Friday 3 Day Blog Round Up!

Let's take a look back at last week's Twin Cities 3 Day event and start looking ahead to Denver, shall we?  But first, let's look at what everyone else has been talking about in the 3 Day blogosphere!

First up this week, Holly, who writes the blog I Like it Frantic, interviewed a veteran walker named Mary, which she shared in this post. Holly also put out a call for mail at the DC 3 Day event in this post. 

Cathy Miller, of the blog Simply Stated Business, shared the three power lessons she has learned during her six 3 Day events in this post. 

Jillian, of the blog Chai Latte Please has been recapping her experience at the Chicago event in a series of "3 Day Deconstruct" posts that I highly recommend.  First up, Jillian shared some pictures from her team's pre-event party which you can see here. Jillian also reflected on her awesome team captain and asked about what others think make a good team captain in this post. Finally, Jillian shared this touching letter from an 18 year old walker on her 3 Day team which is well worth reading.  

Lauri, of the blog 60 Mile Thoughts, shared two personal experiences this week that led her to realize the real reason that we all walk in the Breast Cancer 3 Day: Because it's a great day to be alive!  You can find that great post here. 

On a related note, Jenny, of the blog The Big Walk, has the perfect answer for just about any training excuse which she summed up in this short yet awesome post. 

D'lyn, of the blog Meanderings of a 3 Day Mom, is on a mission to post one of what she calls her "Princess Guides" to the 3 Day at least once per day from now until the Dallas event this fall.  While I can't link to everything she writes, I did want to highlight some of my favorites.  In this great post, D'lyn urged everyone to start spreading the word about their participation in the 3 Day and offered a few suggestions about how to go about doing just that.  D'lyn also pushed everyone to start their fundraising if they haven't already in this post.  Finally, this post, in which D'lyn compared the 3 Day experience to a dog on a jet ski (replete with pictures of her dog on a jet ski!) particularly made me laugh.   

Cat, of the Fat Girl Walkin' blog, talks about the need to take care of yourself if you're going to Keep Going! in this post. 

Abby, of the blog Bigfoot to be Spotted at the Atlanta 3 Day, talks about the awesomeness that is the 3 Day Tweeps in this post. 

Tanya, of the blog My 3Day Journey, talks about finding the inspiration to keep going with her training in her surroundings as she walked in this post. 

The Chi Chi Mamas team in DFW wrote about their softball tournament/carnival fundraiser in this post.  Sounds like an amazing event! 

Julie, the Tampa Keep Going Blogger that writes the blog Whatever Julie, took some time to recognize her various training partners in this post. 

Rhea, the San Diego Keep Going Blogger that writes the blog Mommy 2 3 Monkeys, has hit a low point in her training for the 3 Day and could use a dose of Keep Going! spirit.  You can read about her frustrations and offer her some support here.  

Nicole of One Day at a Time shares her top ten list of things to pack for the 3 Day list in this helpful post. 

Inspired by Nicole's post, Leanne, of the blog Leanne... the Walker, decided to get some new contact cards to take with her during the event.  Check them out here.  

Speaking of Leanne, she is the latest walker to take part in the "Why I Walk" series of interviews with John, of the blog 60 Miles 3 Days.  You can check out Leanne's interview here.   In addition to interviewing Leanne, John also took some time this week to write about making plans for after the walk in this post. 

Jenny, of the blog Two Girls Walking, wrote about the inherent difficulties in training to walk 60 miles in 3 Days in this very honest post.   

This past weekend, Jay Furr took part in the Twin Cities 3 Day for the Cure, blogging all the way.  Jay shared his excitement about heading out to Opening Ceremonies in this post.  He also posted from Lunch on Day 1 in this post and from camp that evening in this post.  Likewise, Jay posted from lunch on Day 2 in this post and from camp on Day 2 in this post.  Great work Jay!   

Rachel Coe, the Twin Cities Keep Going Blogger who writes the blog Empowering Mommy also documented her experience during the event, starting with this post about her feelings as she headed out to Opening Ceremonies.  You can read about her experience on Day 1 in this post, on Day 2 in this post and on Day 3 in this post.  Rachel also shared this great photo from the event. 

Finally, as we wrap up this past, Laurie, of the blog Guessing All the Way, is preparing to head out to the Denver 3 Day for the Cure.  You can read some of her pre-event thoughts in this post. 

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Monday Motivation

 "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

          ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

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A Not So Friday 3 Day Blog Round Up!

Apologies for posting this so late, it should have been up a few days ago.  I had the time this weekend, I just didn't do it.  Then, of course, I got really busy with work yesterday and today.  Lesson learned: do these things while you have the time, because inevitably, things will come up!

Anyways - there was a lot going this past week as we continue to look back on the Chicago walk, recap the Michigan walk and get ready for the Twin Cities!

Let's start with a few posts looking back on the Chicago walk a few weeks ago.  First up, Nallie, of the blog Pounding the Ground, put together a great slide show of her photos from the Chicago walk which you can see here. 

Jillian, of the blog Chai Latte Please, also shared some photos of the best tent decorations in Chicago in this post. 

Paula, the Chicago Keep Going blogger that writes the blog Frosted Fingers, is back this week with her Day 3 recap from last weekend's Chicago walk which you can read here. 

In the last of the Chicago posts, Megan, of the blog Fried Okra, looked back on her walk in Chicago and how it changed her and her teammates for the better in this great post.  I think the picture of her teammate Meagan that she included is just stunning. 

