3 Reasons to Do a Walk for Breast Cancer

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There are plenty of walks and runs available for you to join every year. They all have their own appeal, and their own sense of accomplishment when you complete them, but none of them are quite like the 3-Day. You spend three full days walking a total of 60 amazing miles (even a marathon is only 26.22 miles!) with people who might start as strangers, but will end as family! Why should you sign up to walk with us in 2018? Here are three perfect reasons…

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The pre-event preparation

Because this event requires lots of steps (316,800 feet in total), our participants often do a lot of training, and fundraising with their friends and teammates. This means that before the walk even begins, you will already have bonded with your 3-Day family.

San Diego 3-Day Coach and walker, Marianne, is grateful that she gets to spend time with her team members (both new and old) before the event!

“I love the time that I spend with my team training and on-event. There is so much time to talk and really get to know each other as we spend hours walking. This opportunity would be hard to find in our busy lives otherwise, and I so appreciate having that time for months in advance of the 3-Day.”

In a consistently busy world, making time to get active, make new friends and even just set aside time for yourself, will have you feeling happier with each mile.

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The feeling of family

Walker and crew member Sharon R. says, “There are so many people there to encourage you and help you along the way. You are never alone. Once you are a part of the ?Pink Bubble’, you will know what love feels like.”

There is no better way to describe your entire 3-Day journey than that! From your first meeting with your local coach, to the final moments of the Closing Ceremony, you will feel enveloped with love and support.

Philadelphia walker and walker stalker Cathy O. echoes those feelings, saying that at her first walk she “started as part of a team of two and, by the time we got to Waltham, we were a team of thousands… because everyone was our friend!”

And who doesn’t love a few hundred new friends?

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The moment you cross the finish line

Once you finish those 60 miles, you will have such a feeling of accomplishment for all the good you have done, and all the fun you’ve had.

You will have made such an impact on Susan G. Komen’s Bold Goal: To reduce the current number of breast cancer deaths by 50% in the U.S. by 2026. Every mile makes a difference. Because, after all, it’s not about the miles themselves.

“It’s not about the miles, it’s about the family and the finding a cure. Go for it, and do the best you can do because in the end, you will not regret it,” promises walker and Safety Crew member Melissa W.

We can’t wait to see you in 2018! You can sign up now at The3Day.org

And, if you sign up by February 5^th, you can get $20 off your registration!

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Meet Your San Diego 3-Day Coaches

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Coach Marianne and friends

If you’ve been following along with your San Diego 3-Day coaches on social media, you already know they’re a pretty fun group (who know how to work it for Facebook Live)! But there’s so much more than a cute profile picture to Coaches Marianne Masterson, Amy Schwager and Staci Roos! Before our California 3-Dayers arrive at our final Opening Ceremony on Friday, here are some things you need to know about your coaches.

Coach Amy at right

They Are More Than Pink

Each of the coaches has a deep and long-standing connection to the 3-Day. Staci and Amy both began walking in 2002, Staci in honor of her mother-in-law, who had been diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer that year.

After her first walk, Amy was hooked.

“After 60 long miles and a few blisters, I can truly say it was an unforgettable journey that I will cherish forever. It was after that experience that I knew I had to be involved in this event any way I could.”

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Coach Marianne at left

Marianne also has a very personal connection to the cause.

“All six of my sisters have had breast cancer, every one of them. I lost my sister, Sheila, four years ago to this disease; two of my sisters have had reoccurrences. All of them continue to live with the fear of reoccurrence.

When my sisters’ breast cancer diagnoses began materializing, one after the other, I felt helpless against this disease. I worried about the toll it would take on our family. I feared the impact it would have on our children and whether our daughters would also carry this burden, as my sisters have. So, I laced up my shoes and began walking towards a cure!”

Coach Staci

They are each other’s cheerleaders

Staci says her fellow coaches are “inspiring to a T. They work tirelessly in pursuit of an incredible experience for all of our amazing participants; walkers, crew and volunteers alike.”

Amy describes Staci as someone who “always always always finding the time to support our participants to make sure they are successful with their fundraising and training, so they ultimately end up having the opportunity to experience the magic of the 3-Day.”

Coach Amy at right

When asked about Coach Marianne, Amy says, “Marianne is always ready for whatever challenge is presented to her. She has an easy-going personality that makes you feel comfortable instantly. Her enthusiasm for the 3-Day is contagious and she has sprinkled the San Diego community with her love all season long.”

