Meet Your Twin Cities 3-Day Coaches

It’s hard to believe it, but we’re only days away from our Twin Cities 3-Day! We can’t wait to take this 60-mile journey with all our Minnesota 3-Dayers, and no one is more excited than our 3-Day coaches. As our team makes the final preparations and plans for the 60-mile journey, we thought it was about time that you all get to know our Twin Cities 3-Day coaching team.

Meet Coaches Liz and Heather, our amazing Crew Coordinator Kiki and Event Manager Eileen. They make the 3-Day magic happen year-round, working every day towards this weekend. That means that they spend a lot of time together, and they love it that way. They are each other’s biggest cheerleaders, just like they cheer for you!

Liz is the definition of “excellent customer service” and Kiki considers her to be “my Webster’s Dictionary of the 3-Day!” She knows everything and can be your one-stop shop for any questions or needs you have leading up to, and during, the weekend.
Kiki is the Crew and coaching team’s best resource — funny and quick-witted and she knows all the right ways to support her Crew.
Eileen planned your amazing 3-Day route, and Liz says she “is the master at getting things done.” And, according to Liz, she has a wicked dry sense of humor! Maybe she has some 3-Day puns to share ?
Last but certainly not least, Coach Heather is a new addition to the Twin Cities team, and her fellow coaches describe her as “so full of energy, when she is laughing you cannot help but join in and you can always depend on her for a really fun time.” We can’t wait to see her smiling face out on the route!

Eileen has already given us a preview of just what that route will look like, and some of her favorite spots are:

Nicollet Mall where our Opening Ceremony will take place, inside the Hyatt Regency
The Nicollet Mall art fest
Lake Minnehaha Boulevard
Minnehaha Regional Park and Minnehaha Falls
White Bear Lake and the surrounding community
Stone Arch Bridge

But that’s not all the walkers and crew members can look forward to!

Heather promises “an incredible weekend full of inspiration, laughter, tears, amazing memories, countless hugs, and endless high fives!”

Kiki added, given that this walk takes place in Minnesota, out-of-towners and locals alike will experience everything that the state is known for: “beautiful scenery and the nicest people on the planet.”

To get you ready for all of that, our coaches also have advice to help you in the final days before you begin your journey.

Coach Kiki encourages everyone to work together. “Ask for help when you need it and offer it when you think it’s needed by others.”
Coach Heather reminds everyone to be in the moment! “Yes, there are many photo opportunities, but don’t miss “being in it” just to see it in pictures later. Be present! Remember, there are so many pictures being taken by those around you, the moment will surely be captured by someone!”
Coach Liz echoes that and adds to “be sure to drink more than you think you need, both water and sports drink. There is no rush; you have all day, so enjoy every moment.”

That includes enjoying time at our new hotel camp! Liz says some highlights to especially look forward to are “a great community feel as we gather in one banquet room, a nice comfy bed at the end of the day, and a bathtub!”

What more could you want? How about quality time with these amazing ladies, and all of your 3-Day family? ? In just a few days, we’ll all be together in the Pink Bubble…We’ll see you soon!

Dancing Tunes from the 3-Day Safety Crew

The only thing we love more than a 3-Day pump-up song is our amazing 3-Day Crew. Both keep our walkers dancing along their 60-mile journey and provide unparalleled inspiration on the 3-Day weekend. And many times, crew members and cool tunes go hand in hand.

From dance parties at pit stops to safety Crew blasting tunes as you cross the street to the motorcycle Crew driving by and playing that much needed rendition of “Firework” to help propel you up that last hill of the day…our 3-Day Crew are music masters. So, who better to ask for musical recommendations as we gear up for the 3-Day season? We tapped all our crew members to collect the best beats in the land.

Barbara “Bebe” Boone is a regular on the 3-Day Safety Crew, and even if you don’t know her personally, you’ve likely seen her on the road. She always smiling, dancing and blowing kisses to participants as she rides by or is parked at stop lights. She, maybe more than anyone, knows how much of a difference a good song can make on the route.

“I have more than 500 songs on my 3-Day Spotify playlist. ? Three days’ worth of feet-stomping, booty-shaking, family-loving motivation. I’ve found that having a wide variety works as we have walkers, crew members and volunteers from all over the country and in every age group, so my list is from the 1920’s to today. There are always at least one or two walkers that sing along or even stop and dance as they pass.”

Want to get a taste of Bebe’s playlist, and other favorites from the 3-Day Crew? Here’s a playlist they put together, just for you:

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Also, be sure to keep an eye out for Bebe on the road in Michigan, New England Philadelphia AND San Diego this year ?

If you want more playlist inspiration, be sure to poke around on our Spotify channel for playlists from your coaches, our past events and more.

Did we miss a favorite song that the Crew has played while you were on event? Add it to the comments below so we can add it to the playlist!

NOTE: Walkers are not permitted to wear headphones or use mobile phones or texting devices while walking. It is extremely unsafe. If you need to use your phone, stop and step to the side first. And please don’t use your phone’s speaker to play music or make calls while walking.

3-Day Prep: How Your 3-Day Coaches Can Help

Let’s hear it for your 3-Day coaches! This group of amazing people are working all year long, all across the country, to make sure that the 3-Day is the best experience possible for you. This time of year is especially important, as we gear up for our first 3-Days of the year (only two weeks until Michigan!). If you have any last-minute questions or want to hit a new goal, now is the time to check in with your coach.

If you haven’t met or connected with them yet, don’t worry! You can find their contact information and lots more fun 3-Day treats on their Facebook pages:

If you’re not sure just how your 3-Day coaches can help you, well that answer is simple: The possibilities are endless! Here are just some of the topics and tips that your coaches are here to assist with.

Safe and Useful Training

Everyone should train for the 3-Day at their own pace, and in their own way. We have plenty of resources like our 3-Day Training App and local training walk leaders, but no one knows more than your coaches. Many of them lead training walks throughout the year, and you can find those on our website. They can also help you plan your own training walks and make sure you are preparing safely for your 3-Day journey.

They also have some seriously great training playlist ideas that you can check out HERE.

Hitting Your Fundraising Goals

If you need a little last-minute help to hit your 2019 fundraising goal, the coaches have seen it all and are ready to share. They get to see all the best fundraising ideas that teams and individuals are using across the country and are here as a resource. If you don’t want to send another email reminder, they have another idea! If you’re uncomfortable asking people for money in person, they have your back there, too! No matter what kind of fundraiser you are, they will help you make the most of your skills.

Growing Your Team

There is still time to add more team members to your 3-Day squad! Your coaches can help you recruit new team members or can connect solo walkers with other teams in their area. No one walks alone on the 3-Day, and your coaches will make sure of that.

Especially for our 3-Days with outdoor camps in Seattle, Dallas/Fort Worth and San Diego, adding new team members means you get extra fun on the 3-Day! If you add two first-time 3-Dayers to your team, you’ll qualify for one of our epic slumber party tents at camp. ? (This offer expired on 7/1 for the Seattle 3-Day, but Dallas/Fort Worth and San Diego 3-Day participants have until 8/30 to recruit those walkers and earn your slumber party.

Preparing for Your 3-Day Weekend

Many of our coaches have walked the 3-Day in the past (or are walking this year!) and so have great tips for the actual 3-Day weekend itself. From recommended shoes and fanny pack choices, to ideas on how to prep for a little liquid sunshine, they have a wealth of information to share from all their past 3-Days as a coach, crew member or walker.

Pep Talks and Fun Tips

Anything else you need? Random questions you might have? Reach out to your coaches! They are here to help and have a seemingly unending amount of 3-Day knowledge that they want to share. All you have to do is ask ?