We did it!

The weather was beautiful. The company was awesome. The cheering was plentiful. The cause was great.

This year's 3-Day for the Cure was perfect.

Going in to this year's event, I wondered if it would feel like a let down after last year. I had a great first year experience, and wasn't sure if my expectations would be too high to be realistic.

I couldn't have been more wrong.

This year's walk experience was so different than last year. If I had to give it a one-word description, I think I'd pick FUN.

Our walking company this year was just amazing. We started out with the four of us (Stef, Kraig, Greg, me) and after lunch, ran into Sandra and Kathryn, friends of ours from training walks with the BC Babes. We then found Cheryl (a solo walker who we trained with a few times). And throughout the weekend, we ran into Missy and Pam (walkers from another team).  (You can see photos of the event on Facebook, in my public photo album.)

Top row (left to right) - Greg, Sandra, Stef, Kraig, Pam
Bottom row (left to right) - Missy, Kathryn, Cheryl, Me

 That's probably a boring way of saying: We walked with some amazing people! We laughed a lot. We sang. We danced. We teased. Walking with this group of people at various points throughout the three days made the miles go by so much more easily. And when we were hurting, there was someone right next to you to push you through.

Walking 60 miles is really hard. (I started to write my litany of aches, pains and complaints, but erased it -- that's just not how the 3-Day should be remembered or thought of. Or as Sandra would say, "That's not how we roll.") But when you've got great company, great weather, great cheerleaders and a great cause, the "fun factor" trumps the challenges.

So thank you to each of you for making this experience so amazing... from my walking pals to our home-base cheerleaders (mom, you were amazing!), to our family (thanks Keith for handling all the home/kid duty) and those who sent camp mail or encouraging words on Facebook/Twitter posts. Thank you.

And now, let's resume regular programming. For a little while at least. We've already registered for 2013 (we'll be walking with the BC Babes, our training pals) and we're plotting out our strategy for fun. Are you ready?

This is it ...

It's sort of like Christmas ... it's here, it's finally here! After months of fundraising and months of training, it's finally here!

My grand total, going in to "3-Day Eve" is $2,615. I got a surprise donation last night from a colleague at work, who saw I was walking and had been affected by breast cancer in his family. That unexpected donation amplified my experience this week -- I asked on Facebook for names of people I could walk for -- the fighters, the survivors, those remembered.  I was completely unprepared for the response.

I don't know which it was, the number of people who had someone to add to the list, or the people who asked for someone to be added when I had no idea they were personally impacted. It underscored how pervasive breast cancer is, and really was a stark reminder of why I walk. I shed more than a few tears that night, and I'm sure it's just the beginning.

At the same time though, there are so many happy moments in this walk experience. I'm really excited to walk with new friends we've met this past year, and excited to meet folks I've only chatted with through Twitter or Facebook. The weather looks like it's going to be OK (I'm hedging there, only because I don't want to jinx anything!!), the route is going to be interesting, and the company is going to be spectacular.

So come along with me on this amazing 3-Day journey: Follow along on Facebook, watch us on Twitter (#the3day), or stop along the route to honk and cheer on a walker. It's an incredible experience, and we hope to share it with you!

10 days and counting!

Just 10 days until the Michigan 2012 3-Day for the Cure. That's not enough time to panic that I haven't trained enough (I have) and too much time to panic that I'll forget to pack something (I'll live). It's also the point in time that I start my obsessive check-the-10-day-forecast-every-10-minutes behavior. Like I can control the weather. Or my obsessive nature.

Having "watched" the Boston and Cleveland 3-Day events through Facebook and Twitter (follow #the3day -- it's quite active during a walk!), I am really getting excited about everything that is to come (in just 10 days). And there are a number of ways you can participate with us:

• Come to a cheering station! The rough estimation of our route is posted and cheering stations are listed for all three days. There's nothing like the experience of a cheering station -- the walkers love it, the cheerers (is that a word?) love it, the community loves it. You don't need to bring anything, other than a smiling face. (Well, you might want to bring some water for yourself, but that's up to you!) Even if we don't see you, or you can only stop by for a little while, it's huge. Cheer for each walker as if it was one of us! (Quick side story: Last year, a friend wanted to bring her daughters to a cheering station, but it wasn't going to be a time that Stef and I would see her. I was bummed we would miss her and the girls, but felt such pride that someone cared enough to go out and cheer on someone else.)
• Look for us along the route! A very sketchy route is posted online, and it'll give you an idea of where we'll be through the three days. If you see some folks in pink along your daily travels, honk wildly and cheer out your window! 
• Follow along and be a virtual "walker stalker" -- On Twitter, walkers and supporters are quite active using the hashtag #the3day. You can also follow @the3day - they post quite a bit from the event. (I'm @jencarbary)  On Facebook, we'll post photos and commentary when we can -- enjoy!

