Well, we did it!
All 5 of us who walked were able to complete it. I've already decided to sign up to be crew in D.C. next year. I'll have more to say here later after unpacking and resting some more, but wanted to say a quick "Hooray! We did it!"

<3

by Laura Duncan on Mon, Nov 17, 2008 @ 6:39 PM CT

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Leaving tonight for the walk (it starts early tomorrow morning)
I can hardly believe it's here! AHHHHH PACKING FREAK OUT!

But I wanted to tell you that my friend and team mate Diane and her husband set up a real time blog to which all the rest of us have posting access. I have set it up so I can leave voice posts to it, which will be limited due to phone battery (we *are* camping out, after all, so unless I send the phone to charge w/someone at a cheering station...) but I will use it! I suspect Diane will post more, and others may also post. Like D said "We're like virtual reality!"

The blog can be found here: http://3day.dragonjet.net/

Thanks so much again for supporting me in this. I will post something on the 3-Day blog on my site when I get back, too, but I thought you might enjoy experiencing some of it with us and from different perspectives.

Oh, and update-wise we have all met our fund raising goals. Yay! And I have about a million things to do to prepare and a very limited time to do them, so goodbye for now!

LOVE!

by Laura Duncan on Thu, Nov 13, 2008 @ 8:55 AM CT

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HOLY CRAP the walk is in a FEW DAYS!
*freak out*

Today I'm going to buy more socks, some first aid stuff, and start packing.

Wow. I don't have much more to say than that right now.

by Laura Duncan on Mon, Nov 10, 2008 @ 12:13 PM CT

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How much do you *think* is in your change jar?
(First a huge thank you to Lisa & Brian, Cam & CJ for emptying your pockets into those jars and for being willing to donate that money.)

Lisa said I should tell everybody this.

So my friend Lisa and her son took several change jars from around her house to Coinstar today, planning to donate however much it turned out to be. She thought it would be $50 or $75, and since it's money in change jars that she never uses it did not feel to her like it would be a loss or sacrifice to donate it. She called me tonight and said "You will never guess in a million years how much change there was". Maybe given a million years I'd have guessed it, but it was certainly a very surprising number.

$187.24!

In change!

From jars around her house!

Crazy. Amazing, even.

We're very excited, and Lisa said I should ask people to donate their change from change jars. I think that if you have change jars that don't already have a specific purpose, where you just empty your pockets or whatever and let the change chill in the jars for long periods of time, you should get that money counted. If you feel like you can and want to donate it or part of it to the 3-Day walk, cool. If you need the money for things you need or you have been wanting to do something for yourself and holding back due to finances, use it for that. Maybe you want to use half for a gift for yourself and donate half. But go see what kind of unexpected windfall you have in your own house - it may be a really good surprise!

by Laura Duncan on Thu, Nov 06, 2008 @ 11:52 PM CT

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MINIMUM REACHED! YAY!
Thank you so much! I have reached the minimum goal of $2,200 necessary to participate in the walk. I still hope to reach my personal goal of $3,000, but it is very good to have reached the $2,200. Every cent counts and it all goes to good work. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Love!

by Laura Duncan on Tue, Oct 28, 2008 @ 12:45 AM CT

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In gratitude.
I'd like to share with you a list of people who have donated, as a way of expressing my gratitude. I'm going to carry this list with me when I walk, so if you donate in the next 3 weeks I will add you to it, and if you have donated to me through the piggy bank posse and are not on the list, please e-mail me and tell me. I tried to remember everyone, but it would greatly surprise me if I succeeded. :)

So,

(in no particular order, with the exception of my mom being placed very purposefully at the top of the list. *grin*)

THANK YOU:
Mom
Naomi
Ann
Joanna
Rohini
Rohini's tea guests (I'm no longer sure which guests put change in Molly, but she sure was happily heavy at the end of the night, so let's just try to list them all) - Stephanie, Melissa, Selin, Synthia, Sonia, Jenny, Peyton, and Latha
James
Amanda and Greg
Amanda's aunt Elaine
Amy
Stephanie D.
Ashley
Nancy
Kathy/The Right Touch Massage Therapy
Ft. Lowell Physical Therapy (& Jonny Sue)
Alica
Magpie's
Erinn
Gwen
Rob
Brian
Chris
Pattie
Jon
Murat
Lisa
Jan
Kristen
Dawn
Roseann
Maggie
Dixie
Janelle
Kat
Amy's aunt Erin
Jenelle C.
Sho
Craig
Monty (and Tripwire Arts)
Aardvark Electric
Strangers at Plush, Che's Lounge, Plaza Liquors, Raging Sage, Coffee X-Change, the Rialto, in D.C., at airports, on the street, etc...
Thunder Canyon Brewery regulars
Thunder Canyon Brewery
Jess
the Tryst (for the announcement that got us a bunch of Molly Agatha donations her 1st night out)
Bethany
Athena
Kyle
Zakee
Michael B.
Marin, Sean, the Sonoran Glass Art Academy & Beads of Courage
Maxine
Catalina
Tom
Anni
Elizabete Ikeda
Krysia
Cindy Dollen
Robert
Mateo
Zach

