2013 Susan G. Komen Seattle 3-Day

As expected, another great 3-Day walk for the Cure! This event is the highlight of all my walking events throughout the year and as usual, I signed up for 2014 before I walked the 2013 event! That's how much I love it! Raising $2300 each year isn't easy but I work on it year-around and always come up with the required donations. I appreciate every single one of my donors, big and small! Without your donations, I wouldn't be able to participate in this great event so THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!! 

I worried about my lack of training going into it this year. I've had a rough couple of years physically (plantar fasciitis and a soleus muscle strain) and my training dropped way below where it should have been. Because of my lack of training, I ended up with a very painful injury from the Vancouver Marathon in June, tearing a calf muscle and getting some severe tendonitis and shin splints! Those injuries stopped ALL training and I sat on my butt for almost three months trying to heal. Since the Marathon in June, I walked in two small events - a 7k and a 10k. I walked them both slowly and without any expectations from myself except to get my muscles moving again and to finish, which I did. I obviously sat out long enough that I was able to heal and start fresh again.

Going into the 3-Day event this year, I knew I would have to take it one step at a time and listen to my legs and feet. Without the proper training, walking 60 miles is a bit crazy! The beauty of the 3-Day is that here is NO obligation to walk all 60 miles. The only obligations are to raise a minimum of $2300, be safe and have fun! There are "sweepers" and buses to move you along the route if you need them.  In fact, the first year I did this, we had a team member who was not only a breast cancer survivor but who had also had open heart surgery.  She would walk two and a half to three miles with us and then take a sweeper to the next pit stop (approximately 3 miles further up the road) and rest/wait for us to get there, and then walk 3 miles again, over and over. She would also take a sweeper up the really large hills. With these pampering services available, anyone can do the 3-Day and enjoy it!

Every year I have walked all 60 miles and this year was no different. However, my expectations of myself were different. When I first started walking in the 3-Day events, I HAD to walk ALL 60 MILES! I simply would not accept anything less of myself. I thought about those suffering with cancer and the pain they must go through, the exhaustion they must face. Walking 60 miles was NOTHING compared to what they were going through. I wasn't about to give in. Last year I struggled through my foot pain... knowing I should take a sweeper but not wanting to give in, and didn't. This year, I had already suffered a great amount of pain in June by not listening to my body so walking 60 miles wasn't my focus. I had to be smart and listen to my aches and pains! Amazingly, I had no pain! My feet and legs were perfectly fine. Of course I was TIRED but had no internal pain that I needed to pay attention to. It never even crossed my mind to take a sweeper. (I'm healed! Yahooooo!)

We were walking the SEATTLE 3-DAY so that meant HILLS, HILLS and MORE HILLS! My butt muscles were getting quite the workout and were a bit sore on Monday after the walk but other than that, not even my feet or calf muscles hurt when the walk was over.   A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. 

Team Pink Thunder (Brittany, Michelle, Edith and Me) drove up to Seattle after getting off work at 4:00 Thursday evening. We were a little late leaving Vancouver because of yours truly - I wasn't packed!! (I know! Horrible!) I threw everything on top of my bag, into a couple smaller bags, and stuffed it all in the trunk of Brit's car! Off we went!

Edith met us at the hotel and helped tote all my loose ends into the room. heh heh We spent about an hour rearranging and repacking our bags and then realized we only had about 4.5 hours to sleep before we needed to be up and moving again. Yikes! I also realized I ONLY had THREE shirts total - my team shirts - so if they were too small because of my 'recent' weight gain, tough luck for me! (That's what happens when you don't pack ahead of time!) Luckily you shower and get into your jammies after the day's walk no matter what time it is so three shirts is really all you need. Comfort is the main idea. And wouldn't you know it, I was lucky enough that my shirts still fit! Whew!

Friday morning started out early, and without a lot of sleep. Michelle was nervous not knowing what to expect, this being her first 3-Day, so she didn't sleep AT ALL. We grabbed our belongings and headed straight to the nearest Starbucks in all of our pink glory! We arrived at the opening ceremony around 6:00, did some last minute adjusting and walked around taking in all of the excitement. I ran into an old friend of mine, Jane, from my days (long ago) as a Denny's server. Jane is a 5 year breast cancer survivor and was doing the 3-Day for the first time as a gift to herself for hitting the 5-year mark. I ran into her again at the end of the 60 miles and she said she was "63, old and tired" and "could cross this event off of the bucket list!" Not sure she'll be doing it again but I hope she had a great time and soaked up all of the love and support given so freely by fellow walkers/survivors. Love you Jane! It was so nice to see you!