Moving on from the Chicago-centric entries, Nicole, of the blog One Step at a Time, posted part three of her series "You Know You're a 3 Day Walker When...", which you can find here.  Nicole also posted her most recent 3 Day Rockstar interview with Lauri Yanis which you can read here. 

Lyndsey, of the blog My 3 Day Journey, shared a look back at her 2009 walk in this cute picture of her and teammates at the end of Day 2.

Holly, of the blog I Like it Frantic, shared the story of Terri Barone, a veteran 3 Day walker who was herself diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year in this post. 

Jenny, of the blog The Big Walk, looks back on her training to date and realizes just how she's come over the past few months in this post.  Jenny also demonstrates exactly why it is so important to talk to everyone you know about the 3 Day in this post where she talks about receiving a surprise donation via Facebook.

Laurie, the Denver Keep Going Blogger who writes the blog Guessing All the Way, is two weeks out from her 3 Day walk and says it's time to kick her training up a notch and break in her new shoes in this post. 

Rhea, the San Diego Keep Going Blogger who writes the blog Mommy 2 3 Monkeys has been all about the 3 Day this week.  First up, Rhea shared her interview with veteran walker and CEO of Studiopress Brian Gardner which you can read here.  Rhea also attended the San Diego Preview Expo which she recapped here.  Finally, Rhea took part in her first official training walk which she talked about here. 

Deb, of the 60 Miles for Busts blog, also attended the San Preview Expo.  You can check out her pictures and read about her experience here.  Deb also wrote about her local training walk leader, Katie, who is a 24 year old breast cancer survivor in this excellent post. 

Cat, of the Fat Girl Walkin' blog shared an interview with the Arizona 3 Day team Team Walking On that aired on her news station TV3 in Arizona which you can see here.

Jami, of the blog Jami's 3 Day Journey, shared the top three important lessons that she learned during training this week which you can read here.  There are some great tips in there! 

Rikki, of the blog Janice's Fight, talked about perseverance during training in this post.  

Deanna, of the blog Deanna's 3 Day Journey, wrote about her bout of dehydration and the importance of pre-hydrating in this post.  

John, of the blog 60 Miles 3 Days, encourages friends and family to send letters on the event and reminds all 3 Day walkers and crew to check their mail in camp in this helpful post.  

Leanne, of the blog Leanne... the Walker, took some time this week to share her family's personal connection with cancer which you can read in this moving post. 

Finally, we have a series of posts looking back at last weekend's Michigan 3 Day event.  First up, Vanessa of the Coconutter Strutters noted that a bunch of her fellow Coconuts made the front page of their local paper during the walk, which you can see here.  Vanessa also shared a link to a great YouTube video from the Michigan walk which you can watch here. 

Shawn Ann, the Michigan Keep Going Blogger who writes the blog Shawn Ann's World, posted her recaps from Day 1 here, Day 2 here, and Day 3 here.  Shawn Ann also wrote a complete event recap post which you can read here. 

In the last of the Michigan posts, Cindy, of the blog My Journey for a Cause,  wrote all about her 3 Day experience here. 

With the Michigan event now on the books, it is time to look ahead to the Twin Cities walk!  Jay Furr wrote about his excitement at finally being on his way to the first of his planned three events in this post.  Jay also took some time to share his thoughts from the night before the event which you can read here.  

And last, but certainly not least, the Michigan Keep Going Blogger Rachel Coe, who writes the blog Empowering Mommy, also shared her thoughts as she headed out for the Twin Cities 3 Day in this post.  

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The Story of 3 Day Mug

I have a coffee mug.  It is pink and 3 Day themed and I painted it as part of a 3 Day fundraiser for my friend Julie (aka @knittingbagel on Twitter).  And in the intervening months and weeks since I painted my mug, it has become quite famous.  It has become known, quite simply as "3 Day Mug".

Mug rose to prominence as a result of Julie and I's friendly bickering over whether it is better to live in intown Atlanta (or "ITP", which stands for Inside the Perimeter, where I live) or if the suburbs are preferable (that would be "OTP", where Julie lives).  Julie decided that they best way to prove that OTP life was better was to take my mug, which she was in temporary custody of, for a tour of all things Alpharetta, which she documented in a series of increasingly hilarious pictures throughout the course of one day.  And because all of this was taking place on Twitter, the adventures of Mug were witnessed by a large number of our fellow 3 Day participants, who quickly became quite enamored of Mug.

Soon enough, things started to get silly, as these things often do.  Before I knew it, Mug had her own blog (at http://2ladies1mug.wordpress.com/) and her own Twitter account (where she "tweets" as @3DayMug), neither of which I established but both of which entertained me mightily.  Mug was updating the world on her adventures fairly regularly and her legend was growing.

Mug is ready to walk!

As you may recall, I regained custody of the now rather famous 3 Day Mug during a training walk with my fellow Atlanta 3 Day Tweeps (which I posted about here) shortly before I left for the Boston 3 Day.  Given Mug's new level of notoriety, I decided to bring Mug with me to Boston to document the event from Mug's point of view.  It ended up being a ton of fun - almost like the Flat Stanley of the 3 Day.  And of course, almost as soon as Mug started tweeting and posting pics from the 3 Day, I had offers to take Mug to almost all of the other 3 Day events as well!