I am extremely grateful for all of your support. Many of you have been supportive in various non-financial ways, as well, and I am just as grateful for that. xoxox

Love,
Laura

by Laura Duncan on Fri, Oct 24, 2008 @ 10:28 PM CT

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Only 3 weeks until the big walk!!!
Um, holy you know what, there are only 3 weeks until the walk! After 6 months of training, leading training walks, fund raising, and having my awareness and knowledge of breast cancer expanded greatly, 3 weeks seems like a blink.

Seriously? Only 3 weeks left?! I mean 3 weeks from this afternoon we will be driving to Scottsdale and 3 weeks from 0dark:30 tomorrow morning we will begin the 3-Day walk. Seriously?!? Wow.

Please help me reach my fundraising goal! (and again THANK YOU to everyone who already has!) Donate anything you can. I have raised a good chunk of donation money by carrying around a piggybank, and pennies or dollars, everything in there has helped. Whether you can give a penny, a dollar, or many dollars, it will help fight breast cancer! And I am grateful for all support!

by Laura Duncan on Thu, Oct 23, 2008 @ 3:50 PM CT

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Breast Cancer Awareness - Mobile Mammography in AZ and breast cancer myths.
Assured Imaging Women's Wellness is a company that provides mobile digital mammography in Arizona. A friend recently showed me their website and I found it interesting, so thought I'd share some things I found there. I dig the mobile aspect, and according to the website the digital mammography feels the same as traditional mammography to the patient but is "up to 22% more accurate in the early detection of cancers in women with dense breast (ACRTN claim)".

Here's the page that talks about them and the technology: http://assuredwomenswellness.com/aboutus.php

Their website is nice and includes some good information. It's easy to navigate yourself, but here is a link to a page I really like, their "top 10 breast cancer myths": http://assuredwomenswellness.com/news-topten.php

by Laura Duncan on Mon, Oct 20, 2008 @ 11:11 PM CT

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Breast Cancer Awareness - Videos re: self exams and one re: breast pap test.
Male breast exam: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIRjYUHcyws

Partner breast exam:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=673DvvoZ-FU

She talks here about a husband and wife, but it's relevant to anyone who is new to doing breast exams, whether on a partner or themselves: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IORDMvRi8Lg">Specifics
She gives details about how breast tissue feels and what to note during a breast exam.

This last video is not about manual breast exams. It's a news blurb about the Halo breast pap test.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYGJgyIEbOE

Science Daily article about the breast pap:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/03/040305074205.htm

Please donate what you can to support my 3-Day walk, proceeds go to the Susan G. Komen Foundation and National Philanthropic Trust and support research, treatment, education and prevention of breast cancer.

by Laura Duncan on Mon, Oct 13, 2008 @ 5:30 PM CT

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Breast Cancer Awareness - "Chemotherapy 'Bomb'" article
From: "Chemotherapy 'Bomb' Developed in Cancer War"
By Bjorn Carey, LiveScience Staff Writer

Scientists have developed a cancer drug that kills with James Bond stealth.

It breaks its way into a cancer cell, seals the exit, cuts off the cell's blood supply, and then detonates a chemotherapy bomb.

All that without harming healthy cells. Tests show the crafty drug has safely treated specific cancers and prolonged survival in mice.

"The fundamental challenges in cancer chemotherapy are its toxicity to healthy cells and drug resistance by cancer cells," said Ram Sasisekharan of MIT's Biological Engineering Division and leader of the research team.

The new technique uses nanoparticles to create what scientists call a vascular shutdown.

"Once the supply lines are cut off, these nanoparticles are trapped in the tumor and you can unleash the chemotherapy agent," Sasisekharan told LiveScience. "These cells die and collapse."

