2010 3 Day – Day 1

The alarm went off at 4am… I begrudgingly left the comfy bed and hopped in the shower.  As I was getting ready my dad was watching the news and discovered it would be hot and very humid all weekend – oh joy.  [did i tell you I'm not a morning person?]  I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and did some last minute packing adjustments and met the team… and about 25 other walkers down in the lobby of the hotel!  We ate our sack breakfast on the floor in the lobby and tried to calm some nerves while Pat, James, Mayme & Deb hopped on the shuttle to Opening Ceremonies. Heather, Murt, Penny, Sandy, & I hopped in the car with my dad… that was an interesting drive for sure! We dropped off our duffels at the designated trucks and headed over to the ceremony site. Of course we pause for the occasional photo op or two…  Then it was time for the ceremony.  Let me just tell you, Jenne, the spokesperson for the 3 Day, gives a mean speech! I heart her. Opening is like a roller coaster.  You are so excited and doing stretches one minute, you are remembering your lost loved one the next, and then you are celebrating the start of the next 60 miles!
  And suddenly…. we were off!
    
In the sea of pink I started to see people I knew… fellow west side team the Coconutter Strutters were just ahead!
And then we started seeing the signs… and the shirts… the ones that make you laugh… the ones that make you cry… The ones you never forget because they hold such truth...
  And then you see the smiling faces of the Superior Ambulance EMT’s [and get to autograph their pink ambulance!], the medical persons carefully bandaging the oh so many blisters the high heat and humidity caused, and the firemen who came out with misters, cold drinks, ice, and most importantly their trucks!    
We got back to camp about 4pm-ish after walking 21.2 miles in blistering heat and humidity.  We here hot, we were tired, but we still danced! 

In camp we were treated to the new, beautiful, PRIVATE showers [past 3 Days had private shower stalls but community changing areas] a steak dinner complete with apple pie, the 3 Day 60 Second Challenge Game, and Jenne announcing that the 2011 3 Day for the Cure events were open for registration… which was, as she put it, “a little like asking a woman in labor if she wants to have more kids!” after walking those long, hot, humid miles. Did I tell you I heart her?
We were lucky enough to come back to camp with our tent already set up and the gear already inside [Thanks James!!] so it was just all fun & games while trying to cool down.  We picked up our mail and I had over 20 letters and cards!  Thank you everyone who sent something – it was definitely needed to get through this weekend! We did have a little scare while helping the other girls find their mail.  Penny was really white and weak and was rushed to the medical tent in camp – she didn’t drink enough fluid during the day and they were pumping her full of Gatorade.  She was this close to needing an IV… me many others did get one that day… a few more were taken to the hospital… but she was released into the care of Ashley [past walker, current cheerleader] and the AC’d hotel room to recover and walk again on Day 2.  It was a warning to all of us to drink more than we thought we needed and definitely replace those electrolytes the next day… forecast was for higher temps and even higher humidity!  We headed to bed at the 9pm curfew ready to recharge for the day ahead!

2010 3 Day – Day 0

Day 0: Crew Day [aka: Thursday before the event]
On the Thursday before the 3 Day, crew members are required to report to help set up and organize for the following day.  Since we had 3 crew members on our team [Pat & Deb, RN’s: Medical Crew; James: Green Team (aka: recycling crew)] we headed over to the Detroit area early Thursday morning… but not until we stopped for some yummy breakfast!  Then we hopped in the cars and started the drive. We arrived at the hotels and checked in and then it was off to Crew Day for the Pat, Deb & James!  We got a little bored while they were away so we drove around a bit and then went back to see Pat practice carrying her flag.  Pat was chosen to be one of the 39 flag bearers at Opening Ceremonies!  She was the very FIRST medical crew person to receive this honor!  This is what I wrote in her nomination letter:

