Has Anyone Done The Breast Cancer Walk?

[ahavnes]

This is something I've been wanting to do for quite a while, but haven't had anyone to partner up with. Now that I'm moving back near friends, I really want to give it a try.

Has anyone done this walk? (Either the Avon or the 3-day) How did you like it? Was it a lot harder than you imagined? What about the training?

TIA! :)

[Vegastrtle]

I did the Avon (2 day) walk. I ended up doing it alone because everybody I know decided they'd rather sponsor me than participate. I hooked up with a group of women that lived near me and we walked together (their message board has people posting training opportunities). We trained every weekend and gradually increased the mileage. The only thing that got me was the heat...we had trained in mild weather but for whatever reason, we were experiencing a heat wave that week..Marin was so hot, I had people at every stop asking if I was okay. I ended up getting a ride out of Marin and back to SF. As soon as I crossed the bridge, they dropped me off and I walked the rest of the way...it was important to me that I walk to the end on both days. The presidio was so cold (where we spent the night) I ended up with the worst sinus infection ever. The hills were torture at the time but not so bad 2 and half years later. It was a great experience..I highly recommend it...despite the tone of my post.

[Phen]

I used to do the Race for the Cure, even before I was diagnosed! It was an AMAZING experience. All those people, all those women in pink....it was just a thrilling feeling to be walking all together.

I did "train" for a month or so before each race (I walked the Races, not ran), nothing major, just little 20-30 minute walks a few nights a week. But it made it easier the day of the race than if I'd just started walking without any training.

Several friends of mine have done the 3-Day walk for me. My college roommate had such an incredible experience that she signed up to do it again this year and is wanting me to join her. She did do a fair bit of training beforehand, but said she really could've (should've) done more. She's starting earlier this year -- both with the training and with the fund-raising. Oh, and she walked alone, but made several good walkin' buddies along the way, plus her DH met her near the finish line and handed her their son, so she carried him across the finish line with her. :)

~ Phen

[ramaba]

hey, I haven't done one before, but I volunteered at Denver's Avon Walk last year...and that inspired me to do it this year! (It's my biggest & most significant goal for the year in which I turn 30.)

[endymion411]

i did the 3-day walk in michigan in 2004. a co-worker asked me to sign up with her, so i did, but then she got pregnant and was going to be due around the same time as the walk. i ended up going at it alone, but was matched with a great tent-mate who had a really nice group of friends she was walking with.

some random thoughts...

*i wish i had trained more seriously. i just kept putting it off and paid for it by not being able to move very comfortably for a few days after the walk. thank goodness for being able to stay at my parents house and get daily leg massages! :) (dh, fi at the time, was hundreds of miles away :()

*i wish i had brought better rain gear. it rained on the first day and i ended up getting sick. couldn't get warm for the rest of the weekend and my blood pressure dropped--was still able to walk the whole thing though!!

*fundraising wasn't as scary as i thought it would be. i ended up getting to the minimum amount within the first month after i signed up.

*it is incredible to live in a little bubble for 3-days where people ask you how you're doing and actually want to know rather than just wanting to hear "fine".

*besides raising money for a great cause, doing this made me feel so great about myself for being able to physically get through the walk itself

i met so many amazing, inspirational people along the way. during that walk, i signed up to do it again in 2005, but the dates of the walk in michigan ended up being the only weekend that worked for our wedding, so i just did my fundraising instead. am hoping to sign up again for 2006, but am waiting to find out where DH matches for his residency and if/when we'll have to move so i can pick an appropriate city/weekend to walk!

[ahavnes]

Thanks so much for the input ladies. Great food for thought!

My day job is as a fundraiser, so I'm not worried about that aspect at all. ;) I am worried about the training though. I am about to become a SAHM with a baby under a year old and a husband who works 60 hours a week. I just worry that I won't have the opportunity to train like I should. I am in good shape (I think, at least I go to they gym several times a week!), but I know that walking for 3 days is something else altogether.

Did anyone else train with a busy schedule? How did that work out?

[salysaturn]

I did the race for the cure last year. It was amazing!! At the end of the race, all these people were cheering you on, and I felt so good knowing my $ was going for a good cause. We walked for s friends mom who died young of breast cancer, and my Aunt who just died a few months ago.

[Phen]

Alicia, a large portion of my college roommate's training for the 3-day walk was taking her son on very long walks in his stroller, so that's one way to train with a small one to care for at the same time. :)

~ phen

[AmyAmy]

I have done the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk for the past 5 years. It is only a 5mile walk, so its not that intense, however they do have a "pooped" bus for those that get tired along the way.

My whole family took place in the walk this past year (my mom is one of 9 girls and 5 out of the 9 have survived breast cancer, including my mom). We made it a whole weekend affair, with a prewalk team party, gift bags, the whole nine yards. We used the party as a chance to educate some of our less well educated members on breast cancer risk and prevention.

