Tag Archives: training

Tips for Planning Your Own 3-Day Training Walk

All seven of the Susan G. Komen 3-Day® cities are now 24 weeks or less from their events, which means that walkers everywhere have jumped into their training schedules. Depending on where you live, there may be official Komen 3-Day training walks that you can attend (go to The3Day.org/trainingwalks to find one), but even so, chances are good that at some point, you’ll have to initiate some training walks on your own. Here are a few tips for planning a pleasant and successful training walk.

susan g. komen 3-day breast cancer walk trainingMap Your Route – The 3-Day® suggested training schedule recommends certain mileages, depending on how many weeks you have until your event. Taking a 3-mile stroll around your neighborhood is usually done pretty easily, but when you start to get up into the higher mileages, you’ll want to plan your route ahead of time. There are several websites that allow you to plot out a walking route using online maps – a few that I’ve used are MapMyWalk.com, RunKeeper.com and USA Track & Field. These sites are great because they will track the distance of the route you plan, so you never have to second guess whether or not you got all your miles in, and you can even browse routes that other users have already created. Most of these websites sync up with GPS-enabled mobile apps as well, so you can plan out a route in the comfort of your home, and it will be right there on your phone when you’re ready to hit the road.

Recruit Some Buddies – If you’ve registered to walk in the 3-Day with friends or family members, great! You have training partners at the ready. But often we hear from walkers who don’t have anyone to train with, and that requires a little bit of creative thinking to solve. For instance, say you have a 12-mile training walk to complete. It might be a tough sell to get one of your non-3-Day friends to go hoof that whole distance with you. But could you get 2 friends to each walk 6 miles with you? Set up your route so that the halfway point is back where you started, and let your friends “tag-team” in and out. Friend 1 will be back at her car and free to head home while Friend 2 is just meeting you, ready to attack the second half of the walk.susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk training

Motivate with Music – Have you ever been walking and heard a song with a tempo that matched your stride perfectly? I found a really cool website called Jog.fm which organizes thousands of songs by beats-per-minute, so you can find tunes that fit your pace. You could make a whole playlist of songs that will keep you moving at the speed you’re comfortable with. (Note: For safety reasons, the 3-Day recommends that you do not walk with headphones/earbuds, because they limit your awareness of your surroundings. However, since most mobile devices have built-in speakers these days, you can safely rock your walk with tunes to keep you moving.)

Pack for the Trek – We recommend that 3-Dayers wear a pack of some kind when walking; waist packs that hold one or two water bottles and hydration backpacks are the most popular styles. Training walks are an excellent time to get used to how your pack feels, so you’re not wearing it for the first time on the 3-Day. For your training walks, you’ll want to carry with you whatever you might need: bottles of water and/or sports drink, snacks, sunscreen and lip balm, foot care items, extra socks, your phone, ID and some money. I like to plan stopping points into my longer training walks (Starbucks, anyone?), but in the event that I’m walking someplace without a lot of on-route stopping options, it’s good to know that I have one I need right there on my fanny.susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk training

Know Your Limits – Ideally, your 3-Day training will work up gradually, and your body will respond positively to the increase in miles with no issues. But we all know that things happen. On the 3-Day, you’ll have sweep vans available to pick you up if you need to quit, but when you go out for longer training walks and you find you’re just not ready for the distance you’ve planned, have an exit strategy. Make sure friends or family members know where you are and will be willing to pick you up if necessary, or be prepared with the number of a cab company (or Uber/Lyft services, if you have those in your area), just in case.

 

Remember that your Participant Center has lots of training resources, and your 3-Day coaches are always there if you have questions.

Dr. Sheri’s Warm Weather Training Tips for the 3-Day

The 3-Day blog is excited to welcome back Dr. Sheri Prentiss, the National Spokesperson for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day®. Dr. Sheri is a physician, as well as a breast cancer survivor and a 3-Day walker herself. She joins us today to share some warm weather training tips to keep you in tip-top shape along your training route as you prepare for an amazing 60 miles. susan g komen 3-day breast cancer walk dr. sheri prentiss

As I continue my training efforts for the upcoming Komen 3-Day season, I personally am reconnecting with nature, body and mind. I’m invigorated by the sights, sounds and scents of summer and am grateful for life, health and a chance to win what I feel may be the biggest fight ever fought – the fight to end breast cancer.

