Packing
Crew Meetings
Day One
20-Mile Walkers
The Route
Sweep Vans
Meals and Snacks
Safety
Weather
Medical
Alcohol Restrictions
Cheering Stations
Camp Life
Merchandise
Day Three
Important Policies
Pre-Event Prep Webinar
View a Map of the Route
Route Cards
Your gear bag should weigh no more than 35 pounds, including your sleeping bag. Keep in mind that you will need to carry this bag a total of four times while on the event, and crew members will carry your bag several times as they pack and unpack the gear and tent trucks. Easily toted bags with wheels are the best choice.
If you are staying overnight in camp, pack your sleeping bag inside of your gear bag. If that is not possible, you can strap your sleeping bag to the outside of the bag, but please don’t use bungee cords, which can snap and injure crew members. If the weather forecast calls for rain, bring plastic sheeting or tarps for your tent and pack your clothing and gear in plastic bags inside your luggage. And don’t forget to bring something to make your tent fun and festive if you’d like to earn an “All About That Flair” legacy pin.
Please avoid bringing any valuables with you. The 3-Day assumes no liability for the replacement of lost items. So mark your bag clearly with your name and Participant ID number ( Please log in to see your participant ID number).
You must bring your own water bottle. We will provide water and sports drink in large dispensers on the route and in small mixing packs at the hotel, not in individual bottles.
The following items should be carried with you while you’re on the route:
Do Not Bring:
Stay Informed and Connected
Subscribe to 3-Day Text Alerts so you can receive important announcements while on the event.
Also, follow the 3-Day on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, join the San DIego 3-Day Facebook group and post your own updates and photos using the hashtag #The3Day and #SD3DAY.
Crew members: Your 3-Day journey will begin with your crew team meeting on Thursday afternoon at Crown Point Shores (Please note: This is a different location than in past years. Crew trainings will not be at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.). Your arrival time and meeting location will be determined by your Crew Captain, so please confirm these important details with your Crew Captain.
Other Crew training events that will happen on Thursday:
8:00 a.m. Route Marking Crew Team arrives at Del Mar Fairgrounds, Main Lot
2:00 p.m. Crew Captains arrive at Crown Point Shores, South Lot (3700 Crown Point Drive, San Diego)
Your Crew & Volunteer Coordinator will provide you with a Thursday-only parking pass for Crown Point Shores. Your parking pass must be displayed in your vehicle’s windshield to be granted access to the park, Enter and exit Crown Point Shores from the La Cima Gate.
Crown Point Shores Meeting Schedule
2:00 p.m. Crew Captain meeting
2:30 p.m. Route Safety Crew Team meeting
2:45 p.m. Crew Driver training (drivers only need to attend one session)
3:15 p.m. Crew Driver training (drivers only need to attend one session)
4:00 p.m. Crew teams meet individually
Please bring:
Here’s the play-by-play of how the day will go.
On Saturday night at the 3-Day, we hold a special ceremony to honor and celebrate the people for whom we walk. We invite you to attend this moving, inspiring ceremony—you won’t want to miss it. It’s a meaningful way to start your 3-Day journey and will give you a chance to be with the rest of the 3-Day community.
You may choose to tent overnight at camp on Saturday evening with the rest of the 3-Day participants. If you want to camp with us or just join us for the Honor Ceremony and dinner, arrive at Crown Point Shores between 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. on Saturday and check in at the Command Center. The Honor Ceremony will start at approximately 6:30 p.m. on Saturday. Dinner is served between 4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Don’t miss the Honor Ceremony on Saturday evening, because we will have a special treat for you! Starting at 6 p.m. on Saturday evening you can enjoy a hot cup of cocoa in your exclusive camp mug, courtesy of Bank of America. This mug is only available for pick-up if you attend the Honor Ceremony on Saturday evening.
