The Breast Cancer 3 Day

 

The Breast Cancer 3 Day is an event that changes every ones lives who takes part in it. How could this event even be thought of? How did some one create the 3 day walk? A grueling, self invigorating walk. A walk that captures the lives to all who help, whether it is walking, crewing or being some ones support group. How did the 3 day come to be? Suzy and a promise from her sister.

 

 

 

Suzy (Susan G. Komen) was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 33. She fought the fight as good as any one else. She had a huge support system from her family and even some inspiration from The First Lady Mrs. Betty Ford. She came out to the world after having a mastectomy and spread bravery to so many people including Suzy Komen. Susan's cancer had spread so fast and she was unable to beat off the beast knocking at her door. On her dying bed she asked her sister; Nancy Brinker; to find a way to raise awareness of breast cancer so that other women would not have to go through what she and her family were going through at that time. Her last wish was a wish to find a cure. Most people when they are on their way back home think of themselves, but not Susan, she was thinking of all of her other sisters she had not met yet and hoped would not meet until it was their time. She was thinking of a world with out breast cancer.

 

 

 

In the beginning of the fight, the Komen Foundation started off as the Komen Race for the Cure. It was easy enough for any one to help support and raise awareness of breast cancer. Reaching out to nearly 18,000 communities Komen's Race for the cure raised and invested almost 1 billion dollars by the end of 2007.

 

 

 

Avon was a large supporter of breast cancer research and in May of 2001 the first Avon Breast Cancer 3 day was planned. The 3 Day and Avon split after 2002 and the 3 day became a life of its own. To walk in the 3 Day the first thing you are committing to is finding a cure. The second step is to raise $2,200 toward that goal,and an added bonus is the walking. There is a bond that is created between team members that walk in the 3 day. A sisterhood is formed and a feeling of being apart of something bigger than yourself.

 

 

 

Having the right gear on the 3 day is the difference between walking all of it and blisters from hell, and that is not an exaggeration. There are footwear stores that have the 3 day logo in their window,they know how to fit your foot to a few pairs of shoes. The importance of the shoes is just as important as your socks on your feet. If socks bunch there will be blisters. Back to the shoes. The shoes need to be breathable and sturdy. They need to fit your foot and your arch needs to sit in the right spot. There will be a lot of training walks in the first pair of shoes that you buy, almost like a trial run. Most sporting good stores will take back shoes if only walked in around the house. So the best bet would be once you get home is to put them on and walk around your house. Wake up and put them on, just walk around and see how they feel. Do they rub any where. Even a little rubbing of the shoe can cause huge problems on a long walk. Talk to the person who is fitting your foot, if they say you should where a shoe that does not fit you right the best thing to do is say thank you and get up and go to another store. Remember all feet are not the same.  Some places take molds of your feet and fit an insert into the shoe custom to your foot. They are pricey but they do feel like heaven. So why do socks have to be carefully picked? There are specific socks out there made for walking and a lot of sweating. They work on the wick theory. What that means is they absorb the moisture away from the skin and into the sock, keeping the foot dry, or well dryer.

 

 

 

The shorts and shirt that you wear are just as important to pick out as the shoes and socks. You do not want any seams rubbing in places during a long walk. Chaffing will occur and sever irritation will become problematic. Shirts that ride up can just be annoying and instead of enjoying a walk there is a constant pulling of the shirt. That also goes for the shorts. Make sure you train in these clothes. If you like how they feel buy more, but remember to train in all of your clothes. Not all clothes are made the same. Even from the same store, the same skirt can fit differently.

 

 

 

Oh yeah those lovely fanny packs. Who cares how they make your butt look. It is what is inside the pack that counts. And it does. If you are like every other person out there, than there is some rubbing that will happen. Body glide or Vaseline is a must to have in your fanny pack. A small travel size. There should be a few changes of socks, because you should be changing your socks about every 10 miles. That is to ensure your feet do stay as dry as possible and does not give blisters that edge to form.  And make sure that the bag has spots for water bottles. One of the most important things to make sure is that when you are swinging your arms with the water bottles in place that they are not hitting the bottles. Not only annoying but after a while it is frustrating and painful. If you are prone to blisters and some feet no matter what you do, they do get blisters. Make sure you have blister care in your pack as well. Make sure everything you will need away from your tent is in a travel size in your bag and train with your bag. If you were just to put that fanny pack on, your hips and lower back will be in a lot of pain. Train with it on!

