Meet Your Seattle 3-Day Coaches

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Coaches Liz and Gayla

The Seattle 3-Day is tomorrow, and guess who’s excited? We all are! But your coaches, Gayla and Liz, plus your amazing Crew Coordinator Libby and Event Planner Ann, have all been counting down the days to this weekend for a whole year. They can’t wait to welcome walkers, crew and 3-Day supporters of all kinds to Seattle! Before we kick off the weekend though, the Seattle team is here to share their favorite tips and advice, brag about each other and get you pumped for your 60-mile journey.

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Coach Libby (left)

First, meet your coaches!

Libby explains that “This is the first time that all of us have worked together as a team, but you would never know it. We really complement each other and make an amazing team!”

Coach Liz and Coach Gayla have been coaches together since 2014, and Liz has taken over all donation and website questions. Gayla praises her kindness, intelligence and restaurant picks!
Libby brings “lots of smiles and laughs,” according to Gayla, and “when it comes to all things crew, she knows her stuff!” Coach Gayla also loves that Libby is always ready to help with any task that needs doing.
Gayla herself is “fast moving, a fast talker, gets things done and loves life! The best coach to partner with!” according to Liz. Libby praises her contagious “passion and concern for every single participant.”
Ann and Libby have been a team for a while, and Libby says Ann is “funny, with an infectious laugh. She is calm and collected and just a joy to be around!” It helps that she is a wine expert and a true “dynamo,” according to Liz.

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Libby sums it up best when she says, “Working with this team has been a welcome addition to my roster and I can’t wait to continue our work together!”

That work will culminate with the 3-Day this weekend, and there is a lot to be excited about…

Ann can’t wait to hear feedback on the new route for Day One, which she thinks will be a welcome change for walkers!
That day includes one of Liz’s favorite spots: Lunch at Downtown Bellevue Park, which is so pretty and calming.
Gayla loves “The Bra Boat that always putted along beside the I-90 Trail bridge – I hope they see us on the 520 Trail bridge this year!”
Woodland Rose Park is a team favorite all around.
And of course, we can’t forget Gasworks Park!
Right after Gasworks is downtown Seattle, and all the “sights, sounds and people watching at Pike Place Market.” This is another one of Coach Gayla’s favorites because “there’s nothing like that where I’m from in Dallas Cowboys country ?”

Overall, don’t miss a minute! Libby says she can’t pick a favorite because the route is just that good ? “I like it all! Seattle is such a beautiful place and we are seeing a lot of its beauty in our 60 miles.”

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Coach Libby with participants

Aside from the route, the whole team is pumped to welcome the walkers and crew they have been speaking to and working with all year long. And don’t forget about the community support, too! Gayla can’t wait for 3-Dayers to see the private cheering stations and mobile cheer squad groups that will be supporting walkers throughout the 60-mile journey.

That’s what the 3-Day is about after all! “Camaraderie, community and healing” – per Coach Liz. All our coaching team is ready to bring together the 3-Day family on the West Coast and have a weekend of More Than Pink fun.

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Coach Libby with Coaches Kiki and Gina

Coach Liz says, “Seattle has everything: water views, city, woods, hills. It is simply amazing!”

And so are your coaches…

“The Seattle market has some of the most veteran and loyal 3-Day coaches around,” promises Coach Gayla. “We live and love the 3-Day and with so many years of 3-Day participant and coaching experience, we hope that this year you will have as much fun as we will!”

2018 Seattle 3-Day Route Preview

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The weekend is almost here! The 3-Day is heading to the West Coast and taking Seattle by storm! As we gear up for three days of More Than Pink family, fun and inspiration, we are excited to debut a few changes to the Seattle 3-Day route this year. Event Production Manager Ann Love is giving us the details on everything we should look forward to…

Our 2018 Seattle 3-Day begins as we have in years past: At Seattle Center, on the North Fountain Lawn. This iconic spot is perfect for photos and will leave everyone very inspired as we start our journey. We will be exiting Opening Ceremony differently though, as we will be starting our new route right away!

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Ann says this new route on Day One is “shorter and flatter, which should excite anyone who has done Seattle before!”

We will be heading north out of the city, and cross Lake Washington via a recently opened pedestrian bridge. This walkway is wider and has better barriers for safety.

We will then walk through Medina, which we have never walked through before. It’s a really cute neighborhood with lots of charming houses.

Ann is most excited for this!

“I am definitely excited for everyone to experience this day! You’ll see some great parks and residential spots.”

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After that, walkers will come into Bellevue for lunch, in the same spot as last year. From there on, the route is very similar to past years. We will be passing through some of the same parks, but we will have a different route to get into camp.