Goodluck planning and trainning! This is a cause obviously very close to my heart and walking makes me feel that although its small, I am at least doing something to help, you know? :)

[Natrat80]

Hey Alicia. I have been involved in Race for the Cure since college (breast cancer research is my sororiety's philanthropy). I have run quite a few Race for the Cure 5 Ks and worked a few too. I agree with Phen that it is an amazing experience! As you are running/walking you see all these people around you with names on their back. You can run the race in honor or in memory of someone that has had breast cancer. It is also so cool to see all the survivors dressed in pink. I know you said you want to do the 3 day walk, but you could start with a 5K and that might ease you into the longer race. I know you're moving to Texas, but I can't remember where.
Texas 2006 Race for the Cure:
http://www.komen.org/Events/find_race.aspx?nodeID=356
I'm making plans to run in the Plano one in June.....even with my limited workout time I figure I can run 3.2 miles by June! I agree that you can take Abbey in the stroller for your workouts....she'd probably love it!

[ahavnes]

Thanks for the advice ladies. I hadn't thought of a 5k, but I'll look into that as well. I'm going to ask my friends and see which one they would be most interested in before making my decision.

[May27JnJ]

I wanted to bump this because I didn't know where else to put it.

I've never done a 5K walk. I've never started a team, but I want to!

We have a 5K Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk coming up next month. I want to get something started!! Where do I start?

[Standrea]

You can go to the American Cancer Society Website. Find your state here, (http://http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PAR/PAR_2_Making_Strides_Against_Breast_Cancer.asp) and get the info that you need.

A bunch of my mommy friends and I have a team this year! This will be the second year doing the walk with our girls.

[May27JnJ]

Are you raising money? How did you getting it started?

[lauren f s]

DD & I are doing the Susan G. Komen walk in October.

I checked the American Cancer Society and the only walk they have in TX is in Houston (I'm in the Dallas area). My aunt died from breast cancer 9 years ago so it's very important to me to be involved in this and I'd like DD to grow up doing it as well. We're doing the 5k walk; I plan to bring a stroller along because I doubt she'll be able to walk the entire way (she'll be almost 4). A few friends and co-workers are joining me on the walk. I'm very excited!

May27JnJ: I signed up with the Susan G Komen walk here through their site; here is a link to the list of upcoming races: Race for the Cure (http://cms.komen.org/komen/NewsEvents/FindAnEvent/index.htm?ssSourceNodeId=505&ssSourceSiteId=Komen) . Once signed up I was able to make a page for family and friends to visit and donate money.

[May27JnJ]

I feel so dumb for asking so many questions.

How did you make your team?

Do you need more than one person? I just don't know who would do it with me.

And I guess I need a team name.

[lauren f s]

When you sign up there is a "race page" you can view and it has the option of forming a team. You click on that and email people you want to join, come up with a name, etc. I think a team can be at least two people; I don't see why not!

I just found this link: Teams (http://www.komen-dallas.org/site/PageServer?pagename=race_teaminfo&JServSessionIdr007=8utegg7s01.app2b) There must be a minimum of 10 people on a team for them to be eligible for prizes, but from what I've read any less is okay, you just don't get prizes.

[May27JnJ]

Thanks Lauren. The Making Strides Against Breast Cancer site has teams with just one person in it. So I guess I could do it. I'm striking out on people I have asked to join me so far. I'm going to email them again when I get everything set up.

Any ideas for a team name?

[salysaturn]

I have done the Race for the Cure, and seeing all those people was amazing. I lost an Aunt to Breast Cancer, and I walked before she passed. I agree with everyone. Seeing those people who are survivors, families of amazing!

[Standrea]

Our team name is "Team Cure". We did it last year without having a team, doing it individually.

[salysaturn]

We were the Pink Butterflies my first year. We walked for a friend's mother, and she loved pink...and butterflies :)

[ahavnes]

I did the 5K run last year by myself (without a team) and it was amazing. I cannot wait to do it again this year!

[May27JnJ]

saly - I hope you don't mind, but I stole your team name. I think it's so beautiful! I've always loved butterflies, so why not right. And when I think of butterflies I think of something free and light!

So I'm the Pink Butterflies. Now I just have to find people to walk with me and raise money.

[May27JnJ]

I'm thinking about doing a bake sale to raise money. How do I find somewhere to host it? I don't even care if it's outside. I'll have coffee or something to sale too. I've thought about asking my bosses boss about having it in the parking lot of my work on a Saturday. I just don't know how that will fly.

[Dettes]

I've done the NY Avon Walk for the past couple of years. It is a lot of fun and you meet so many great women. Our team is called "Grateful Alive" and we wear tie dyed shirts with dancing bears on them.