Breast Cancer 3 Day Walks – 60 Miles in 3 Days!

The Breast Cancer 3 Day walks are fairly new as far as breast cancer walks go, but they are becoming very large and powerful in generating awareness. My son and I don’t believe that the Breast Cancer 3 Day walks get near enough media exposure. The first one that was held in Phoenix was in 2004. We weren’t aware that they even had the walk! Then, in 2005, the only reason we found out about it is because we happened to be flipping through television stations and I saw the familiar “sea of pink” on one of the channels. I went back to that station and they were running a commercial about the Breast Cancer 3 Day walk that was going to be held in October of 2005 (they were running clips from the 2004 3-Day event). That's when I looked up the Breast Cancer 3 Day walks online to see when and where they were being held. We immediately signed up to be Crew members for the walk and will continue to do so until they find a cure for breast cancer.

For The Walkers

The Breast Cancer 3 Day walks are the longest walk around for breast cancer, followed by The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer walks, which cover 39 miles in 2 days. The 3-Day is definitely considered a marathon walk so there are training walks set up well in advance of the actual walk. The training walks are typically run by people who have walked in a previous breast cancer 3-Day or who will be. I know for the Phoenix area, there are training walks set up around the valley in various areas where the trainers live and I assume that they are handled that way in other cities where the walks are being held as well.

The walkers will spend as much time training for the walk as they can, some starting from 1-3 miles at a time, eventually working their way up to the 20 miles in a day training walks. I know from talking with some of the walkers that the training is very important if they intend to make it through the entire 60 miles with few injuries. We’ve also spoken with some who did the training in advance and still ended the Breast Cancer 3 Day walk with a lot more blisters and soreness than they expected. The trainers send out emails along with the packets sent from the Komen Foundation that outlines a good training schedule and encourages safe walking habits…things like using Body Glide or Vaseline on your feet to avoid blisters, a well-fitter pair of walking shoes, breathable socks that don’t trap in moisture, along with the overall body protections such as lots of fluids including both water and sports drinks.

For The Crew

While those of us that Crew at the Breast Cancer 3 Day walks don’t walk a straight 20 miles per day, I know from wearing my pedometer during the 2005 walk that we do walk that many miles. The biggest difference is that we’re also using our other muscles. We’re bending and stooping more often than the walkers as we set up tables, chairs, tents, trash cans, and signs. We stretch more often simply by default of the work we’re doing. And where the walkers are following a mapped out path typically on sidewalks made of concrete, we as Crew are walking back and forth through the park that we’re turning into a city, which gives us a much softer place to be since most parks used for the Breast Cancer 3 Day walks are dirt and grass.

For the Crew, there is a mandatory meeting on the Thursday before the Breast Cancer 3-Day begins. It’s a time for us to get together and meet our team Captains and the people we will be working with. It’s also a time for us to learn how to put up tents, drive large trucks, use radio equipment, and know who to call for what while the Walkers are out on route and what to do when they’re back in camp. It’s a fun day and it’s also work. But it’s an important part of making the Breast Cancer 3-Day the fun, fulfilling and fantastic event that it is. Without the Walkers, there’s no job for the Crew. And without the Crew, the Walkers wouldn’t make it through the Breast Cancer 3-Day walk, so it’s most definitely a team effort. We get asked by many of the walkers why in the world we would want to Crew...Of course those of us that Crew are wondering why in the world anyone would rather walk! Good thing there’s two sides to these events…that’s what gets the job done!

Until there is a cure for breast cancer, we will continue to walk in the Breast Cancer 3 Day walks. As we complete each one, we’ll post more information (along with some really cool photos) in this area for all to see, so be sure to come back and visit as we add more events.

2005 Breast Cancer 3-Day – Phoenix
2006 Breast Cancer 3-Day – Phoenix