Edith, me, Michelle and Filomina Flamingo!

At opening ceremony Dr. Sheri Phillips, National 3-Day Spokeswoman, said, "Let yourself be present every step of the way!" She's so right! Speeding through the walk (which Edith and I did one year) is great if you want to get back to camp early but you miss so much along the way! While focusing on the speed of your moving feet, you aren't paying attention to your surroundings, are ahead of a lot of the cheer stations, and miss viewing and communicating with other walkers. We only sped through the walk that one year and decided that although getting back to camp early had its advantages, it wasn't nearly as nice as what we were missing along the way. If you're going to participate in the 3-Day, walk slowly and take it all in! Enjoy the entire experience! It's worth it!

We started our walk at the Seattle Center and walked through parts of downtown. We walked on the I-90 floating bridge (I love walking on that bridge!) over Lake Washington, over to Mercer Island and then into Bellevue.

We had lunch at a beautiful park, changed our socks and enjoyed resting in the shade for awhile. The forecast called for rain all weekend but we were baking in the hot sun ... sweating like crazy!

Brittany was unable to join us on the actual walk because she didn't complete her fundraising (unforeseen life events got in the way) but she was up supporting us all weekend. She met us along the route, cheered us on and took whatever items we were tired of carrying.

Instead of Michelle pairing up in a tent with someone she didn't know, she stayed in the hotel with Brittany at night. Whatever items Brittany took from us, she dropped off at camp when she came to pick up Michelle. It really worked out well. Not to mention she showed up with Starbucks coffees when our day's walk was over! What a great daughter!! What a treat! We definitely felt spoiled walking around camp with our lattes!

After eating a much-needed dinner, we went to the "post office" and retrieved our cards and letters from family and friends. Such excitement! Thank you to all who took the time to send them! In one of the cards from a friend was a $20 and a note to "enjoy some coffee and ice cream!" Boy, she knows me well, doesn't she?! I took the money and put it on my 2014 fundraising page to give me my first donation for next year's event. Thank you!

Joining Michelle, Edith and me in our little group was "Filomina Flamingo!" Michelle's blowup flamingo dressed in a bra, necklace and eventually Band-Aids "to cover her blisters!" The majority of Michelle's fundraising was done by flocking people's yards for donations thus Filomina was very appropriate to bring along. :)

 

 

We walked 22.9 miles on Day 1.

Michelle was picked up soon after we reached camp in Redmond at Marymoor Park. She had dinner in bed (spoiled!!!) and was sound asleep in no time at all.

Edith and I showered and then spent time watching some of the night's entertainment and listening to announcements. During the short slide show of Day 1, there were about five "Dream Teams" featured and a picture of us (and our bird) was one of them! Of course "Dream Team" didn't mean we were any more special than any other team but we were on the slide show and that was pretty exciting to see! As we walked back to our tent, it started to lightly rain, which continued off and on throughout the night.

Edith and I were in bed by 8:30, read all of our mail and dozed off to sleep AFTER the 3-Day Dance Party! (with LOUD music) was over at 9:30... AFTER the concert (with even LOUDER music) in the nearby park was over around 11:00... and AFTER the people in the tents around us finally decided to end their conversations and laughter around WHATEVER time that was! Rough first night, to say the least.

With just a little more sleep than the previous night, we started Day 2. Brittany dropped Michelle off at camp at 6:45 with Starbucks for Edith and I. (Brittany... you're the best!) We were tired but ready for another day of walking, talking and enjoying our surroundings.

We walked through areas of Redmond, Kirkland and Sammamish. The hills on Day 2 were worse than the hills on Day 1! It felt like we went UP constantly, with very little downhill. Brittany met us at a cheer station...

and then met us again as we walked into camp for the night.