Camp will still be at Marymoore Park, but in a different section this year. So, we will enter camp through downtown Redmond. Camp won’t have pavement this year, so we will be on a field, which will be more comfortable!

“Camp is easier to navigate and laid out in a big semi-circle. It’s just a great spot to end the day!” according to Ann.

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The Day Two route is pretty similar to last year, going through Redmond and Kirkland.

“Most of the day will look very similar to people who have done the walk before! But we made some changes, so it won’t be repetitive. There will still be lots of parks, and one of the parks is even hosting a local event so keep an eye out for fun Seattle festivities.”

Day Three will start off with a bus ride to the University of Washington to begin the day on their beautiful campus. From there, the route is pretty much the same as in years past, but walkers will see a few different parks!

We will be walking around the perimeter of Woodland Park Zoo and walk right next to the Woodland Rose Garden. If you want to stop and take photos, it’s open to the public and free!

Ann says this is a “great spot for photos! It’s so nice and just a fun spot! It’s one of my favorite spots on the whole route.”

From there, walkers will come to Gasworks Park, where the local Seattle Susan G. Komen Affiliate’s “Row for the Cure” event finish area will be set up again. So, we will have the chance to mingle and get to know each other!

Walkers will then head along Lake Union and have lunch at South Lake Union Park. As you leave lunch, you will be walking back to the city through all of the Amazon buildings. There are lots of shops here and it’s a fun Seattle staple.

We will then come to Pike’s Place Market, which is another well-known Seattle spot. Stop for photos and see the throwing of the fish (or make a detour to the first Starbucks!) but don’t linger too long… We’re almost at the end of the day!

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Walkers will then make their way along the waterfront for a little while. After pit stop 3, we will turn back towards to city and come back through one of the older sections of Seattle.

The 3-Day will finish back at Seattle Center and the Closing Ceremony is at Memorial Stadium once again. There is no better place to celebrate another amazing 3-Day weekend! We can’t wait to see you all there!

How to Support Your 3-Dayer on Event

We have two 3-Days of 2018 behind us, but that means we still have five more yet to look forward to! Seattle is only a few days away, and we want every 3-Dayer from to feel supported from coast to coast (and North to South). Just how can you support your 3-Dayer, even from states away? There are plenty of ways to show them More Than Pink love!

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Send Camp Mail

In the world of email and text messages, snail mail seems to have gone by the wayside. But not on the 3-Day! We know the importance of a funny card, a heartfelt letter or even a cute postcard. You can send 3-Day walkers, crew and even staff mail on event. Just please no boxes! Each event has a different deadline so check the Spectator Information for your event on our website to make sure yours is postmarked on time. The camp mailing address and deadline details will be posted one month before your 3-Day.

Gift them some Sweet Treats

Also on that Spectator Information page are the details on sending your 3-Dayer a sweet treat. Because who doesn’t love something tasty to look forward to at the end of a long day? These custom 3-Day chocolate medallions are sent in partnership with Ford Warriors in Pink, a fantastic breast cancer organization.

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Cheer for your walkers!

If you live in the same city as a 3-Day (calling on you Seattle, Atlanta, Dallas/Fort Worth and San Diego natives!) you can come cheer for your 3-Dayer all weekend long! We have Public Cheering Stations where you can create banners, hold up signs, bring some music and spread the love—anything to make the 3-Dayers smile, stay energized and keep walking. Cheering station locations and times are posted on the Spectator Information page two weeks before every event.

There are also Private Cheering Stations! You can organize a group (up to 20) to host your very own private cheering station. Follow this link for more information. Then, if you’re interested in hosting a private cheering station, contact coaches@the3day.org with the subject line: “Private Cheering Station Inquiry.”

Last but not least we have Mobile Cheering Squads, which are small groups (less than four people) who support the 3-Day walkers along the route. If you are interested in forming a cheering squad, contact coaches@the3day.org with the subject line: “Mobile Cheering Squad Inquiry.”

Come to Friends & Family Night

Every Saturday night on the 3-Day is Friends & Family Night at camp. Be there to welcome your 3-Dayer home, explore Main Street of our camp, then laugh and dance together at our Camp Show! It’s the perfect way to really immerse yourself in the Pink Bubble your 3-Dayers live in for the weekend. Dinner in the dining area at camp is for participants only and seating for visitors will be limited, so please bring a picnic blanket and your own dinner. Check your 3-Day’s Spectator Information page for more details.

Celebrate at the Closing Ceremony

When the weekend is finished, and 60 miles have been walked, our Closing Ceremony is a true celebration of joy, determination and family. It happens on Sunday night, and is the perfect ending to a wonderful weekend. Come join us!

How else do you show your 3-Day family love while they’re out on event? Tell us in the comments!