3-Day Warm Weather Training Tips: Beat the Heat!

Summer is officially here at last, and the heat has been turned up across the country. That means you need to be even more careful on your training walks, especially as you work towards longer and longer training sessions. We want to keep all our 3-Dayers safe and sound through training, the 60 miles of your event, and beyond! With that in mind, here are some tips to use during your summer training walks.

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Dress appropriately

Swap your pants for shorts, switch your sweatshirt for a tee, and wear light-colored clothing. Dark colors like black absorb the heat, which can make you feel even hotter. Also, choose lightweight, sweat-wicking clothing, and shy away from tighter styles. By keeping it loose and light, more air will be able to circulate over your skin, keeping you cool. Look for high-tech fabrics (not cotton) that pull sweat away from your body and help it evaporate more quickly.

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Stretch it out

Get your muscles warm before your body really heats up! Stretching before your walks will help to deter muscle cramps and tiredness, especially during long walks. Don’t forget to stretch after you walk as well! Take off your shoes and stretch in the grass with your team or walking buddy. It gives you a few more minutes to enjoy the weather, and helps you stay loose. When you’re walking on the 3-Day, we encourage you to stretch at every stop light. Don’t worry – our crew and handy signs will remind you!

Bring water

Drinking water during the summer is a careful balance. You want to be sure not to get dehydrated, and drink plenty of water, but you need to supplement your water with salty snacks or sports drinks in order to avoid a problem called hyponatremia, which stems from low blood sodium. So, stay away from sugary sodas, and stick to drinking water and sports drink during and after exercise and other physical activities.

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Snack often

Be sure to fuel your body with a good mix of protein, carbohydrate, salts, and fats. Trail mix is a great portable and heat-safe (as long as it doesn’t have chocolate chips!) option. Or, plan your walk with a mid-way stop for a snack or lunch.

Time your work out to avoid peak heat

This is especially important for longer walks where you will be out in the sun for extended periods of time. Schedule your walks for the early morning or after the sun begins setting to stave off sunburn as well as excess tiredness. Above all, avoid the height of the day (noon to 3 pm) when the sun is hottest.

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Protect your skin

SPF is a no brainer during the summer, but you can also protect yourself with hats and sunglasses, and shirts that have built-in SPF. Also, seek shade at intermittent times throughout your walks to give your skin a break from the sun.

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Work your way up to longer work outs

You have probably already been doing this with group, team or solo training walks. It becomes even more important in the heat though! If you have a long walk scheduled, make sure to schedule it for later in the week, then do shorter walks in the days leading up to it. On the big day, grab a buddy to keep you motivated for your long walk!

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Know your body

Above all, watch out for any weakness, light-headedness or dizziness. You should also keep an eye out for paling of the skin (especially after being out in the sun), headaches and any nausea. If anything feels off, cut your training short or skip your walk that day just to be safe. It’s great to work towards new goals, but you never want to overdo it. Be safe out there!

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.

Fit a Workout into Your Busy Day

Photo via Autumn Goodman

We are all busy people, thanks to work, side hustles, family and even a little fun now and then! However, if you’re going to join us on the 3-Day, you need to train in order to walk those 60 miles. If you have a busy schedule ahead, use some of these tips to squeeze in a workout whenever you have a few spare minutes.

Every minute, every step, and every dollar counts in the fight against breast cancer. So, every training you do for the 3-Day will make a huge difference! Walk on!

Photo via Drazen Biljak

Start your day off right!

If you have trouble getting up early for a walk, wear your workout clothes to bed and get your sweat on as soon as you wake up. This also gives you an extra five minutes of sleep in the morning.
If you don’t have time for a full training walk, do 10 push-ups every morning as soon as you wake up. Or choose jumping-jacks, running in place or crunches! This is a small enough commitment for each day, but still a regular enough activity to make a difference. Over time, you can add more reps or more time.
Do squats while you brush your teeth or your hair.
While you’re doing your makeup, skin care regime or other morning bathroom routine, pause between each step and do a few repetitions of some dumbbell exercises. You can even keep a set of free weights in your bathroom so you don’t forget.

Photo via Damian Zaleski

Make the office your gym

Start your day by sitting on astability ball instead of your usual desk chair to strengthen your core. You don’t have to sit on it all day, but even a few hours will make a difference!
Keepdumbbells by your desk so you can squeeze in 12 to 15 reps of exercises like dumbbell curls and overhead presses throughout the day. You might just inspire your co-workers to do the same!
If you eat out on your lunch hour, or usually grab a mid-afternoon coffee, walk to the restaurant on a route that takes you a little bit out of your way.

