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Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day Route Preview

Lone Star State, we are coming for you! We are so excited to be heading to Dallas/Fort Worth next weekend. We know that Susan G. Komen’s home city is going to be out in full force to support us for this 60-mile walk. Event Planner Eileen Barnick has been preparing all year to make this coming weekend the best 3-Day possible, and she can’t wait to share the route and some new updates with all our participants.

We will begin at Tostitos Championship Plaza at The Star, home of the Dallas Cowboy Headquarters, for the second year and Eileen says everyone should be pumped for a “high-energy celebration” to start our Friday!

“There will be a lot of oomph! It’s such an exciting place to show off the 3-Day spirit.”

After that, the excitement continues as the first five miles have SO much! It’s a great kick-off to the weekend that includes a walk down Star Boulevard (the Star’s entertainment district) towards the Football Huddle sculpture. Once we leave The Star the walkers will enter the beautiful Hall Park, Frisco’s office park, home to many land and water sculptures. Photo ops will abound! From there, we are on to Frisco Central Park where you can take pictures with the bronze cowboys and a herd of stampeding cattle.

Eileen is also pumped to be able to walk through the Dr Pepper Ballpark, home field of the local Frisco RoughRiders, again this year. They’ll be pumping music and really getting the walkers excited. It’s a really fun atmosphere and the whole Dallas/Fort Worth local team is so happy to be able to return there again.

Other Day One highlights include Plano and the corporate headquarters of many large companies including Bank of America, as well as a beautiful trail walk through Arbor Hills Nature Preserve in Plano. We will have a leisurely lunch at Timberglen Park in Dallas and visit the beautiful suburbs of Carrollton and Addison on our way back to camp at Brookhaven College. So much, all in the first day!

Eileen notes that Friday is the longest day, but it’s still the same length as it was last year. Saturday and Sunday are shorter so walkers get the longest day over first, and Eileen promises that even though it’s long, Friday will be loads of fun.

“There’s nothing not to love about Day One. We didn’t change any of the route because people loved it so much. We can’t wait!”

And then comes Day Two, which has large parts of brand-new route. Saturday starts with a short bus ride to Trinity Groves at the Ronald Kirk Pedestrian Bridge. As walkers cross the bridge, they will enjoy beautiful morning views of the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge and downtown Dallas. The pedestrian bridge also has all kinds of fun details and games you can play as you cross. Just make sure to stop and take in the lovely skyline views!

From the bridge we will head into downtown past many famous landmarks, including The Grassy Knoll, Sixth Floor Museum and Dealey Plaza. These are such important, iconic parts of Dallas history.

Walkers will continue to enjoy their morning on the popular and picturesque Katy Trail, as they head towards the beautiful towns of Highland and University Parks. These two historic towns feature some of the most beautiful scenery and architecture of the weekend. From the gorgeous homes to the relaxing parks, our walkers will really enjoy this section of the route.

We have a new lunch spot for our halfway celebration at Curtis Park in University Park, and after lunch we will wind through the neighborhoods and business districts of Dallas as we reach the City of Farmers Branch and a fun evening at camp at Brookhaven College.

Eileen says, “We’re spicing up what people have come to expect from Day Two! It’s an extra punch of fun in the weekend!”

Day Three is also brand new and will introduce walkers to two suburbs we’ve never walked in before: Allen and McKinney.

“We will be able to enjoy the trail systems there,” Eileen enthuses. “We always get requests for more time on the trails, and we really tried to accommodate that request for this year.”

The day begins with another short bus ride to Allen at Watters Creek. Through Allen, walkers will be treated to both beautiful neighborhoods and relaxing trails.

Having two bus rides in the weekend allows us to have a different Day Three route from Day One, even though we are ending where we began, back at the Tostitos Championship Plaza at The Star.

As we return to the Star, we will walk through a different part of Frisco than we walked in on Friday morning so the views will be all new and exciting.

Then we will end with a bang at Tostitos Championship Plaza at Tostitos Championship Plaza at The Star! Eileen is especially excited about this new location for our Finish Line Festival and Closing Ceremony.

“Since we will be walking through Cowboys country on Sunday during football season, there will be a lot of people in the area and it will be a nice large welcome! We expect to have a lot of community support around there!”

Overall, Eileen says everyone will have a lot to look forward to next weekend.