 OK. Off to check the weather. So far, so good.

Time to rally ...

Somehow, time flew by. We're just under four weeks and counting, until the 2012 Michigan 3-Day for the Cure. That's 28 days. Less than a month. Yikes.

This weekend was our "big" back-to-back training weekend -- we walked 18 miles on Saturday and 15 miles on Sunday. This training experience really gives us a good idea of where we're at and helps prepare you mentally and physically for three grueling days. (Example: I ended up with two huge blisters in a spot where I normally have a callous. Time to figure out how to get those to heal, quickly, and become callouses!) Overall, we had fun -- we hooked up with the "BC Babes," a large team on the east side, and walking with them both days. They're a great group to walk with, and I'm looking forward to seeing them on the walk.

The other big landmark that comes at this 4-week mark is all of the event information that gets released:

• Camp mail -- One way to show your support is to send walkers "camp mail." After we're done walking Day 1, we come back to camp, get our tent set up, take a shower and eat dinner. We'll then stop by the "Post Office" to see if there's any camp mail. Last year, going through that mail was one of the most amazing experiences on the walk. It's a connection back to the "real" world, a reminder of all the people who supported us through this experience, and a motivator to keep going, even though every muscle in your body screams "stop!" Visit our "event information" page for more details on how to send camp mail.
• Cheering stations -- I had no idea what to expect from cheering stations last year. The first one we rolled up on blew me away. To walk down the sidewalk and have people cheer you on was incredible. I didn't know any of them, and they didn't know me. But it didn't matter: They wanted to encourage and motivate us, and it worked. (Of course, I had to keep my sunglasses on so everyone couldn't see me bawling!)  Check our event information page to get the details on cheering stations... and please know, if you can't be at a cheering station when we'll be there (we tend to walk quickly), please just go -- cheer another walker on as if it were one of us. They'll appreciate it more than you could ever imagine. (Quick side story: The first year when Stef walked, we went to a cheering station. We hung back and waited for her to come by, then walked up to the road, cheered for her, hung out with her for a few, and then left. I look back now and am so regretful that it's all we did. I felt goofy cheering for people I didn't know. Now, I can't say it emphatically enough: Please, please, please, don't feel goofy. Don't just wait for "your" walker and leave. When I go through a cheering station, those are someone else's loved ones cheering me on. And they make me cry every time. I see each of you in every one of them, so please, give another walker that same experience!)
• Social media updates -- As a sponsor of the 3-Day, Bank of America is offering something new this year: A "Smart Card" that we can pick up at Opening Ceremonies. The card will be linked to my Facebook page, and will automatically post where I'm at, at 'key' points along the route. Fun to try, so we'll see how it goes.  I'll also be posting on Facebook and Twitter through the weekend (have to figure out how to synchronize it all beforehand), so you can follow along.

So there you have it. I thought we were busy with fundraising, but now it seems even busier (if that's possible). Four weeks. Plenty of time to pack. To finish training. To get prepared.  Eeek.

Save the date! Event info is live...

Today we hit the single-digit countdown -- just 9 weeks until the Michigan 3-Day for the Cure (that's Aug. 17, 18 and 19 if you're keeping track). And with that, the highly anticipated milestone: <insert dramatic drumroll here>  The release of travel information.

Huh?

It's not like I have to travel to get to the 3-Day.

But it's a huge milestone! It's the confirmation of rumors we've been hearing (or starting) for weeks now.

So, what do we know?

• Opening ceremony will be at Oakland Mall in Troy on Friday, Aug. 17. At first, I was a little surprised. But really, all they need is a huge parking lot for the decorations and 'stuff' that goes with the ceremony. (I looked for photos from 2011 and couldn't find any ... I'll try to better this year!) And if it's happening on the west side of the mall, we'll be right along I-75, which would be great for visibility!
• Camp is most likely in Livonia again, this time at Greenmead Historical Park. Not far from last year, but somewhere new to explore.
• Closing ceremony is on Sunday, Aug. 19 at Ford Headquarters in Dearborn. Great location, thanks to Ford for their support!

