2010 3-day statistics

2010 3-day statistics Amazing what we accomplish when we stand together for a Cause. Big thanks to all my donors and friends who provided funds, inspiration, support and encouragement.

Running for a Cure -Week1

So I started my training for the Half Marathon that I have signed up to run in March 2011. I will be raising at least $250 for Breast Cancer. A Half Marathon, to you non-runners, is 13.1 miles. I found a great website for assistance in my training. It’s Hal Higdon’s website. I have had quite a few people send me in his direction so he must know his stuff. I’m starting with Hal Higdon Beginner Plan. It is a run/walk plan.

I’m in pretty good shape but I’m not in runner’s shape so I’ve decided to take it slow and try and do it right this time. I’ve jumped into running before thinking I needed to push myself to run 2 or 3 miles and then I ended up hurting my hip and knees and everything else. I thought maybe I would never be able to run. I’m a determined person though and I really want to run. It’s not only a personal challenge but one that will also raise money for a Cause I believe in.

I’m getting up at 5am on weekday mornings and getting my run in. My best buddy, Tracy in NC is my backup alarm (6am there). If she doesn’t hear from me that I’m up, I expect a call from her so it’s my goal to never make her call me. I’m not really sure if she would call but just knowing it’s a possibility holds me accountable. She has enough to worry about getting her hubby and two kids up and then off to school and work. So far so good as today is day 6 of the 30 day plan. I have not run yet today but will this afternoon. I figure I deserve to sleep in a little on the weekends. In my 5 days of running I have already seen a little improvement. My first day I ran/walked 1.9 miles and by day 5 I was up to 2.25 miles. My body is feeling pretty good so I think the plan is working for me so far.

I’m also working in strength training and yoga into my training plan. I have two bad knees so it’s important that I keep the muscles in my knees strong to help protect them. I’m doing the yoga to help my core strength as well as balance and stretching. I found a Yoga class at my gym that I can go to on T/TH during my lunch hour. I started that this past week and yoga is harder than you would think or maybe my balance is just really bad!!

Stay tuned as I hope to keep everyone updated weekly on my progress.

Dallas 3-Day Experience

Thursday November 4th
Thursday evening Veronica flew in from Kentucky. She had joined our team just a few days ago. Veronica’s teammate wasn’t going to be able to come to Dallas and she was new to the 3-Day and had never been to Dallas. The 3Day Coaches put her in touch with our team captain, Jackie and Jackie sent out her info to the team. I thought she could probably use a friendly welcome so I offered to pick her up at the airport. I took her to her hotel where I introduced her to another teammate, Renee. Little did I know I wouldn’t see her again until Lunch Day 3.

I can’t tell a lie I was excited about the 3-day beginning but I did have a little apprehension as I just didn’t know what to expect. I had walked 3 walks and every one of them was with my best friend Tracy. She’s been my cheerleader, walking buddy, tentmate, photographer and comedian but this time she wasn’t going to be with me.

Day 1 Friday
I met most of the team at Tom Thumb to board a bus to Collin Creek Mall where our 3 day adventure would begin. It was quite chilly but I refused to where a bunch of layers that I knew I would have to carry around the rest of the day. My motto for the week was “Suck it up” so that’s what I did. I wore my running skirt and a long sleeve dri-fit under my team shirt with my stocking cap, gloves, and team scarf. People kept asking me if I was cold and of course I was but do you think I was going to tell them that Mind over matter I say.

Opening ceremony was great. We had two teammates that were involved. Team captain Renee carried the flag that honored husbands and Elaine, a breast cancer survivor carried the Patience flag into the survivors circle. I have to take a minute to tell you about Elaine. She is 68 years old and within the last few years defeated breast cancer. She trains with us every weekend, is always good for a few laughs and even though she has fallen many times she pops back up with a, “I’m ok. Let’s go.” I actually fell once and in the back of my mind I was thinking, hurry, get up, brush it off because that’s what Elaine does! She is the true meaning of a Pink Warrior and inspires me every time I see her.

I tell you all of this about Elaine because she fell on Day 1 and broke her wrist. I heard that she told the EMT, “I’ve never walked the 3Day with a broken wrist.” That is her warrior spirit showing through. They, however, wouldn’t allow her back out on the route. I hate that for her but I know it was the best thing for her.

My friend Kelly came out to cheer me on in the afternoon. I had her bring me tissues as something attacked my allergies at lunch and my tissues were running out. Kelly quickly learned that if you stand near the route with a box of tissue you are the new best friend of walkers passing by. She almost ran out before I got to her. Thanks Kelly! You saved me.

When we got back to camp our tent had already been set up by a teammate’s husband and our bags were there too! Paul, you rock! My tentmate was Meg. I met Meg last year on training walks. We were both on our own teams then. When I met her last year she had no hair as she was just completing her treatment for Breast Cancer. She was the most adorable bald woman I’ve ever met. I fell in love with her spirit and energy! Just so happened that we both joined PSIM this year and both needed a tentmate and the rest is history. Meg was one of our dedicated training walk leaders this year. She likes to walk hills.

Day 2 Saturday
Day 2 started with frost on the ground. Brrrrr. Each day I started out with the same 3 people, Meg, Gail and Nikki. Gail was a training walk leader too. My very first training walk I ever took with a group was lead by Gail last year. She’s from NY and that accent comes out every now and then. She is a very proud G.G. when it comes to her grandson Kail. There is just something about Gail that is infectious and I was hooked on training walks with the group from that moment on. I found out early on that Gail and I walk the same pace. It’s always good to walk with someone that has your same pace. It’s even better when that person is someone you really like to be around! Good thing I like Meg, Gail and Nicki.