The 3-Day organization did something very special this year... they allowed family and friends to come into the campground to visit from 4:30 to 8:30. The visitors could bring in food or buy pizza from an onsite vender (something else new this year) and the walkers had the option to eat the meal provided by the 3-Day crew, eat whatever family/friends brought in or purchase the pizza. Brittany ate dinner with us and then she and Michelle left soon after so Edith and I could shower and everyone could try to get to bed early. We were all exhausted but happy! Once Michelle finished the second day, she knew she would be walking the entire third day too. It's hard not knowing what 20+ miles actually feels like until you do it.

We walked 20.9 miles on Day 2.

Day 3 started out with a bus ride to the Husky Stadium in Seattle and then we walked through parts of the beautiful University of Washington campus.

Excitement was in the air as we were entering our third and final day of the walk. Cold rain was also in the air! It was sprinkling off and on all morning. We went through Gas Works Park...



Photo credit to Joel Addams
www.joeladdams.com
Find him on Facebook at
Joel Addams | Photography

and the Ballard Locks...

Meet Nancy - She had her 90th Birthday on Day 2! She was walking what she could
and sweeping what she couldn't. She was totally enjoying the experience!

 As Edith, Michelle, Filomina and I were stepping onto a bridge, high in the air and totally exposed, it started to POUR and the strong winds were blowing the rain at us sideways! We passed the lunch stop (who wanted to sit in the rain?) and continued on to the waterfront in Seattle. We were hungry, tired and SOAKED. We met Brittany at a Red Robin on the waterfront and sat our dripping, starving selves down in a booth to warm up. At one point the restaurant manager was at our table and said he liked our hats and then asked what the "special occasion" was? I couldn't believe he worked in the City, a City that hosts the 3-Day (a VERY PINK event) every year, in a restaurant not more than a block away from our turn off and he had NO IDEA it was taking place. Way to be a part of your community, Mr. Manager! We were soaked, decked out in pink and carrying a pink flamingo wearing a bra and he absolutely had no clue. Wow.

We were ahead of our deadline to check in for the closing ceremony so we sat and talked for as long as we dared. After about an hour, our bodies were relaxing and shutting down but we still had a couple more miles to walk so we decided to get up and get moving again before we couldn't. We changed into dry socks and headed back into the rain and continued on to the finish line at the Seattle Center. About a half mile from the end, the rain stopped and the sun started to shine! Jeez. We went around the last corner and headed into a cheering crowd of clapping people, thanking us for walking, fundraising and caring.

Another year and 60 more miles under our feet. We did it, Ladies!

We walked 16.3 miles on Day 3.

We dried off, got into our 3-Day shirts, and then walked to a nearby Starbucks (always gotta have our coffee!) to pass the time without just sitting in one spot.

If you've ever walked long distances, stopping and getting started again is the hardest part of all! Your body screams that it's finished and doesn't want to walk another step! You hobble along and keep moving.

Along the route over the past three days we had come across a very young woman obviously battling breast cancer who was walking with her husband (or boyfriend), who had family at the Saturday night dinner, and who had family at various cheer stations all along the way. They were obviously all out there to show her their love and support. She touched my heart every time I caught a glimpse of her. I think her age had a lot to do with my feelings of sadness and pain... she had to have been in her early 20's. She had no hair, no eyebrows, no color. What she did have though was a lot of determination to do that walk. I passed her once and told her what a warrior she was. I wanted so badly to give her a hug but what do you say to someone in that situation? I want a hug? Surely not. I should have followed my heart and reached out to her but instead, I choked up and passed along a silent word of strength every time I saw her. I hope to see her as a walking survivor next year. If so, I'll be sure to let her know how much she touched my life for those brief three days in time and continues to touch it every time she crosses my mind. That is part of what this walk is all about, isn't it? Reaching out. Being supportive. Caring. Loving. Sharing hope and strength. I should have done it.

Closing ceremony started at 4:30, as well as more sprinkles! It was as emotional as always. We were right along the railing where the survivors gather and there she was, the young woman who touched my heart, dancing and letting us all know the past 60 miles weren't going to slow her down - she was dancing into tomorrow!

Seattle Space Needle

After closing, we piled our tired bodies into the car and let Brittany do the driving. We stopped along the way to have dinner with my sister and mother and to take my mother back home with us. It was a long, tiring three-hour ride but one I will gladly take every year after walking the 3-Day!