Training for your 3-Day event means you, too, will be spending more time outdoors! Now is a great time to review a few tips to help keep you safe as you train and soak up this summertime weather.

  • Protect your skin. Wear a high SPF sunscreen and don’t forget the back of your neck, the tip of your ears and your hands. It’s always a good idea to wear a hat to protect your scalp from the sun, too. Also, look for a route that offers both sunlight and shade. Keep as cool as you can during your training walks by always choosing to walk on the shady side of the street where you have a choice. But use caution, as going from shade into sun you may not see road hazards as well.
  • Wear light-colored and lightweight clothing that is made from moisture-wicking fabric; this keeps moisture away from the skin and dries quickly. This also includes moisture-wicking socks to help prevent blisters.
  • Prior to going outdoors to begin your fitness regimen, pay attention to the weather forecast and heat alerts. Take extra precaution and check the weather conditions so you can be best prepared for rain, heat or humidity
  • Up your intake of water. If you’re walking, you need more than the standard eight ounces of water eight times a day. Take a reusable water bottle with you on your walk. Alternate drinking salt-replenishing sports drinks and water. Also be sure to bring along salty snacks for those longer training walks.
  • Once you are started and you can feel the temperature rising, pay attention to your heart rate. Your heart rate will naturally rise one beat per minute for each degree above 77F, so while you may not be going faster, your body is already working harder and producing more internal heat so it will have trouble dispersing. Hot weather is no time to set a pace record. Slow down to a pace that doesn’t leave you purple in the face!
  • Don’t keep walking once you are nauseated, dizzy, feeling faint, experiencing gray-outs, headache and/or muscle cramps. Seek shade, sports drink, and call for help.

susan g komen 3-day breast cancer walk beat the heat

Always be sure to put your well-being first when training, especially in the heat of the summer months!

The ABCs of the Susan G. Komen 3-Day – Part 5

It’s time for part five of the ABC’s of the Susan G. Komen 3-Day®. This special alphabet is made up of 26 people, places or things you’ll encounter on the Komen 3-Day. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out Part 1 (Letters A – D), Part 2 (Letters E – H), Part 3 (Letters I – L), Part 4 (Letters M – P) and don’t forget to share your ideas for each letter here on the 3-Day blog or with us on Facebook. You can also help us spread the word about the 3-Day® by pinning these images on Pinterest. The more people who learn about the 3-Day, the more we can make a difference in the fight to end breast cancer forever.

susan g komen 3-Day breast cancer walk abcs of the 3-Day Q is for questionsGot questions? We’ve got answers! The 3-Day coaches are experts on all things 3-Day, from fundraising and training, to packing and preparing for the 3-Day. You can reach them by calling 1-800-996-3DAY between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. in the local time zone, by emailing them or by chatting with us on social media.

susan g komen 3-Day breast cancer walk abcs of the 3-Day R Remembrance TentThe Remembrance Tent is a special place on the 3-Day where we honor the memories of 3-Day walkers and crew members whom we have lost to breast cancer. It’s a peaceful, contemplative place, set apart from the bustle of camp, where you can quietly honor those who have passed. Each 3-Day city receives a new white tent for participants to write their sentiments on, and all of the white tents are placed on display at each event, to serve as a traveling tribute to those we have lost.

See Also: Recurring Donations; Route

susan g komen 3-Day breast cancer walk abcs of the 3-Day S survivors

Breast cancer survivors are the heroes of the 3-Day. They are celebrated throughout the event, and enjoy a special place of honor at the Closing Ceremony.

See also: Sweet Dreams Treats, Susan G. Komen®, Sweep Van

susan g komen 3-Day breast cancer walk abcs of the 3-Day T TentsOn Friday and Saturday, after you complete your day of walking or crewing, you’ll arrive at the 3-Day camp, where your home away from home awaits you in the form of a perky pink tent. This “tent city” is truly a sight to behold, and many participants turn up the fabulousness even more by personalizing their tents with festive decorations – everything from plastic flamingos to colorful bras to inspirational banners. The occupants of the best decorated tent are awarded a special legacy pin at the 3-Day tent decorating contest.

See also: Teams; Training

 

What other ideas can you think of for Q, R, S, and T? How about for our next set of letters, U, V, and W? Let us know!