My aunt Pat is on the medical crew.  This will be her 3rd year in a row bandaging those blisters and easing aches and pains.  She has been one of my biggest supporters since my first year with the 3 Day (2007) when she came out to cheer her heart out with that pink feather boa!  What she saw at closing made her want to sign up immediately for 2008.  She has helped me fundraise year after year and has helped me organize "mini 3 day" training walks complete with pit stops, lunch stops, cheering stations and sweep vans!  She is passionate about this cause because she lost her mom, my grandma, 12 years ago to breast cancer.  As a nurse, she was with my grandma those last 2 weeks instead of the hospice nurses and never left her side. Since we lost her, I have found the walks & runs and my aunt has always helped me organize the teams and coordinate the fundraising because neither of us wants another family to go through the pain of losing a loved one to breast cancer.  Last year, I was looking forward to crewing alongside my aunt when I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and had to drop out of the event.  My aunt was there with me through my surgeries and treatments, and our resolve to find a cure together grew even stronger. After all, we have sisters, nieces, daughters, and granddaughters still here to fight for.  While she bandaged those blisters last year, I came out to cheer her and the medical team on.  After the event we talked about next year's event like it was a no-brainer and we signed up as soon as we had the chance.  Earlier this year, they found an abnormality in her breast and we anxiously awaited the pathology results together.  We knew that the advancements made in treatments since my grandma passed have been amazing because of organizations like Komen but the wait was still terrifying.  We were at our garage sale fundraiser when we heard the "all clear" results and we cried and celebrated at the same time.  Since then two more of my aunts have had abnormalities show up on their mammograms.  We know we cannot give up this fight until we have no cancer to worry about.  Having seen the opening & closing ceremonies several times, she would be so honored to carry a flag.  She may be crying the entire ceremony but I guarantee that she will have a smile on her face, knowing what a difference this event makes.

 
Mayme and I were pulled into the practice too because a few of the flag bearers were late and they needed standbys.  After the practice session we headed out for dinner at Outback with the entire team and some of our  cheerleaders… our dinner for 18 included: Lisa, Dorie, Mart, Grandpa, Dad, Mom, Pat, Mayme, Jim, Murt, Sandy, Penny, Chelsea, Ashley, Noah, Ethan, Heather & myself!  Pat gave us all some socks to rock on the walk so we headed back to the hotel to cut out the feet [to prevent blisters] and to get a good night’s sleep.  Wake up call for Day 1 is 4am – Night!

2 Days & Counting!

The countdown on my Facebook page says we have 2 days 10 hours 00 minutes and 37 seconds until the 2010 Michigan Susan G. Komen 3 Day for the Cure!  I haven’t packed yet which is just crazy. I’m just not ready I guess?  I need to revise my packing list and at least get that ready and together so I can start madly throwing things in my duffel after work tomorrow.  

I need to remember such things as shower curtains, ponchos, cameras, batteries, socks,  portable chargers, air mattresses, pillows, socks, bandanas, credentials, shoes, sunscreen, water bottles, socks.. yes i need a lot of socks!  I still haven’t decided if I’m going with my 1 or 2 bottle waist pack [I'm fully aware of the fashion statement waist packs make but they are essential when you have to carry many items 60 miles on your person – backpacks are too  hot, I've tried]… the 2 bottle waist pack is much bigger and will fit my full size sunscreen… the weather is predicted to be in the 90^F range sunny & humid so this is a must!

There is some anxiety floating around about the weather… it will be hot & humid that is not disputed among weather persons… thunderstorms, however, are questionable.  Obviously this is not good when you are walking 60 miles and camping for 2 nights. Ahh well, its nothing we can prevent so we shall just grin and go with the flow!

Just one more day of work, some frantic packing, and then a travel day with the crew portion of our team!  Can’t wait for Opening Ceremonies!

101 Things You Should Know (1-5)

5.  When you get back to the “real world” please remember you do have to flush again.

4.  There is nothing more motivating than knowing a friendly face is at the next cheering station.

3.  Peanut butter and jelly graham cracker sandwiches are GOLD.

2.  Before we set out on our journey together, here is something to remember the journey you have already taken – signing up, fundraising, training, inspiring hope – A look into Day 3…

1.  A journey of sixty miles must begin with a single step…see you at Opening Ceremonies!

10 Days Oh.Em.Gee.

Just 10 more days until I'm walking 60 miles for the 3rd time. TEN DAYS.

In there I’m cramming a trip to the dentist, 4 Days of work, a wedding across state, a trip to IKEA [also across state], packing, unpacking, laundry, shopping for last minute items, more packing, and 32 more training miles before I walk those 60 miles.  Anxiety has fully set in.

To keep myself sane [or possibly just to satisfy the OCD portion of my personality] I made a list…

10 – Days until the 3 Day
9 – Team members to coordinate
8 – miles per day x 4 days = 32 miles.. i think i can do that
7 – Days until I need to be fully packed in ziplocks
6 – The number of walkers on the team
5 – Can we fit 5 walkers in the car on the way to opening?
4 – I’m doing this for [four] my grandma, mom, sister…
3 – 3 Days for the 3rd time… Its my 3 Peat!
2 – Just 2 days until I spend some sanity time with LM & LS!
1 – One Cure