Has anyone done the Susan G. Komen 3 Day walk?

Im thinking of starting a team. Ive never done anything like this before. I have lots of reasons to pick this particular walk. It think this would be monumental for me. HUGE.

I have a couple questions/thoughts:

1. Like I said, Ive never done anything like this, Is this too much for my first try? Is it too brutal?
2. Of course I need to train, but all I really do right now is Zumba. The walk is the end of Sept...thoughts?
3. I've only raised money once...last year I did the MD State Police Polar Bear Plunge for the Special Olympics, I raised $250. For this, I'll need to raise at least $2300. THATS scary
4. My bff and hopefully partner in this was told by a participant (many years ago) that at the campground, you dont get to stay with your team mates and you are put into a tent with strangers. I find this VERY hard to believe, but told her I would look into it.


Any overall thoughts or advice?

I haven't done it but I have a few post-op friends -- here and IRL - who have done it. From what I can see, it's an amazing experience!

YES you can do it. It will be like climbing a huge mountain and it'll be a lot, a lot of work - but the payoff is amazing. 

YES you need to train. From what I've seen the best way to do that is to hook up with a training group in your area and never skip a workout.

YES you can raise $2300. People know what the 3-day is and know you have to raise money and are willing to donate. And when I say "people" - I mean everyone you come into contact with. You'll get very brave, very fast when it comes to asking for money from people. I know several people who do mini-fundraisers throughout the year too. Set up a Paypal account and also ask for donations from your online friends. (hint hint hint)

I have no idea about the sleeping arrangements. From what I understand when you train with a big team you pretty much stick with those people all throughout the experience. But also remember that you'll be meeting lots of new and interesting people and you'll be best friends with all of them by the end of day 1. So even if you and your BFF get separated, it probably won't be that big of a deal since you'll be with people you've walked with for the past several hours. 

Good luck!
Pam

I did this event in 2005 and 2006.  I trained for 8 months and it was hard, but an amazing experience (hell, I did it twice! and I was 250 lbs).   Start walking now, even on a treadmill or whatever.  Learn about blister care, and you will do fine.  Just be prepared for some potential discomfort.  I walked a one day event of 26.2 miles this past September, having not walked or run further than 13 miles at one time all year and I got a couple of blisters by the end of the day, and was stiff the next day, but felt remarkably great throughout.

The fundraising is hard, start that early and get creative and you WILL get it done.  The 3-day will help you with ideas and letters to send out.

Yes, you can share tents with your teammates.  I believe we had to "check-in" online a month or so beforehand and state who you wanted to share a tent with.  Both years I stayed with my BFF.  Maybe the person you spoke to wasn't good at following directions.

I say GO FOR IT!  It's an amazing experience and one I continue to be very proud of.

AWESOME!!!  i did the walk in atlanta in 2008!  it will change your life!  at the camp you do stay in little pink tents but if you have a team, you will be paired with your team mates.  i was supposed to stay with a stranger because i was walking without a friend.  nobody would walk with me!  all my friends thought i was stinking crazy!  all i knew is i had to do that walk!  the first day of our walk, it rained....i mean really, really rained!!!  and we stayed in an empty office building but the next night was fine.

do yourself a favor....have more than one pair of shoes....not new shoes so buy them and train in them.  invest in some really good walking socks....i think i paid about $6-$7 a pair for mine but it was money well spent.  i walked 20 miles in the rain on friday, 25 miles on saturday and 15 miles on sunday and never had the first blister!

also...be careful with your fanny pack as it can rub blister around your waist...believe me...i know!  and be careful of the sports bra you wear as even the hooks rubbed blisters on my back....of course you don't know it until you get in the shower at the end of the day...ouch!!

i walked it in memory of my mom, cousin, and sister in law...and in honor of several others...you will never forget the experience!  there were so many to cheer us on......there was a man with a prosthetic leg that walked with his wife.  there was a group of friends and one was in a wheelchair and they took turns pushing her.  there was a man with a walker on the sidewalk cheering us on....and the stories go on and on.....wouldn't trade it for anything!  that particular walk raised $8.8 million!  the training isn't bad...just time consuming!

i'll be happy to answer any questions you may have!  add me as a friend if you like!  and....i was well over 200 pounds at the time!

you go girl!!!!!

 

 

Thank you all so much for the info. The more Im reading about it, the more I want to do it.

I think this will be totally life changing. If I can do this...I'll be able to do anything!

Now, I just have to recruit my teammates  The walk is 37 weeks away....

Someone from my support group walked it in October 2010.  She will be doing it again 2011 and I will be joining her.  I plan on getting details from her at our meeting tomorrow night.

AWESOME! I just ordered the information packet

No but I want to and if you do it I'll do it with you!!!

Ok, well twist my arm why dontcha? Your're in!

Me!  This will be my 4th year; I've both walked and been on Medical Crew.  Message me if you have any specific questions.

1 & 2.  It's extremely brutal.  But training helps.  Training is a must, it decreases your risk of blisters and injury.  Being medical crew you notice that those who have the most issues are those who didn't train.  And by train I mean work your way up to completing a few back to back 17-18 mile walks by the weekend before the walk.  Zumba won't cut it.  It's not the walking that's hard, it's the endurance and stress on your body.
3.  Raising money is daunting, but doable.  I've never not met my goal, you just have to put some work into it.  Joining an established team that has experience with fundraisers is best than trying it on your own or on a small team.  Bigger team = bigger fundraisers and usually the more you participate in them the better your share.
4.  Tentmates are by request.  If you don't have a team or make a request then you will be tented with another single participant.  However if you request your partner you can be 99.99% sure to get them.

I'm a pro at packing and all the other stuff for the walk.  I wouldn't trade this experience every year for anything else in the world and I have no desire to stop participating, ever!