Motivational Monday - Fortune Cookie Inspirations

On the second night of the 2010 3-Day, to celebrate my 29th birthday, my boyfriend picked up some P.F. Chang's take-out and we had a dinner at home (sorry to everyone who enjoyed camp food in the rain) with walking partner Julie and my parents. The dinner ended with the perfect fortune cookie which said, "Tomorrow will be your day to lead others. Be inspirational." We carried this fortune with us for the last day of the 3-Day, inspired during the hardest moments, remembering that we walk not just for survivors, and not just to raise money for breast cancer research, but we also walk to help inspire others to join the 3-Day movement.

Who have you inspired and encouraged to participate in the 3-Day?

Wordless Wednesday - A symbol of why we walk

One of my favorite moments of the 3-Day closing ceremony - survivors walking the final mile.

Training Tuesday - Let's kick off the 2011 season!

Matt and I stretched our legs a bit, taking advantage of the gorgeous weather San Diego has been having, and had our first training walk of the 2011 season. I have to admit, I still have one large blister from last year’s walk but fortunately it’s no longer painful so it doesn’t hinder me from walking any.

We walked around San Diego bay and the sun was so bright and the water so sparkling that I really realized how much I am going to miss the outdoor culture of San Diego. It’s such a wonderful city to do training walks in and I love being able to train on the actual hills that we walk on the 3-Day. I would love advice from others who train in cities other than the one they walk in. What are some good tips for staying motivated if you are training elsewhere?

Motivational Monday - Highlights of the 2010 3-Day

As many of you know 2010 ended in a very busy and at times rather dramatic fashion, (cough, Matt's Thanksgiving day appendectomy, cough) but now that things have calmed down I am finally sitting down to write and reflect on the highlights of the 2010 3-Day.

The first thing that needs to be mentioned is the pouring rain that sunny San Diego experienced throughout the 3-Day. The rain definitely presented a new challenge for walkers but in the end both Julie and I agreed that it made the experience that much more special. Honestly it brought tears to your eyes to see the line of pink walkers with their shoes wrapped in anything waterproof they could find. Such dedication. I'm honored to have been a part of this!

Another highlight was Matt surprising us on my birthday (day 2) by meeting us at lunch, wearing a kilt, lots of pink, with his face painted (pink of course). After we ate lunch in his truck to escape the pouring rain, he walked the last 6 miles of the day with us. Julie and I realized that we got A LOT more attention walking with a man in a kilt. Good news is that we think we have him convinced to participate in future years. :-)

Day 3 was my favorite day by far. Although we experienced more rain, this time Julie and I were prepared after having wrapped our shoes in saran wrap and duck tape. We also decided to hustle throughout the day, push past lunch and meet Matt and my mom and dad at the finish line to share some Basic Pizza and beer before closing ceremony. Best idea ever. And best tasting pizza ever!

As always the people who support the San Diego 3-Day made the experience. It's amazing to me how many people in our community spend three days of their lives outside (this year in the pouring rain) cheering on walkers. Smile Guy and lil Grin, Hookers for Hooters, the dancing hula girls, ALL of them truly make the walk so much easier. As we completed the final mile to closing ceremony, and you walk past all the supporters, I think it would be impossible to not start crying. That's the moment when I realized that I cannot consider walking in another city if it means I would miss out on the support in this wonderful 3-Day city.

So next year I will celebrate my 30th birthday at closing ceremonies. Who wants to walk with me? Julie and I have already signed up and formed our Breast Coast Walkers team. Join us!

P.S. to see more pictures of our 3-Day experience check out my album on Facebook

Wordless Wednesday - Some of the cuter 3-Day fans

You see some pretty strange, yet adorable things while walking the 3-Day. Such as little boys wearing pink bras...What strange things have you grabbed pictures of during an event?

Training Tuesday - Wussy and Whiney and Weather challenges

There are now 46 days until the San Diego 3-Day for the Cure. Time to really get my butt in gear so that I am fully prepared to walk the full 60 miles.

This past week has had some crazy weather. We've had highs in the 100s in San Diego, with heavy humidity (remember that us Souther Californians are big wusses when it comes to weather). Then we had thunder storms, which turned back into sticky, icky heat. Now we are back to rain. So, needless to say, training outside has been a challenge. I know, I know, most of you deal with this all the time, but again, Southern California = wussy and whiney about weather.

On Saturday afternoon, my boyfriend and I decided to do a walk in our neighborhood. Despite the heat and humidity we were feeling adventurous and took this trail that we had never been on. Feeling more adventurous, when the trail ended we decided to climb our way out of the canyon rather than back track. Enter the phase of Lyndsey being a whiney walker, complaining about my legs getting scratched and itchy. Sigh...at least we did make it though.

I'm excited because we also scheduled a trip to Zion National Park roughly one month before the 3-Day. I think it will be the perfect opportunity to get a 15 mile hike in as part of my training.

Motivational Monday

According to my 3-Day participant site, there are 47 days until the San Diego 3-Day. As it gets down to crunch time, where I realize that I need to up my fundraising efforts and really commit to my training walks, I am constantly looking for new ways to stay motivated.

I've shared a lot about how inspiring I have found Nancy G. Brinker's book Promise Me to be. Part of what inspires me to be involved in the movement to fight breast cancer is the history of the disease and the fact that we have come so far in such a short amount of time. When my grandmother was diagnosed in the 1070s survival rates were not as high. Today the five-year survival rate of women diagnosed with breast cancer is 89%. For those diagnosed early, before the cancer spreads, it is as high as 98% for five or more years.

The ever-improving rates of survival inspire me to get involved, stay involved, and do everything that I can help find a cure for cancer so that the women in my family and in my life will not go through what my grandmother and mother experienced.