Pinky Swear or Not

I recently spent 72 hours with a great group a ladies. The six of us (myself included) came together to complete the Twin Cities Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk (Aug 21-23). Through a serious of emails a few months back we eventually determined that our team name would be “The Underwires”….because we are supporting the search for a cure!

As the start of the event drew closer I must admit that I suffered all sorts of nerves.

I was worried if all of my teammates were going to be able reach their fundraising goal. Raising $2300 (per person) is tough to do in a recession.

I wondered how the lack of training would affect some of the team.

I feared that the others on the team would suffer due to over training.

I tried to come up with a “plan b” in case our team shirts weren’t ready on time or if they didn’t fit.

I suffered a panic attack as I thought about leaving my work email unanswered for a week.

I wrote and rewrote my packing list a million times


Eventually though I just took a deep breath and realized what happens will happen. I tried to be very Zen-like. I even went to yoga to ease the tension.

Those of you who know me well will not be surprised when I tell you that my Zen-Like state lasted all of half a day.

It was completely thrown out of the window when I realized the day before the event that I forgot my hydration pack (aka fanny pack) in Fargo and that the forecast was calling for rain. I mean seriously couldn’t Mother Nature have picked on another part of the country!?

I felt like a postman that first morning as my teammates and I huddled under cheap rain ponchos at the start of the event. I kept thinking to myself “Come rain, snow, sleet or hail…”

Thankfully as the opening ceremonies drew to a close it appeared as if the worst of the rain was over.

It’s hard to summarize 3 Days or 60 miles so let me just share a few highlights

Day 1:
· Started in rain but ended in sunshine
· LeAnn wore a pink cape, Kris and I wore pink “Cancer Sucks” tiaras
· Our team carried the “In memory of my mother” sign for all 20 miles
· The kids and the dads cheered us on near the Guthrie
· Kris had her blisters popped by Nurse Karla (one of our teammates)
· Katie and I spent a less than pleasant evening in camp. We were just too tall for the pink pup tents

Day 2:
· I woke up on the wrong side of the air mattress, made worse by painful blisters
· Karla walked the entire day in a pink tu-tu
· Jerry brought out the kids to cheer us on. He even brought Diet Cokes
· Katie had to have her ankle/leg tapped due to tendonitis
· 22.7 miles is a lot longer than 20 miles
· Erika broke a filling while eating a tootsie roll
· Kris spent the day “walking on needles”
· Bud (my brother-in-law) performed a Neil Diamond Tribute Concert at 3 Day Camp
· All of the team, except Karla, stayed at Hotel Roberts (aka my sister’s house)

Day 3:
· Katie walked the first mile and then using the Sag Wagon played “leap frog” from one pit stop to the next – she did walk across the finish line with the team
· We walked way too many hills through nature preserves in St. Paul
· Determined that the “One Mile to Next Pit Stop” signs lied
· Cried our eyes out at closing ceremonies
· Celebrated my accomplishment with a burger and fries and a Captain Diet
· Went to bed early and slept like a rock after 3 days of hard work

At the end of day 3 my sister and her two college roommates all “pinky swore” that they would never do the walk again. They would instead become “Walker Stalkers.” Meaning they would come out each year and cheer on all of the walkers.

As the three made this promise to one another I stood off to the side. The thing is…I couldn’t join in as I know I will do the 3 Day Walk again. Maybe not next year but I will do it again….anyone interested in joining me?