DAY TWO!!!!

Please note...this photo was not taken by me. I "borrowed" it from some who posted the pics elsewhere.




Day 2 started out with a "full" night's sleep (from 10:30 til about 5:30.....2-3 hrs short of what I normally need to function). Got dressed in the dark and then headed over for breakfast. I also put bandages on the areas of my feet that I felt were prone to blisters.


Within a mile or 2, we were walking through a beautiful park near the Belmont Plateau. There, a group of girls (guessing early to mid 20s in age) started celebrating when they saw a sign. I guess someone put it up to cheer their team on. I offered take a photo of them all standing around the sign and found out that they were all walking in memory of their friend, Carolyn. She died from breast cancer a few years back, at the age of 26. It's hard to imagine someone so young being taken out by this disease.


We walked past the Philadelphia Zoo and into University City (near University of Pennsylvania and Drexel). We walked along "Greek Row", where the frat and sorority houses stood. I was extremely surprised to see many of the brothers and sisters cheering us on (whoduthunkit? College kids awake before 10:00 on a Saturday?!?!).


Our first cheering station was in a shopping center in the Gray's Ferry section of the city. There, Kimm and I met ZIM, an absolutely gorgeous pit bull who gave lots of wags and kisses. PUPPY LOVE!!!!


We walked into South Philadelphia, past the famous cheesesteak stands of Pat's and Geno's. I really wanted to stop for a mushroom whiz steak, wit' (meaning, with peppers and onions) but figured that woudn't sit so well in my belly while walking. We walked along South Street, where we came across our 2nd cheering station. We had actual cheerleaders standing on the side walk, complete with pom-poms!!!


We walked into the Historic District, past the Liberty Bell. I got to kiss a few of the carraige horses. The drivers all told us that they "weren't allowed to let us cheat' by giving us rides. One tour guide was nice enough to point out that we had missed an arrow and were walking in the opposite direction of everyone else (I was too busy kissing ponies to notice!).


Towards the end of the day, our final pit stop was at the foot of the Art Museum stairs. I was tempted to go up and get a pic of me at the top of the stairs but Kimm was in no mood to walk up with me or even stop to take my picture. I decided that I would go back another time, when my legs weren't already ready to shoot me.


After the pit stop, we walked down West River Drive and back to camp. At camp, they were wrapping up their "3 Day Idol" contest. A young man, by the name of Charles, took home the prize. I had met Charles on the shuttle from the hotel to opening ceremonies. He was by himself and had traveled from Brooklyn to do the walk. I was impressed with him on so many levels. First of all, he was an opening and warm spirit. Secondly, he was a man.....a definite minority in this event. Thirdly, after a full day of walking, he still had enough energy to get up on stage and sing "I Feel Good" as well as DANCE to the song. He needs to bottle some of that and sell it. I'd be first in line!!!



After dinner, Kimm and I checked for mail at the Post Office (friends and family can mail cards and letters a few weeks before the event). I received a nice card from some friends from church as well as many letters of support from team captain Sammy (who ended up back at camp early b/c of her previous leg problems). Kimm got an amazing letter from her mom, a 5yr survivor. After that, we treated ourselves to the foot massage machines and then hit the showers.



Sleep was not high on the list this night. My ankles were throbbing despite the ibuprofen I took. I woke up a few times to pee. And in the distance, despite having earplugs in, I could hear the lovely sounds of Philadelphia at night (gun shots, sirens, people racing in their japanese motorcycles, police or news helicoptors flying overhead).



Day 2 is probably the absolute WORST. Day 1 is long, but you are full of adrenaline and have lots of bystanders cheering you on. On Day 3, you are tired, but you know that the end is near. But on Day 2, your feet want to strangle you because of Day 1 AND you know that you still have another day of walking ahead of you. Mentally, physically.....it is a struggle. I lost track of how many people were taking sweep vans or riding the bus back to camp. Thankfully, I had my "little engine that could", Kimm, walking with me (and of course, YELLOW CAR GIRL, Lisa, cheering us on), or else I may have been one of those who did not finish out the day.

Tomorrow...Day 3!!!

Day One!!!

I got to the hotel at 7:00 or so on Thursday. Met my teamates for the first time. We've been talking back and forth thru email, but I'd never actually had the time for a face-to-face. We then went out to grab a quick bite to eat. We finally fell asleep between 12:30 and 1:00 am.

Woke up at 4:30 am, grabbed the last shuttle bus, and got to Opening Ceremonies (held at Willow Grove mall) a little bit late. We were able to see the Survivors walking in, which to me was the most important part, so I was OK with that. Because we got there so late, we were one of the last groups to get on the road (this will be a recurring theme with us throughout the entire event!).

I can't remember all of the towns we walked through. I know that Jenkintown and Abington were in there. Also, Cheltenham. The reason I remember that town was because EVERY SINGLE police officer was absolutely GORGEOUS! There was one in particular, who was obviously the favorite of the walkers. Each time I saw him, he had acquired another pink lei or set of beads. At some point we were in a section of the city known as Chestnut Hill. I'd never been there before but it was an absolutely BEAUTIFUL place.

