June 2014 Meet-up Round-up!

It’s hard to believe that 2014 is halfway over! Here in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day® world, this means that we’re even closer to the start of the event season, and Komen 3-Day walkers and crew members are busy preparing with training walks, meet-ups and clinics. The 3-Day® will be here before we know it! Take a look at some of our local events from June.

Michigan

Members of two of Michigan’s largest teams, The BC Babes and the Hines Pink Pathers, joined forces to get to know each other a little better on a beautiful June training walk. susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk june training michigan

Twin Cities

Twin Cities walkers came out on June 28th to attend a Packing Workshop held at TC Running Co. in Eden Prairie. They learned some tips to make their 3-Day camping experience easy, comfortable and fun! New friendships were made, tenting partners were found and all enjoyed some delightful discounts off clothing and gear. They are ready to go!Komen_3Day_june_twin cities_get packed clinic

Seattle

The Komen Puget Sound Race for the Cure took place on Sunday, June 1 at Seattle Center. There were over 7,000 participants this year, and 3-Day coaches Aubrey and Jon saw lots of 3-Day faces there. The weather held out and we had a beautiful event with lots of sunshine and plenty of friends. susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk june seattle puget sound race for the cure

Atlanta

Stone Mountain Park – the site of the Atlanta 3-Day Opening Ceremony – was the setting for a beautiful morning training walk. Coach Tara enjoyed some company with a great group of motivated ladies who walk there almost every weekend. susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk june stone mountain training walk

We discovered a new Walk & Talk path and some wonderful new walkers to join us. It was a very humid night, but we all made it and even enjoyed getting some training in on the hills. susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk june atlanta training lawrenceville

Dallas/Fort Worth

Coach Gayla rocks her signature selfie at this Walk & Talk in Richardson. susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk june dallas fort worth training

Eight walkers showed up for a Get Prepped Clinic in Rockwell, hosted by our friends at New Balance.susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk june get prepped clinic dallas fort worth rockwall

Nothing could dampen the spirits of Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day team Pink Soles in Motion, who trained right through the North Texas flooding rains on June 22nd. On their walk, they met a young woman who was holding a rummage sale to raise money for her friend who was recently diagnosed. It was a poignant reminder of why they walk.susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk june dallas fort worth pink soles in motion rain trainingsusan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk june dallas fort worth pink soles in motion rain training rummage sale

We had a great casual meet-up with new and veteran walkers at The Londoner in Frisco.susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk june dallas fort worth meet up londoner frisco

San Diego

Thirty-five wonderful walkers attended a Walk & Talk with Cliff’s Crew and friends in Fullerton. susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk june san diego fullerton cliffs crew

San Diego 3-Day coach Kim hopped in on a training walk in Daley Ranch. As Kim put it, “Sometimes we just want some dirt under our feet!”susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk june san diego daley ranch training

We had a great Walk & Talk in Encinitas – gorgeous day, 6 amazing miles and 15 fabulous people. susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk june san diego encinitas training walk

Bonus Meet-ups!

Chicagoland – As a special thank you for their dedication to the Susan G. Komen 3-Day, coaches Jennifer and Eileen hosted a Chicagoland 3-Day gathering on Thursday, June 5th in Park Ridge, IL. It was a night of fun, friendship and laughs. We had a wonderful time celebrating with our Chicagoland 3-Day community.susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk june chicagoland reunion

Tampa – Atlanta coach Tara ventured further south to the Sunshine State for a Walk & Talk with some Tampa Bay walkers, including members of Team 211. It was a morning walk along the Bayshore with 20 amazing women, and the morning included a beautiful sunrise, muffins, stingray sightings and a surprise birthday party for Team 211’s captain Sylvia—cake included, of course! Tara shared, “This team really is family, and I was so honored to be welcomed in and even invited back. They are working hard to keep the Tampa walkers engaged and excited to make their travels to other 3-Day cities.”susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk june tampa team 211susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk june tampa

 

Looking to find a meet-up in your area? Check out the 3-Day calendar of events here.

The Power of Teams on the 3-Day

“Teamwork is the secret that makes common people achieve uncommon results.” -Ifeanyi Onuoha

The Susan G. Komen 3-Day® community is one of the most remarkable groups of people I’ve ever known or been part of. It’s a passionate pink tribe of dedicated individuals, who, together, make up a powerful force for good in the fight against breast cancer.

Within the full Komen 3-Day family, there are smaller groups of walkers and crew members who decide that the best way for them to experience the amazing journey of the 3-Day® is in the company of friends, family members, neighbors or co-workers. And thus, 3-Day teams are born.

Atlanta 3-Day’s Team 2-1-1 shared a little bit of their team’s inspirational origin story:

The foremost benefit of being part of a team on the 3-Day is the camaraderie. Sharing the hope, the laughter and the tears with people you love makes the whole experience that much more meaningful. Walking alongside people who are close to you makes the miles pass more easily, and knowing that you have someone who isn’t going to leave your side is often the very thing that gets you through. Teammates provide emotional, mental and sometimes even physical support for one another through an intense and moving three days.

Beyond these obvious benefits, in my experience, there are also some secondary advantages of being on a team:

  • Picture Partners – I take a lot of pictures on the 3-Day, but even today, in the age of the selfie, I am not IN most of the pictures I take. Not a big deal, except I do like to have some recorded evidence of my participation. That’s where my teammates come in. If my 6 teammates and I are all taking photos of each other, we all will end up in someone’s pics, somewhere. Getting together after the walk and sharing these captured moments is always a highlight.

    Komen_3Day_silly team picture

    Some of my favorite pictures are the random captures by my teammates

 

  • Raising the Alarm – Left to my own schedule and my own snooze button, I probably would be the last person in camp to emerge from my pink tent in the morning, and some days, would barely even get my teeth brushed before camp closes and I get bused off to lunch. Teammates to the rescue! I mean, we all like sleeping in, but multiple alarm clocks assures us that we’ll get up and moving in time.
  • The Power of Human Contact – Having a teammate come through with a well-timed pit stop shoulder-rub can sometimes be the difference between “I’m not sure I can go on…” and “Come on, we’ve got this!” My teammates and I never hesitate to give each other the massages, hugs or high-fives that we need to keep moving forward.
  • Sharing is Caring – When you walk with a group, you really only need one can of sunscreen, one bottle of ibuprofen, one package of moleskin and pair of scissors, one tube of Vaseline. My teammates and I split these items up among our many fanny packs, so no one person has to carry it all, and so we all have extra room in our packs for the candy we pick up through the Cheering Stations.

A final word about teams – No doubt, some of you will read this and say, “I walk by myself, and my experience is every bit as powerful as those who walk on teams.” To that I say, awesome! I only speak from my own experience, and my intention is not to rank the quality of one person’s experience over another’s. I certainly have known some extraordinary “teams of one” in my years with the 3-Day.

Another (for reals) final word about teams – If you are currently a solo walker and would like to find a team to join, use the 3-Day Friend Finder tool in your Participant Center. You can search by zip code to find other participants, and team captains with open teams in your area. Or check out the Meet-ups and More page of the 3-Day website to see if there is an upcoming info meeting, reunion or Walk & Talk in your area.

Okay, I mean it, this is really the FINAL word about teams – Are you thinking about joining your friends who are already registered? Or are you currently on a team and looking to grow your ranks? Between now and April 6, walkers can register and $20 off their registration fee ($50, down from $70). Visit The3Day.org/register.