In addition to the Boston 3 Day, Mug also "walked" in the Michigan 3 Day last weekend and is currently en route to her host for the Twin Cities 3 Day next weekend.  After a short respite back home with me, 3 Day Mug will also be traveling to the DC, Philly, Atlanta, Tampa, Dallas, Phoenix and San Diego 3 Day events as well!  By the time Thanksgiving rolls around, she will be one well-traveled Mug!

The adventures of the 3 Day Mug really have nothing to do with raising money or working to find a cure for breast cancer.  In fact, 3 Day Mug doesn't even have anything to do with training to walk 60 miles.  But what the story of the 3 Day Mug does is perfectly encapsulate the spirit of the 3 Day community: fun, outgoing, generous, passionate.  We don't take ourselves too seriously, but we are passionate about our cause.  When we do something, we do it all the way.  And we are constantly reaching out and supporting each other in whatever crazy thing we are doing.  If the 3 Day Mug can help bring that spirit to life and help spread it around the country, then I am all for that.

As a part of that effort, I will try to link over Mug's blog whenever a post (or series of posts) goes up from one of the 3 Day events.  Mug's first event, as I mentioned, was the Boston 3 Day at the end of July.  You can find Mug's posts from that event at the following links:

Mug's Recap of Day 1 of the Boston 3 Day

Mug's Recap of Day 2 of the Boston 3 Day

Mug's Recap of Day 3 of the Boston 3 Day

Enjoy the silliness that is inherent in reading about and seeing the 3 Day from a Mug's eye view and be sure to watch out for future 3 Day Mug posts!

Reunited with 3 Day Mug!

(PS - I think I'm starting to win over Julie that ITP is better.  Check out her post about a recent training walk that we did where I took her on a great tour of Midtown Atlanta!)

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Monday Motivation Returns!

I saw this quote on Twitter this morning and I thought it was the perfect way to reintroduce my Monday Motivation posts:

"Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude."

                  ~ Thomas Jefferson


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Friday (but actually Monday) 3 Day Blog Round Up!

This past week, the 3 Day blogosphere trained, fundraised, looked back on the Chicago walk and started looking ahead to the Michigan walk!

First up, Heidi, of the blog A Life Changing Journey, shared photos from a recent training walk around her town, which you can see here. 

Rhea, the San Diego Keep Going Blogger who writes the blog Mommy 2 3 Monkeys, reported on her recent "training" as she explored New Orleans and the Grand Canyon.  You read more about her adventures here. 

John, of the blog 60 Miles 3 Days talks about finding balance in his life between the 3 Day and real life in the wake of the Boston walk in this post. 

Much like John, Cat, of the Fat Girl Walkin' blog, has been striving to find more balance in her life this week.  She wrote about her efforts to find the happy middle ground and how the new 3 Day Tweeps community has helped her find just that in this great post.  Cat also shared her pictures from the AZ Preview Expo, which you can see here. 

Beckie, of the Divine Secrets of the Ta Ta Sisterhood blog, also attended the Arizona Preview Expo.  You can read all about her experience here.  :

Leanne, of the blog Leanne... the Walker, talks about the importance of well planned training walks in this post.  Leanne has also been thinking about her 2011 walks and floated a new idea for a fundraiser in this post.  Head on over and offer her your feedback! 

Speaking of the 2011 3 Day season, Caitlin, of The Komen Experience blog took in all your feedback last week and has decided to walk in Atlanta next year as a part of "Team Twitter ATL"!  You can read more about her decision here.  

Julie, the Tampa Keep Going Blogger who writes the blog Whatever Julie, interviewed veteran walker and Central Florida Komen volunteer Cher Keller-Bodnar about her previous 3 Day experiences.  You can read that interview here.

Shawn Ann, the Michigan Keep Going Blogger who blogs at Shawn Ann's World, also got into the interview game this week.  You can find Shawn Ann's interview with veteran walker Kris Dombrowski here and you can find her interview with the captain of the Coconutter Strutters team, Vanessa DeKoekkoek here.   

Speaking of the Coconutter Strutters, Catherine (aka "Queenie Coconut") wrote this week about the extra significance of the Michigan walk this year - her mother (a survivor) is celebrating her 60th Birthday that weekend as well!  You can read her thoughts on this milestone here.  

Andrew, who writes the blog Thoughts from a 3 Day Crew Captain, observes that you can tell a lot about someone's character by how they approach fundraising, especially for crew members, for whom it isn't required.  You can find that post here.  

Online Ambassador Jay Furr is looking forward to the Twin Cities walk next weekend, which he wrote about here. 

Lisa, of the blog Whining Causes Blisters, talks about the book (and now movie) Eat Pray Love and notes that through the 3 Day, you can take a similar personal journey much closer to home in this great post. 

Christine, of the blog Saving Second Base, shared an inspirational thought that one of her supporters wrote on her Traveling Shirt in this post. 

This week saw a number of posts focusing on the reasons that different people have for choosing to participate in the 3 Day.  First up, Jenny, of the aptly named Reasons Why I Walk blog, shares the story of her friend and survivor Patty, one of the women who has inspired her 3 Day walk this year in this excellent post. 

Nicole, of the blog One Step at a Time, also reflected this week on her top ten reasons for walking in the 3 Day again this year in this post. 

Not to be outdone, Holly, of the blog I Like It Frantic, shared at least 25 reasons why she will be walking in the 3 Day this year in this post. 