2013 Vancouver USA Marathon

Be prepared ... this is a LONG post... 26.2 miles plus a few days!

Sunday, June 16th (Happy Father's Day, Dad!), was the 3rd Annual Vancouver USA Marathon! I plan to do one full marathon a year and this local gem is my event of choice. I participated in the inaugural event in 2011 and loved it! I was signed up again for 2012 but unfortunately was wearing a cast at the time and obviously unable to do it. Instead, I sat along the route looking for friends and cheering everyone on... feeling the excitement from a totally different perspective. This year I was bound and determined to take part in it on foot once again.

The Vancouver USA Marathon has an awesome route. Not only is it local for me, it's also very BEAUTIFUL! The course starts in downtown Vancouver at Esther Short Park, goes west of Vancouver out to Frenchman's Bar and back, north on Main Street between McLaughlin and Fourth Plain, back down C Street, east on McLaughlin, over to Officers' Row and through Fort Vancouver National Park, east past the Pearson Air Museum and out to Wintler Park, west along the Columbia River and back into downtown Vancouver to Esther Short Park. It's peaceful... scenic... very well supported and organized... and enjoyable.

A bit of background here: I was plagued with a foot injury all of 2012 and moved beyond that only to start 2013 with a lower leg injury. I was fitted in October with custom made orthopedic inserts which fixed the foot problem. Thank goodness! However, in January when I started to train again, my soleus muscle on my right leg started giving me trouble. I felt like my feet were leaning to the outside but no one seemed to be able to see it when I asked so I ignored my belief that things weren't right. My leg continued to hurt, stopping me from training and sometimes from even a simple 3 mile walk. In March I had an MRI to see if my back was the underlying issue... but it wasn't. To make a very long story short, I finally took the inserts out of my shoes a little more than a month ago. After only a week my muscle no longer constantly hurt. After two weeks, I was able to walk without pain. In fact, I then walked 20 training miles one Sunday without the inserts and felt fine during and afterwards. My theory... the inserts caused my soleus muscle to hurt! My feet WERE leaning to the outside, causing my legs to unnaturally adjust. I can see the difference in how my feet sit in my shoes. No more inserts. I'll have to deal with the foot problem if it returns. Hopefully it won't.

So... on Sunday the 16th, with a major lack of training, I ventured out to do the Vancouver USA Marathon - all 26.2 miles of it. I knew I could walk the distance but it was the speed in which I wanted to travel that was going to cause me issues.

Sue and Nanette

My friends - Nanette, Cindy and Sue - were doing the half marathon, which started at 9 a.m. My friend - Linda - that I did the fulls with in the past wasn't doing this one so I was completely on my own. The full started at 7 a.m. I was anxious and excited to see what I could do without the pull or push of a buddy beside me but I was also feeling a bit lonely. This race was all on me.

I spent my alone time before the race adjusting my hydration belt, adjusting my laces, my iPod, my pants - legs pulled up above my calves, legs pulled down over my calves... legs pulled up again - and stretching/warming up. I tried to stay busy and not think about the miles ahead of me.

The countdown began and off we went! I was in the third and final wave and started out in a slow easy jog. I felt comfortable and confident. I felt strong. I immediately focused on a man ahead of me and stayed right behind him, pacing myself. The first mile seemed to go by in a blur and when I finally looked ahead of the man in the blue shorts, I could see we were part of a pace group. I was running with the 5:30 finishers!! ME! Unbelievable! And I stayed with that group for the first FIVE miles! I ran for that long! I then had to stop to loosen my shoe lace but quickly caught back up with them. I made a second stop to loosen the lace AGAIN, caught back up AGAIN, and then said, "Forget it! Goodbye pacer! Goodbye Mr. Blue Shorts!" It was time for me to slow down a bit. As much as I would have liked to stay with them the entire time, I knew it was completely impossible for me to do so and had to let them go. I began focusing on a woman in yellow to pace myself with. (Finding people like this always gives me a focus and helps me continue to move forward.)