If you didn’t check in on Saturday, please check in at the 20-mile walker table in camp between 6:30 a.m. – 7:30 a.m. Breakfast is available from 5:30 a.m. – 7:30 a.m. and the route opens at 7:30 a.m. All walkers must be on the route by 8:00 a.m.
There is no participant parking available at the 3-Day camp. If you are staying at a host hotel under the 3-Day rate, you can take the 3-Day shuttle to camp in the morning and back to the hotel on Sunday after the Closing Ceremony.
The day’s mileage will vary, from 15 to 20 miles. You should aim for a pace of about 3 mph, spending approximately 10-15 minutes at each pit stop and 30 minutes at the lunch stop.
Every 3-4 miles along the route, you will have an opportunity to stop, stretch, go to the bathroom and refill your water bottle. It’s important that you drink as much as you need along the way, to avoid dehydration. Most of these stops are a full pit stop, which includes snacks and where the Medical Crew will be available to help you with any medical problems you may encounter during the day. A grab & go is a smaller pit stop, which has toilets and drinks only. The midday pit stop will be your lunch stop. You can rest, relax, eat lunch and visit the Medical Crew, if necessary.
All pit stops have designated opening and closing hours, timed to keep you moving along the route at a safe pace and to ensure that you complete your walking while it is still light out. If you reach a pit stop before it opens, you will be asked to stop and wait. If you reach a pit stop after it closes, you will be transported to the lunch stop (or camp, if you have already passed the lunch stop). A “caboose” (staff member) on a bicycle will be following the last walker on the route. If you are falling behind schedule, you will be given the option to take a sweep or shuttle van to the next pit stop if you cannot increase your pace. This is to keep everyone moving along the route at a pace that ensures traffic support and sweep vans are available and ready to assist if needed.
The route is well marked with pink arrows and instructional signage so all you need to do is follow the signs and the walkers in front of you!
The route will close at 5:30 p.m., conditions permitting. Exact mileage per day varies according to a number of factors such as pit stops, camp, as well as Opening and Closing site locations. The amount of daylight hours also impacts the total event mileage as it dictates the amount of time the route can be kept open safely.
Here’s a general description of what you will experience along the way below. Download a map here.
Friday: Approximately 20.8 miles
The San Diego 3-Day will begin with an emotional Opening Ceremony at Del Mar Fairgrounds. Then you will enjoy a fairly flat, paved walk along coastal Highway 101. Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve will present a significant hill early in the day, with approximately a 2 mile climb on paved roadway and dirt paths. You will then enjoy a 3-mile downhill descent into La Jolla. After lunch, you can expect mostly flat terrain with a few rolling hills through the communities of La Jolla, Bird Rock and Pacific Beach. The day's route will conclude with a paved trail taking walkers through the Crown Point section of Mission Bay on our way to camp at Crown Point Shores.
Saturday: Approximately 18.7 miles
The day's route will take you around Mission Bay, through the hilly but breathtaking views of the Sunset Cliffs area and showcase the bohemian neighborhoods of Ocean Beach and Pacific Beach. Mission Bay will be the afternoon highlight and jewel of Day 2 before we head back to another night of camaraderie at camp at Crown Point Shores.
Sunday: Approximately 15.9 miles
You will again enjoy a flat, paved start to the day as we leave Pacific Beach and make our way around Mission Bay. Just before lunch, we will climb the steep half-mile hill in Old Town to reach the neighborhoods of Mission Hills and Hillcrest. The latter part of the day will bring a welcomed 2-mile descent past Balboa Park, through Little Italy and into downtown. We will complete our journey with a memorable Closing Ceremony at Waterfront Park.
View a map of the route.
Please be courteous and follow instructions of crew and staff at all times. They are here to make sure you have a safe and enjoyable experience. Abusive behavior will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
Friday/Saturday Gear Drop
If you have any gear, such as raincoats or heavy jackets, that you feel like you don’t need after your morning walk, you can drop at the second pit stop of the day (between 8:45 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. on Friday, 8:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. on Saturday) and we will bring it to camp for you. Pick it up at the pink Info tent in camp after 5:30 p.m. the same day.