Tracy, a survivor herself who writes the Team Tracy blog, shared stories and some photos from the Team Tracy Silent Art Auction fundraiser, which you can find here. 

Margie, of the blog Margie's Magenta Miles, shared a great comment from her mother (who is a survivor) that helped her put her recent training struggles into perspective in this post. 

The blogger for the Babes for Boobs Atlanta team blog (who's name I couldn't find - if it's you, let me know!) posted a picture a great little knicknack that her mother/teammate found to commemorate their 2009 and soon to be 2010 3 Day events, which you can see here. 

Jami, of the blog Jami's 3-Day Journey has decided not to let one missed training walk set her back any longer.  You can read her motivational post here. 

Rikki, of the blog Janice's Fight - Our 3 Day Journey, is experiencing something that I think all 3 Day walkers go through: she has become addicted to buying things that are pink.  You can read about her "pink madness" here. 

And finally, I wanted to wrap up with a series of reports from my fellow 3 Day bloggers that took part in the Chicago event last weekend.  

To start us off, Nallie of the blog Pounding the Ground, shares her report from camp at the end of Day 2 here and her post-event look back at Day 3 here. 

Paula, the Chicago Keep Going Blogger who writes at the blog Frosted Fingers, wrote a series of posts from camp at the end of each day.  You can find her recap of Day 1 here and her recap of Day 2 here.  She also shared a great photo of herself at the last mile of the 3 Day here. 

Megan of the blog Fried Okra posted a series of pictures via iPhone from the Chicago walk that are worth checking out.  Her photos include this fun photo from Opening Ceremonies, this photo of lunch on Day 1 and this great photo of her team heading out at the start of Day 2.  

Finally, Beth, of the blog Finding My Voice wrote this wonderful synopsis of her weekend at the Chicago 3 Day which is lengthy but well worth a read. 

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3 Day Blog Round Up for July 30th - August 5th!

I'm almost caught up, so let's just jump right into this one...

This week, we're going to start with some continued remembrances from the Boston walk a few walks ago.  First up, Lisa from the Whining Causes Blisters blog shared this great photo collage from the Boston walk. 

John, of the 60 Miles 3 Days blog reported on some of the changes that he noticed during the Boston walk compared to previous years in this informative post.  John also gave a shout out to all of the warriors against breast cancer that have been a part of his journey this year in this post. 

Finally, 3 Day for the Cure National Spokeswoman Jenne Fromme also shared her reflections on the Boston 3 Day in this wonderful post on her personal blog, JenneThink.

Moving away from Boston, DC and Dallas walker Catrina, of the blog Catrina's 2010 Story, writes about the madness of training and reminds us of why we all willingly have taken on that madness in this post. 

Christina, of the Saving Second Base blog, reported on the Philly Preview Expo in this post. 

Nicole, of the blog One Step at a Time, has returned from her blogging hiatus with the next in her series of interviews with 3 Day Rockstars.  This week, she is talking to the founder of The 60 Mile Men, Matthew Pickus.  You can find that great interview here. 

Michigan Keep Going Blogger Shawn Ann, of the blog Shawn Ann's World, also got into the interview game this past week when she talked to first time walker Jennifer Meyer.  You can read what Jennifer had to say here. 

Beckie, team captain of The Ta Ta Sisterhood, opines on the benefits of using Daily Mile to track and report your training in this post.  

Caitlin, of The Komen Experience blog, is asking for advice about where she should walk in 2011.  You can help her decide by voting in her poll here. 

Ellyn, of the blog Life After Breast Cancer, reports that her team, Ta Ta Breast Cancer, has raised over $100,000 for the Michigan walk.  Share your congratulations with her and her teammates here.  

Jenny, of the blog The Big Walk, talks about how what was going to be a simple fundraiser grew to be so much more in this post.  Jenny also recapped their team's highly successful Treasure Sale here. 

Online Ambassador Jay Furr wrote a number of incredible posts this week, all of which just perfectly encapsulate the true spirit of the 3 Day.  In one post, Jay's reflected on the significance of the 3 Day flags to him personally and to the 3 Day community at large.  You can find that post here.  Jay also wrote about the feeling of alone-ness that he felt during his first 3 Day experience and how that has shaped his 3 Day journey ever since in this post.  Finally, Jay will be hosting the infamous 3 Day Mug for the Twin Cities walk, which he talks about here.  

Deb, of the blog 60 Miles for Busts, reflects on all of the support that she has received from the 3 Day community in this post. 

Julie, of the team Two Pink Chicks Fo(u)r Boobs recently convinced me to take her on a 10 mile training walk tour of ITP Atlanta.  You can read all about our walk and see Julie's pictures here.  

While Julie and I were walking around Atlanta, Deanna, of the blog Deanna's 3-Day Journey, ventured out to another of my favorite walking spots, Stone Mountain for her first official training walk.  You can read all about it here.  Deanna also recently attended the Atlanta Preview Expo, which she wrote about here.   

Vanessa and the Coconutter Strutters are encouraging everyone to come out and cheer them on in Michigan.  Find out where to be to support the walkers and at what times in this post. 

The 2010 Cleveland 3 Day walk is officially in the books!  Energizer Keep Going blogger Tesa, who writes the blog 2 Wired 2 Tired, dedicated a number of posts over the past week to writing about her experience, which you can find at the following links:

Cleveland Day 0

Cleveland Day 1

Cleveland Day 2

Cleveland Day 3

Tesa's Photos and Videos

Tesa also issued her own personal Keep Going award after the completion of the Cleveland walk.  Find out who she awarded it to here.  