I ran and walked off and on, running more than walking, for the next 8 miles. I stopped for my first potty break at Mile 10, not really needing to but there was no line and I thought I might as well. As fast as you try to get in and out of those porta potties, the runners/walkers are zooming by and my brief stop put me with a whole new set of people. Goodbye Miss Yellow Shirt...

Once I reached 13 miles, I looked at my Garmin watch until I saw 13.1. I had just completed a half marathon and it was my fastest to date! I had just done a half in 2:40! I was so elated and happy about that that I lost my focus on what I was really doing... the full. I wanted to be done. I had just set a great PR for myself and I was ready to celebrate! I realized I had another half to go and felt completed deflated. What the heck?! I had to pull myself together and get focused again. I was far from being done.

The next couple of miles were a mental struggle but as I neared Mile 15.5, I found renewed energy because I knew my mom was waiting for me at a designated spot with fresh EnduroMax and no doubt a few words of encouragement. She didn't disappoint! I saw her a couple of blocks away ringing her cowbell and cheering on the runners going by. She was having such a great time! As soon as she saw me, she dropped the bell and was prepared to help me refuel. At this point I was suffering from a cramping hamstring on my right leg. I told her I was suffering but that I would continue on. I had been going for 3 hours and 15 minutes and knew I was on track to break my previous full marathon record of 6:22. She expressed her sorrow for my pain and told me how proud she was of me. She gave me a hug and kiss and told me she would be waiting for me at the finish line. Thank you so much, Mom! I love you!

I continued on determined to finish this thing. I started getting cramps in my left hamstring too. I kept drinking water at every station (approximately every two miles) and my EnduroMax in between times. I was well hydrated - just not well trained.

Around Mile 18.5 I stopped for my second potty break. Again, I didn't really have to go but damn, I wanted to SIT DOWN and I didn't care where! No line at the porta potty was just too inviting! I remember just sitting there thinking how tired I was but that I had to keep moving. You know you have to be REALLY, REALLY TIRED to enjoy a brief sit in a porta potty! haha

Around Mile 19 we encountered a nasty hill. I'm usually a hill-lover but not this time. Unbelievably the front of my thighs were now cramping and any uphill motion brought the cramps on. I was just barely crawling up the hill and couldn't push any harder. (I credit Kelly Clarkson's song "Stronger" that came on my iPod at that very moment for getting me up that blasted hill... "What doesn't kill you makes you stroooonger! Stand a little tallllller!... What doesn't kill you makes a fiiiiighter! Footsteps even liiiighter!" ... you get the picture... haha ... Thank you, Brittany, for making my "Marathon Mix!" It worked!)

Check out the hill at Mile 19!

My lower right leg started screaming at me on that hill too - my old injury was letting me know it wasn't just a thing of the past - and I was losing my determination to beat my old record. I almost didn't care anymore.

At Mile 23 the same mental games from Mile 13 returned. I was mentally OVER this. I wanted to be DONE. The sun came out and it was getting warmer. I was TIRED, HOT and HURTING. I could no longer run. The slightest uphill made my right calf scream. I was suffering... badly.

At Mile 24 I got out my phone and sent a text to those waiting for me at the finish line. I simply put "Mile 24" but wanted to add a few curse words to the message but decided it would take too much time and effort. I didn't want them to realize I was in such a negative state of mind. I was moving at a turtle's pace but I was only 2.2 miles from having this nightmare over with.

Mile 25 took us up another hill (tiny in comparison to Mile 19 but a hill nonetheless) and about halfway up, I was getting leg cramps in BOTH thighs and BOTH calves, causing me to seriously stumble. My right calf burned like hell. I turned around and walked up part of the hill backwards to give me some relief. It worked but of course it slowed me down even more.

Back downtown, I turned from C Street to 8th Street where I started down the finishers shoot. I knew the finish line was a couple of blocks away around the corner so I tried to "jog" a little. I tried not to stumble but I was definitely limping from the leg pain and cramps. So many people were clapping and cheering me on, telling me I was almost there! It was so exciting!

I turned the last corner with a huge smile on my face! I was elated! I did it and I was done! I saw Mom and Cathie and gave them each a high five as I struggled to reach the finish line. I nearly fell as I hobbled across it and immediately came to an abrupt stop. I remember being handed my medal as I was bent over trying to decide how in the world I was ever going to be able to take another single step. The pain in my leg was excruciating.