Nicki, is a first time walker who is friends with Brittany who is Valerie’s daughter. Brittany and Valerie are speed walkers. Nicki, thought they were psycho walkers so she stuck with us in the am. Never failed though, we would start out without them and they would always catch up to us before long. So really I walked with a core of 5 people. Occasionally we would pick up some other teammates along the way.

Walking with these ladies was so much fun and there was never a dull moment. I learned that the nails people put signs on posts with aren’t really for signs but are put there for squirrels to use to run up the pole. I also learned that Valerie and Gail could end up like Thelma and Louise if we don’t keep our eye on them.

Lunch on day 2 was at Hockaday School. It was there that I decided we needed some lunch time entertainment so I did not one but two cartwheels and I didn’t even hurt myself. I think everyone was very impressed with my skills. Actually I think they were just amazed that I had enough energy to do them!

Shortly after lunch I was in the front of our group and came up beside a girl. It looked like she was walking all by herself. I’m not sure what it was but something told me that I needed to talk to her. So I struck up a conversation with Niki H. and found out that this was her first walk and she was walking to honor her mom whom she had lost to Leukemia/Breast Cancer this past August. I started to tell her about our team and training walks and introduced her to the ladies with me. I told her about Dance Party that was that night and she had to come. She told me she would but just in case I got her tent location so I could go get her if she didn’t show up.

Today I had more friends, Judy, Carmen, Debbie and little Ady, come out to cheer me on. Judy brought me diet coke. It really hit the spot. I so enjoyed seeing my friends and letting them experience a little of what I have been doing and supporting the past 3 years. I couldn’t do any of this without my friends, family, co-workers, and colleagues. Big Thanks to all of you!

Well Dance Party was getting ready to start and no Niki. I went to her tent and called for her but no answer. She showed up a few minutes later and said her neighbors said someone came looking for her and she knew it had to be me! I know you are asking yourself how in the world do people who have now walked 40 miles have any energy to dance? It feels so good to move around and loosens up your muscles. She said she had a great time. I gave her my business card and told her to email me as out of 2800 walkers I really didn’t think I would see her again.

Day 3 Sunday
It was daylight savings time and we supposedly got an extra hour of sleep. I don’t think that really happened as we had to pack, take down the tent, eat and get in line for a bus to take us to our starting point for day 3. I told Meg when she signed up to be my tentmate not to worry about packing up. I have it down to a science. When we woke up we took the plug out of the air mattress so it would deflate while we dressed. I rolled up both sleeping bags. I’m a pro thanks to all the camping and Dad showing me how to do it when I was little. Next, I rolled up the air mattress and next took down the tent. Meg told me I was way to efficient as she hadn’t even finished getting her bag packed by the time I had everything all done. Next, I was on to help teammate Nikki with her tent. I guess I got a little ahead of her and her tentmate Tracey as I found out later that I might have rolled up Tracey’s toothbrush in the tent. Luckily she had already used it that morning. Sorry Tracey!

Guess what? We got to pit stop 1 and there was Niki H. and here I didn’t think I would see her again. She told us once again how much fun she had at Dance Party. Pit Stop 1 is where I lost my camera and the funny thing is it really didn’t stress me out. I started looking a little bit and then a girl said a man took it to the food table. Yeah! I found my camera. It just fell off my bag when I sat it down outside the porta potty.

Day 3 is always a shorter day as we all have to finish in time for closing ceremony. History told us that we didn’t want to walk to fast or we would be getting to lunch at 10:30am. So the first Starbucks we came to we decided we had time for a little break. We all went in for coffee/tea and found us a seat outside in the sun. We cheered on our fellow walkers as they went by. They were all very jealous of us!

We got to lunch about 11 and this is where I ran into Veronica again. She said she was having a great time but when she got back to camp had been eating, showering and going to bed. That explains why I never saw her. After lunch we walked through the West End and on to Fair Parks for closing ceremony.

Remember Elaine that broke her wrist. She was also suppose to carry a flag for closing ceremony but since she couldn’t carry it they let Meg, my tentmate and survivor, escort her and carry the flag. When I saw Elaine up there with her cast, I lost it. All my emotions that had built up over the 3 days came flowing out. I cried for Elaine, I cried for Meg and the other survivors, I cried for my mom, I cried for everyone that has ever had to feel the pain of cancer.

It was at that moment that I knew I was signing up for Dallas again. There was no way that I was going to allow my Pink Soles in Motion to do anything without me. These men and women are such positive, inspirational people who together are making a difference one step at a time and I intend to be there with them.

Oh, and guess who I saw when I was leaving closing ceremony. Niki H. and her husband Keith. On top of that, I get home and I’m looking at photos posted on facebook by my teammates and who did I see…a photo of Niki. Something tells me it was just meant for me to meet her.

November 11, 2010
Today would have been my mom’s 63rd birthday. Happy Birthday MOM! I made a wish today for a world without Cancer. I know it will come true one day.

On Monday the 8th I signed up to Walk Dallas in November 2011 with the Pink Soles in Motion and guess who emailed me? You guessed it Niki H. She said she would and she did. We’ve been emailing back and forth the last few days. Sounds like she, her husband and cousin may want to join the team. I hope they do as I look forward to continuing to get to know them.

One more thing for today, I signed up for the Dallas Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon in March 2011. Why not run 13.1 miles? I know I can walk 20. Click the link at the top of my blog if you wish to support me in my run.

Photos 2010 Dallas Susan G. Komen 3-Day

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