Tina Seifer, of the blog 60 Miles 3 Days 1 Goal, also took part in the Cleveland 3 Day.  You can find her recap posts here:

Cleveland, the night before

Cleveland Day 1

Cleveland Day 2

Cleveland Day 3

With the conclusion of the Cleveland walk, it is now time to look ahead to the Chicago walk!  Lots of 3 Day bloggers were preparing for the Chicago walk last week, including Jillian, of the blog Chai Latte Please.  Jillian previewed her tent decorations for the Chicago event here. 

Becca, of the blog Becca's Stuff, shared some of her last minute thoughts before the Chicago walk in this post. 

Kaitlin, of the blog 3 KFine Days also shared her thoughts ahead of the Chicago walk here.  

And finally, Nallie of the blog Pounding the Ground wrote about her thoughts about walking in Chicago here.  

Beth, of the blog Finding My Voice, prepared for the Chicago walk by posting all of the information about the cheering stations and closing ceremonies.  It's too late to head out for the Chicago walk now (sorry!), but it's worth it to read her take on why community support during the 3 Day is so important.  You can find that post here. 

Finally, Megan, of the blog Fried Okra, has declared that she is decidedly not scared for the Chicago walk, which she talks about here.  And with that, Megan and her teammates are officially off to Chicago, as you can see in this great picture from Thursday night.  

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3 Day Blog Round Up for July 23rd - 29th!

I'm almost caught up!  Just one more post after this and we'll be back on track!

First up, the Breast Cancer 3 Day folks recently debuted a new text message alert system.  Beckie of The Ta Ta Sisterhood covers all the relevant details including how to sign up for this service here. 

Leanne of the Leanne... the Walker blog, has been hitting the pavement in the heat of the deep south.  She shares her scary dehydration tale of warning in this important post. Be careful out there, everyone!

Nallie of the blog Pounding the Ground shares her top 10 fundraising tips, especially for students that are still in college in this great post.  I highly endorse all of her suggestions!  Nallie also found renewed inspiration in the stories and pictures from the Boston walk, which talked about here. 

Speaking of inspiration, Jenny, of the blog The Big Walk, shared the moving story of Donna H and her husband Jason, the inspiration for her 3 Day walk in this post.  Jenny has been training hard and shared the story of powering through her first 12 mile training walk in this post.  

This past weekend wasn't just the Boston walk, it was also the Atlanta Preview Expo!  Tammy K  of the blog My 3 Day Journey, talks about her experience at the Atlanta Expo here. 

Heidi, of the blog A Life Changing Journey, also made her way to Atlanta Expo.  But before she got there, she got some great news - she officially passed her fundraising goal!  Share your congratulations and read about her Expo experience here. 

Tanya, of the blog My 3Day Journey, marks the milestone of 100 days until the DFW event by sharing some fun facts and by reflecting on some important statistics that remind us all why we walk in this post. 

Tesa of the blog 2 Wired 2 Tired is gearing up for her walk in Cleveland by chatting with a number of veteran walkers and teams in her area.  First up, Tesa interviewed veteran 3 Dayers Marvin and Sharon Rothblatt about their family's involvement in the 3 Day, which you can read here.  Tesa also talked with the members of Team Envision A Cure, which you can read here.  Finally, Tesa talked with Team Breast Man Walking, which you can read here. 

The Coconutter Strutters team recently completed a 15 mile team training walk and made it look like fun too!  You can read all about it and check out their great pictures here.  

Lilly, of the blog Lilly's (note)Pad, updates everyone on her fundraising progress (including some great handmade pieces that she's selling!) and her recaps our recent Atlanta Tweeps Training Walk from her perspective in this newsy post. 

Cat, of the Fat Girl Walkin' blog decided to give the gym a second chance.  Find out how it went here. 

As of this past week, the Boston walk is in the books and the recaps are starting to roll in!

First up is John of the 60 Miles 3 Days blog.  Follow these links to read about his experience on Day 1, Day 2 (where my teammates and I make a cameo appearance!) and finally, on Day 3. 

Caitlin, the Energizer Blogger for Boston who blogs at The Komen Experience has also posted her thoughts on the Boston walk.  Her summary for Day 1 can be found here and her summary of Day can be found here.  Caitlin also reflected on her experience in Boston and the true meaning of the Discoveries flag that she carried during Opening Ceremonies in this great post. 

In the last of the Boston walk recaps, Lisa of the blog Whining Causes Blisters reflected on one of the highlights of her time in Boston in this post that really hit home for me.  As she says, it's all about the giggling.  

Finally, while reading all of the stories and seeing the pictures of the Boston walk is fun, it is important to remember the true reasons that we are all on this journey.  Ellyn, of the blog Life After Breast Cancer, reminds of those reasons and remembers her friend Lori who recently lost her battle with bresat cancer in this beautiful post.

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3 Day Blog Round Up for July 16th - 22nd!

Still catching up on the 3 Day blogosphere!  This recap covers the week leading up to the Boston 3 Day and represents the last full week before the 3 Day season officially kicks off.  With the first event of the season right around the corner, the 3 Day bloggers were all abuzz with their own preparations.

First up, Tina of the blog 60 Miles 3 Days 1 Goal shared her pre-walk jitters ahead her first ever 3 Day event in Cleveland in this post. 

