If you’ve been to the Susan G. Komen 3-Day^® before, you know that part of the excitement of the journey is discovering all of the wonderful surprises awaiting you on the route and at camp. The Komen 3-Day is such an amazing experience that sometimes even Mother Nature can’t wait to play along, and this weekend in Philadelphia, we are expecting rain, wind and cooler temperatures. While you may have heard about the possible severe weather from Hurricane Joaquin, at this point, it looks as if  he’s not likely to crash our party on the 3-Day^®. We want to assure you that the 3-Day staff is closely monitoring the weather, and we’ll adjust plans accordingly. Our participants’ safety is our first priority, and we’re doing everything we can to make sure that our walkers, crew members and volunteers are supported and safe.

What can you do to help? Be prepared! The following are our top five wet and cool weather walking tips. A little preparation can go a long way for your comfort.

• Sock it to me: Many walkers carry an extra pair of socks in their walking pack to change at the lunch stop each day anyway, but we recommend on wet walking days that you bring as many extra pairs of socks as you can fit in your walking pack. Keep them dry in plastic bags until you’re ready to put them on. Keeping your tootsies as dry as possible is one way to ensure 60 miles of smiles.
• Lay on the layers: You won’t be taking a short stroll in the park, and even in the rain, your body is working hard to get you where you need to go. Dress in moisture-wicking layers so you can easily change for your comfort. High quality, seamless tights may prevent wet pants and thighs from rubbing and chafing, and a durable rain jacket that extends longer than your torso will help keep chafing-prone areas dry and comfortable.
• Shoes you can use: Even if it’s not raining, we recommend participants bring two pairs of broken-in shoes, but it’s even more important when walking in wet conditions. If you soak a pair of shoes one day, you’ll have a dry pair to start with the next day.
• Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate: Just because your skin is being rained on doesn’t mean water is going where it needs to. Remember to keep hydrated, alternating water and sports drink, and stopping to use the restrooms at every pit stop.
• Read this blog post: It’s chock full of additional wet and cool weather walking tips, including two methods that can help you keep your feet as dry as possible.

Also, be sure you’re signed up for 3-Day Text Alerts, which will keep you informed with event-related news and announcements sent directly to your mobile device.

We’ll continue to keep you updated if anything changes, but for now, rest assured that we’re closely monitoring the situation with your safety and comfort in mind. If you have any questions, feel free to contact our coaches at 800-996-3DAY. See you in Philly – rain or shine!