Important Announcement

Happy Holidays, friends! I have made a few changes to the blog, I hope you like the new background!

As you know, I've been toying with the idea of walking in two 3-day for the Cure events in 2010. I'd been debating between walking Washington DC or Atlanta in addition to DFW, which is a given. A few weeks ago my husband was asked to sing in a friend's wedding that falls the weekend of the DC walk. Atlanta is just two weeks before the Dallas walk, which means I'd be absolutely insane to walk in both.

Call me crazy, but I'm walking in Atlanta and DFW in the 2010 Susan G. Komen 3-day for the Cure season.

You can say I'm crazy for walking 60 miles twice in two weeks. You could guess that the pain of the DFW 3-day has worn off and I've forgotten how hard it was. You can assume that I'm forgetting that I'll have to raise $4,600 between now and November. All of these things are probably true. But I'm also compelled to do something more this year.

Every three minutes someone is diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States. That breaks my heart. Since I started my 3-day journey with only a few people in my heart: women who had lost their battle or who had triumphed over breast cancer. Now my list is incredibly long of women who have received their diagnosis. I also walk for friends who are battling other kinds of cancer because I am convinced that once we find a cure for breast cancer, other cancers will be eliminated as well.

The great news is that I think I'll be sharing the 60 miles with one of my very favorite people. (Of course there are other pictures of us...including the opposite of this one, but any excuse to show my wedding pictures!) Renee and I have been friends for nearly 10 years. She happens to live in the Atlanta area, making walking in that area easier! Renee and I will probably begin to look for an Atlanta team to get connected with. If you have a team that is open to a couple of super fun girls, let me know!

Logistically, I'm going to begin fundraising for my Dallas walk and then do some non-traditional fundraising for the Atlanta walk. Watch out for more info on that soon! That means if you're interested in donating to the cause, please donate to my Dallas walk. It will make a great Christmas gift! I'd even whip up a printable card honoring your donation to give to the recipient if you donate this holiday season!

Check back often. I plan to write regularly to keep everyone informed about my training and fundraising efforts over the next 11 months! Welcome to my 2010 3-day journey.

Walking Heroes - Dallas Edition

Better late than never! I am delighted to share with you Lynnie's story of her Dallas walk. Lynnie was reluctant to even share her story because she was sick during the walk and had to miss part of the walk. Lynnie's story is unique, but all of our story's are unique. This is all part of the 3-day journey and I am incredibly excite to share with you her 3-day story.

First, thank you, thank you, thank you! The DFW 3-Day raised over $7.5 million. That is phenomenal. Of that, $3435 was from you. I can’t express how that makes me feel — I hope you know what heroes you are.

Here’s the short version of how my walk went. I woke up (at 3:45!)Friday morning with a sore throat, so took some cold medicine and forged ahead. By the end of the day, I was very tired and my throat was just plain raw. When I sat down to rest a bit before dinner, I realized how sick I was. I tried to take a couple of Advil, but threw up because it hurt so bad to try to swallow. I had chills and could barely move, so I called some dear friends to come and get me. I could’ve been sick there, but far too many people with compromised immune systems were around. I sure didn’t want to make someone else sick. As it turned out, I was sick quite a lot overnight, so going home was a good decision.

I stayed in bed Saturday, very upset that I was not walking, but also too ill to do so. By late afternoon, though, I felt better enough that I decided to walk Sunday. Another good decision. Making it to the closing ceremony was tough, but worth it. What a rush, to be with 3,000 people who had walked 60 miles because we had to do something about breast cancer!

As I said, I’ve had trouble processing what happened. I missed so much of what makes the 3-Day a once-in-a-lifetime experience: being with the other walkers for meals and the evening activities at camp. But I did do what I set out to do: I trained hard and walked more than I ever thought I could. The mileage just happened to be 40 in 2 days instead of 60 in 3. Still, as is my wont, I needed to find bigger meaning.