Tesa, the Cleveland Keep Going! Blogger who writes the 2 Wired 2 Tired blog prepared for the Cleveland event by helping to spread the word in her community.  You can read about the radio interview that she did here. 

Speaking of interviews, Tesa also talked with 2010 crew member (and former Cleveland walker) Melissa Rotblatt in order to learn more about the 3 Day from the point of view of a younger participant.  You can find this great interview here.  

Jillian, of the blog Chai Latte Please, is getting ready to crew in Chicago.  She talked a bit about her team, Ms. America TaTas Chicago and her last minute preparations in this post.  Jillian also shared her last minute advice for the Boston walkers before they set off on their journey in this post. 

Cat, of the blog Fat Girl Walkin' consulted a weather expert and reassured the Phoenix walkers that it won't be this hot in November.  Probably. 

Beckie, team captain of the Ta Ta Sisterhood and Cat's fellow Arizona walker, shared her tips for training when it is just too hot outside in this helpful post. 

This week, it seemed like everyone was talking about how and what to pack for the 3 Day!  

First up, Caitlin of The Komen Experience shared her packing tips as she prepared for the Boston walk in this post.  

John of the 60 Miles 3 Days blog also shared his thoughts about packing for the Boston walk. John particularly focused on how to go about packing, rather than what to pack in this post that is chock-full of great tips.   

Finally, Shawn Ann, of the blog Shawn Ann's World, is starting to plan ahead about what she'll be packing for the Michigan 3 Day, which she discusses in this post.  One of the things Shawn Ann will be packing are her new New Balance 760 sneakers.  She reviewed Read her chosen sneakers here.  

Deanna, of the blog Deanna's 3-Day Journey recounted her first experience with fundraising via "canning" in this post. 

Christine of the blog Saving Second Base recently tackled her second 10 mile training walk which you can read about here.  Christine also shared the story of her wonderful traveling shirt and journal in this post.  

Ellyn Davidson of the blog Life After Breast Cancer, is getting political.  She has a special request - a petition on behalf of recognizing cancer "previvors" (that is, individuals who have learned they are carriers of a cancer gene that have opted to undergo preventative treatments in an effort to keep themselves healthy in the long term).  You can read more about her efforts and find a link for her petition here. 

All of this training and fundraising can be quite time consuming.  Leanne, of the Leanne... the Walker blog, talks about trying to find balance between her preparations for the 3 Day and her real life in this great post.

My girl Julie, of the Two Pink Chicks Fo(u)r Boobs blog, talks about the way that Twitter has transformed her 3 Day experience in this fun post. 

Finally Beth, of the blog Finding My Voice, shared some incredibly moving words with the Boston walkers that I think everyone taking on the 3 Day challenge in the coming weeks should read.  You can find her beautiful post here.  

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3 Day Blog Round Up for July 7th - 13th!

Wow, it's been quite awhile since I've posted one of these blog round ups!  I compiled all of these URLs during the week of July 10th through the 16th with the intention of finishing this post at the airport on our way to Boston.  Alas, the poor wireless connection at the Atlanta airport conspired against me.  I still think these are great posts worthy of sharing, though, so I am going to post them just the same.  Enjoy!

First up, Jenny, of the aptly named Reasons Why I Walk blog, shares her two newest reasons for walking: her friend MJ's twin baby girls! 

Ellie, of the blog Two Girls Walking, has challenge for her donors - make the biggest donation and you get to choose what special pink items her and her Mom Jenny will wear for the 3 Day.  You can read all about what she has planned here.  

If you've been keeping up with these posts in the past, then you know that I like to recognize my fellow bloggers when they reach their fundraising goals.  This week, we are celebrating with Becca of the Becca's Stuff blog as she has reached her fundraising minimum.  You can join in on the party here.

Back at the beginning of July, Leanne of the Leanne... the Walker blog asked everyone for their best tips about training and nutrition.  She compiled all of the feedback and suggestions that she received into this great post.  

Deanna, of the blog Deanna's 3-Day Journey, recently found herself at a bit of a roadblock when it came to all things 3 Day.  She started to break out of her rut by breaking all of her self-imposed rules about training.  You can read about her rules and why she tossed them aside here.  Next up, Deanna got herself a hit of 3 Day spirit by attending a gear clinic at Big Peach Running Company here in Atlanta, which she wrote about in this post.  Finally, Deanna made the difficult choice to switch teams for the 3 Day.  She talked about what drove her to that decision and the excellent advice that she received from the 3 Day coaches in this interesting post.

Lisa, of the Whining Causes Blisters blog, spent some time recently feeling nostalgic.  She draws some excellent parallels between those feelings and her affection for the 3 Day in this thoughtful post.  Lisa also shared some of her last minute thoughts before heading to Boston for the 3 Day in this post. 

With just ten days left before the event, Caitlin of The Komen Experience was also getting excited about the Boston walk.  She shared some of her thoughts and insights into her pre-event preparations in this post.  

Speaking of pre-event preparations, John of the 60 Miles, 3 Days blog was starting to think about what he would be bringing to Boston.  He talked specifically about what you should plan on carrying with you on the route in this very helpful post.

Christine, of the blog Saving Second Base, has also been thinking about what she'll be carrying on the route as she walks, with her focus being primarily on figuring what pack will work best for her needs.  Find out what she finally settled on here. 

