Busy as hell

It's going to be a busy week. I have a manual and an interim report to get out, plus all the other usual stuff. Sigh.

Tomorrow Top Chef is coming to Madison...it's a few of the past season's contestants doing demos at the farmer's market. I know Dale and winner Stephanie are there for sure, so I'm going to try and squeeze that in my day. Yay!

The 3 Day

We've been talking a lot about getting involved with the Chicago 3 Day in 2009. The dates are Aug. 7th-9th. I thought I'd talk a little about the committment involved and how to take the plunge.

The Basics

The 3 Day's primary benneficiaries are the Susan G. Komen Fund and National Philanthropic Trust. Every advancement in breast cancer research, treatment, education and prevention in the last 25 years has been touched by a Komen for the Cure grant. A report card on the over $86 million raised in 2007 can be accessed here:

http://www.the3day.org/site/DocServer/3-Day_Report_Card_3_28_08.pdf?docID=341

The cost to register as a walker or crew member is $90 and can be done at: http://www.the3day.org/site/PageServer

It is not considered tax deductible, as it's not a donation. It's used to cover expenses of running the event.

Walkers must raise $2,300 by one month after the walk date. Donations can be made by: 1) the walker facilitating mailing of checks and donation forms (donors will then get emailed or mailed an official receipt from Susan G. Koman/the 3 Day) or 2) via your website you set up after registration. There are tons of fundraising tools and a message board filled with ideas when you register.

Crew members have the same $90 registration fee, but have no fundraising requirement. The must also do an additional day of work on the Thursday before the walk (Crew Training Day).

There are local clinics in walk cities to help you prepare for the event as a crew member or walker.

As I live within 3 hours of Chicago, I'll be driving and can pick people up at the airport. Hotel for the night before and/or after will be about $140 for a room. Four people could probably fit reasonably comfortably in the room.

Day one has an early rise time (shuttle buses will be gone and loaded by 6:30).

You must pack everything you need (sleeping pad, tarp, sleeping bag, gear) in a single bag-can attach sleeping bag, though-weighing approximately 35 lbs.

During the event, you'll sleep with a partner in a 2 person tent. The tent is supplied by the 3 Day. You can specifiy you tent partner, or one will be randomly assigned to you. Camp is in the same spot for the entire 3 Day, so no taking down and setting up things repeatedly. You will have to set up you tent on the first day and take it down on the last morning.

You'll need to invest in good shoes, good socks, shorts that won't make you easily chafe (we saw NASTY, PAINFUL thighs), and a fanny pack with 2 bottles or camelback for hydration.

There is medical staff available throughout every day, every stop and at night. You are in good, safe hands. You do not have to walk all 60 miles. There are "sweep vans" along the route and busses back to camp during the day. You can leave the event at any time by checking out of camp.

Meals and snacks are provided by the 3 Day and are pretty good.

My Experience

As you can tell from Boo and I, the 3 Day is an amazing, personally rewarding experience. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll meet great people. Words really can't explain it.

Training is tough to squeeze in. Those long training walks take time. The 3 Day provides several training plans, depending on when you start the training process. I recommend starting in February at least. But training is important. It's important to know if you have the right shoes for 20 miles/day and that they won't cause blisters. I trained for 16 mile walks (never made it to 20), and at mile 17 my blisters were forming on Day 1 of the 3 Day. It's important to train in the clothes you'll wear. After 20 miles, a shirt can rub you the wrong way.

I will be working on fundraising this fall, and training in the spring. Doing both at the same time takes A LOT of time and effort. And neither is easy. Starting early on fundraising is my number one tip. See first what you get just by asking friends, family and coworkers for donations. Then use other fundraising ideas to supplement or exceed your minimum donation.

There are lots of shoes walkers use. I want to try really good walking sandals and see how they work. My shoes, although a good brand, bought from one of those stores that analyzes your gait, gave me awful matching blisters and made my toenails fall off. I need something different.

This is an extremely physically and emotionally draining event, but so worth it. Don't think it's a walk in the park. It's a committment, but one you can be proud of. You won't regret it once the weekend wraps up, but you have to work hard to get there. There's a reason that even after all the grumbling, Boo still wants to come back. There's a reason that despite four months of ugly feet, and debilitating blisters, I'm still coming back. It's being part of something bigger than yourself and pushing through challenges.

I hope we can have a big team in Chicago. Every walker raising that much money amounts to incredible results.

Walkers crossing the finish line

Some of our fabulous Pit 2 Crew!

