Meet Your 2019 Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day Coaches

The Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day is this week…can you believe it?! We are so excited to head to the Lone Star State, the home of Susan G. Komen, for an amazing weekend.

No one is more excited than your Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day team! Your coaches Gayla and Liz, plus your amazing Crew Coordinators Gina and Kiki, as well as Event Planner Eileen have all been counting down the days to this weekend for a whole year. They’re ready to welcome you with open arms!

But, before we officially kick off the weekend, they are here to get you pumped for your 60-mile journey with their favorite spots along the route and why they look forward to this weekend all year. They are truly a team full of love for each other, and for each of their 3-Day participants. That’s because they are all one big family…

“The 3-Day to me is a family, a family bound together by their passion, enthusiasm and drive to make a difference in the fight against breast cancer,” says Coach Gina.

And that includes this coaching team. They have so much love for each other!

Gina says that “Liz and Gayla are not only the faces of the DFW 3-Day, but the heart as well! Their love and passion for this event are incredible. I am constantly in awe of them. Everyone should be sure to give them both a high-five and a hug!”

They love Coach Gina as well, with Coach Liz calling her “the sweetest kindest person I know,” and Gayla saying that Gina “really appreciates the work all of the crew members put forth all season long. I am so honored to have her as a co-worker and friend. It makes my job that much more meaningful.”

The whole team also raves about Coach Kiki, who Liz calls “hilarious and oh so productive,” and Eileen, who has created an amazing 3-Days of route that everyone will be sure to love.

What are some highlights that the coaches especially love?

The Sculpture Garden right after Opening Ceremony
The Cattle Drive bronze statures
Walking through the Roughrider Stadium in Frisco and seeing everyone’s pictures on the big screen in centerfield
The energy and emotion at the Honor Ceremony at camp Saturday night
The brand spankin’ new route on Day 3
Experiencing the new Finish Line Festival at Tostitos Championship Plaza at The Star

Aside from the route itself, there are so many wonderful places in the Dallas/Fort Worth area that you can take advantage of if you arrive early or take a few days to stay after you complete your journey. Gayla and Liz recommend…

The Lone Star State has so much to offer, and our coaches know it’s going to be an amazing few days together.

“Savor the moments, every step, each interaction, all the 3-Day love you feel,” says Gina. “Because as the saying goes, ‘It’s the little moments that make life big.’”

But don’t forget to stop and give your coaches a hug ?. They can’t wait to see you all!

A Note About Saturday:

Due to the recent tornadoes in the North Dallas area, we are making changes to the second half of Saturday’s route and do not have the route cards to share with you just yet. We will give you a route card at the Opening Ceremony with the latest route information and the map of your journey will be updated as soon as possible. Please be flexible with staff, crew and city jurisdictions and understand these changes are being made for the safety of our participants as well as out of respect for the communities where homes, businesses and property have been destroyed.

Meet Your 2019 Philadelphia 3-Day Coaches

The Philadelphia 3-Day is tomorrow…can you feel the excitement? We are thrilled to welcome all our participants to the City of Brotherly Love!

Your coaches, Tisho and Carol, plus your amazing Crew Coordinator Gina and Event Planner Melanie, have all been working towards this weekend for a whole year. They can’t wait to welcome walkers, crew, volunteers and 3-Day supporters of all kinds to Philadelphia! Before we kick off the weekend though, the team is sharing tips and advice, their favorite memories, and what we can look forward to over this weekend.

Let’s start there! The Philadelphia route has so many highlights, and our coaches have their favorites:

Coach Carol loves Kelly Drive, where you can watch the boats rowing on the Schuylkill River. She also has a soft spot for The Porch at 30th Street Station and the Schuylkill River Trail.
Coach Tisho, on the other hand, is bee-lining for Pat’s and Geno’s! Even after all her years of being a Philly participant and coach, she still hasn’t visited these iconic restaurants. You’ll find her there or posing for photos with the Rocky statue or on the top of the steps. No one should miss those iconic Philadelphia spots.

The coaches also have advice to share. They come with years of experience as walkers and coaches, and their connection to the 3-Day family and cause runs deep.

Coach Gina says, “After 15 years and countless events, my 3-Day ‘why’ became much more personal over the past couple years and has renewed my energy in this fight. My own breast cancer battle brought surgeries, chemo, radiation, and my life is forever changed. I am blessed because I had my 3-Day community by my side, and they lifted me up when I needed it most and got me to THIS moment.

The 3-Day to me is a family bound together by their passion, enthusiasm and drive to make a difference in the fight against breast cancer.”