My wonderful friend Ann found it for me and wrote about it in her blog, The Reader Travels. Although I am still uncomfortable with the “hero” part, I dearly love the symbolism.

My other foot is fractured, which I knew it was, but it will heal. And no, I don’t think I’ll walk the 3-Day again. But I will be part of the crew, doing what I can to encourage those who walk. Because even though things did not go as expected, I am very glad I did it. And I am very happy that you went with me.

Things don't always go the way we planned. But Lynnie is a walking hero and has made steps towards a world without breast cancer. Totally awesome!!!

Walking Heroes - San Diego Edition

I cannot believe that the 3-day season is officially over. (for 2009 at least!) I have waited a long time to share with you Tammy's story. I was so impressed with Tammy's will to walk in spite of the fact that she was raising a very young daughter alone while her husband was overseas for most of her preparing and training. Her husband is a hero for serving our country and Tammy is a hero for joining the fight against breast cancer.

I am inspired and awe-struck at Tammy's determination and am thrilled to bring you her story today.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

My name is Tammy and I’m from the Blackfeet reservation in Browning, Montana. I’m currently living in Temecula, California. I am a USMC wife and stay at home mom to a 21-month-old adventurous little girl.

What is your connection to breast cancer and what encouraged you to sign up for the 3-day?

My aunt Marlene was like a second mom to me. She was the one I would run to when my older cousins would tease me, or play cruel jokes. She made me feel like I was her favorite niece, the truth was she loved children and she made everyone feel that way. I knew that I could get away with anything when I was around her. Tattling was never tolerated, but I knew my aunt Mar would listen to me.

In November of 2000 my aunt Marlene passed away from breast cancer. It was difficult for all of us as a family. She was a wonderful aunt and I was blessed to have had her in my life.

Aunt Mar was my inspiration for signing up for the 3-day. When I first saw the 3-day commercial, I knew that I had to do it. It wasn’t until earlier this year when I knew it would be a great time to sign up for the walk. I didn’t think twice about it. I got on the computer and within minutes, I was registered. Now it was time to start the 3-day journey.

What is the best advice you received BEFORE the 3-day? What is the best advice you would give now that it's over?

The best advice I got was to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. I was very paranoid about not drinking enough water and Gatorade. I knew I was doing well when I would have to make a trip to the porta potties at every pit stop.

The 3-day walk is not easy. Training is a big part in being well prepared as well as having a positive attitude. Your body may ache, but if you have the right mindset, anything is possible. By Sunday I became very tired, but I kept reminding myself that this walk wasn’t about my tired legs, and feet. I had it in me to complete the walk I just had to keep telling myself to keep going. A little blister and sore legs weren’t going to stop me. I wasn’t going to give up.

What was the most challenging experience of the 3-day experience?

In April, my husband deployed to Afghanistan. I was trying to cope with my husband leaving for war, maintaining a house by myself and suddenly becoming a temporary single parent. The nearest family member was over 1,000 miles away, so I was in for a challenge. My husband bought a treadmill, which was my main training tool. My second training tool was the jogging stroller. I learned later on that my sweet girl hated to sit in the jogger for more than 30 minutes. I envied the parents whose children would often fall asleep in their stroller or be completely happy with a shiny toy. Trust me, I tried to bribe my daughter for a few extra minutes, but she was on to me. The toy or snacks often landed on the ground followed by a no, No, NO! I found that cutting up strawberries into small pieces would help keep Sophie occupied for an extra mile. When the weather hit 100 degrees or in the high 90’s, it became unsafe to stroll my daughter, so I had to try something else. The treadmill was a lifesaver. When Sophie would go down for a nap, I had about 1.5 to 2 hours to walk on the treadmill. I took advantage of her naptime, unfortunately the household chores had to wait. There were times when I would walk with Sophie in the early mornings, put her down for a nap and jump on the treadmill to get in a few extra miles. If it became too hot to walk on the treadmill (located in the garage), we would walk early in the morning and again in the evening. Sophie ate a lot of her meals in the jogging stroller. I thank my daughter for being cooperative and patient with me while I tackled this goal. My husband returned home two weeks before the event and it was great to see him at the finish line. I was happy that he was able to experience the hard work I put into completing the 3-day 60-mile walk. I appreciate his support, along with my family members in Montana and Texas. I had a huge cheering section and that was awesome!

