3-Day Prep: How Your 3-Day Coaches Can Help

Let’s hear it for your 3-Day coaches! This group of amazing people are working all year long, all across the country, to make sure that the 3-Day is the best experience possible for you. This time of year is especially important, as we gear up for our first 3-Days of the year (only two weeks until Michigan!). If you have any last-minute questions or want to hit a new goal, now is the time to check in with your coach.

If you haven’t met or connected with them yet, don’t worry! You can find their contact information and lots more fun 3-Day treats on their Facebook pages:

If you’re not sure just how your 3-Day coaches can help you, well that answer is simple: The possibilities are endless! Here are just some of the topics and tips that your coaches are here to assist with.

Safe and Useful Training

Everyone should train for the 3-Day at their own pace, and in their own way. We have plenty of resources like our 3-Day Training App and local training walk leaders, but no one knows more than your coaches. Many of them lead training walks throughout the year, and you can find those on our website. They can also help you plan your own training walks and make sure you are preparing safely for your 3-Day journey.

They also have some seriously great training playlist ideas that you can check out HERE.

Hitting Your Fundraising Goals

If you need a little last-minute help to hit your 2019 fundraising goal, the coaches have seen it all and are ready to share. They get to see all the best fundraising ideas that teams and individuals are using across the country and are here as a resource. If you don’t want to send another email reminder, they have another idea! If you’re uncomfortable asking people for money in person, they have your back there, too! No matter what kind of fundraiser you are, they will help you make the most of your skills.

Growing Your Team

There is still time to add more team members to your 3-Day squad! Your coaches can help you recruit new team members or can connect solo walkers with other teams in their area. No one walks alone on the 3-Day, and your coaches will make sure of that.

Especially for our 3-Days with outdoor camps in Seattle, Dallas/Fort Worth and San Diego, adding new team members means you get extra fun on the 3-Day! If you add two first-time 3-Dayers to your team, you’ll qualify for one of our epic slumber party tents at camp. 😊 (This offer expired on 7/1 for the Seattle 3-Day, but Dallas/Fort Worth and San Diego 3-Day participants have until 8/30 to recruit those walkers and earn your slumber party.

Preparing for Your 3-Day Weekend

Many of our coaches have walked the 3-Day in the past (or are walking this year!) and so have great tips for the actual 3-Day weekend itself. From recommended shoes and fanny pack choices, to ideas on how to prep for a little liquid sunshine, they have a wealth of information to share from all their past 3-Days as a coach, crew member or walker.

Pep Talks and Fun Tips

Anything else you need? Random questions you might have? Reach out to your coaches! They are here to help and have a seemingly unending amount of 3-Day knowledge that they want to share. All you have to do is ask 😊

3-Day Coaches’ Favorite Training Tunes and 3-Day Prep

It’s official. Our first 3-Day of 2019 is less than a month away! Can you believe it?! That means that some of you have less than 30 days to get your training up to speed and hit your fundraising goals. But don’t panic! We have your back, with all the best in training and fundraising advice from our 3-Day blog…and your coaches!

To start, we have a brand-new playlist on Spotify with all of your coaches’ favorite training tunes. These are the songs that get them moving when they need that little bit of extra motivation to train.



To make sure you’re training safely, read all the posts from our Healthy Living blog series with American Bone Health and Amgen. This series was designed to prepare your mind, body and bones for the 3-Day. Beyond that, you can find more tips about healthy living here, plus advice and support to keep you on track for the 3-Day and beyond.

Once you’ve got your training well in hand, we know fundraising will still be on your mind. In order to make the most of your fundraising efforts, check out the latest from our blog:

You should also reach out to your local coaches! Have you connected with them on Facebook yet? They all have their own pages and are amazing resources for all your 3-Day needs. They will also be posting about upcoming event deadlines like online check-in and more. You can see all their pages here:

Before you know it, it will be time for the 3-Day, so everyday counts! We can’t wait to welcome you back to our 3-Day family once again 😊

The A to Z’s of 3-Day Teambuilding

No one ever walks alone on the 3-Day. Even walkers who start off solo end up being welcomed into new groups and paired with other solo walkers, so they are supported and loved every step of their 60-mile journey. The other, larger reason for that is we have so many amazing 3-Day teams on all our walks. Big or small, teams keep each other moving and motivated all weekend long.

So, if one of your goals for the year is to grow your team, or you’re having trouble getting some long-time walkers to come join you once again, we want to help! Here are our A to Z Tips for building your team, recruiting new team members, and making sure you’re surrounded by all your favorite people on the 3-Day this year.

  • ASK: We are starting off with the obvious one here because it truly can be something people struggle with. You won’t know if someone is interested in joining your team unless you ask them! Don’t be afraid! The worst thing that could happen would be that they say “no.” And then you’re no worse off than when you started.
  • Be a teammate as well as a team leader. Every team needs a captain, but never forget that you’re part of the team too! Take time to focus on your own 3-Day journey so that you can fully enjoy this process.