Every 3 or so miles we had a "pit stop", where we could top off our fluids and grab a snack, use the bathrooms, and get medical attention if necessary. Each pit stop had a different theme. The first one of the day was an Island Paradise theme. I received my Gatorade from a man wearing a grass skirt and a coconut bra. Another one of the pit stops had a Pirates of the Carribean Theme. Food included: bananas, chips, pretzels, bagels/cream cheese. On a few select pit stops were these PBJ on graham cracker sandwiches. They were a huge hit! I was especially estatic to see that some of the later pit stops offered grape gatorade instead of the lime or orange.

Along the way, we received a lot of cheers. Cars honked their horns while driving by. People came out of their home to wave and cheer us on. At one point we passed an elementary school and the kids were lined up by the fence, clapping and yelling for us. Most of the girls were dressed in pink. One little girl, with blonde curls, reminded me so much of my niece that I teared up for a minute.

I need to introduce you all to Lisa, aka Yellow Car Girl. Lisa is a woman whose partner does the walk. Lisa isn't allowed to do the walk b/c she is hearing impaired. So Lisa drives around in her little yellow car and bascially "stalks" us. When you think you can't make it another step, you will see her off in the distance waving and giving you a thumbs up. Or hear her yelling "You Ladies Look Damn Good" through her megaphone! Lisa is an absolute MUST for getting though the day!!! Not only is she full of positive energy and love, but when you see her, you know that the potties are right around the bend. She doesn't lie about that!

OK, now it's time to explain what a "3 Day Mile" is. As we walk, they have arrows marking the route. At some point, you will see an arrow that says "Pit Stop, 1 mile" (or Lunch, 1 mile....or Camp, 1 mile). I don't know one single person who actually believes that we actually only walk a mile after these signs. And the term "just around the corner" really means that you need to walk about 5 blocks (and most likely up an incline of some sort). Unless Lisa says it. If she says a pit stop is "just around the corner", you know that it will be!

Along the way, we lost our team leader Sam. She had some major tendon pain and we basically told her to TAKE A SWEEP VAN. We'd rather her keep healthy and be able to finish the event with us than end up in the hospital. Kimm and I were moving a bit slowly as well. At one point, we were told that if we did not make the next pit stop by a certain time, we would be forced to take the sweep van. I do not know HOW we did it, but we managed to go the 1.5 miles in slightly less than 30 minutes.

The final leg of our route took us through a beautiful park (part of the Fairmount Park system) and then down Main Street in Manayunk. They had set up a cheering station there, which was a real pick-me-up. This was around the 18mile mark and my feet were in so much pain. We had about 1.5 miles until a Pit Stop and then another 2.5 until camp. We walk out of Manayunk and make a left hand turn, only to see......a hill. A big hill. With a steep incline. That we had to walk up. There are sadistic people designing this route...remember that later!!!

I was convinced that I would not make it. Keep in mind that I am overweight (over 200 lbs) and even though I did train for this event, I did not get as many miles in as they recommened. And I did MINIMAL hill training!! But I was so PISSED OFF that they would but a MOUNTAIN at the end of the route...I used my anger to keep me going.

After the hill, we hit our final Pit Stop. Then we left, only to see another hill. Not as big as the last one, but still very disheartening. Once again, we dug in and kept on walking. Thankfully, that was the last one. The very last mile of Day One was along a nice road, in the shade, surrounded by gorgeous mansions. The sight of the tents at camp made out legs feel lighter and we picked up the pace a bit.

I should add that once we get back to camp, we are not done laboring. We had to get our duffel bags from the luggage truck (weight= 30-35 lbs) and carry it to the campsite. Then we have to set up our own tent! After that, we got to eat dinner (spaghetti with meat sauce and yummy eclairs for dessert) and grab a shower.

We were at the tail end of the pack all day but we were NOT the last ones to camp!

Needless to say, we slept quite well that night, despite the throbbing feet.

Tune in tomorrow for DAY TWO!!!

I DID IT!!!!

Well folks, I did it. I completed the Philadelphia Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk. I walked ALL 60 miles and my feet are still in good shape. A bit sore and a few blisters, but nothing major. Over the next few days, I will recount my experiences on one of the most amazing things I have ever done.

Right now I am spending the day, chillin' and pampering my feet. They are alternating between ice cold water and heat packs. I took the day off of work so I could sleep in and take it easy (in fact, I will be heading for a nap after I post this!). In order to make sure I stay hydrated, I am drinking lots of water and a little bit of Gatorade. I am not allowed to drink alcohol for a day or two after the event, but I am serving up my fluids in a nice champaign glass.......makes it a little more ceremonial!

