3 Day Happenings

Wow, wow, wow! Mary, Lindsey and myself hit the road at 5:15am  Saturday and drove to Atlanta for the preview expo. We made a pit stop in Cartersville for a drink and three guys were leaving and asked when we were walking (they read the magnet on my car) and gave me a donation. How awesome is that? Thanks @knittingbagel for your magnet design!

This past weekend was the first official 3 Day walk in Boston. Many walkers kept all of us updated via Facebook, blogger and twitter. I got chills and even shed some tears reading the updates and looking at the pictures from the event. I saw pics of one lady with a cast on her arm and another lady walking on crutches. That is dedication! There were pictures of survivors at cheering stations thanking the walkers for what they are doing.

While Boston had it's share of walkers and crew, Atlanta had hundreds of people at the Preview Expo. There were tables all around the room with information for crew, make a sign, training walks, find a team, etc. New Balance and REI were on hand to sell merchandise at a discount to the 3 Day walkers. Breakout sessions were available for blister care, injury prevention, life on the 3 day, and attack the pack. Lindsey got to speak with the Crew Coach and was assigned to team signage. She is so excited!

Lindsey and the Atlanta banner.

Mary and Tammy

Training walk leaders featured.Who is in the lower left corner?

I even got to meet some of my 3 Day tweeps for a picture with the Atlanta banner.

@abby3dayatlanta, @gphigirl, @2girls2boys, @LilShadetree, @jerusalemlover

All of this excitement has motivated me even more and my team still needs your donations. We want to be a power team and need to raise $23,100 in order to do so. Please consider a tax deductible donation today. Click here to donate.

Let the 3 Day Events Begin

This weekend is the first of fifteen 3 Day events in cities across the United States. Thousands of walkers have started Day 1 and as I type, some have already walked 10 miles. I'm seeing pictures from the event on twitter and Facebook and it gives me chills. I'm so excited for them and yet it makes me sad because I can't be there to cheer them on. Cheering from twitter and Facebook isn't the same as cheering in person but who has the money to travel to all 15 cities? It also makes me anxious for October to get here so we can walk in Atlanta.

Tomorrow is the Preview Expo in ATL and I can't wait. I'm meeting up with some 3 Day twitter friends (@LilShadetree, @the3wrights, @abby3dayatlanta, @jerusalemlover and @gphigirl). We must get our picture with the 3 Day banner! Yesterday we named ourselves Team Twitter and @knittingbagel is designing a shirt for us.

I haven't said much about this to anyone but I have a VERY important meeting tonight after work with the general manager and store manager of New Balance about becoming a sponsor of Pink for Life. The store manager has said they will sponsor us but we need to work out the details as to HOW they will sponsor us. They also want to do something big for Breast Cancer Awareness month in October. I'm both nervous and excited about the opportunity to team up with New Balance Huntsville. This could be HUGE for our team and Susan G. Komen.

Team Pink for Life is still ranked #12 in fundraising for Atlanta. Will you consider a tax deductible donation to push us into the TOP TEN teams? Click here to donate today! Any donation of $5 or more is greatly appreciated.

100 Days - The Countdown is ON!

100 days from today team Pink for Life will have completed 20+ miles on the first day of the 3 Day event. Online check-in opened yesterday and several of us have already checked in. Six of our seven walkers have met the required minimum $2300 in order to participate. We still need your help to get our seventh walker to the minimum. You may donate online to Jennifer Secrest here. Remember your donation is tax deductible and greatly appreciated!

Shop for the Cure was a huge success this past Friday despite the rain and we raised over $1500 for Susan G. Komen. Thanks to all of our friends and family for coming out to support us! We have now raised over $16,000 for breast cancer research and community outreach programs.

Our third car wash is planned for this Saturday but the forecast is now calling for a 60% chance of rain. Seriously considering canceling it!