The renewed appreciation has led to Coach Gina to encourage all Philadelphia 3-Dayers to “savor the moments, every step, each interaction, all the 3-Day love you feel” all weekend.

Coach Carol echoes that sentiment, saying, “Cherish every step. Take it one day at a time. Make friends and take care of yourselves and each other.”

That’s advice that the coaches have been taking all year long, as they worked together to plan your 3-Day experience. They have worked as a team, cherishing their time together. You can hardly call it “work,” when these ladies love each other as much as they do.

Coach Gina calls Coach Carol “one of the faces of the Philly 3-Day who is truly ‘boots on the ground’ and uber passionate about this cause.”

That passion lives inside Gina as well. Coach Tisho sees that dedication in every bit of the work she does with the 3-Day Crew.

“Gina is so caring and as a survivor herself she really brings a whole new level of compassion and strength to the event and our team.”

But we can’t forget Coach Tisho herself! She “does such a great job of keeping our participants inspired all year long,” according to Melanie, and Carol loves that Tisho is “always willing to go the extra step to help walkers in any way she can!”

This is a team of dedicated, loving women who can’t wait to welcome all of you to their Pink Bubble! If you see them, be sure to stop and chat or share a hug!

Coach Carol especially wanted to make sure she included that message, saying,

“It has been my honor to be the coach for the Philadelphia 3-Day this year, and I am so appreciative for the opportunities that I have had to get to know our participants. I am so looking forward to sharing some miles with you all on Saturday. Look for me! ?

Meet Your Seattle 3-Day Coaches

It’s a busy week in the 3-Day world, and our Seattle coaches are hard at work getting an amazing weekend ready for you! They’re excited to bring the 3-Day to the West Coast. If you don’t know them yet, the Seattle 3-Day team is a group of women you’re going to love meeting this weekend! They’re dedicated, enthusiastic, and will be in your corner every step of the way.

That includes Coach Liz, who her fellow coaches call “the goddess of the 3-Day.” She has walked many times as well as a long-time coach and knows the 3-Day experience front to back.

Coach Amy says, “I have never met anyone so dedicated to taking care of our participants and sprinkling her love to make sure every interaction is filled with care. Liz always has a personal story that she can connect to a participant and always makes that walker or crew member feel supported.”

That love exists for Coach Amy, too! She is the crew’s biggest advocate and Liz goes as far to say that “she does magical work with our awesome crew. She is always so sweet and has a kind word for everyone.”

Coach Amy works alongside Coach Kiki, both working to help our crew have the best weekend possible. Kiki is hilarious and oh so productive, remaining calm no matter what problems come her way. Kiki can’t wait to be back in Seattle again after a few years and knows that both walkers and crew will have a “whole lot of smiles and hard-core belly laughs” to look forward to over the next few days. If you ever need a smile (or a sing along to your favorite Lizzo song!), Kiki is your gal!

Coach Aubrey will also bring plenty of smiles on event…and she’ll sing along with you to Lizzo, too! She’s a singer in her free time, and will even be performing at camp!

“Aubrey’s infectious enthusiasm for the Seattle 3-Day is contagious,” Coach Amy says with a smile. “Her passion for cultivating relationships in order to form partnerships and strengthen the 3-Day community inspires me daily. When you talk to Aubrey, you can’t help but smile.”

Last, but certainly not least, is our amazing Event Production Manager, Ann. Aubrey says she glues their group together, and “is super laid back and flexible. She’s always willing to hear suggestions from myself and the walkers!”

Ann has planned a beautiful route for all of you, and the coaches can’t wait for you to experience every step of this amazing weekend! Spots to keep an eye out for. Here are the coaches’ favorites…

Day One’s walk across the 520 Bridge and into Medina
Day One also has a scenic lunch stop at Bellevue Downtown Park
Day Two’s trek along the waterfront in Kirkland
Our new Honor Ceremony at camp on Saturday evening
Of course, Day Three’s stop in Gasworks Park and Lake Union Park
The Rose Garden is also a fan favorite
The new Finish Line Festival will also be tons of fun for spectators and participants alike

From our Opening Ceremony at the Space Needle, to the many nature trails and picturesque parks you’ll experience throughout the weekend, our Seattle coaches know it will be a weekend to remember!

Coach Amy summed that feeling up nicely.

“The Seattle 3-Day Crew community is truly a beautiful example of what happens when you allow love to rule over everything you do. On the 3-Day, you will experience something that defies explanation. You will be challenged, inspired, pushed harder and appreciated more than you ever have before. It is a magical thing and I wish I could bottle up this magic and sprinkle it all year long!”

We can’t wait to see that magic throughout Seattle this weekend ?