Me, Boo and Aaron at our Food tent. We'd take bets on the first food to go (we passed the time by betting on a lot of things). I won with carrots. :-) Boo's cheese was strangly slow on betting day. Poor Aaron went the underdog of raisins and tried his darndest to push em.

Boo and I at a cheering station in the afternoon.

This is Boo feeling cold and miserable in the rain, early in the morning of Day 1.

P.S. There may, or may not be, some surprising, exciting news in the comments of my last post. You might want to go look.

Things that make me happy

-Walking the Chicago 3 Day next year and maybe having some of my best bloggy friends by my side (Bree's Cookies will be a hit!).

-Chlorox dishclothes. Where have you been all my life? No more stinky dishcloths!

-Books. I'm feversihly reading Merle's Door and The Other Side of the Bridge for OT book club right now. School starts in a few weeks, so I'm trying to get all the upcoming book club selections read (well, at least the ones I want to read).

-Kashi's Dark Chocolate Cherry granola bars. Right up there with Fiber One's.

-My VS nightshirt. Sooooo soft and just the right legth and cut.

-Not taking the pill anymore. Got my Mirena inserted yesterday. No more pills!

-Bucking the system at Starbucks *grins at Boo*

Blogging and such

I'm back from Boston, and am soooo sleepy. Boston is not my favorite city, but there were parts I liked. It was almost a little too tidy for me.

I had a peep meet with Lassan, her boyfriend, and AyaK. Yay!

I had an excellent time with Boo, even when she was being a bitch. :-)

I made lots of new friends, and had many laughs and tears while cheering on walkers.

I'm glad to be home and to see Chris and my kitties.

I'm not sure I'll be blogging much this week. Lots to do!

Fun behind, and more fun ahead!

We had a really fun weekend. I'll admit, taking the convertible to Milwaukee was super-fun. :-) My favorite moment from the weekend? The Craig Story.

Nancy (friend of our friends) told me The Reece Story, which began with her husband getting drunk, and ended with him naked, puking and shitting at the same time, and the dog coming in and licking his aras. So, I was already in tears from that when the group of 12 on our tour started talking about The Craig Story. We overheard the strangers and were kind of joking with them, "OOOOh, we've been dying to hear The Craig Story!" We boarded our boat (to take us from brewery to brewery), and the telling began. It started with Craig getting drunk, and ended with him dropping his pants in the middle of the street and shitting. What a coincidence! Craig also had two pairs of pants on...was he planning on shitting one and needing to change???? Ahhhh, good times.

Tomorrow beings my Boston adventure! I think I'm peep meeting with Lasann and AyaK on Wednesday. Monsty will be gone. :-( Then I hook up with Boo on Thursday for our 3-Day adventure. Woooohoooooooo! I've missed Boo, and it will be so good to see her again.

In case you are feeling jealous, we must get out of bed at 4:00ish daily. Ack!

Fun ahead

It's going to be a fun weekend.

Tonight we are going to a Madison Mallards game and sitting in the Duck Blind:
The Great Dane Duck Blind has become one of the most popular summertime night spots in Madison! Still featuring an all inclusive food and drink extravaganza for you and your group of up to 1,000 people! Along with unlimited soda we provide the largest selection of beers (18 to be exact) in The Northwoods League, highlighted by the Great Dane of course. Our concession stand serves brats, burgers, hot dogs, chicken breasts and more! Sides include french fries, potato salad, cole slaw and chips. Our grills are on until the end of the 5th inning and the food is served until it’s gone. A limited menu will be cooked and served until the end of the 7th inning!

The good news? I'm going. The bad news? I'm the designated driver.

Tomorrow, it's off to a riverboat tour of three Milwaukee breweries and hanging out at some of the most fun places Milwaukee has to offer. We are going with two other couples and staying overnight right near the bars. Yay for walking!

See what fun things I plan for Michelle's birthday? :-)

For Bravie

Guitar Hero
Fancy free
When I think of you
It makes me pee

Write your favorite Bravie poem.

Live report from my desk

• I have two red binders for two current projects that I use daily. I should've made them different colors.
• My Palm is pissing me off. I think I'm ditching it. I'll find someone else here to donate my headache to.
• I received an email from my master's program regarding orientation to their course software. This makes me anxious to start classes.
• I'm doing data analysis today and need lots of breaks. I really hate doing analysis.
• Our Thai student brought me really spicy red curry for lunch. I love her. She wants me to make her pumpkin pie. Glad I'm good at pumpkin pie and she didn't choose something like foie gras, which I've never made and never will.