On some 3-Day events, due to a shortage of available rentals, we will be using minivans as our sweep vans. Sweep vans are available to assist you in two ways:
At each pit stop there will be an assortment of snacks including clementines, bananas, potato chips, carrots, peanuts, pretzels and more (as supplies last). To drink, there will be water and sports drink provided. You must bring your own water bottle to fill. About halfway through each day’s mileage, you will have a nutritious lunch.
You must show your 3-Day credential to receive all meals and services. If you prefer a vegetarian meal, please update your profile on The3Day.org, and then let us know when you select your meal on the event. (If you have other special dietary needs, call your coach in advance at 800-996-3DAY or email sandiegocoaches@the3day.org so we can discuss your options.)
Our first priority is always a safe event. To keep it safe, we need your cooperation. You must take responsibility for your own safety. In the spirit of kindness, please keep an eye out for the safety of others as well. Walking in a group is different than walking alone—you must be particularly aware of your movement and behavior to ensure that you are not endangering yourself or others.
Please observe the following safety policies on the event.
Whatever the weather, the 3-Day generally continues. So please be prepared for walking in inclement weather. If the weather gets too severe, we always have a back-up plan for evacuating and relocating to make sure that everyone is housed safely.
We will make every effort to hold the 3-Day events at the times, dates and locations specified. However, Susan G. Komen® holds the right to cancel or change the date or location of any 3-Day event, in its sole discretion, due to circumstances that may compromise the health or safety of the participants, including without limitation, unusually severe or extreme weather, fire, natural disaster, pandemic or riot.
If a 3-Day event is cancelled or changed, we will take active steps to inform registered participants of such cancellation or change as soon as possible by email and/or text message, posting announcements online in the Participant Center at The3Day.org and on our social media channels. All registration fees and donations submitted to the 3-Day are non-transferable and non-refundable, even if the event is cancelled or changed. That means that once a donation is posted to a participant’s account it cannot be moved to another participant’s account for any reason, regardless of whether or not you’re able to participate in the event. Your donations will go directly to the cause, and we hope your donors will appreciate supporting Komen regardless of the cancellation or modification of the event.
As with any emergency, call 911 first, if possible. Then, immediately report any medical emergencies to 3-Day staff (the 3-Day event hotline phone number will be clearly marked on your credential). We have a full crew of volunteer medical professionals along the route and at camp to assist you as well as access to local emergency facilities for more serious injuries.
Medical Insurance
All registered walkers and crew members must have personal health insurance during the time the event takes place in order to participate. Although the 3-Day provides certain emergency medical services, personal health insurance may be necessary to cover costs of other medical care, including care received away from the event. For example: if emergency room care or ambulance transport is needed, insurance coverage may be necessary. Check with your insurance company for the terms of your individual policy. If you currently do not have health insurance, either purchase a temporary policy that covers you for the duration of the 3-Day or contact a coach for an insurance waiver.
The 3-Day and all of the cities we travel through work together to help create a safe and enjoyable experience for 3-Day participants and supporters. As the 3-Day route is on public property, it is subject to local laws. Local jurisdictions will be enforcing open-liquor laws in neighborhoods along the route. The safety of our participants is our number one priority. Alcohol and smoking are strictly prohibited in all City and County Parks, including Crown Point Shores (our campsite) and Waterfront Park (Finish Line Festival & Closing Ceremony site.
Please discourage your family and friends from driving along the route, as it can create a safety hazard. Instead, encourage them to show their support at a Cheering Station. The following Cheering Stations are safe, recommended places for your supporters to cheer you on along the route.
Friday, November 17
6:45 a.m. - 7:15 a.m. Opening Ceremony
Del Mar Fairgrounds
2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd.
