Monthly Archives: February 2017

Motivation Monday: What Walking Can Do for You

It’s a new week, and the first full week of a new month. We should be ready to jump out of bed and take on the day! That’s not always the case though, because Mondays can be hard. Luckily, we have another dose of Monday Motivation to jump start your weekly training for the 3-Day. One easy way to get moving is to remember all the benefits of walking—physical, mental and emotional. Here are some of the life-changing benefits of taking those extra steps:

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It reduces the risk of developing breast cancer: According to research conducted by Susan G. Komen®, women who get any regular exercise or physical activity have a lower risk of breast cancer than women who are inactive.

It helps curb a sweet tooth: One good move begets another! Once you get out and moving, you’ll probably also want to treat your body well on the inside. Try one of our smoothie recommendations after your walk to keep your health-kick moving.

It will get you outside: We’re right in the heart of winter, which means you are spending more time inside than in other times of year. Getting outside gives you Vitamin D from the sun, and also a nice bit of fresh air! Working out in the gym is good too, but if you can get outside, it will help you feel even more invigorated.

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It promotes heart health: Heart health is hugely important for your vitality, so getting out for a walk can help your health now and in the long run. Plus, February is Heart Health Month, so your walk is actually a celebration!

A little bit goes a long way: You don’t need to have an intense exercise routine to lower your risk of breast cancer. If you haven’t been doing much training yet, just getting up and getting moving will help you look good, feel good and kick start your training for future walks.

It keeps you social: Make a Friend Day is coming up on February 11th, so grab your teammates or other friends and lace up your walking shoes. It’s a great way to pencil in some catch-up time with someone you haven’t seen in a while or start a walking club with a group. Being around friends will always help put a smile on your face!

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It’s a mood booster: Any physical activity, walking included, can help with your overall mood and energy level. Guess that’s why they call it putting some pep in your step!

What other benefits do you get from walking, besides training for an excellent sixty miles, that is!?

REMINDER: The health, safety and training information contained in this blog post, or otherwise provided to you in connection with your participation in the 3-Day, is not intended to replace or be construed as medical advice and any such information is not a substitute for seeking medical advice or treatment from your medical provider. Before starting any exercise program or following any recommendations, advice or other instructions regarding training for the 3-Day or any athletic event, you should first consult a physician and have a physical examination.

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Feb. 4 is World Cancer Day, but the 3-Day Gives us Hope

Cancer. It’s a word that conjures the worst kind of fear; a heartless disease that devastates families around the globe. The word alone is no doubt powerful as it is, but it develops an increased gravity when it affects your family, your friends, and your life.

But, there is hope. Currently, there are more than 3 million breast cancer survivors in the United States. Together we have accomplished amazing things in the fight to end breast cancer.

Cancer changes lives, but so does hope. And thanks to you, today, we have a lot of it.

With all of the hard work you do to end breast cancer, how could we possibly ask you to do more? The answer is simple: because we have to. We cannot give up until this fight is won. We firmly believe that when we make progress and advancements in treating and curing one form of cancer, we can apply those learnings to another, until we can proudly live in a world free from all cancer.

In 2016, Susan G. Komen® announced a Bold Goal—to reduce the current number of breast cancer deaths by 50% in the U.S. by 2026. That’s why we walk, and raise money—to make that goal a reality. Please ask your family and friends to join you today on the 3-Day. They can take $20 off their registration fee through February 15, and walk by your side knowing that they’re doing something that’s making a real difference in the fight.

The 3-Day is a commitment. It’s a challenge. It’s a real, measurable impact on the fight to end breast cancer forever. Be Bold. Be Fearless. Be More Than Pink™.

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Meet Northern Nippys, Twin Cities 3-Day Team

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Twin Cities 3-Dayers take their walking and training seriously all year long, even in the dead of winter temperatures. Minnesota’s freezing temperatures bring teams together early in their 3-Day journey, whether that team is two people or 32 strong. One team, The Northern Nippys, has been both a duo and an army of more than 30 people, and through the years they have become a Twin Cities 3-Day staple thanks to creative fundraising and boundless recruitment energy.

This year, the Nippys, led by Team Captain Laura Lamson, are aiming to raise $100,000 as a team of at least 40 people, and already have 39 team members behind that goal.

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“I’d always dreamed of a big team! And then a friend of mine signed up and she said, “If we have ten, then we should go for 15!” And I said, “Why don’t we go for 20?” Lamson explained.

“It turned into such a positive peer pressure situation from there and escalated up, and that was the year we had 32 people. It was just amazing! A lot more work, but a lot more fun came with it. After that the numbers changed, but this year is my 10th year walking and my friend’s 10th year as a survivor, so we have vowed to raise $100,000.”

Such a bold goal means recruiting new team members, hosting many group meetings for support, and a whole lot of fundraising.

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Recruiting was the easy part for Lamson, who welcomes anyone and everyone onto the Nippys. A few team members signed up immediately after the 2016 3-Day finished, and more soon followed thanks to word-of-mouth through various friend groups, and social media promotion.

A good support system is key for any team, especially one with lots of new members, and the Nippys have it in spades.

“We have team meet and greets to make it fun! I make a video from all of last year’s photos to give them a feel for the 3-Day and make them comfortable right from the start,” Lamson says. “Then, we talk about why you’re walking and who we’re walking for, and just keep it positive! We do ongoing team meetings and brain storming, and see what we can do for fundraising and support. We also have our team Facebook page for people to ask questions, and share ideas or tips from past walks.”

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For veteran walkers like Lamson and a few of the other team members, that means sharing everything from their packing list to their fundraising letters.

Even with a large team, fundraising can be a daunting task, especially for new walkers with a big goal.

“So many of my walkers are intimidated by [fundraising] but I tell them that on average you need about 50 people to donate.”

Getting those donations just depends on what each walker is comfortable with. Lamson has developed a list of more than 500 people she mails letters to each year, and continually reminds new teammates that “it doesn’t hurt to ask.”

The team also runs one fundraiser with a local restaurant and another with a local bowling alley, distributing the proceeds throughout team members who need an extra boost towards their goal. In the past, the team has also done garage sales, dog washes and more.

“Every little thing we do brings fun and brings us together. The more we do, the more it makes us unified as a family.”

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This feeling of family culminates every year on the 3-Day itself.

“You are just in this happy little mode no matter what happens,” Lamson recounts. “It’s how we all wish the world would be. It’s just the kindness and generosity that comes out in everyone, and you feel like a family. The more years I walked, the more I knew how important this was. One in eight women are affected and I’ve got to walk for them! You get on the 3-Day high and it’s too fun to walk away from the little 3-Day bubble.”

So every year, the Northern Nippys come back for more of that family love from their team, and their whole Twin Cities community. This year they have a big goal to achieve, but luckily, they also have each other to help them on their journey.

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