Groups Doing Good: Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure

Dude, I’m famous!!  Okay, so I’m not like “famous” famous, but I feel SO big time!  I made into a promotional video by Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure!

That’s me…in the wig…leaning out of the van at 57sec! Go ahead and pause it, I’ll wait. Awesome, yes? (And yes, I know I’m all hoarse, but I had been cheering for the walkers for three whole days!)


Susan G. Komen for the Cure is a cause that I am extremely passionate about and have been involved in for many years. In fact, I even credit their Race for the Cure events as one of the things that got me taking my running seriously.

In 2005, seeking a challenge and wanting to make more of in impact for this cause, I signed up to do the impossible walk 60 miles over 3 days in the Breast Cancer 3-Day (now called Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure). Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure raises money to fund innovative global breast cancer research and local community programs supporting education, screening, and treatment. Did you know that virtually every major advance in the fight against breast cancer in the last 38 years has been impacted by a Susan G. Komen for the Cure grant? Pretty amazing stuff.

While my family and friends eagerly supported me, I quickly realized that none of them were going to be by my side on the walk. I was going it alone…or so I thought. On my first 3-Day experience, I quickly made friends with fellow walkers, realizing that we were all there for a common goal…to find a cure for breast cancer. We all had personal stories to share and all had so much to gain from each other. Over the last several years, it has given me the change to laugh, cry, share hugs, make new friends, grieve for a grandmother I lost WAY too soon, and celebrate my aunt who is a SURVIVOR. (Woot!) Walking the 3-Day is an experience of a lifetime and I wouldn’t trade my memories from walking and crewing for anything in the world.

After my first 3-Day, I sort of kind of became addicted…

Make no mistake, the 3-Day is not “just walking.” Even though it is not running, it still requires training…and lots of it. Walking is a much different motion for your body than running and I would equate training for the 3-Day to training for a marathon. Like a marathon, it takes time, a good training plan, determination, and commitment. Oh, and without the 3-Day, I would have never discovered BodyGlide. In five years of walking and one year of crewing, I have never gotten a blister…not ONCE. (For you walkers reading this, listen up…stock up and rub it EVERYWHERE your stock touches…you won’t be sorry.)

I had planned to walk again this year in Atlanta. However, it just so happens that this year’s Atlanta event falls right about the time I am supposed to be delivering a baby. Sooooo, that’s probably not going to happen. I am still trying to work out (logistically) a city I can crew in, because I don’t want a year to go by that I am not involved in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure. The cause is too important and the risk of not finding a cure is too great.

Don’t worry, this mama on the move will definitely be back to walking in 2012. Who knows, I might even add a Susan G. Komen Marathon for the Cure to my line up!

If you are interested in finding out more about the 3-Day, I highly encourage you to visit www.the3day.org or e-mail me! I promise you that this is an experience that you will never forget.

Every step (whether walked or run) is one step closer to a cure! Join the fight! BELIEVE in a world without breast cancer. I know I do.