Allow me to "introduce" my teamates. I was on the team PINK PENGUINS. My team leader was Samantha. She was an absolute sweetie. She bought all of us gifts (toiletry bag STUFFED with goodies, pins, TShirst, sun visors. You name it, she thought of it!). Another teamate was Barbara. I unfortunately didn't get to spend a lot of time with her on the event. She was on the Crew, and those guys are BUSY! The last teamate was Kimm. Her mom is a 5yr survivor and if it wasn't for her, I would not have been able to complete the entire walk. Equal parts of determination, strength, and downright ornery-ness are what got us through the days!!!

Each day we started out to the cheers of the crew. As we walked, there were many people along the way to encourage us. It's amazing what little things can make your day. Some people set up hoses and sprinklers for us to walk through. Some handed out candy. Others brought out their dogs. If you are not an animal lover, this will make NO sense to you but when I felt like I could not take another step, getting a sloppy kiss from a dog got me moving again. Between Kimm and I, whoever saw a dog first would yell "PUPPY LOVE" and then we'd rush over to the wagging tail(s).

Each night we came back to camp for dinner and shower. The food was decent. The showers were amazing. Teeny little stalls in the back of a semi.....felt like a luxury spa after a day on the road!!!! They provided entertainment ("american idol" type contest as well as dance music). We had a foot massage station. We had a Post Office....where mail from friends and family was waiting for us. Then, at 9:00, it was LIGHTS OUT and time for bed!

Tomorrow I will talk about Day One!!!!

LESS THAN 24 HOURS TO GO!!!!!!!!!!!

3 Day....here I come!!!

My duffel bag has been packed since last weekend. I met my fundraising goal awhile ago. I ramped up my training walks. I'm as ready as I can be.

I will admit to being a bit leery about the weather. Temps around 87 degrees and humidity. I suppose it's better than rain but I wouldn't mind SEASONAL temperatures (low-mid 70s!). I have to make sure I drink, drink, drink!!!! And keep using sunscreen. And not get too surprised when I get a case of road rash.

I'm going to take a nap. Then I'm going to take a nice bubble bath before I head over to the hotel to meet my teamates.

Adios Amigos!! Until Monday!

Hand....meet Boob.

Ladies, this is a very important thing. Whether you're 20, 30, or 60...

IT NEEDS TO BE DONE!!!

Get them checked by a professional at least once a year. Do it yourself EVERY MONTH!! For women who are pre-menopausal, the best time is after your period ends (less water retention and tenderness). If you are post-menopausal, then do it on the 1st of each month.

IT NEEDS TO BE DONE!!!!

By checking your breasts on a regular basis, you will be familiar enough with them that any difference will be noticed immediately. My OB explained it like this: "Think of your breasts as a can of peas. There will some texture there...some bumps and lumps. Think of a possible tumor like a teeny pebble among the peas." Simply stated, if you FEEL YOUR BOOBIES every month, you will soon learn what is normal for YOU and therefore will realize very quickly if something is abnormal. NOTE: Don't just check the immediate breast area. Check underneath, in between, and all the way to your arm pits (lymph nodes can be problem areas too).

IT NEEDS TO BE DONE!!!

It may be awkward for you to do this. It may be even more awkward to go to a doctor to have them do it. It doesn't matter. Early detection SAVES LIVES!!! Don't let your fear rule your life.....it very well could be the END of it!

IT NEEDS TO BE DONE!!!

No breast cancer in your immediate family? Doesn't matter. You're 20 years old? Doesn't matter. If you are a woman, you are at risk.

IT NEEDS TO BE DONE!!!

There is not much more to say. CLICK HERE for a "tutorial" on giving yourself a breast exam at home.

IT NEEDS TO BE DONE!!!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Obviously this is a subject that I have gotten to know something about while training for this walk. I have met many people who have been touched by the disease in some way and their strength and courage never cease to amaze me.

My goal for this month, in addition to actually COMPLETING the Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk, is to have a variety of posts dedicated to the topic. Importance about early detection, statistics, survivor stories....I am open to all ideas!

I came across this great file about Breast Cancer Stats for 2007-2008, by the American cancer Society.

1) In 2007, an estimated 178,480 new cases of invasive
breast cancer will be diagnosed among women. The expected number of new
breast cancers in 2007 is markedly lower than the estimate for 2005.

2) In 2007, approximately 40,460 women are expected to die from breast cancer. Only lung cancer accounts for more cancer deaths in women

3)In 2007, about 2,030 cases of breast cancer are expected to occur among men, accounting for about 1% of all breast cancers. Approximately 450 men will die from breast cancer.

RA....keep us dry!

The photo is of a painting that my sister did for a school project. She then entered it in an art contest and won 1st place for the category as well as Best Of Show for the division. The subject is RA, the ancient egyptian god of sun.

GO SOMBRA!!!!

At the moment (with 4 days to go), the long term forecast is calling for SUNNY SKIES! Let's hope that RA keeps the sun shining and the rain away!!!