If you use and abuse Facebook for your fundraising the way that I do, you may have noticed some recent changes to the 3 Day fundraising widget.  Thankfully, the Coconutter Strutters explained everything that you need to know to re-add the 3 Day Facebook widget in this useful post.

Tesa, of the blog 2 Wired 2 Tired, attended her first organized training walk in preparation for the Cleveland event and loved it.  Read all about her experience here.  Tesa also posted a vlog review of the official New Balance 3 Day sneakers which you can watch here.  Finally, Tesa took some time to walk through the ins and outs of the 3 Day Participant Center, something that everyone participating in the 3 Day community should be familiar with.  You can find that post here. 

Cat, of the always wonderful Fat Girl Walkin' blog, talks about the mental challenges of the 3 Day and the lessons she has learned to conquer them in this great post. 

Abby, of the hilariously named Bigfoot To Be Spotted at the Atlanta 3 Day blog, recently attended a phone clinic about training.  She talks about the benefits of phone clinics and shares some the training tips she picked up here. 

On a practical but not widely considered note, Laurie from the 60 Miles or Bust blog recommends and reviews her favorite ear plugs for in camp in this post.  They even come in pink!

Rhea, of the Mommy to 3 Monkeys blog, is showing off her new pink hair in honor of being named the Energizer Keep Going! Blogger for San Diego.  Check out her new pink do here. 

Deb, aka MustBeNuts, of the 60 Miles For Busts blog gives us an amusing window into some of her thoughts from a recent training walk in this really funny (and relatable!) post.  

Finally, Natalie of the Pounding the Ground blog talks about the inspiration she found in Runner #13 in this moving post.  A must read for anyone looking for any extra inspiration to get them through those long, hot training miles. 

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We Did It!

One week ago yesterday, my Relentless Optimism teammates and I walked across the finish line of the Boston 2010 3 Day for the Cure!

Jen and I on the route!

It was a long, hot, emotional weekend but one that I would gladly take on again and again.  Having my life long best friends by my side for this incredible journey was wonderful - we laughed, we cried, we ached and in the end, we were arm in arm as we walked into Closing Ceremonies, 60 miles closer to a world a without breast cancer.

I have so many stories to share with all of you and I will do my best to start posting my thoughts and stories from the event soon.  However, I am in the last throes of my PhD thesis and now that the hard work of training is behind me, I really do need to refocus my efforts on my school work.  But rest assured, Kristen is still walking and will still be posting!  (To lapse into the third person for a minute...)

The first goal for KW will be to catch up on my Blog Link posts from the last few weeks.  A lot of people in the 3 Day community have mentioned how much they appreciate those posts and I love putting them together, so that will be happening this week.  I am also hard at work touching up my photos from the 3 Day (over 600!) in order to post them online ASAP.  And once those photos are up, it will be story time!

Thank you all so very much for your support of me and my teammates throughout this adventure.  It has meant more to me than I can possibly say!

With my teammates at the finish line!

Oh, and don't forget!  There is still time to donate!  We can accept donations up until four weeks after the walk (so three weeks from today!).  If you would still like to donate, you can do so on my personal donation page on the the 3 Day website.  Thanks!

***Please note that both of the photos in this post are courtesy of Brian Ristuccia, who was taking photos throughout the Boston 3 Day and kindly posted them on Facebook for all of the walkers and crew members to see.  Thank you Brian!

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Monday Motivation

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world.  Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." 
       
              ~Margaret Meade


“Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.”

              ~Ryunosuke Satoro

See you soon, Boston!!

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The Atlanta 3 Day Tweeps Training Walk!

One of the greatest things about the Susan G. Komen 3 Day for the Cure is the community of people that are involved in it.  3 Day people are optimistic, supportive and wonderful.  And that spirit of community expands far beyond the 3 Day event itself.  This past year, I have met so many great 3 Day walkers and crew members through Twitter.  Chatting with these great ladies and men is like getting a hit of 3 Day spirit every day.

Recently, a number of us Atlanta "tweeps" (or people on Twitter, for the uninitiated) got to chatting and we decided to meet up for a training walk.  We all decided to head up to the Silver Comet Trail this past Saturday for a nice nine mile walk between the Floyd Road and Mavell Road trailheads.  Due to scheduling conflicts, many of the ladies were unable to join us.  However, there were four of us that braved the rain and made it out on Saturday for our walk: myself (@kscincotta on Twitter), Julie (@knittingbagel), Lilly (@gphigirl) and 3 Day newbie Pam (@lilshadetree).  And of course, we were joined by a famous guest for our walk: Mug (aka @3DayMug)!  

After a few weekends of long solo training walks, it was a very nice to have some people to talk to.  We had a great chat during our walk and had a lot of fun, even though we had to dodge a few rainstorms along the way.  A little ice cream from the Silver Comet Depot post-walk and some incredibly nice gifts from Lilly rounded out an excellent morning of training.  It was truly the best way to spend my last weekend of training before the Boston 3 Day for the Cure in a few days!  Thanks ladies!

You can check out more of my photos from our training walk in this album on my Picasa page or in the slideshow below.  Enjoy!

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Boston 3 Day Spectator Info!

Attention friends, family and assorted supportive strangers in the Boston area!  The Boston 2010 3 Day for the Cure is just five days away which means it is time to make your plans to come out and support all of us during our 3 day, 60 mile journey!