Del Mar, CA 92014
8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m., Mile Marker 2.9
En Fuego Cantina Restaurant
1342 Camino Del Mar
Del Mar, CA 92104
10:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Mile Marker 11
UCSD Scripps Institution of Oceanography
8580 La Jolla Shores Drive
San Diego, CA 92037
11:45 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Mile Marker 18.6
Taylor Library
4275 Cass Street
San Diego, CA 92109
Saturday, November 18
7:15 a.m. - 9:15 a.m., Mile Marker 3
Quivira Way
1927 Quivira Way
San Diego, CA 92109
9:45 a.m. - 1:15 p.m., Mile Marker 11.1
Robb Field - North
2525 Bacon Street
San Diego, CA 92107
Note: Please park in designated parking spaces only. Parking on the grass or fields is illegal and subject to tow.
11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., Mile Marker 14.2
South Mission Beach
2559 N. Jetty Road
San Diego, CA 92109
Sunday, November 19
8:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m., Mile Marker 4.7
Bonita Cove
1200 W. Mission Bay Drive
San Diego, CA 92109
11:15 a.m. - 2:45 p.m., Mile Marker 13.6
Balboa Park, Laurel Lawn
6th Ave. & Quince St.
San Diego, CA 92101
Finish Line Festival
Waterfront Park, North
1600 Pacific Highway
Corner of Ash & Harbor
San Diego, CA 92101
The Finish Line Festival will begin at 12:00 p.m. The Closing Ceremony will begin at 4:00 p.m.
If you choose to stay in camp for the two nights of the event, you will get your own 6.5’ x 6.5’ tent, which we provide.
You will be assigned a tent zone (indicated by a letter of the alphabet), which will tell you the general area where you’ll pitch your tent. You can put your tent up anywhere within this zone. You will no longer receive a specific numbered location for your tent. Your tent zone will be printed on your credential and indicates which gear truck will carry your luggage. You may want to bring an identifying sign or flag to help you find your tent amidst a sea of tents!
Crew members will be assigned tents in the Crew zone, and Youth Corps members will tent in their own separate area.
Team Tenting: You will be assigned the same tent zone as your team members if (and only if):
Trust us, you haven’t seen anything like the 3-Day camp! Don’t be worried about “roughing it”—it’s like a home away from home, with hot showers, hot meals, entertainment, a relaxing lounge, massage chairs, medical care and other services to meet your needs.
Spending the night in camp with your fellow 3-Day participants is part of the whole experience. However, if you can’t stay there for medical or any other reason, you will be responsible for making your own travel arrangements. On the Travel Information webpage, we have provided you with the name of local hotels convenient to the camp location. If you stay at another hotel or your room is not booked through the travel information webpage link, you will not receive a shuttle wristband and are not guaranteed weekend parking at the hotel. Personal vehicles are not allowed at any 3-Day site due to space limitations.
When you arrive at camp on Friday afternoon, pick up your tent and luggage from the tent zone you are assigned to. Even if you’ve never set up a tent before, you’ll find it’s easy. When in doubt, a fellow walker or crew member will be able to show you how. You’ll be bringing your own sleeping bag, and you may want to pack some additional padding and a tarp or some plastic sheeting in case of rain.
Mohawk Flooring is partnering with the 3-Day to provide SmartCushion carpet padding for 3-Day walkers and crew to place under their sleeping bags at camp for added cushion and comfort! Your SmartCushion carpet padding will be distributed at camp on Friday in the sleeping tent area.
Camp features the 3-Day Lounge, where you can put your feet up and relax, a Bank of America tent, medical services and a Remembrance Tent, where you can spend a quiet moment in reflection. Friday night, you’ll enjoy dinner and the Bank of America Celebration of Champions with your fellow participants. Then Saturday night after the last walker arrives into camp, we’ll have an Honor Ceremony to honor the reasons why we commit.
Don’t miss the Honor Ceremony on Saturday evening, because we will have a special treat for you! Starting at 6 p.m. on Saturday evening you can enjoy a hot cup of cocoa in your exclusive camp mug, courtesy of Bank of America. This mug is only available for pick-up if you attend the Honor Ceremony on Saturday evening.