Full article found here: http://www.livescience.com/health/050727_cancer_drug.html

Thanks to Maggie for passing this on.

by Laura Duncan on Fri, Oct 10, 2008 @ 11:43 AM CT

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Breast Cancer Awareness - facts from the Why We Walk e-mail.
Because I prefer to write my own thank you and fund raising e-mails, I have not looked at many of the pre-written e-mails and templates the 3-Day provides. However, today I sent out another follow-up fund raising e-mail to a bunch of people, including that if everyone on that distribution list were to donate about $10 (just under that, actually), I'd reach my minimum goal and be in the clear for walking. My mom donated $10 right away. My mom has been very generous and this is her 3rd donation, plus she just got the fund raising e-mail that had information in it, plus she's my mom so she already knows a lot of what's going on with me in general, including the walk progress. So I decided to look at the "Why We Walk" pre-written e-mail and found it to be a list of facts about breast cancer, the 3-Day and its beneficiaries. I sent it to her. Below I have cut and pasted the majority of the information as part of my October blogging for breast cancer awareness.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Breast Cancer Facts:

Breast cancer is the leading cancer among American women and is second only to lung cancer in cancer deaths.

One woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every three minutes and one woman will die of breast cancer every 13 minutes in the United States.

An estimated 40,460 women and 450 men will die from breast cancer in 2008.

Only 5 to 10 percent of breast cancers are due to heredity. The majority of women with breast cancer have no known significant family history or other known risk factors.

African Americans have the highest death rate from breast cancer of any racial/ethnic group in the United States.

Without a cure, 1 in 8 women in the U.S. will continue to be diagnosed with breast cancer - a devastating disease with physical, emotional, psychological and financial pain that can last a lifetime.

Without a cure, an estimated 5 million Americans will be diagnosed with breast cancer - and more than 1 million could die - over the next 25 years.

Breast Cancer 3-Day Facts:

The Breast Cancer 3-Day is a 60-mile walk for women and men who want to make a personal difference in the fight to end breast cancer. Participants make a commitment to meet an individual fundraising goal of $2,200 and spend several months training to prepare for the event. They devote the entire three-day weekend to the cause.

Since its inception in 2003, more than $220 million has been raised through Breast Cancer 3-Day donations, contributions and sponsorships.

In 2006, the Breast Cancer 3-Day raised $86 million through donations, contributions and sponsorships. Of that, more than $61 million, representing 71% of funds raised, was invested in breast cancer research, education, and community outreach in 2006. The 71% return to charity exceeds the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Standards for Charity Accountability: http://www.give.org.

Breast Cancer 3-Day Beneficiaries:

Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Eighty-five percent of the net proceeds from the Breast Cancer 3-Day benefits Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the world's largest and most progressive grassroots network fighting to end breast cancer.

Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. In 1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure and launched the global breast cancer movement. Today, Komen for the Cure is the world's largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists fighting to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures. Thanks to events like the Komen Race for the Cure® and the Breast Cancer 3-Day, the organization has invested nearly $1 billion to fulfill its promise, becoming the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world. For more information about Susan G. Komen for the Cure, breast health or breast cancer, visit http://komen.org or call 1.877.GO KOMEN.

National Philanthropic Trust
Fifteen percent of the net proceeds from the Breast Cancer 3-Day benefits the National Philanthropic Trust Breast Cancer Fund, a special field of interest fund that will provide support for breast cancer initiatives including research, treatment, prevention and education. The NPT Breast Cancer Fund is an endowment, which will ensure that the cause receives long-term, continuing support irrespective of gifting activities in years to come.

National Philanthropic Trust (NPT), the event manager, is an independent public charity dedicated to promoting and facilitating charitable giving by individuals, families and organizations while expanding their knowledge in the field of philanthropy.

Founded in 1996, NPT is one of the 100 largest charities in the United States with more than $675 million in assets under management. Since its inception, NPT has raised more than $1.2 billion in charitable assets, and made more than 22,500 grants to U.S. and international charities totaling $650 million. Led by a national board of trustees and a team of professionals with more than 100 years of combined philanthropic experience, NPT has proven expertise in the stewardship of charitable donations. For more information, visit http://www.nptrust.org.

by Laura Duncan on Fri, Oct 03, 2008 @ 2:37 PM CT

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Breast Cancer Awareness - Thermography.
Thermography is an adjunct to mammography and is more effective in dense breast tissue - read: younger women. So young women with breast cancer in their families, like Maggie's coworker who is certain that she will develop breast cancer due to the fact that every single woman in her family ever has been diagnosed in her 20s, can be effectively screened for it.

http://www.creationsmagazine.com/articles/C113/Dekel.html

Here's an excerpt from the link above.

