The 3-Day Event Experience

Opening Ceremony

The Susan G. Komen 3-Day^® begins early Friday morning with the Opening Ceremony. It’s a celebration to remember what brought us here—to recall the loved ones lost and the lives to be saved.

After the Opening Ceremony is over, you’ll walk onto the route. Remember—the Komen 3-Day isn’t a race. So, it’s not about getting to a finish line first.

The Crew

Crew members (participants who volunteer to work the walk) serve as the backbone of the event—bringing it to life and becoming the support system for walkers every step of the way. Crew members staff pit stops and sweep vans, pick up trash, haul gear, set up dining tents, tend to medical issues, put up signage, direct traffic, and much more. They work hard and long, often in the dark, heat or cold. When you’re on the 3-Day, don’t forget to thank them for the incredible job they’re doing!

The Route

The entire route will be approximately 60 miles long, divided over three days. Each day’s mileage will vary, anywhere from 14 to 23 miles (Days One and Two tend to be longer than Day Three). The route will usually open around 6:30 a.m. and close around 7:00 p.m. for events that take place earlier in the year (New England and Denver) and around 5:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. for events that take place later in the year (Dallas/Fort Worth and San Diego.) 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 3-5 miles along the route, you will have an opportunity to stop, stretch, use a portable toilet, grab a snack and refill your water bottle. The Medical Crew will be available at pit stops to help you with any medical problems. The midday pit stop will be your lunch stop. You can rest, relax, eat a healthy bag lunch that we provide and visit the Medical Crew, if necessary.

Pit stops will have designated operating hours, scheduled to correspond with how you’ll be moving along the route. If you happen to arrive at a pit stop or lunch stop before it opens, you’ll be asked to wait there until it does. 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.

Remember, it’s not a race. If your pace has slowed to the point where you are not making it to the pit stops before they close, you will be transported to lunch or camp (depending on the time of day) for your own safety. We don’t want to leave anyone on the route after crew support and signage have been removed. There will be a staff member on a bicycle (who we lovingly call the “caboose”) at the back of the pack making sure that no one gets left behind or ends up on the route after it has closed.

Every 3-Day route includes a variety of terrain that incorporates different inclines—both uphill and downhill. Some 3-Day routes are considered more physically challenging than others (San Diego, for example). That’s why training for different terrain is important—long slow inclines, and shorter, steeper hills.

Check out information and advice about training for all routes and terrains on the 3-Day blog (Blog.The3Day.org) and the 3-Day social media. Also, your 3-Day coach, who has walked in the 3-Day before, is happy to help customize your training.

Sweep Vans

If you get injured, or are too exhausted to finish the day’s mileage, one of our “sweep vans” can pick you up and take you to the next pit stop, where you can get medical attention, if you need it. All you need to do is raise your arms over your head in an “X” to stop a sweep van when you see one approaching on the route. If you are still unable to walk after seeing our Medical Crew, a Lunch & Camp Shuttle will take you to camp.

As the day comes to a close, sweep vans will pick up any walkers who have fallen far behind and take them forward to the next stop, so that they arrive before that stop closes. This ensures that all walkers make it to camp before dark.

Outdoor Camp

For the San Diego 3-Day:

At the end of the day, many participants spend the night at the 3-Day outdoor camp. If you choose to camp, don’t be worried about “roughing it”—it’s like a home away from home, with hot showers, hot meals, 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 don’t want to stay overnight in camp, you can make your own hotel reservations at a discounted rate through our reservation portal.

If you are staying in camp, you’ll get your own pink tent for the night. 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. Bonus! You can keep your tent at the end of the event and bring it home with you!

Whether you stay in a host hotel or at camp, we will serve you a hot dinner full of all the nutrition you need to keep you fueled for your journey. In the morning, we’ll have coffee and a hot breakfast ready for you to enjoy. Then, after a quick stretch, on to the route you’ll go for another fabulous day of walking in the Pink Bubble.

As the sun comes up on the third day, you will re-pack your bag, fold up your tent, load them on the gear truck and begin the final day. The crew will transport your gear to our Closing Festival Area for you while you’re walking.

Hotel Camp

In Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver and New England:
For these events, the 3-Day camp experience will take place entirely in one main local hotel. Informational booths, massage chairs, a Komen 3-Day gift shop, medical services, meals and all of the ceremonies, celebrations and opportunities to mix & mingle will be hosted at the hotel.