There are three different opportunities for spectators to come out and be a part of the 3 Day experience: Opening Ceremonies on Friday morning, Cheering Stations along the route throughout the three days of the event and Closing Ceremonies on Sunday evening.  I'm going run through each of these to give you all an idea of what to expect should you choose to join us (and you should!).  Please note that I am borrowing much of this information directly from the Spectator Information section of the 3 Day website, which can be found here.

Opening Ceremonies

Friday June 23rd at 6:30am 

Farm Pond 
100 Dudley Road
Framingham, MA 01702
Map

Spectator Parking Directions:

• From Route 135/Waverly Street, proceed on Fountain Street, turn right onto Winter Street and proceed for approximately 0.9 miles.
• Turn right onto Dr. Harvey Cushing Way.
• Turn right into the parking lot for Summerville at Farm Pond.
• Please note that parking will not be permitted at Barbieri School, across the street from Farm Pond.

The Komen 3-Day for the Cure begins early Friday morning with the Opening Ceremony. When you arrive, take a moment to write the names of the people in your life who have lost their lives to breast cancer on the white ribbons we will provide. Those ribbons will be used to create a special memorial flag that will be raised during the ceremony.

This celebration is not just for participants. Friends and family are highly encouraged to attend, though please note that seating will not be available, so if you are unable to stand for 30-60 minutes, you may want to bring a folding chair. Please allow extra travel time due to expected traffic congestion at the site.

After the Opening Ceremony is over, participants will begin walking the 60-mile route and start a journey of a lifetime. It will be even more special if you are there to help send them off with smiles and encouragement. We'll also have the 3DayGear.com™ store on site if you'd like to purchase a souvenir for yourself or your participant.

Opening Ceremonies, Atlanta 2007

Cheering Stations

Friday June 23rd

Cheering Station 1, 8:30 - 11:30am          St. Paul's Church 502 Washington St. Wellesley, MA 02482 Map

Cheering Station 2, 12:30 - 6:15pm Yolanda's Parking Lot 355 SR-60 Waverly Oaks Rd.   Waltham, MA 02452 Map

Saturday June 24th

Cheering Station 1, 7:30 - 10:45am          Robbins Farm Park 51 Eastern Ave. Arlington, MA 02476 Map

Cheering Station 2, 9:45am - 2:00pm YMCA Greater Boston Area North Suburban Family Branch 138 Lexington St.   Woburn, MA 01801 Map

Cheering Station 3, 11:00 - 5:00am  Parker Field Playground 81 Worthen Rd. Lexington, MA 02420 Map

Sunday June 25th

Cheering Station 1, 7:30 - 10:15am           Shaw's Supermarket 699 Mount Auburn St. Cambridge, MA 02138 Map

Cheering Station 2, 8:15am - 10:45am Cambridge City Hall 795 Massachusetts Ave.   Cambridge, MA 02139 Map

Cheering Station 3, 9:15am - 1:00pm  Boston Public Garden (between Paul Revere and Swan Boats) Commonwealth and Arlington Street Boston, MA 02127 Map

Public cheering stations are a great way to show your support along the route to encourage walkers and let them know that you are with them every step of the way. Seeing familiar faces cheering them on can provide that extra burst of energy that gets them to take that next step or go the next mile. Create banners, hold up signs, bring some music and make some noise - anything to make them smile, get energized and keep walking.

Cheering Stations, Atlanta 2007

Cheering Stations, Atlanta 2008

Closing Ceremonies

Sunday, July 25 at 5:00 p.m. 

University of Massachusetts
100 William T Morrissey Blvd. 
Dorchester, MA 02125
Map

Friends and family are highly encouraged to attend, though please note that seating will not be available, so if you are unable to stand for 30-60 minutes, you may want to bring a folding chair.

Public Transportation:
UMass Boston is located less than a mile from the MBTA’s JFK/UMass Station, which serves both the Red Line (subway) and the Old Colony Line (commuter rail). The university runs a regular, free shuttle bus service between the JFK/UMass stop and the campus. The trip normally takes less than ten minutes. Route 2 Bus runs Sunday 8:00 a.m. - 5:45 p.m. every 20 minutes.

Parking:
University of Massachusetts is located off of 1-93. Parking will be available, at no charge, on the University of Massachusetts Campus.

After three days and 60 miles, participants will take a final and incredibly emotional victory walk into the Closing Ceremony. Friends, family and supporters should arrive at the Closing Ceremony site at least one hour early to get the best view of the program. We encourage you to carpool or take public transportation. Not only is it better for the planet, but it will help lessen traffic congestion for everyone.

All walkers and crew members should remain in the Participant Holding Area where they will receive a victory shirt, cheer on fellow walkers and crew members and celebrate one last time together before their dramatic victory walk. The Participant Holding Area is CLOSED to spectators. If you wish to meet with a participant before the Ceremony begins, please have them meet you at the Closing Ceremony site. All participants must return to the Holding Area no later than 4:30 p.m. in order to join the victory walk.

Don't forget to continue the spirit of kindness we'll be building on the 3-Day for the Cure throughout and beyond the Closing Ceremony!

Closing Ceremonies, Atlanta 2007

Closing Ceremonies, Atlanta 2008

We hope that everyone will come out and see us in Boston.  This event is hard to truly capture in stories and photos.  It really is a moving experience to be a part of and we would love to share it with you.  This event is the culmination of months of commitment and hard work.  We can't wait to celebrate with all of you.  See you there!

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