I'm a 3-Peat!

Susan G. Komen 3Day for the Cure
San Francisco, CA
September 9-11, 2001

Habits

“Thoughts lead on to purpose, purpose leads on to actions, actions form habits…”

 Tryon Edwards

Thoughts

My Aunt Brenda passed away earlier this year. The pin that I wore on the front of my hat for the previous Walks is with her in her casket, a symbol of my promise to her that I would continue to walk, continue to fight to find a cure for breast cancer.

Purpose

For as long as I can remember, we’ve known that there is a history of breast cancer in our family. This history is now overwhelming – maternal aunt, paternal grandmother, paternal aunt, my mom and my sister. With each passing year, another name is added. As time goes on, it is looking like, for the women in our family, breast cancer is not an ‘if’ but a ‘when’.

Here are my girls – my daughter Danielle and granddaughters Larissa and Kelsey. I walk for them, so they don’t have to live with the fear of breast cancer throughout their lives. I walk for myself so that I can be around to watch them grow and to be a part of their lives.

I added two more names to my hat this year. There are 13 in all, 3 who are gone, 10 survivors. Too many names on the list, too many lives affected.

Action

So I walk. I can’t find the cure myself. I can’t even fund the research. But I can walk. I can reach out to family and friends and coworkers to raise money. I can do my part too. I walk to raise money. I walk to find a cure. I walk because I need to do something. I can’t stand by and watch this happen over and over again to the ones I love, to the ones you love.

Habit

I’m a 3-peat. This was my third walk. I’m already signed up for 2012. Thoughts do indeed lead to purpose, purpose to action and action to habit.

Start With a Good Beginning

I started the 2011 Walk as I have the others – waking up next to Dave, in a hotel room near SFO. It’s so much easier to spend the night and drive 15-20 min to Cow Palace vs all the way from home… when you have to be there around 5:00 AM. This summer we had a couple of weekend adventures in SF and found a hotel we like, clean rooms, good service and an IHOP right next door - check in, quick bite to eat, and early to sleep!

The 2011 Walk adventure begins

Pre-dawn Drop Off

Everything is so very well organized at the 3Day. Dave dropped me off and was on his way to an early morning dentist’s appt and then work. I turned in my duffle bag and headed out to the opening ceremony area.

Let’s get this party started!!  

Honoring the Memories and the Battles

Again this year, we had the option of including our loves ones in the opening ceremony. A white fabric flag cover the length of several tables. Markers were provided. This flag was raised on the flagpole within the Survivors’ Circle during the ceremony.

Again… so many names… too many names…

The ceremony was beautiful, as always; a combination of celebration, pep rally, memorial and old time revival meeting. Its very early and we’re all chilly and not quite awake and yet the energy is unreal, the adrenaline, the sense of communal purpose and passion. It sets the tone for the entire weekend.

And away We Go!!

There is always a bit ‘receiving line’ of people to send us off with cheers and high 5’s.

One of the first things that caught my eye Friday morning was this sign posted along our path. I was thinking about a friend of mine. His name is David and he is currently fighting cancer. His wife made the HOPE bracelets I wear. One is to show support for Dave, the other is pink for breast cancer. When I saw this sign, I paused to take a picture and to send even more healing vibes David’s way.

The weather was pretty sketchy most of Friday, as you can see from this pic. We walked from Cow Palace through Daly City and wound around a few city streets, past the SF Zoo to the coast. This has been Day 1 each year.

We climbed the big hill to The Cliff House and headed to the Coastal Trail.

Gorgeousness

Despite the grey skies, the view from that trail was as gorgeous as always.

Early afternoon the sun finally appeared, just in time for us to cross the field and head over to Fisherman’s Wharf.

Well It Seemed Like a Cool Idea…

The first year I walked, we set up camp at Crissy Field; last year it was on the grounds of The Presidio. This year our camp was set up on Treasure Island. It was very cool!! The view from there was amazing. It was a very nice venue for our pink pup tents.

Our private ferry was docked at Fisherman’s Wharf on Friday. It was gorgeous and sunny. Perfect way to end Day 1!

As the title says, the whole island/ferry thing sounded like a cool idea and it was a neat experience.. but the logistics involved in putting nearly 1900 people on boats and taking them to the island were less than ideal. Long, long waits in line. Delays while everyone loads up/unloads.

But it was a great experience and, for some, a first time on a ferry.