  • Co-Captains (Lean on them!): Coach Sharyn says that as a Team Captain of her team, “A String of Pearls,” she makes a point of making sure everyone knows who their teammates are. She also introduces her co-captains and leans on them when she is most busy. When everyone knows each other, everyone always has a good source of information and a support system.
  • Delegate: You can’t be expected to do all the teambuilding all on your own! Work with your other teammates, or even ask your local coaches to help find people who might need a team.
  • Encourage bonding between your existing teammates. This will create friendships that are sure to last long past the 3-Day weekend. This will also increase the reach your teambuilding efforts have.
  • Family and friends: They’re the most likely to want to join you on a 60-mile walk so if you haven’t asked them yet, now is the time! Also, remember that just because you’ve asked them in the past, it doesn’t mean their answer is final. It might not have been a good year for them, or they might have been previously unavailable. 2019 could be their year!
  • Go slow: Don’t feel the need to recruit 10 new team members in a single week! It will only leave you frustrated. Take it slow and grow your team as you can.
  • Have a plan: Give yourself small deadlines and tasks that you can easily work into your existing schedule. Making a long-term plan will make it easier to hit your teambuilding deadlines.

  • Include Crew and 20-Mile walkers in your teambuilding efforts, too! Coach Tisho loves recruiting ALL members of the 3-Day family to her teams, so she wants to remind other teambuilders not to forget the Crew and 20-Milers.
  • Just keep at it! It’s all about the follow-up and the reminders. In a busy world, staying in touch with potential teammates will keep the 3-Day top of mind for them.
  • Know the details about the event so you can share with your potential teammates. Talk to your coaches and find out where the ceremonies and camp are as well as any details that are available. It might just spark more interest to get someone registered!
  • Leverage every contact that you have. You never know who might want to join the 3-Day! Your tax accountant could be a breast cancer survivor or maybe your kid’s swim team coach loves long distance walks. Everyone could benefit from a little 3-Day love in their lives ❤️

  • Make teams within a team! If your team gets larger, break your people up so they can focus on what they do best. Have the super fundraisers on call to help other teammates or tap those with big social circles to recruit new team members.
  • Never stop sharing your passion about the 3-Day. It might just be the inspiration someone needs to join you. Coach Gayla swears by passion and enthusiasm to help you achieve all your 3-Day goals 😊
  • Organize happy hours and social events with friends, then talk to them about ways they can be part of the 3-Day. As a 3-Day walker, crew member, 20-mile walker, volunteer, private cheer station, or even as your walker stalker. Even if you don’t add any new team members, you’ll have a fun night out with your pals.

  • Personal connections are great, but you can also take recommendations from other people! Your best friend’s mom might want to walk, or your neighbor’s sister. Expand your reach!
  • Questions are a great way to start a teambuilding meeting! Coach Gina says that for a “welcome meeting” she asks people to give one word that describes their leadership or one word that describes what the 3-Day means to everyone at the meeting.
  • Rock on 🤘 Coach Gayla recommends painting rocks with words like #Commit3Days and The3Day.org and leaving them along trails and sidewalks as you do your next training walk. Add your team name or Facebook group so other walkers can find you! People will see them as they pass by and you might get a new team member you never even knew.

  • Social media is a simple way to stay connected, especially if you have team members in other cities. Create a team Facebook Page (Coach Liz loves this idea) and keep in touch all year long.
  • Training walks are key for making lasting connections. Coach Gayla says that for every training walk you host; you should ask your teammates to bring someone who hasn’t walked the 3-Day before.
  • Understand that “not right now” doesn’t mean “no.” Keep people on your radar for future years or other opportunities to support the 3-Day in the future.
  • Vacations are fun, so make it about that! Reach out to your out-of-town friends and family and invite them to spend a long weekend with you on the 3-Day.

  • “Why” is important! Coach Gina encourages her team captains to find out the reasons why their team joined the 3-Day. What is your “why” for being part of the 3-Day?
  • X-plain your mission and the difference the event has made in your lives and the lives of others. Showing the impact that the 3-Day has not only had on your community, but your own life, will encourage people to join your mission.
  • Yearly Events help make a big difference in your team’s fundraising efforts and are also a rallying cry for new members to join. Coach Sharyn’s team throws a big fundraiser on the four days of the Memorial Day Weekend every year and invites her whole team (now up to 26 people!) to participate if they’re able.
  • Zero to 10 Questions. Coach Liz asks every knew team member to provide a question or two that they want to know about their fellow teammates. Then she starts a chain email so everyone can get to know each other and find common bonds. It’s all about making new friends and expanding your 3-Day family 😊

What are the best ways you’ve found to recruit new team members? Tell us in the comments!