In the morning, we’ll have coffee and a hot breakfast ready for you to enjoy. Then, after a quick stretch, on to the route you’ll head out for another fabulous day of walking, talking and smiling. At the end of the day, you’ll be greeted by new friends and cheered on as you come back to the hotel to relax in a familiar setting.

As the sun comes up on the third day, you will re-pack your bag and load it on the gear truck so that you can check out of your hotel room before beginning the final day. The crew will transport your gear to the Closing Ceremony location for you while you’re walking and you can pick it up when you are done.

Finish Line Festival

At the end of our three days and 60 miles together, all participants will gather in the Finish Line Festival Area to grab a snack or drink and rest up before celebrating the end of your journey together. If you haven’t made it to the Finish Line Festival Area in time, we will pick you up and transport you, so you won’t miss the final victory celebration at the Closing Ceremony.

The Closing Ceremony is a joyous celebration of your accomplishment and your friends and family won’t want to miss this big “welcome home” celebration! It’s a remarkable, moving experience—one that’s difficult to put into words.

Safety

Our first priority is always a safe event. 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 and on all of your training walks:

• Use caution when walking near vehicles. While we clear an appropriate walking path for you, the road is not closed to traffic during the 3-Day.
• Cooperate with 3-Day officials at all times, including staff members, volunteers and crew members.
• Local law enforcement will also have a presence on the event—so please obey their instructions and signals. We’ve been given very special permission to be on these sites and along these roads. Treat local officials with extra respect so that we’ll be welcomed back in the future!
• Walkers are not permitted to wear headphones or use mobile phones or texting devices while walking. It is extremely unsafe. If you need to use your phone, stop and step to the side first. And please don’t use your phone’s speaker to play music or make calls while walking.
• Participants in the 3-Day are not to engage in any activity that is in violation of any criminal or statutory law, including traffic laws.
• Local jurisdictions will be enforcing open-liquor laws in neighborhoods along the route and in camp. The safety of our participants is our number one priority and the consumption of alcohol at any time during the 3-Day is not recommended and could damage the 3-Day’s relationship with local law enforcement officials.
• All walkers must stay on the official 3-Day route.
• When passing other walkers, please say “On your left” so they can move to the side and you can safely pass.
• Unsafe behavior is cause for immediate expulsion from the 3-Day. If you are expelled, you will be responsible for your own transportation home.
• No children under 16 (including babies in strollers) are allowed on the event route.
• The 3-Day utilizes city and school properties for our campsites, pit stops and other official locations. As such, all participants, vendors, and staff must abide by the regulations set at these institutions including smoking, alcohol and firearm free zones.

Weather

Whatever the weather, the 3-Day generally continues. So please be prepared for walking and camping 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, epidemic or riot. In the event that 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.

Medical Emergencies

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.

Important Susan G. Komen 3-Day^® Policies

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.

