzle. Get your own!!

I'll give a full report on what goes well after the walk! Thank you fellow bloggers. I hope I can be a resource for newbies as well some day! 

most profound moment of the weekend...

Yesterday and today Team Keeping Abreast pulled off the most amazing "garage" sale and bake sale ever. We had a goal of $2,000 in fundraising and with our company match - we exceeded that goal by $40.00!

For me, the most profound moment was when I was "tagging" a facebook photo to thank everyone who had played a role and I just kept tagging and tagging. So many friends and family donated time, baked goods, sale items, spent time recruiting and advertising, came to make purchases, helped with loading up and packing up - it really humbled me to realize how many people were making contributions to help our team raise the donations needed to not only fight breast cancer but help ensure the 6 of us will be walking come September 16, 2011!

I must tell you, I am not an overly sentimental person - with strangers especially. I'm not the kind of person to GUSH about this or that or over-do sympathy (unless I really mean it) - I am genuine, but not "over the top" about all things. I try to be respectful of other's viewpoints, time and the fact that I know "they" don't care as much about "me" as I do.

Today, I surprised myself and had a most amazing moment when a customer of the sale asked if there were any breast cancer survivors on the team. There are...however some are less inclined to bring it up, so I told her, "yes, I am one of them". This woman reached toward me instinctively, without hesitation to embrace me in a hug - not one of those "oh you poor thing" hugs, but an uplifting, grateful hug. To my surprise -  I immediately warmly hugged her right back - and savored this emotional, positive connection with this stranger. I found out shortly after our embrace that her mother was also a survivor. The conversation was only momentarily about "cancer" and then we spoke of the inspiration of the 3 Day walk and gadgets and clothes at the sale. It was the most natural, comfortable and really "human" conversation.


It reminded me - we are all the same. We may be strangers, but we are all the same inside.

I. Am. Grateful. Thankful. For the experiences this weekend has brought me.