Marianne rounds out the group, speaking glowingly of her teammates.

“I knew Amy and Staci were amazing already, but now that I work so closely with them, I absolutely worship them! Not only do they have a wealth of knowledge about the walk, they are incredibly dedicated. I love Amy with her trucker hats and sweet smile, and Staci with her easy confidence, and that she’s a dog lover!”

Talk about sharing the love!

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They have a sweet tooth

Coach Amy’s favorite food is “any flavor” of cupcakes!

Marianne loves ice cream almost as much as she loves spending time at the ocean with family, and her favorite flavors “will have nuts and chewy chunky goodness.”

When we asked Coach Staci for a food, she asked “Is candy corn considered food…?”

So, if you see them on the route, feel free to share a sugary snack!

Coach Marianne and family

You want them in your book club!

Recommendations from the coaches for books to read this winter are…

“I Know This Much is True” and “She’s Come Undone” from author Wally Lamb are favorites of Coach Marianne
“Tell the Wolves I am Home” by Carol Rifka Brunt was “Just. So. Good.” according to Coach Amy, although she is a dedicated reader whenever she can find the time, so it was hard for her to pick just one option!
Coach Staci is a huge fan of Isabelle Allende (“The House of the Spirits” is a favorite) and Gabriel Garcia Marquez. She’s also been known to binge-read from Oprah’s book list.

Coach Staci

Learn more about the coaches, and ask them for more book recommendations, on their Facebook page! Or, ask them when you see them this weekend!

5 Ways to Talk a Friend into Doing a Charity Walk with You

Did you know you can already register for the 2018 3-Days? There is no time like the present to sign up to be a part of our 3-Day family, and get moving towards your own goals for next year’s events.

You never walk alone on the 3-Day, but those 60 miles are all the more fun with your bestie beside you! Start talking up your friends to see who will walk with you next year!

Get started now to give all your team members as much time for fundraising and training as possible. If you are planning to grow your team this year, it is also the perfect time to start asking new recruits to join you. There are plenty of ways to talk someone through the great impact of the 3-Day and encourage them to join the cause.

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Tell them they’ll make a difference: This one should be a great opener, especially for anyone who has been personally affected or knows someone who has been affected by breast cancer. Susan G. Komen^® has plenty of infographics and information explaining how all of your fundraising money is put to good work, but you can also see it first hand at any of the 3-Days. When you walk, you meet survivors, their families and many others who are or have felt the direct impact of the money raised by every 3-Day walker.

Tell them they can raise the money: Fundraising is one of the topics our coaches and team captains get asked about the most. Not everyone is comfortable asking for monetary support, even for a cause as important as ours. However, there are plenty of different ways to effectively fundraise, including letter or email writing campaigns, bake sales, charity events, selling homemade goods and more! New walkers receive lots of support from their teams, their coach, and our online community as well. We will help you find a fundraising plan that works for you, and do all that we can to help every walker reach their fundraising goal.

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Tell them they can go the distance: Another obstacle some people have to overcome is the prospect of walking all those steps. Very few people walk 60 miles in a weekend when they’re not on the 3-Day, so it can seem like a daunting task. Luckily for anyone with reservations, we have your back. With a fully supported route, including Sweep Vans that can pick up walkers and take them to the next rest stop, you only have to walk as far as you can!

Tell them there will be laughter: Is the 3-Day a lot of work? You bet your pink tutu it is! But it is also a whole lot of fun. From sharing stories on the walk, to themed rest stops and lunch tents, to dance parties and glamping, there is no shortage of smiles and laughter on every one of the 60 miles. This is an especially good approach for those who are afraid of potential monotony of walking for 3 days in a row, or who don’t know as many people on your team. No matter who you know, you will always have a friend on the 3-Day.

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Tell them they will gain a family: One of the best parts about the 3-Day is that you become part of a family. Beyond your team, or those who share tents near you at our camp site, you will leave your 3 days with us as part of something larger than yourself. For anyone who has participated in charity events in the past, reminding them of that feeling of family you get when you’re all trying to accomplish something together will be one of the easiest ways to encourage them to participate. It will also probably help you feel reinvigorated for your own training and fundraising goals.

How have you convinced people to join your team?