Camp Recycling: On average, the 3-Day creates approximately 100 cubic yards of trash and 70 cubic yards of recyclables. We’re asking for your help in making pink the new green by making our recycling more effective. Please make sure your garbage, food waste and recyclables are placed in the proper containers. Also, if you bring along items that you plan to dispose of after the event, please take those items home to throw out — don’t leave them behind for the crew members to haul away. Thanks for joining us in this effort!
Camp Hours: Camp opens at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, and all camp services (except dinner) are available from 1:00 p.m. –- 8:00 p.m. Dinner is served from 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. There will be activities throughout the evening, so please pay attention to the signs and announcements informing you of the schedule of activities. Friday evening, we will have the Bank of America Celebration of Champions at 6:15 p.m.
Saturday evening, we will have the Honor Ceremony, which will begin after the last walker arrives at camp.
“Lights out” in camp is at 8:30 p.m. By then you’ll be plenty tired and you’ll want to get enough rest for the next morning! Please, no radios, cell phone chatter or excessive noise after 9:00 p.m.
On Saturday, breakfast will be served between 5:30 a.m. – 7:15 a.m. All camp services will be open from 6:00 a.m. – 7:15 a.m. Morning Camp closes and all walkers must be on the route by 7:30 a.m. Afternoon camp opens at 12:00 p.m.
On Sunday, breakfast will be served between 6:00 a.m. – 7:45 a.m. All camp services will be open from 6:30 a.m. – 7:45 a.m. Morning Camp closes and all walkers must be on the route by 8:00 a.m.
Main Street: Kick back and relax in the 3-Day Lounge. Enjoy snacks while socializing with your new friends, and relax in a comfy chair. If you have a Shout-Out icon on your credential, one of your supporters sent you a message that will be displayed on the slideshow screen at the 3-Day camp. Keep an eye out for it!
At the Pick-Up Point, you can check to see if you’ve received mail from a loved one at home and pick up a Sweet Treat if you see the icon on your credential. The Pick-Up Point is also where you pick up any legacy pins and fundraising or crew rewards.
If you have a Shout-Out icon on your credential, one of your supporters sent you a message that will be displayed on the slideshow screen at the 3-Day camp. Keep an eye out for it!
If you meet any of the following criteria, please stop by the Pick-Up Point to pick up the legacy pins you have earned:
Shuttle Destination |
Included with the following Host Hotel night(s) |
Purchase Details if NOT in a Host Hotel |
From the Closing Ceremony to Sunday Host Hotel following the Closing Ceremony |
Included with Sunday night stay booked using the 3-Day hotel portal |
Purchase for $20 2pm-7pm Friday or Saturday at camp |
From Host Hotels to Opening Ceremony Friday morning |
Included with Thursday night stay booked using the 3-Day hotel portal |
Purchase for $20 1pm-7pm Thursday in host hotel lobbies |
From Host Hotels to and from camp Friday afternoon, Saturday all day, and Sunday morning |
Included with Friday and/or Saturday night stays booked with the 3-Day hotel portal |
Purchase for $55 2pm-7pm Friday or Saturday at camp Shuttle Stop |
All event shuttles listed above to/from all 3-Day event sites and Host Hotel(s) |
Included with Thursday night through Monday morning stays booked with the 3-Day hotel portal |
Purchase the options as noted above |
Shuttle Policies
Visit ShopKomen.com online to gear up for your 3-Day! 100% of all proceeds benefit Komen. And don’t forget to swing by the 3-Day merchandise store on Main Street to find additional 3-Day items available ONLY at the event, including a commemorative city t-shirt, city pin, visor, pajama bottoms and additional functional and fun 3-Day items Sales will be with credit cards only—no cash. Only Susan G. Komen® and national sponsors with written agreements in place will be permitted to sell merchandise on the 3-Day event. No other individuals or organizations may sell merchandise at the 3-Day hotel sites, campsites, ceremony sites, pit stops or any other location for which the 3-Day has obtained a permit.