Although the spectator information won't be released for a few weeks yet (it was out mid-July last year), please consider attending the opening or closing ceremonies. I know opening is at the crack of dawn, but it's a great way to see what it's all about and cheer on walkers as they're getting out on the route. And closing ceremony, well, that's a life changer.

Finally, a quick plug: Send us camp mail! There's nothing like getting mail at camp after day 1. You're hot (we hope), you're tired (for sure) and you're maybe not sure what the heck you got into. Coming back to camp and stopping at the 'post office' to pick up your mail is incredible. I laughed. I cried. I can't even tell you how grateful I was for all of the mail from family, friends and even random acquaintances, all of whom took the time to send a quick note of support, congratulations or encouragement. For the price of a stamp, you can make someone's day.

Send mail (no packages or boxes), postmarked by August 7 to:

Susan G. Komen 3-Day
ATTN: Jennifer Carbary
PO Box 729
South Lyon, MI 48178

There you have it. Nine weeks left. Keep an eye out here for updates on cheering stations, times for ceremonies and all that fun stuff!

Those little reminders....

Every so often, we get a poignant reminder of exactly why we walk. In the past two days, it happened twice. And with a big fundraiser scheduled tonight, the timing was almost unbelievable.

First up: Home Depot
Stef & Kraig stopped at Home Depot to pick up canvas belt  thingy-ma-bobs for our fundraiser tonight ... something to put our raffle money in, instead of fanny packs. They got up to the registers, and were flagged over to an empty one by a cashier.

The cashier asked if they were doing a fundraiser (buying six of these things must be a dead giveaway!). Stef explained that we were doing a fundraiser for the 3-Day for the Cure, a walk for breast cancer. The woman then told Stef that her sister recently died of breast cancer, leaving behind a 16-year-old daughter, who is now living with her 16-year-old cousin and uncle. And oh, by the way, that 16-year-old cousin's mom died of breast cancer too.

And today, we met Jacqueline.

Stef, Kraig and I did a 10-mile training walk today. There's a five-mile loop right around the neighborhood, but we needed to get in a little more to make it an even 10 miles. So we walked through the neighborhood a little. We got to the corner of my street and Stef says, "eh, that's good." Nah. I said we could probably get the full 10 miles in, if we went around the corner and down the next street. We're slogging along (that last mile is a beast) when we passed an older woman who was gardening.

She saw the three of us walking, wearing our bright pink shirts. She smiled and said, "Cancer walk?" We smiled and Stef said we were training for the 3-Day for the Cure. We walked past her a little, and she said, "I was just diagnosed with breast cancer this week."

We put the brakes on. Seriously? We just randomly walked down a street, and came across a woman who was just diagnosed with breast cancer. The amazing part was her attitude. She got a little teary when she started telling us, but she was so confident. "I'm going to beat this," she said. "I'm not going to let it kill me. I'll die of a heart attack instead."

We'll try to keep walking by Jacqueline's house, to see how she's doing. We may never see her again, but she'll be in our thoughts and prayers as we're training, and as we're walking. She's a fighter. I don't know if she'll win her fight. But I know without a doubt, that she is the reason we are walking: So someone's grandma doesn't have to hear those words, "you have breast cancer."

Five in Five? Bring it!

I love trinkets. And challenges. I'm a bit competitive, in case you hadn't noticed. So when I got the email today from the Komen folks, challenging 3-Day walkers to get five donations in the next five days ... I'm all over that.

So how about it, my friends and family? How about it, my college and high school friends? How about it, colleagues? 

Surely there are five of you out there who would be willing to make a donation between now and 11:59 CST on May 21? Any donation at all. And easily done online through my 3-Day fundraising page.

What's the reward? A spiffy beaded thingy-ma-jig (pictured at right) that I'll get on the walk. Woo hoo.

Seriously though, the reward is huge. Immeasurable really. The reward is being part of an effort to end breast cancer. Being a part of the largest non-governmental funder of breast cancer research. Being part of something big. Something bold. Remember: I'm walking 60 miles in three days. Can you make a donation to support that?