Training Tuesday

Another week of less than successful training. I did manage to get one short 3 mile walk in during a lunch break and a short work out one evening. Other than that I’m experiencing definite guilt in life over how to prioritize everything. Is it more important that I train tonight or work on my thesis? Even when I think I have it figured out, something happens, something comes up, and then I’m even further behind. I’m trying hard to remember that I just cannot do everything! Anyone out there have some great advice for prioritizing life and maintaining sanity in this busy world? How do you manage your 3-Day training with everything else we have in our busy lives?

Motivational Monday

"It was a high counsel that I once heard given to a young person, 'Always do what you are afraid to do.'" - Ralph Waldo Emerson

I was very nervous back in 2009 to officially sign up for the 3 Day. I was nervous to raise the money and to walk 60 miles over the course of a weekend. Signing up as a walker was one of the best decisions of my life. I wonder what my next big decision will be that will help me conquer my fears. What brave decisions have you made in life?

Breast Cancer is Survivable

One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime. This is a fact. Recently it seems like once a week I learn about someone else in my life affected by breast cancer. My 3 Day teammate recently had someone close to her diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer, one of my donors and family members had a close friend diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer, and now, one of my closest friends and former 3 Day walker found out her aunt was diagnosed this week with breast cancer. One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime. This is a fact.

It is also a fact that you can survive breast cancer. Thousands of women do just that. Seven years ago my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, just like her mother before her. With the help of science and medicine, family and friends, faith and love, my mother just celebrated her 60th birthday. She is a breast cancer survivor.

It’s interesting growing up with a family history of breast cancer. From an early age I’ve known that I am considered high risk. If I have the breast cancer gene, which my mother’s doctors would like to test for, then I have an 88% chance of getting breast cancer in my life. I won’t lie and say that this statistic doesn’t scare me. But after seven years of staying connected to the breast cancer community, I know that if I am ever diagnosed, I will benefit from science and medicine, family and friends, faith and love, just like my mother did.

Breast cancer is survivable. That is a fact.

Training Tuesday - Or Trying to remember when my last walk was...

In order to be a better blogger I am trying to create a schedule for my 3 Day blog. This is still a work in progress, but I’ve committed to writing a “Training Tuesday” post each week. Today is Tuesday so despite the fact that I didn’t do ANY training last week, you still deserve an update.

I started training a couple weeks ago for the 2010 3 Day. So far I have done a handful of walks that average between five to seven miles. Other than last week when I was sick, these walks have felt really good and well paced. I’ve done the Torrey Pines hill a couple of times already and do a lot of my other training at the San Diego zoo, which has some great hills.

All in all, I feel great about the 3 Day, however I do struggle with finding time to do my training walks. While trying to manage working full time, taking marketing classes for my job, working on my history masters thesis, and trying to stay on top of my normal work out routine, it is really hard to find time to do long training walks. Every time I decide to do a training walk it means there is something else that I should be, but won’t be doing. Any advice out there from all of you super busy, yet well-organized people?

A glimpse of 2009...

Danna, me and Julie after finishing 40+ miles! What a great feeling it was to know that we only had one day left to walk. I couldn't have done it without the support of both of them! I can't wait to do it all over again with Julie!