Celebrate 20 Years of the Susan G. Komen 3-Day
2023 is the 20th anniversary year of the Komen 3-Day. Since 2003, more than 500,000 people have been a part of our Pink Bubble family, raising more than $889 million to help end breast cancer.
Commemorate this amazing milestone with a limited-edition 20th anniversary 3-Day shirt. Order yours for $30 here. Orders must be placed by November 21. These shirts are only available for online ordering and will not be sold on the 3-Day events.
Bank of America Celebration of Champion Awards
You could win fundraising dollars, courtesy of Bank of America! This year, we will be holding a Celebration of Champions in the Dining Area on Friday evening and awarding several participants with donations towards their 2024 3-Day fundraising, courtesy of Bank of America.
Top individual and team fundraisers will be rewarded with donations of up to $500, and five lucky participants at each 3-Day event will win a $250 donation through the Champion Celebration Raffle Sponsored by Bank of America. All participants who have completed online check-in by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, November 12, will be entered into the raffle. Top fundraising individuals and team captains who are already being awarded a donation of $200 or more are ineligible to win the raffle. You must be present at the raffle to win, so don’t miss the Celebration of Champions! All details of individual and team fundraising rewards and the raffle are posted on our Fundraising Rewards webpage.
Kindness Rocks
One of the great things about the 3-Day is the spirit of kindness that we create for three days while on the event. It’s like living in a pink bubble — the way we wish the world would be. It’s a world where every walker, from the first to the last, gets a cheer as they enter camp. Where a stranger may help you carry your bag. Where a long line becomes another opportunity to make a great new friend. One of the most popular phrases around the 3-Day is “No whining!” So carry on that legacy of kindness. Be kind, smile, and lend a hand when you see someone who needs it.
As the sun comes up on the third day, you will re-pack your bag, load it on the gear truck and begin the final day. The crew will transport your gear to the Finish Line Festival for you while you’re walking.
The Finish Line Festival will open to participants and spectators at 12:00 p.m., when we will begin to welcome home the walkers and crew from their 3-Day weekend. The Closing Ceremony will begin at 4:00 p.m.
We encourage spectators, friends and family to bring your pop-ups, shade tents, chairs and coolers to cheer the walkers in off the route. We will have a designated area for pop-ups that is very close to the walk-in arch for the festival. In order to allow everyone to see the ceremony, please do not set up pop-up tents near the stage or viewing area.
Waterfront Park North
N. Harbor Drive & W. Grape Street
San Diego, CA 92101
Parking: We recommend booking convenient and affordable parking in advance through SpotHero, the nation's leading parking reservations app. To reserve your parking spot for the San Diego Susan G. Komen 3-Day, visit the Waterfront Park SpotHero Parking Page and book a spot with rates up to 50% off drive-up.
Parking Lots
Public Transportation: San Diego Metropolitan Transit System https://www.sdmts.com/schedules-real-time/trip-planner
PLEASE NOTE: IN CONSIDERATION FOR BEING PERMITTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SUSAN G. KOMEN 3-DAY, YOU HAVE AGREED TO BE SUBJECT TO, AND ABIDE BY, THE 3-DAY POLICIES, PROCEDURES AND INSTRUCTIONS. THE LIST OF POLICIES SET FORTH HERE IS A SUMMARY AND NOT AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST OR EXPLANATION OF THE POLICIES APPLICABLE TO YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE 3-DAY. FURTHER, THE POLICIES OF THE 3-DAY MAY CHANGE FROM TIME TO TIME AND, AS SUCH, THE POLICIES INCLUDED IN THE LIST TO THE RIGHT ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY 3-DAY POLICY, PLEASE VISIT THE3DAY.ORG OR CALL YOUR COACH AT 800-996-3DAY.