Treasure Island!

This was my first time on the island. Once we got off the boat, we had another mile to walk to get to camp. Most of it was right along the bay. The sun was setting. It was an awesome view!

Finally arrived at camp. I found my bag and walked to my assigned tent space. My tentmate had arrived before me and the tent was set up. I unpacked my sleeping bag and its pad then went for a shower. It was so great! ;-D

When I was putting my things away, my tentmate showed up. What was really cool was that she and I had chatted for awhile on the walk earlier in the day, neither of us realizing that we were tentmates. Out of the nearly 1,900 people there, the odds of this happening were pretty slim. After dinner, I talked to Dave for a few minutes, until I got sleepy and started slurring my words. Ha! Definite sign that its time to sleep.

Day 1 complete

Glorious Day and New Territory

Saturday morning we made our way back to the boat dock. The sunrise was a beautiful way to begin our day!

Saturday the dropped up on the east side of the bay and we walked all over Berkeley and into Oakland. It not spent much time in either city so I was looking forward to this part of the weekend.

The weather was mild, partly cloudy, with sun coming and going all day. The temps were pleasant and the view was great.

We walked a lot of hills over the 3 days, but then this is the San Francisco Bay area so that’s to be expected, right? It seems that each day had at least one especially difficult hilly area. On Friday, it was the climb along the Great Highway up to The Cliff House and beyond. Sunday we walked that really ugly hill from Fort Baker up to the Golden Gate Bridge.

Saturday’s hill challenge was Berkeley Hills. I remember one hill that was particularly steep and a very long climb, over a quarter of a mile. Approximately 1/3 of the walkers ended up stopping at least once on the way up to rest. When I got to the top, there was one of the safety team there to keep an eye on us as we crossed the winding road above. He and I had chatted off and on all weekend. He reached out and took my hand and acted like he was pulling me up the hill. At the top, he held my hand a moment and said, “You OK?”. I said, “Yeah.” He continued to hold my hand and said, “Really? Are sure you’re OK?” to which I replied, “Oh yeah. Hell yeah! I’m a Mountain Woman. These sissy hills don’t scare me!” and off I went.

Next we walked into Oakland where we picked up the ferry for our ride to camp. But first, a nice rest in the shade along a lake. And a photo op:

(I blame the boa. Yeah. Cause I’m naturally quiet and shy and introverted. Yeah. It was the boa.   :-D  )

Humor Takes Many Forms

A weekend long event focused on breast cancer brings ample opportunities for bodily function humor, you know... the kind that makes junior high school boys giggle and blush.

It’s reflected in choice of dress. Bras take on all kinds of new uses:

The sweep vans

And, of course, tshirts

This pic is one of the men on the safety team. I asked if I could take a pic of his vest, saying I was going to send it to my husband and that I thought he’d get a kick out of it. He and I were chatting for a bit when another woman came up and asked to take a pic of his vest.

He faked being all upset and said, “Everyone always wants a picture of my back. What’s wrong with this? I ask ya..” as he gestured towards his face.

As she took the pic, she said, “I want to send it to my husband. I think he’ll get a kick out of it.” We laughed.

This same man was on stage during the closing ceremony. His wife is a survivor. She walks, he crews. I saw them together several times over the weekend. This touched my heart.

A special shout out to my team in Houston

It reads

TEXAS INDEPENDENT TOURING SOCIETY

TITS

WALKING TWO ABREAST FOR THE CURE

And one of my favorites. Lengthy, but it covers all of the bases

It reads:

Adore your Assets

Baby your Boobies

Cherish your Chest

Cosset your Cleavage

Guard your Girls

Help your Hooters

Mind your Melons

Preserve your Peaches

Revere your Rack

Treasure your TaTas

Equipment Failure

Saturday afternoon my pack began to fall apart. I was very gentle with it all afternoon and made it back to camp where I immediately bought a new one. Brand new pack too.

It only made it through 2 days. Guess that means I’m tougher than my pack!

Back at camp early again. I got my stuff loaded into my new pack. Then I grabbed a shower and some dinner. A quick chat with Dave and I was off to sleep.

Day 2 complete

A Day to Remember

The Sunday of our walk was 9/11. Like most of the country, we took time to remember the day and the many who were lost.

We woke to find the pink walk flags replaced with a row of American flags at half mast.

We walked the first mile, from camp to the dock, in silence.