1. All registration fees and donations are nonrefundable and nontransferable.
2. You are solely responsible and liable for all aspects of the fundraising activities associated with your participation in the Event, including the safe and lawful conduct of any fundraising activities and ensuring that such activities are conducted in a professional manner and providing your potential donors with the confidence that their money will be put to good use in the fight against breast cancer.
3. Komen is not responsible for any fundraising activities related to your participation in the 3-Day, the content of your fundraising materials (including the content of your 3-Day fundraising page) or monitoring the use of the fundraising logos but Komen reserves the right to require participants to immediately terminate any fundraising activity, the use of any fundraising materials or the use of any logo that Komen, in its sole discretion, determines to be unauthorized, undesirable, objectionable and/ or inappropriate. Your participation in the 3-Day is subject to your compliance with all of the 3-Day fundraising policies.
4. All donations solicited for the 3-Day must be collected through an official donation channel, either online at The3Day.org, via Facebook Fundraiser, over the phone at 800-996-3DAY or mailed with an official 3-Day donation form. Do not direct donations to any other collection site (such as PayPal or your personal bank account). This ensures that all donations can be credited appropriately to your 3-Day fundraising account to benefit Komen and that donors receive receipts for tax purposes.
5. Participants may not collect donations while on the 3-Day event, either on the route, at pit stops or at our host hotel.
6. You may not directly or indirectly represent yourself as an official representative of Komen or the 3-Day.
7. You may not directly or indirectly represent that your fundraising activity is organized by Komen or the 3-Day (it must be clear that it is being organized by you and/or your team in connection with your participation in the 3-Day, which benefits Susan G. Komen.)
8. The fundraising logos we provide are for the appropriate personal use of 3-Day participants, only. They may not be used on any merchandise meant for sale. You may not use any other registered or trademarked logos, names, phrases or marks of the 3-Day or Komen (including, without limitation, the 3-Day name, the 3-Day logo, the Susan G. Komen® name, the Komen logo, the Komen Running Ribbon and More Thank Pink Walk ®, Race for the Cure®) on any promotional materials you make or for any other purpose.
9. Photographs and video of any 3-Day event may be reproduced for personal use only. Any media intended for sale (e.g., books, DVDs, photo albums, etc.), or any other commercial purpose, that includes images of or content from the 3-Day must be approved by Komen prior to sale or distribution.
10. You must sign a waiver and release of liability and image and materials publication consent and permission before participating.
11. You must also provide proof of medical insurance during online check-in in order to participate. If you have a significant medical history, we strongly suggest that you discuss your participation in the 3-Day with your primary health care provider and get their approval for you to participate.
12. Your participation in the 3-Day is subject to the sole discretion of the 3-Day Medical Director and may be limited at any time before or during the event for medical or other safety-related reasons.
13. You must wear the official 3-Day credential for the current year with your unique participant identification number at all times for the duration of the event.
14. If you leave the route at any time during the day, please contact a 3-Day staff member or call the 800 number on your 3-Day credential. If you do not participate on a given day, you must notify a staff member or call the 800 number on your 3-Day credential. This system helps account for all participants.
15. No vehicles without an official 3-Day permit will be allowed at route stops (pit stops / grab & gos). Only event staff and other officials will be issued 3-Day permits. No permits will be issued to walkers or crew members for personal vehicles.
16. You should also strongly discourage your friends and family from driving along the 3-Day route, as it could create a safety hazard. Safe cheering stations will be established for spectators.
17. Smoking is not allowed around groups of people at any time during the event, including at the host hotel, ceremony sites, pit stops or any other location at which any part of the event takes place.
18. Campsite Courtesy:
    • Please treat the hotel, roads and pit stops we use with respect.
    • Do not litter at the hotel, at pit stops or on the road. We aim to leave every space better than we found it.
    • No noise (including radios or cell phones) is allowed on the route before 9:00 a.m.
    • Be respectful of all staff, fellow participants, volunteers, crew members, spectators, vendors that provide various services and the neighborhoods we visit.
19. Only minors who will be 16 years of age by the end of 2023 are permitted to participate as a walker in the 3-Day event and any official training walks. Children under 15 (including infants carried or in strollers) are not allowed on the event or official training walks. Minors 15, 16 and 17 years of age must provide a minor consent form signed by a parent or guardian and be accompanied by a parent or guardian for the duration of the 3-Day event and any official training walks. Crew members must be 18 years of age at the time of the event in order to participate as a crew member in the 3-Day. The 3-Day Youth Corps is a specialized team that allows young people from the ages of 10 to 16 to participate as crew members on the event.
20. No pets are allowed on the event route or at any of the 3-Day sites (pit stops, hotel, ceremony sites) unless they are registered service animals and the 3-Day staff has been notified in advance of their presence.
21. Only ShopKomen.com^® and national sponsors with written agreements in place will be permitted to sell merchandise at the 3-Day event. No other organizations or individuals may sell merchandise at the 3-Day camp hotel, ceremony sites, pit stops or any location at which any part of the event takes place or for which the 3-Day has obtained a permit.
22. Participants in the 3-Day are never to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs while on the event, nor be in possession of such. Neither alcohol nor drugs are permitted at any time (except for prescription medications approved by a doctor or pharmacist) at ceremony sites, pit stops or any other location at which any part of the event takes place or for which the 3-Day has obtained a permit.
23. Participants in the 3-Day should never engage in inappropriate behavior, including fighting, use of abusive language or harassment of others.
24. Participants who wish to leave the 3-Day, or who are expelled, are responsible for their own transportation home as well as any costs involved.
25. The 3-Day reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to refuse registration and/or participation to anyone at any time before or during the event.