"Thermography is a physiological study. The infrared camera detects the heat (infrared radiation), which is emitted by the breast without physical contact with it (no compression) and without sending any signal (no radiation). This is a receiving mode only. It shows small, unilateral temperature increases, which are caused by an increased blood supply to cancer cells. Cancer cells have an ability to create new blood vessels to the effected area (neoangiogenesis) in order to satisfy the increased demand for nutrients resulting from the higher rate of growth and metabolic demands of the new colony. It was found that even a few thousand cancer cells (early stage of the disease) secrete Nitric Oxide; a powerful vasodilator, in order to achieve the same results.

"Physiological changes can precede anatomical mammographic detection by seven to ten years, therefore, allowing us to react early in a preventative mode that may stop the development of overt cancer. The study is interpreted with the help of computer analysis of the 75,000 temperature pixels displayed in each of the 18 digital images that are taken in each study. The study can be interpreted as normal, low moderate or higher risk. A holistic protocol is then implemented in order to prevent the formation of overt cancer."

Some more links:

http://www.breastthermography.com/

http://www.healingwell.com/LIBRARY/breastcancer/article.asp?author=cockburn&id=1

by Laura Duncan on Mon, Sep 29, 2008 @ 4:05 PM CT

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Breast Cancer Awareness - Klindfelter's Syndrome / Male breast cancer.
October is "Breast Cancer Awareness Month". As all the stores are stocking up on pink items, I want to raise awareness my style. I'm going to do some online research and post, starting now and throughout October, information about breast cancer.

Molly Agatha has been doing so well raising funds for the team (almost $500 so far) that we are expanding the piggy bank project. The first addition to the piggy team is a small plastic piggy bank with a blissful face. There is a link to a picture of him below.

http://pics.livejournal.com/elf_owl/pic/0001pkbt/

He needed a name, so I named him Harry Klinefelter after Dr. Harry Klinefelter, an endocrinologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, who first described the condition of having an extra chromosome. This syndrome, among various other things, makes men more susceptible to breast cancer. Of course, not all men who get breast cancer have Klinefelter's syndrome.

Here are some pages with a variety of information regarding male breast cancer:

http://www.yapstuff.org/page/breast_cancer.html?gclid=CIb0wdnl-ZUCFR8SQQodUirqFA

http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/male_bc/index.jsp?gclid=COG-k6Dm-ZUCFQEuxwodJV06EQ

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/male-breast-cancer/DS00661

by Laura Duncan on Fri, Sep 26, 2008 @ 10:46 AM CT

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Molly Agatha makes friends.
http://pics.livejournal.com/elf_owl/pic/0001far0/g18

by Laura Duncan on Fri, Sep 12, 2008 @ 12:11 AM CT

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Ft. Lowell Physical Therapy
Thank you, Ft. Lowell Physical Therapy, for your donation and your help in my injury recovery, without which I might not be able to participate in this event!

by Laura Duncan on Tue, Aug 19, 2008 @ 8:11 AM CT

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Molly Agatha, the breast cancer fighting pink pig princess piggybank.
Thanks, mom! I am now up to $1,000 in donations - woo hoo! There's still a ways to go, but I am still confident that we'll get there. At the Expo on the 9th, I attended a talk about fundraising and got some ideas. Maggie, Naomi and I talked about team fund raising and how that would work. We decided to open a bank account where we will put all donations that people give us for the team as a whole. Then, closer to the walk, we will decide how to distribute it (taking into account who needs it most and who did the majority of the work to pull it in), to make sure everyone reaches their minimum goal and is able to walk.

So we have various plans for team fund raising, but I want to tell you about one that wasn't really planned but is making me really happy. At the talk, they suggested putting out change jars at various places that you frequent. So I was looking a bit for change jars, but I thought wouldn't a piggy bank be more fun? So I was also looking for a piggy bank to paint pink. Target had the most perfect piggy bank for this purpose, she is pink, has a pink tutu and tiara! I snagged her right up, took her home and painted a pint ribbon on her side. Her name is Molly Agatha. I took her out with me Saturday night and she raised almost $50 (thanks to the Tryst for the announcement, btw). Maggie told someone at the brewery about her, and she got $20 more! I'm going to take her out with me to social engagements, take her with me to the grocery store, etc. It's fun, but I think it will also be very successful.