What is one thing that you will carry with you from your experience on the San Diego 3-day?

It was amazing to see the dedication and commitment of all of the participants. We all had our own reasons for participating, but we all joined a great cause and became a team.

What would you say to someone worried about raising $2,300 and walking 60 miles?

Be creative, have fun, and more importantly always remember why you are participating in the 3-day.

What is your favorite product what you used for training, walking, fundraising, etc?

My favorite product used for the walk was Body Glide. I put it on my feet in the morning, reapplied it at lunch with a fresh pair of socks and 60 miles later only one small blister.

My 3-day Video

I have spent the past few days editing this video with pictures, video and music to best express my Dallas/Ft. Worth 3-day experience. This evening I finally completed the video. I hope you will watch the whole thing (with sound!) in order to get a small piece of the journey Courtney and I had last weekend. Enjoy!

Closing Ceremonies

Sorry for the rough camera; I was crying and trying to hold the camera still. Despite the roller coaster technique, you get an excellent view of closing ceremonies and the survivor circle. If you've never experienced the 3-day, I hope this gives you a small glimpse into why we walk.

Day 4

Don't start at the end of the story, catch up here: Day 0, Day 1, Day 2 and Day 3!

After a delightful night's sleep at my brother and sister in law's house, Courtney and I woke up stiff and sore, but feeling good. We showered, ate breakfast, and caught up on the news with Tom. The 3-day is like a mission trip that completely disconnects you from the rest of the world. We had heard bits and pieces of what was going on in the world, but a few minutes in front of CNN taught us a lot.

At about 9:30am we were picked up by my dear friend Susan. Her and her children were so excited to see us and hear all about the walk. She drove us to her house where we hung out just like old times. We ate lunch in the elementary school cafeteria with her first grader. We ate donuts and peanut butter sandwiches. We laughed and cuddled with her kids. It was the perfect way to end our trip. I cannot tell you how much I miss relaxing in her house with her family.

After a while it was time to load up and head to the airport. Courtney and I were moving slow and my shins were still very swollen, but we were moving. I continually reminded myself that swollen shins don't need chemo. I have a flare for drama, especially when it comes to physical illness. :-)

Of course Courtney and I were sporting our 2009 Breast Cancer 3-day t-shirts. Hopefully some folks took pity on us. :-) At the airport the security man shook our hands and thanked us for what we had done. He seemed a little shocked when I honestly told him that no, our feet were not doing well... He asked, I just didn't lie. It was strange to walk through the airport and have no one cheer for us. No one seemed to care that we'd walked all over the city in hopes of someday living in a world without breast cancer. People stood in our way and hoped we'd move. No one clapped. No free drinks on the plane like I'd hoped. :-)

The flight back was rough. Courtney gets motion sickness and with a tropical storm hitting land off the gulf coast, the weather was tough. We made it all in one piece and were happy to be home. When my husband saw us and walked with us to baggage claim he laughed and said that I was no longer Leanne...the walker but now was Leanne needs a walker... I married a funny one.

I am already registered to walk in 2010 in DFW. If you have been inspired to donate, walk, or cheer, do it. I am committing to raise the minimum fundraising goal again this year. Please consider donating in memory or in honor of a loved one by clicking here. I am trying to raise at least half of the fundraising minimum by January 1, 2010. Please help me reach my goal.

Day 3

Don't forget to read about Day 0, Day 1, and Day 2!