Photo via Bench Accounting

Do your own filing, copying, package pick-up or coffee-grabbing. Having an assistant or helpful co-workers is great, but they secretly derive the physical benefit of doing your busy work while you spend more time sitting still. Take any chance you can to get up and move from your desk!
Take calls standing up! If you spend a lot of time on the phone at work, use that time to get up and stretch your legs, or do some squats and lunges.

Photo via Brooke Cagle

Get moving in the evening

If you have children who have a practice or lesson, walk around the block or the practice field during their appointment. You’ll save time driving to and from to pick them up, and get extra steps in at the same time.
If you must run errands like grocery shopping, you can still do lunges, toe raises, and squats at the checkout line. People might look at you like you’re silly, but who cares?
Dance like crazy! Loosen up after a long day at work by giving yourself 10 minutes of dance time when you get home. Grab the family, or your roommates, and put on your favorite tunes.
Cooking dinner? Do standing push-ups while you wait for a pot to boil or the oven to preheat. Stand about an arm’s length from the kitchen counter, and push your arms against the counter. Push in and out to get toned arms and shoulders.
Or, get out of the house and go on a fitness date! Set up a workout date with your significant other or invite your friends to try a new workout instead of hitting happy hour.
If you are catching up on your favorite shows, during commercials, jog in place or do jumping jacks. Make some space between the couch and the TV so you don’t miss anything while breaking a sweat.

Photo via Lydia Harper

How do you fit training or working out into your daily life? Tell us the ways you get moving, and put a smile on your face, every day!

REMINDER: The health, safety and training information contained in this blog post, or otherwise provided to you in connection with your participation in the Susan G. Komen 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.

3-Day June Fundraising Calendar

With Memorial Day behind us and June finally here, it’s beginning to look a lot like summer! This weekend marks the two-month countdown to our first 3-Day of 2017 in Michigan, and the rest of the month is going to be full of sun and fun.

With all kinds of holidays and events happening in June, let’s get going!

June is National Rose and Fruit & Veggies Month, among others, so there are plenty of fun ways to use those holidays to your advantage:

Give your next round of fundraising letters a twist, and attach a note to a rose! Drop them off personally, or use them as thank yous to your donors. Everyone loves a fresh flower!
Fruit and Veggies Month is the perfect time to take advantage of the summer’s fresh produce! In that honor, make smoothies at your next team meeting using some of our simple recipes. Or, sell homemade smoothies as a fundraising effort! If you’re an expert gardener, maybe you could sell some of your harvest for fundraising dollars, too – we know lots of people who love a homegrown tomato!
It’s also Adopt a Cat Month, so grab your team, and volunteer at a local animal shelter! Giving those sweet animals a cuddle will bring the team together through fun and charity.

There are plenty of Walk & Talks, New Walker Meet-Ups, Get Started Meetings and Training Kick-Offs happening in June. There are also multiple Race for the Cure events across the country! These are perfect times to get training in and meet other 3-Dayers! Those races, and some other events, are highlighted in the calendar above, but you can find the complete list on our website here. We will also be calling out more local events on our Facebook page, so keep an eye out.

Other key days this month include:

June 2: Donut Day: This is one of the biggest food holidays of the year, because everyone loves donuts! Check out Pinterest for fun crafts like this one to use for delicious fundraising efforts.
June 8: Best Friend Day: We’ve said it before, and we’ll keep saying it…the 3-Day is better with friends! Use this day to talk to your friends and colleagues to join your 3-Day team. They can still register now!
June 18: Father’s Day: Reach out to your dad, grandfather, uncle or other important man in your life. It’s important to remind them that you care!
June 20: First Day of Summer: Get your team together, and throw a big fundraising event! Have everyone pitch in different food items, and encourage people to show off their signature summer recipes. Then, work with local restaurants and other vendors to donate more goodies to make this the perfect Summer Kick-Off Barbecue!
June 23: National Pink Day: This is the best day of the year for a 3-Dayer! Use any number of our pink-themed fundraising ideas to make the most of this day. It’s also the perfect way to end your June on a high note and hit your latest fundraising goal.

Also, make sure to join our 3-Day Social Stars! This is an easy-to-join group that’s part of our social media community, where you can earn prizes for interacting with the 3-Day on social media. Talk, connect, and share with us!

What are your fundraising and training goals for June? How will you work to achieve them?