At the suggestion of my friend Scotty, I started a facebook page for Molly Agatha. You can see what she looks like, where she'll be (I'll post when we are going out dancing or to events), and I will keep updating it with the amount she is making. Just follow this link: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1423603860

:) tee hee

by Laura Duncan on Mon, Aug 18, 2008 @ 10:29 AM CT

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Brief update.
Thanks to Chris, Jannelle, and Pattie for your donations! xoxox

It's been a while since I've updated. I've been walking, finding it tough to fit into my schedule at times (haha, like that surprises anyone), but managing it. Tomorrow morning I am going up to the Expo, leaving my house around 5 a.m. I'm volunteering to work for an hour there, having 2 hours to check it out and gather information. Afterward, Mags and I are meeting up with Naomi & Adrianne to discuss team things. Whee! Upon return to Tucson, we're doing our 10 mile training walk. Tomorrow is 3-Day rich.

Toot toot, walk walk walk!

by Laura Duncan on Sat, Aug 09, 2008 @ 1:18 AM CT

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Thanks & walk/shoe fitting clinic.
Thanks to Brian and Rohini for your donations! I am now at $640, 21% of my personal goal. Yay!

The 8 mile training walk followed by the shoe fitting clinic at Performance Footwear went well. There were only four of us, but Maxine and Catalina, who Maggie and I had not met before, are absolute joys and we are lucky to now know them. Kyle Johnson, at Performance, is very nice and helpful. I now have two pairs of running shoes that are good for my feet, some new socks, and body glide (anti-blister & chafing stick. I've never heard of it but it was touted highly by Maxine & Catalina.). Kyle gave us each a goody bag, re-usable shopping bag with a pair of socks, a DVD, and a packet of this prickly pear sports drink. Very nice.

It was a really great morning! Watching the sun rise through the clouds was amazing and we once again were struck by how close things really are. We walked in an 8 mile *loop*, so not even 8 straight miles, and things that normally seem so far seemed much closer. I mean, if we can *walk* there, it can't be *that* far, right? It's funny, again, this shift in thinking.

:D

by Laura Duncan on Sat, Jul 19, 2008 @ 12:53 PM CT

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Thanks! & How walking is changing my outlook.
FIRST- Thank you Erinn for your donation! It is very appreciated! Yay!

Yesterday, I got up in the morning and did some laundry, then went to breakfast with Maggie. Tooley's was out of almost everything (espresso, turkey, black beans, avocado, sour cream, jalapeño syrup, I forget what else but really there was not a single recipe on their menu that could be made with all parts except for the yogurt & fruit), so we went to Bobo's. The pancakes were the size of small swimming pools. I couldn't finish my breakfast because it was so giant, though we had chosen what looked, on the menu, to be a reasonably-sized meal. It was damn good, though. Mmmm. Oh, and the people who work there did a fair amount of whistling and some singing. Very cheerful atmosphere. Will go again.

Maggie had picked me up on her way from yoga, so I just asked her to drop me off at work (massage job) so I could walk home as my training for the day (I'm following this weekly personal training thing they send us in e-mail, though I swap the days around to fit into my schedule better). It was about 4.5 miles, though I did lengthen it by walking a little out of the way and back. By the time I got home, despite having stretched at red lights and such, my legs and back were pretty tired. I definitely need new shoes, and am setting up a shoe fitting clinic with the manager at Performance Footwear. I spoke with him on the phone this week and just sent him an e-mail, in hopes of doing a fitting on July 19 (Saturday) morning after an 8-mile training walk. Anyone can come to the fitting & if there's enough interest, he said he'd do other clinics- nutrition & hydration, bra fitting. So if you need new athletic shoes, please come! I will post details as soon as they are confirmed, but I am hoping for July 19 (Saturday) around 8:15 a.m.

When I went on the crazy bike trip with Will, it changed my way of life. I learned how much more I sense on a bicycle, how realistic and much fun it is to ride distances I'd previously only drive, and how good it made my body feel. The training for this 60-mile 3-Day walk hasn't had that effect on me so much, but it did last night. As I was walking home from work, I saw:

- a dove sitting on a fence a couple of feet from me, who looked at me straight in the eye and fidgeted a little, but did not fly away
- 2 palo verde beetles walking along, 1 palo verde beetle fly into a stop sign and make a "ping!" sound
- a man and his cute little boy flying a colorful dragon kite on the University mall
- libraries and schools I'd never noticed before
- many people with whom I made eye contact, shared a greeting, and even laughed
- the sky go through a vast range of colors and lighting, each moment of which was fantastically beautiful.