Day 3 is finally here!!! We woke up before 5am to pack up our stuff, prepare for the day, and get to the bus by 6am. The first bus was scheduled to leave camp at 6:20am...and we wanted to be on that first bus! After a delicious breakfast and a relatively uneventful time folding our tent, we were ready to go! We got in line at 6am to find about 50 people already in front of us! We took the third bus to a local private high school to start Day 3.

After waiting for a little while, we were ready to hit the road. I developed shin splints at the beginning of Day 2. I figured that with some advil and rest, I'd be good to go on Day 3. Wrong. I was in serious pain, but we continued to keep a very quick pace. So quick that when we arrived at Pit 2, we were held for about 10 minutes. And when we got to pit 3, we were held for about 15 minutes. And when we got to lunch, we waiting for about 25 minutes before hitting the road. All of this was a blessing because I needed an excuse to rest.

We walked through a very beautiful part of Dallas at the beginning of Day 3. Turtle Creek is incredibly beautiful, but does not have gas stations or impromptu potties... Between the first cheering station and Pit 3, Courtney had to go to the bathroom something awful. We walked about 1.5 miles VERY quickly. While we made it to the beautiful blue port-o-potties before explosion, we were very sore after that. My shins were getting very swollen. Courtney was a freaking rockstar and continued to encourage me to walk even when it hurt.

Last year I wrote about how my friend Janet's spirit was with us all 60 miles. This year was no different. I was hurting on Day 3 and wasn't sure if I should push through or take it easy. Janet wouldn't take it easy. She continued to fight even when it hurt to breathe. I continued to walk while drawing on the strength of
Grandma Shirley, who lost her battle just years before I was born
Grandma Jo, Jarrod's grandma who fought 30 years ago and had the same treatment as my grandma, but beat cancer and lives to see her grandchildren and great-grandchildren
LaWanda, my sweet friends' Holly and Laurie's mom who tried so hard to kick cancer in the ass for over a decade
Bette, Susan, Carrie, and countless others who are in the midst of a battle for their lives, who are winning and who lost.

The last 5 miles of Day 3 were emotionally and physically exhausting. I cried almost continually. I called my husband. I didn't see a sweep van or a cheer-er for miles. But eventually we got within sight of Fair Park. The journey was coming to an end!

We made our way through Fair Park to the Holding Area where we would spend the next several hours. It was barely lunch time and we'd completed about 59 miles in 3 days. We grabbed some ice and a chair in the shade and set back to relax. There was super fun music, drinks, food, and relaxation at the holding area. We waiting for the rest of our team to walk in. As to not get too stiff, I cheered folks in...dancing to the music, clapping, and cheering. I saw an incredible parade of women and men laughing, crying, dancing, and limping across the "finish line" in order to receive their t-shirt, flower, and bumper sticker.


Soon our friends began to arrive, sore and happy! We cheered and found a shady place where we could all share our experiences. We gathered around our Rack Pack Survivor, Mimi and got ready to march into Closing Ceremonies. But not before a few pictures!


We finally lined up to make the last walk together. They say it's just a short walk, but I tell you that it was at least a mile. :-) We walked arm in arm (and then dropped arms because it was so dang hot!) into a huge crowd of friends, family, crew, and other folks cheering for each of us. When we finally arrived to the stage, they announced the survivors and we took off one shoe to honor the incredible survivors who not only have or are fighting breast cancer, but committed to walk or crew! Totally awesome.

After closing ceremonies, we said goodbye to our friends and met up with my in-laws, sister in law, and her mom who were gracious enough to come get us! It was awesome to see them again (especially my awesome sister in law!) and share in closing ceremonies with them. The drive to Jessica's house was lovely, we shared our stories and heard about my nephews and how grown up they are getting!

Once we got to our home for the night, we showered, ate delicious Boston Market, and chatted with my brother and sister in law. It was a wonderful end to one of the hardest days ever. We got to see my precious nephews who will be two in January and eat brownies with my brother in law who was nicer than he's ever been.

Read the end of this story at Day 4!