I finished 26.2 miles in 5:56:19, averaging 13:35 minute miles. I beat my previous record for a full marathon by 26 minutes! I finished in under 6 hours, which is exactly what I had hoped to accomplish! (Just imagine what I could do after a full season of training with no injuries!)

Kathie was taking pictures (thank you so much!!) and Mom, Cathie and Nanette - after big hugs and lots of love - helped me hobble to the recovery area where I found some much needed food and water.

Nanette (aka Bullseye) holding me up! - THANK YOU!

Hugs from Cathie

Love from Mom

My awesome trainers, Tracy and Trevor Bryant, came up and congratulated me. I was thrilled to see them and I remember how excited I was telling them that I had just finished in under 6 hours! They were just as excited as I was and like always, full of praise and kind words! I introduced them to my mom and friends. They really are special people and are such a big part of my success! Thank you, Tracy and Trevor!! I couldn't do it without your help!

I found a tree to slide down [litterally] and immediately removed my shoes only to discover a monster blister that luckily I never felt.

After eating and resting for a bit, I struggled to get up but, with help, was able to make it to a pool filled with ice and water to soak my feet in. IT FELT SO GOOD!

Kathie helping me enjoy the ice pool

After more pictures and a lot of care-taking, Cathie and Kathie went on home to enjoy the rest of Father's Day with their families. Thank you SO MUCH ladies for coming to see me finish!

Nanette, Me and Sue

Nanette, Kathie, Me and Cathie

Best medal ever!

Mom, Nanette, Sue and I went into the Brewfest area and promptly got ourselves each a beer and planted our bodies on the ground. I could no longer move with any bit of comfort. At one point I tried to crawl into the shade only to get cramps in my hamstrings so I ended up scooting on my butt to move around. Nanette, Mom and I stayed there enjoying the sunshine, music, beer and company until we closed the place down (Sue had to leave because she had a lot further to drive.).

With help from my mom, I hobbled ever so slowly to my car and made my way home. I took an ice bath and ended up in bed by 7 p.m.  However, I didn't get any sleep because of my leg pain... because I had to keep getting up to get a drink of water... and because I was starving! (I got up once to eat but didn't want to continue the food-fest all night long even though I probably needed it.)

Monday morning I got up to go to work and realized something was very wrong with my leg. It hurt like hell and I couldn't put any pressure on it. I somehow managed to make it into work and nearly cried every single time I had to get up out of my chair. I used the counters, walls and desktops to move around. I also rolled in my chair when I could. It was awful. I left work and went straight to the doctors. And I finally let myself shed some of those built up tears. It hurt. I couldn't put pressure on it without excruciating pain and I couldn't move my foot up and down at all.

I tore a muscle - it was obviously already weak and susceptible - and have tendonitis. Not a surprise at all - worst pain I've felt since back surgery and child birth!

Four days later I'm still hurting quite a bit but I'm able to flex my foot a little. Still can't put any pressure on it and probably won't be able to for at least a week, per Really-Wishes-HE-Could-Do-A-Marathon-too!-Doc. I'm wearing a compression sock to help with the bleeding/swelling and a boot. I also have two new best friends for the next week or two - Crutch 1 and Crutch 2. Ugh.. so inconvenient! 

Such is life. It's just another rut in this bumpy road I travel. Was it worth it? Oh heck yes! - pain, crutches and all. I just completed a full marathon and I did it in under 6 hours. For me... THAT'S AWESOME!! I can't wait to do it again next year!!  (...but only if I can fully train for it... not doing it without being physically ready next time... I promise, Husband. - he has been less than thrilled with my latest injury.)

Regardless, I did it and I'm so very, very proud of myself! :)

 My splits -

And now to rest and heal for the next 4 to 6 weeks. Oh my... tie me down!!

Pre-Marathon Events
 

The Marathon Expo was set up outside at Esther Short Park. There was also a beer fest going on at the same time! Bullseye and I went to pick up our bibs and packets on Friday night and decided to stay for awhile and enjoy a few beers, the great weather, the live band and the people! We had an awesome time chatting, laughing and posting way too much on Facebook!! ;) What a great way to start the marathon weekend!