Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk Phoenix 2006

The Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk Phoenix 2006, our second 3-Day walk! This year we at least knew what to expect (with the exception of the ticket I got afterwards from an MCSO officer…long 2006 story…better not told here). This year are meeting was held at Freestone Park in Gilbert, AZ, which was where our opening ceremonies were going to be held. I must say that the Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk in Phoenix this year was even better organized than last year’s walk. As with any of the walks, it gets better with practice…and the Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk in Phoenix 2006 was simply proof of that fact.

Crew Training Day

Justin and I chose to be Crew on the same teams we were on during the Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk Phoenix 2005. He was on Gear and Tent and I was on Camp Services. We had such a great time doing it last year, we figured why bother changing to a different team?

He and I didn’t see much of each other during training, which was ok because we really didn’t expect to. We covered the same stuff as last year…tent building 101, radio communications, and basic first aid. I must say we felt a little more prepared for the this years Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk in Phoenix, just from the first aid standpoint, since we both got certified recently in first aid and CPR. Thank goodness we didn’t have to test out what we learned…typically having to use those skills doesn’t exactly go hand-in-hand with a “great walk”.

This year we had new team captains. Mine was a fantastic lady to work with. She’d been on other crews…one for the 2004 and one for the 2005 walks and this year she was taking on the Camp Services team. She did a great job too. What she was lacking in knowledge or experience, she made up in wisdom that only comes with maturity (the kind that makes you ok with asking questions and admitting that you don’t know everything, coupled with the ability to organize it once she knew)…always makes for a good leader!

For the Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk Phoenix 2006, the Camp Services team was definitely short-handed, but we had some willing and capable people (along with a couple other teams like Camp Hydration and Gear & Tent that were willing to assist during their slower times), so we pulled it off and got the job done.

This year was different in that we stayed in the same camp both nights. The Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk Phoenix 2006 used the same park as the first night’s camp from last year. It was easier for the walkers as well as the crew. The tents didn’t have to come down in the morning only to be set up again in the evening, which meant the walkers had less to mess with and Gear & Tent had some time to assist in other places. For those of us on the Camp Services and Camp Logistics teams, it meant a whole lot less lifting of thousands of tables and chairs in the dining area…yay!!

Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk Phoenix 2006 - Day 1

The weather for the Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk Phoenix 2006 was gorgeous! Since the walk was the first weekend in November rather than October, it had cooled down from the typical Arizona summer weather. We started our day again at 3:45am again and Joe, our food delivery guy from last year, was there to assist us again…such a great guy. I finally figured out in talking with him over the weekend that he sleeps in his truck…that's one way to be to work on time! We put lunches together for the road crews, then headed to camp where we spent the rest of the morning setting up and decorating our tents and putting things together for the walkers. With everyone working together, we managed to get the entire camp area set up before the first walker arrived into camp…lunch time!

For the Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk Phoenix 2006, we had the ASU Baseball Team come out to assist with setting up tents. Such a great group of guys. When they arrived, they all had their uniform tops and caps on so everyone in camp that was around, wanted to get photos of them as a group. While we were taking pictures, one of the walkers came up to them. She had a bra on the outside of her shirt with tassels attached and started swinging the tassels while yelling “come on baby…shake ‘em up!” It was hilarious to see the looks on some of the players’ faces. I asked if they had been informed that they were assisting at a breast cancer walk with a few hundred (possibly thousand) crazy ladies. They looked like they were going to be able to take being harassed for the day though…good thing!

Once everyone was in and the camp went to dinner and shower mode, things began settling down. The Breast Cancer 3-Day Walks have to be the only time I know of that it’s perfectly ok to be wandering around in a city park at night in your pajamas and slippers…so cool! It’s like having one huge slumber party…with “mom” telling you that bedtime is at 9pm (much earlier than when I was 12 even!) As adults who had walked 20 plus miles though, we didn’t really hear any complaints about the bedtime hour. During dinner, we got to listen to (or got abused by, depending on who it was) the team leaders as they did Karaoke. Since I was busy at the time getting towels to the walkers for showers, I don’t really know who was singing what, but I DID hear a gal singing a Tina Turner song who sounded great!

Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk Phoenix 2006 - Day 2

Day 2 was uneventful for the most part…so nice to be able to stay in the same camp! Not only is it less work, but more of the funds raised go towards research as well. It also gives us more time, once the work is done, to talk with and get to know a lot more of the walkers. The bottom line of the Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk Phoenix 2006 or any other breast cancer walk is that everyone there participating, whether as a walker or a crew member or even a volunteer, are there for their own reasons. They’ve been affected differently by the same disease…breast cancer…and they’re raising funds for research and walking in honor or in celebration of someone they know and care about.

The most exciting thing I can remember that really stuck out was when they pulled several of our Crew members out of camp to assist the Road Safety crew down around the Tempe Lake area. It seems that the Juvenile Diabetes Walk was going to be there for break at the same time that the Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk Phoenix 2006 walkers would be across the street for lunch. There was some concern that some of the walkers might follow the wrong path for their individual walks. As far as we heard, everything went fine, with the exception of a bit more holdup of traffic in that area!

Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk Phoenix 2006 - Day 3

We really didn’t see as many injuries this year as we did during 2005. I think that as more people walk in this type of Marathon walk, they’re realizing that the training beforehand should be taken a bit more seriously. I know that Justin and I weren’t quite as sore this year either, but we figured it’s because we only moved and set up camp twice instead of 3 times. The Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk Phoenix 2006 Medical Crew said there weren’t quite so many injuries in their tent either.

At the Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk Phoenix 2006, I did get a chance to speak with a couple of gals who got red-carded and removed from the walk, as well as a couple that were “swept” (they got picked up along the route and dropped at the next break point because they either couldn’t make it due to injury, or had fallen behind and weren’t going to make the time limit). Every person we’ve spoken to in those situations feel bad because they didn’t walk the entire route. Our feeling is that the most important part of the entire event…the reason we do them…is to raise money for research. If they’re on the walk at all, they’ve already done that part. If they push themselves to the point that they do permanent damage to themselves, how will they be able to raise funds and walk for the next year’s walk?

This year, the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk Phoenix ended up in Hance Park in downtown Phoenix where there was a lot more room for the families and friends to visit with those who walked before lining the way to closing ceremonies. As with last year, the Crew lined the walkway for the walkers to come through, but on the way to line up, the walkers lined a path for us. They cheered us on, gave us high fives, and thanked us for being there for them while they walked. (Like it’s not tough enough to keep the tears from coming once we’re INSIDE closing ceremonies!)

I believe Channel 12 News, during their coverage of the Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk Phoenix 2006 said we were standing in the shape of a tear drop during the closing. Whether that was something done intentionally by the Komen Foundation or simply Channel 12’s perspective, I’m not sure. We’ll let you know if we find out.

And so ended the Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk Phoenix 2006. Wouldn’t it be great if this was the last one we had to walk?

© 2005 Xtreme Attitude, LLC – All Rights Reserved