Laura's Goal

Email I sent out:

My friend, Laura, and I have taken on an incredible challenge. On October 9-11, we will be walking 60 miles over the course of three days, camping out at night with thousands of other women and men taking this journey with us.

It's for an event called the Breast Cancer 3-Day, which benefits Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the National Philanthropic Trust Breast Cancer Fund. Every advancement in breast cancer research, treatment, education and prevention in the last 25 years has been touched by a Komen for the Cure grant. They are working hard to build a future without breast cancer, and Laura and I plan on raising $4,600 to help bring us closer to that goal.

Please consider making a donation to Laura's walk.  I have fulfilled my $2,300 goal and really want to see Laura fulfill hers as well. Please be sure to donate on Laura's page as an overfill on my goal does not spill into her goal.  Please also ask your employer if they will double your donation with a matching gift.

As many of you are probably aware, I lost my mom to this disease (after a darn good fight ;~)  I follow Fat Cyclist's blog and he just lost his wife.  The list could go on and on... everyone we know has been affected or afflicted.  Please help me in trying to stop this.  I truly believe that with enough research and enough caring, we can stop cancer.

Without a cure, one in eight women in the U.S. will continue to be diagnosed with breast cancer. That's why I'm walking in the 3-Day. Because everyone deserves a lifetime.

Please visit Laura's page HERE to make a donation. If this link doesn't work, you can search for her (Laura Kukich) on the main page or just email me and I will be sure to get you in touch with her.  If you don't want to donate online, please download and print a donation form and mail it to the address on the form. Or you can call 800.996.3DAY to donate over the phone. I would like to see Laura reach her fundraising goal as soon as possible, so please don't delay!

Thank you for taking the time to read this email, and thank you for your support.

P.S. Don't wait - donate today!

Please consider donating to Laura's walk (not mine, please!)  I am so grateful that she stepped up to do this walk with me and for Breast Cancer... please help me show her how great I think she is!

Donation Goal Accomplished!

I have officially hit my $2,300 goal for the 3day walk!

That is such an awesome feeling... to know that I have wonderful friends and family who give selflessly to a cause that means so much to me.

I plan on doing something to thank all the donors... maybe write their names on one of my tshirts for the walk. I wouldn't be able to do this without their generosity and support!

If you are still interested in donating... please donate to Laura's walk. She is my partner in crime for this walk and while she is kicking butt at the training, she is still a little short on the donations!

Progress...

So my training has been going well nonexistent. I wish I had better news to report but sadly I don't.

I haven't kept up with the training schedule at all. I tried very hard for the first few weeks. I got the right shoes, I got a jogging stroller, I planned times to go... it was perfect. For a week or 2.

Walking for an hour or more with an active 18 month old in a stroller... well I would rather walk to hell and back.... which coincidentally is what it felt like.

Not that I can fault the kid... it's got to be pretty boring up there. And he is clearly to young to appreciate being pushed around all the while being plied with goldfish and water. If I could switch places and still call it training, I would in a heartbeat.

So I thought I should go without the kid. Yeah, I said 'I thought'... I didn't say I acted on it. It's a great idea to go without him but the logistics and feasibility of that are frustrating to say the least.

The thing is... I have to figure out something. I really don't want to be lapped by women who are more than twice my age and have been battling this horrid disease for years... which is what happened last time when my mom clearly kicked my a$$. Seriously, my whole motivation for completing the walk (and not getting picked up by a sweeper van) was to prove that I could do something a 50 year old cancer patient could do. Well I did it but not better than her. She barely broke a sweat, had no blisters and enjoyed every moment of the walk. I on the other hand panted like a dog without water, had blisters on my blisters and blissfully enjoyed tolerated every step.

She was an animal.

And I had her example to follow.

Now I am on my own and that scares the crap outta me.

Training Started!

The breast cancer 3day helps you out by sending weekly guides for training. It's a 24 week process and since we are 24 weeks out from the event *gulp*, the training has begun!

Tuesday was the first day... 3 miles of moderate walking.

I made it 2.17 miles.

In my defense it was hot and I was bored. Chase (oh and I was pushing a big ole honkin stroller) doesn't talk back to me, ya know, being 18 months old and all, so it was pretty much me talking the entire time. If you don't know a lot about kids, talking to an 18 month old pretty much consists of identifying what they are grunting and pointing at... airplanes being my sons favorite. Not stimulating conversation at all.

Luckily my MIL was able to go today... we walked 2.11 miles. Oh did I mention it was supposed to be 3 miles of moderate walking again? Hmmmm, I am off to a rousing start!

Whatever, I give myself credit for just getting out there and trying. That really is the biggest battle.

I did learn 2 things.

1. I really really need to follow this training program or I might truly die on the walk

and

2. I really really want a jogging stroller!

Another Sticker!!!

Joined/Started a Team

Ok... truth be told, I didn't think I would ever get this sticker.

I really didn't expect anyone to want to do this walk. It's 60 miles in 3 days and you have to (at a minimum) raise $2,300. If you don't raise the money, you are on the hook for it (they have their reasons ;~)

So 60 miles and $2,300... that's enough to turn anyone away.

I figured I would do all the prep work alone and then hopefully meet new friends on the route. I remember how much camaraderie there was last time... and I was just hoping to find that along the way.

Well, I am still hoping to find it but I will have a friend at my side! Everyone (all 4 loyal readers) meet Laura... my teammate!


This is Laura in 'Aunt Laura' mode (it was her niece's 1st birthday) but don't be fooled.... she looks nice and sweet but she is hardcore. When she tries something new, she goes all out! I am really lucky to have her on my team!

Once I meet my goal, I will be campaigning for Laura to be sure she meets hers. Another person making a bold statement that we won't let cancer win... we will find the cure!

P.S. we are always up for more teammates! If anyone else is interested, please let me know! We will get you signed up and on our team!

No movement

Unfortunately I haven't really started training for the walk yet. I want to but the weather has been just too cold to go for neighborhood walks. There is always the mall but considering you can cover the entire mall in less than 10 minutes, I would have to walk it at least 10 times to get any real practice in and that would be mind numbingly boring. Not to mention I have a 1 year old who wouldn't appreciate my brisk pace while sitting in his stroller. For now I just have to wait until the weather breaks.

In other news, I am 65% of the way to my donation goal! I can't believe how generous and supportive people have been, it really warms my heart. I can't wait to make them proud and complete this journey.

I am thinking of ways to honor the people that have donated to my cause. So far I have writing their names on one of the t-shirts I will wear on the walk but other than that... I have nothing. Does anyone have any better ideas?

Another Sticker!

WoooHooo!

I visited the Breast Cancer 3Day message boards... another sticker to my badge.


In my heart of hearts, I am still a 12 year old girl collecting stickers in my sticker book ;~)