 

 

 

 

The importance of training is crucial to finishing the 3 day. If you are not planning on walking all of the 3 day, some training is still recommend. But remember it is not about the walk but about how you were able to raise the awareness and raise the money to help save lives. Still, the training is fun. On the 3 day site there is a virtual trainer when it comes to 24 or 18 weeks out from your walk. If you follow that trainer to exactly what it says, than you will be ready. Make sure on every training walk you have your I.D, insurance card and cell phone. You are not allowed to use your cell phone on the walk and should get used to that when you are doing your training walks. There have been times when people have trained and fallen with out I.D with them and have not received the immediate care they required. Get used to having that with you at all times. When you sign up for the 3 day they mail you a plastic sleeve with a lanyard. Put your I.D in there and it will always be with you. When you train, it is nice to train with others. There will be some walks when it is just you and others will be official 3 day walks. It is important to know what to expect and most of the time you are harder on your self with training walks than the actual 3 day. Make sure you have plenty of places to stop and refill drinks. Get used to drinking Gatorade if you are not used to drinking that and lots of water. They say every 3 miles you should drink one 12 ounce bottle of water and Gatorade. Plan your walks where you can take bathroom breaks. You will need them after all that liquid. And make sure you have energy bars and other types of foods on hand to replace the carbs and energy you are using.

 

 

 

 

There are lots of resources out there to help any 3 day-er to get ready. One of them is the expo. What that is, is where companies come and show you what they have to help you on your journey. One big company that comes out is New Balance. They have a lot to show you and a lot to sell. There you can talk to other 3 day-ers who have done with many times before and hear their experiences. Be prepared to cry. There you will also see the wonderful 3 day tent that you will be sleeping in. Oh wait did I forget to mention that in the beginning. Yes you will be camping out for 2 nights. And it is the best time ever. You will have a tent buddy and if you are on a team which I recommend doing you will be tenting with someone that you know. The expo explains so much answers so many questions. Make sure you can attend one or attend one that is done over the phone.

 

 

 

Teams are great for this because it means you are not alone. Walking alone is some what intimidating if it is your first time walking. Walking all those miles with no one to talk to. There is always some one to talk to on the 3 day. Always! New stories to hear, and why people are walking. With a team, fundraising is easier because you can work together and reach the goal faster.

 

 

 

This is the part people worry about. How to raise $2,200. That is a lot of money. Write letters to people you know. Ask your parents for their address books and write to them. Tell them why you are walking, make them apart of this journey as well. You can do bake sales, wine and food tastings and so much more. If you can think up a fundraiser most likely it has been done. So research on line, with family and friends and if you are on a team with your fellow team mates.

 

 

 

The day has come. All your hard work has brought you here to opening ceremonies. All these people here to cheer you on. There is so much emotion flowing so freely. People are already crying. Others saying I can not crying this year. Once the survivors come out, so do all the tears. In a circle, these survivors picked to signify all survivors form a circle of hope. They are our survivors. They have fought the beast and won. They are our inspiration, they and seeing children in the crowds are why we are all here. To find a cure for cancer. There is an opening speech that inspires you to move forward and conquer the whole world over to find a cure...

 

There are wonderful Crew members that are on route to help you and some of them are there just to have a good time just like yourself.

 

our toilet paper angels... what would we do with out them!

Singing and cheering are these lovely ladies jobs at this pit stop. Making sure the walkers are taken care of is the crews job. And with out the crew there could be no 3 day. Yes the walkers think they are hot stuff... but when it comes down to it the crew is the back bone of the 3 day walks.

 

People who live on the route show their support in so many ways.

 

Sometimes when you are just tired and need a break, there come these signs from people who are supporting you. It re energizes you to keep going, to walk further. It is hard to think of walking 60 miles on a normal day. This is not a normal weekend. This weekend we are all superheros. And we need our special fill ups to keep our powers full.. This is ours!

 

After a long day of walking, seeing camp is like coming home.

 

Here you can find everything you need, from a hot meal to a hot shower. The water is hot from the first walker to the last crew member. We do not ask how, we just say thank you. There are foot baths and medical tents for those who need the extra help. And our tents, our home away from home for the weekend. There is a night life at the 3 day, of course every one is in bed at an early time. 

There are pit stops where the crew sets up locations about every 3-4 miles apart to refill on water and use the restroom. They go all out and make us feel right at home. With their crazy decorations and costumes.

 

On the walk, sometimes your body says no more and for that day you are done walking. They have what is called a sweep van. Every one should experience this. There are crazy fun loving people on board dressed up to make you feel better. It is hard to listen to your body. Some times getting a lift to the next stop is all your body needs to go on.

 

At the end of the 3 day. Once again all the walkers meet on common ground. In the beginning a 3 day flag was raised, and in the end a blank flag is raised. It means so many different things. Remembering those who have left us do to breast cancer, to those who are fighting it now and in hopes of one day not needing a 3 day, for then we will have found a cure and have a cancer free world. A breast cancer as well as all cancer. Once again the survivors come out. This time the walkers all get down on one knee and take off a shoe, we hold it up in respect to the survivors. The tears start to flow again, and this time many emotions are flowing. The 3 day ends as fast as it starts. Months of training over in a blink of an eye. What now, what to do next. One city down, more to go. We keep walking until there is a cure. We keep walking for the hope and strength for all of our sisters out there...but hey 60 miles will do for now.