I found shady spots and had my legs cooled by sprinklers that went on as I passed. I experienced things I'd not have had I been in my car, or even on my bike. I'm not going to start walking everywhere, as it's not practical time-wise or if I have to transport much stuff, but I have had a shift in my thinking. I love that.

by Laura Duncan on Sun, Jul 06, 2008 @ 7:20 PM CT

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Yay, Maggie!
Our newest team member, Maggie, has raised almost $200 in the course of a few hours! Impressive.

Our team progress is now at $2,045 - 20% of our team goal. Yay!

There are also plans in the works for some fundraisers- a night at Thunder Canyon Brewery and a party. Updates to come!

by Laura Duncan on Mon, Jun 30, 2008 @ 10:45 AM CT

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Training progress.
I have now led my 2nd training walk, which started at 5:30 a.m. Now, I am not a morning person, but it's hot here. Really hot. So the first walk, that started at 6:45, was very warm and making it any longer would have resulted in our facing Real Heat. In order to avoid this on this slightly longer walk, I scheduled the walk for 5:30 a.m., which meant that I was up at 4:30 a.m., a time I rarely see at the *beginning* of a day. When you've made a commitment to do this, though, you find yourself doing some pretty tough things, like getting up at 4:30 a.m. There were three of us at the second walk. It was a success, and I will attest that starting at 5:30 a.m. made a huge difference. It was much cooler.

I have not planned a walk this week, so there will be two next! I believe there will be a loop starting and ending at Performance Footwear (though I need to talk to the manager there to coordinate) and a walk twice around the Dave Bell paved track around Reid Park. It's about 3 miles a loop, so twice around is about 6 miles.

I haven't been logging my miles outside of the official training walks, but there have been many. Including hiking miles is nice, changes it up and keeps me hiking (a favorite activity of mine).

by Laura Duncan on Fri, Jun 27, 2008 @ 11:29 AM CT

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Thanks, Jan!
I am now at 1/6 of my personal fundraising goal! YAY!!!

by Laura Duncan on Mon, Jun 16, 2008 @ 6:47 PM CT

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Welcome Maggie! First Official Training Walk a success! T-shirts, party?
First off - welcome Maggie! The lovely fantastic Maggie Kipling has joined our team - YAY!

So I led my first official training walk this morning- it went very well. We started and ended at the Coffee Bus and walked 3 miles total. The walkers present were myself, Lisa Healey (not walking in the 3-Day but supporting us in part by coming to training walks, yay!), Maggie Kipling, and Rosemary Mercer. We are all first time walkers. We started going over the waiver and stretching at 6:45 a.m. and the only thing I would change about this morning if I could would be the start time. By 6:45 a.m. it is already hot, so we'll probably be starting even earlier most of the time. That's an adjustment for me, but seems worth it, especially as the walks will get longer and longer and it will not cool off here for many months.

I have been walking on my own, but this was a very nice difference. I'm looking forward to future training walks. Thanks again to the ladies who joined me! Very good, very good, YAY!

Maggie & I were talking this morning about the t-shirt idea. We'd like to make some team t-shirts, grey with pink writing, with business sponsors listed on the back (since businesses need that exposure). We'd need to set a date by which business donors would need to donate in order to be on the shirts, so we could make them in time to wear them for training walks rather than just at the Big Walk. We also talked again about the fundraising party idea- I'll be sending an e-mail to my teammates about that soon!

by Laura Duncan on Sat, Jun 14, 2008 @ 3:12 PM CT

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Thanks! Also another possible donor and First training walk info!
First off, Thanks for the donation, Lisa! I am now up to $475, 16% of my personal fundraising goal! YAY! Esperanza, as a team, is up to $891, 9% of our team goal. It's coming along, alright! :D

Today at the business meeting at my massage job, I mentioned the walk and asked for donations. My boss may donate from the business, depending on what recognition the business would get. She suggested I could wear a t-shirt with The Right Touch logo on it for one of the three days at the walk, which of course I'd do. We could even make it pink... I have a feeling I'm going to end up with more pink than I'd ever normally wear. Maybe we could make it grey with the logo in pink. I could always then wear it for work, too.