Saturday, July 24 is the Preview Expo in Atlanta. Six of the nine team members will be hitting the road with excitement. We will get to practice tent set-up, meet the crew, attend workshops and take our picture with the 3 Day for the Cure Banner. Lindsey and Rachael will attend the Crew 101 workshop.

Saturday, July 31, Mary and I will travel to Cullman for a 15 mile training walk with Team Brock 360 and other area 3 Day walkers at Heritage Park.

If you'd like to be included on any of our training walks, send me an email and I'll put you on the distribution list.

12 miles or more

This past Saturday, July 3 several of my team members and I met to walk 12 miles at 6am. I mapped a 4 mile loop with stops for potty breaks and water refills with intentions of walking the loop three times. AGAIN Stacie, Trina and Jenny are off to the races and I walked with Mary and her husband Larry.

Within the first few minutes of the walk, we encountered a dead snake much to Mary's dismay :) She squealed and danced a little and tried not to look down again. Along the way, Mary and Larry were picking up trash on the side of the road. Larry even picked up an empty R rated DVD case ;) and quickly dumped it at the end of the first four mile loop. After a quick potty break and a little stretching, I told them that we were at the area that they have heard us talk about (Aldridge Creek Greenway). They were curious since it goes all the way to the Tennessee River. Larry asked how many miles to the river and I said about 8 there and back. So we headed off to Ditto Landing and the TN River.

Once we got to Green Cove Rd, I noticed hundreds of runners. Oh no! I had forgotten the Firecracker 5k started at my church at 8am. We just kept on walking and walking and walking. We reached the end of the Greenway and filled my water bottle up with nice cold water from the cooler thanks to my church :) Larry wanted to keep going so we went to the boat dock area and made the loop. Mary insisted that Larry walk back himself and bring the car to pick her up. Unfortunately, he didn't! We finally made it back to our starting point at 10am. I think total mileage was 13-14.

I guess my body is getting used to the miles as I didn't ache at all after Sunday. I could still feel the last 10 mile walk on the following Wednesday. I'm working on a 5 mile loop 3x with Team Brock 360 for July 31. I will be posting an official training walk and sending invites soon.

10 Miles - again

This past Saturday, June 26th, nine 3 day walkers met in downtown Huntsville for an official 10 mile training walk :) Team Pink for Life was represented by myself, Stacie, Jenny and Trina. Team Brock 360 from Cullman was represented by Lori, Mandy and Karen. Elise drove from Gadsen and Stacey drove from the Nashville area to walk 10 miles.

We met downtown at 7:15, introduced ourselves to each other, stretched and hit the pavement/sidewalks of beautiful downtown Huntsville. Stacie, Trina and Jenny were the engines and took off. We never saw them again until we made the second 5 mile loop in the opposite direction. Karen and Elise (or was it Stacey?) were the caboose.

I didn't do too well on planning bathroom breaks as most places downtown were closed :( I did ask a nice lady pulling weeds if Mandy could use her restroom. She graciously welcomed Mandy inside. I explained to her what we were training for and she wished us luck. Another bathroom stop was the fire station that had moved :( So I decided to try the YMCA and wouldn't you know there was a sign on the door "SORRY NO PUBLIC RESTROOMS". I stepped inside and explained we were training to walk 60 miles in 3 Days and the lady at the desk said, "I did that in 2001. Sure, you can use the restrooms." She gave us a few tips and advice. We visited the restroom (even some of us sat on the child's size toilet) and filled up our water bottles.

At the end of the first 5 mile loop, we went inside the Women's Pavilion to cool off, refill water bottles and potty (again). Remember...Drink, Pee, No IV! Brock 360 had to leave so Stacey, Elise and myself finished the last 5 miles together.

I am honored that these girls drove 1-2 hrs to walk with Pink for Life. I enjoyed listening to their stories about why they are walking and getting to know them all a little better. I want to wish Stacey the very best on her walk in Chicago in 5 weeks. You go girl!