“Three very amazing days await! We are so excited to show new parts of the Dallas/Fort Worth area and be able to add more trails to the walk as well. I can’t wait for everyone to see it!”

We’ll see you all soon!

A Note About Saturday’s Route

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.

2016 Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day Route Update

Last year on the 3-Day® blog, we shared some detailed “Insider’s Peek at the Route” posts with you. We pulled the curtain back on the overall process of planning and executing a 60-mile route, and then got even more in-depth with each individual 3-Day walk’s route.

This year, we wanted to keep you looped-in with the updates and changes that have been made to the 3-Day routes for 2016. We’re also bringing in members of the 3-Day Advisory Council to share their thoughts about the 2016 changes. These participants stand as the “voice” of the 3-Day community and their input has been instrumental in strengthening the communication and camaraderie between Komen and the 3-Day family, so we’re thrilled to have their insight here on our route updates. We’ve previously shared route updates for Michigan, Twin Cities, Seattle, Atlanta and Philadelphia, and today, Dallas/Fort Worth is front and center!

Need a refresher about what the Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day route was like last year? Read our 2015 “Insider’s Peek” post here.

New for 2016

We chatted with Kiki, the amazing Event Planning Manager for the Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day, and the awesome Coach Gayla. They used feedback from seasoned walkers to make a few small changes between pit stop 3 and pit stop 4 on Day 1. Coach Gayla said “We’ll visit a new stretch just off of Forest Lane that will be a welcome change to our long time #DFW3Day walkers on Day 1. You’ll also be greeted by Susan G. Komen Headquarters staff members and the three Komen Affiliates from Greater Fort Worth, North Texas and Dallas County along the Survivor Stretch from pit stop 4 to camp.”

On Day 2, the total mileage will be one mile less than before, to give your sore feet a break. “Day 2 and 3 you’ll see a new Cheer Corps spot that has never been seen before. Soak up the love from them and I know you’ll appreciate the surprise break,” said Coach Gayla.

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On Day 3, “There’s a small change in Downtown Dallas after pit stop 3, with a pretty straight shot to Deep Ellum where you’ll get the final uplift you’ll need from private cheer stations before you enter Fair Park and the new Participant Finish Area,” she said. The Participant Finish Area at Closing Ceremony is getting a makeover, with a new gathering area with grass, shade, and a much more comfortable atmosphere for family and friends. The Victory Walk will also be a little bit different from last year, freshening up those amazing final few steps until Closing Ceremony.

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In Their Words  We asked Thomas and Melissa, two of our 3-Day Advisory Council members who are participating in the Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day, for their thoughts on the 2016 route updates.

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Thomas (3x participant) – Thomas, a member of Dallas/Fort Worth team Presbytittans, said, “There are three parts I’ve always looked forward to since my first walk: I love the elementary school where the children are outside and cheering; I look forward to coming back through the tunnel on the Brookhaven campus; and the stroll through Deep Ellum on the way to Fair Park is always a treat.” He encourages first-timers to really take their time through downtown Dallas on Sunday. “There’s a tendency to ’finish strong‘ after lunch on Sunday, but enjoy the sights of downtown,” he said. How about any awesome Kodak Moments for our 3-Dayers? “Most of my pictures over the years have been at cheering stations and at the beginning/ending of the route. However, I always get asked to be the person to take pictures for others at the fire stations!”

Melissa (10+ year participant) – When we asked Melissa what she loved about the Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day, she said many of the same things as Thomas. “I think the best and most consistent parts of the route would be the HUGE cheer stations. Many ladies really love the Richardson Firefighters who happily pose for photos on their truck, and there are always school kids who line the playground fence to give us a high five!” Melissa and her husband also always find the B I G letters and snap a few pics like the one below. Does she have any other advice for walkers who are about to hit the streets for the Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day? “The weather is always gorgeous, but being Texas, it can change quickly – so please check the weather frequently and even if the forecast is warm and dry, bring gear for cold and wet! Also beware of curbs! We have a LOT of them!”

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We can’t wait to see you in a few weeks, Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Dayers, and we think Thomas summed up what we think you should do just perfectly: “Embrace the weekend! Laugh, hug, cry, high five and love your way through the event. You’re in a unique place of affirmation and mission, so enjoy it!”

We know you will, and if you have any questions or concerns before your event, remember the coaches are just a call away at 800-996-3DAY. See you soon, #DFW3Day!