Thanks to Lisa and Maggie for coming to my training walk this Saturday morning. I really appreciate that support, too! It makes it exciting to know that at least a couple of people will be there. Hopefully some other 3-Day walkers from Tucson will find the listing and come, too. With Diane out of town for a couple of weekends and the other 2 team members living in the Phx area, it's particularly nice to know I'll have a couple of people walking with me. (Though Maggie will soon be a team member too! YAY!) You are welcome to join us, even if you are not a participant! You'll have to sign a waiver and follow the rules just like any walker, but really the rules are simple and all for safety! Please join us for it- it will be fun! This is a 3 mile walk and we will stretch before and after, we will also discuss shoes and how to purchase shoes that will serve us well for the walk.

The link to the training walk page is below:
http://08.the3day.org/site/GetTogether?cal_event_id=113406&gettogether=event_main&page=event_main&cal_invitee_id=&cal_activity_id=1040

by Laura Duncan on Mon, Jun 09, 2008 @ 2:53 PM CT

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More thanks and exciting progress news!
I am now up to 15% of my personal fundraising goal and as a team we are up to 8%! And we've only just started! Thanks to Kristen and Ann for your contributions! <3

I haven't been logging how much I walk yet. I think I should get a small notebook for that. I've been doing between 3 and 4 miles at least every other day, and biking. I'm working on core strengthening stuff anyway and am going to start doing some upper body light weight stuff, because it sure can't hurt to be well all over.

There's a group here called the breast cancer boot camp, which is all about helping people fight breast cancer through keeping a healthy mind and body. Community members can sign up to "be a buddy" and train with the ladies. I'm going to call about that, find out what their schedule is like and if I can make time to do some of that. I've had a lot of experience with family members and other loved ones having cancer, I've volunteered with cancer patients and am looking into doing some more of that, but I've never known anyone closely who fought breast cancer. I think I should.

Naomi is going to start a website for us! I'm thrilled and will let you know when it is up and running.

xoxo

by Laura Duncan on Mon, Jun 02, 2008 @ 2:08 AM CT

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Woo! Two donations in a day!
Thanks Joanna! xoxox

by Laura Duncan on Sat, May 31, 2008 @ 4:50 PM CT

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Thanks, etc. :)
I have sent all of my paperwork back to become an official training walk leader, but don't yet have the button to put training walk info here. So this morning instead of leading a training walk, I just walked on my own! Hopefully my first official training walk can happen this coming Friday night, 6/7/08.

Thanks to my new anon donor- it's very appreciated!

As happens, now that I'm involved in this and talking to people about it, I'm finding many people I know have loved ones who have had breast cancer. I love how many of them have survived it or are currently surviving it and many of them have received help from the Susan G. Komen foundation. More & more I'm glad to be a part of this fundraiser.

by Laura Duncan on Sat, May 31, 2008 @ 4:12 PM CT

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Thanks, welcome, and updated fundraising goal.
Thanks James & Alica for your donations! I really appreciate them!

And woo hoo! The lovely Diane Thevenot is walking with our team now - hooray!!!

Diane set her personal fundraising goal at $3,000, which inspired me to raise mine to $3,000 too. I hope to be so successful at raising funds that I will be able to raise it again soon. :)

by Laura Duncan on Wed, May 21, 2008 @ 7:21 PM CT

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Thank you!
Thank you so much "anonymous" (though I know who you are, you modest sweetheart, you!) for my first donation! The fundraising is officially kicked off thanks to you!
:)

by Laura Duncan on Sat, May 17, 2008 @ 2:37 PM CT

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Training Walk Leader - training walks starting next week.
I've signed up to be a training walk leader. This Thursday evening I'm participating in a conference call to get details on how exactly that works. I'm planning to purchase my running shoes this weekend and will start training walks next week! Yay! Please let me know if you would like to come train and I will tell you when training walks are scheduled. Even if you are not walking in the 3 Day you are welcome to come walk with us while we train. It would be a welcome support and great exercise and, if you ask me, fun. :)

by Laura Duncan on Mon, May 12, 2008 @ 11:09 PM CT

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The first step is taken!
I am so happy to have registered. Next steps: buy new running shoes (which I needed anyway) and some good socks for training, start sending out announcements to friends and family to begin raising funds.

by Laura Duncan on Wed, Apr 23, 2008 @ 1:12 AM CT

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