My Susan G. Komen 3 Day Walk {2014}

2014 Opening Ceremony

Incredible.

Incredible is the best way I can think of to succinctly describe my very first experience as a Susan G. Komen 3 Day walker.  There were so many sights, sounds, and emotions packed into three beautiful days, and the best way I can think of to share them with you is through a photo diary of sorts.

If you don't know much about the walk, you can read a bit about it here or see a map of our journey here.

My team was made up of seven amazing gals from my area here in central Kansas.  My sweet mother-in-law (who is a breast cancer survivor) also went along as a volunteer nurse for the walk's medical teams.

Karla is Mr. Pihl's aunt (in the grey shirt with the pink heart in front) and has been walking in causes like the 3 Day for years, and she was our inspiration for joining in the experience this year.  She's an incredible team captain!

Basically we walk roughly 20 miles a day for 3 days all in the name of finding a cure for breast cancer.  Walkers commit to raising at least $2,300.00 (ahead of time) in order to walk.  This year's San Diego 3 Day had around 2,400 walkers and raised...

Wait for it.

SEVEN.
MILLION.
DOLLARS.

Seven million dollars!!!  That's $7,000,000.00 for you crazy number-oriented people out there.

Isn't that incredible?!

Sniff.  I think it's so neat.  I'm getting emotional just remembering it all.

My range of emotions (for all three days) was all over the map, but my tears began hot and heavy during the opening ceremony (shown in the first photo at the top).  You may not know this, but I lost my Oma to cancer last year and I chose to commit to the 3 Day in honor of her memory.  The opening ceremony was incredibly moving in and of itself, but part way through it I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to see a beautiful woman smiling at me with misty eyes.  She was a stranger, but her words were familiar: "I had an Oma, too.  She died from breast cancer."

Cue more tears.

I was a mess, man.

Once the walk began, I was treated to an incredible display of community support.  We began the walk on a Friday (a WORK day!) and the streets were lined with supporters.  The city of Del Mar was one of my favorite scenes.  Del Mar's entire street downtown shops became swathed in pink decor while its sidewalks overflowed with folks offering encouraging cheers, treats, and water.

Amazing.  And we had only just begun!

Yes!  Makes such a difference!

We walked down the coast, through La Jolla (past the seals), and ended at camp in San Diego.  One of the most memorable moments for me happened on Day 1, and while I don't have a picture to share with you, I'll never forget it in my mind's eye.

My team of seven rockstars was at the head of a stoplight (waiting for the "walk" signal to turn green) and we noticed that a dark SUV had pulled up next to us and the woman who was driving honked and waved.  We cheered and waved back, but then she rolled down her window.  Through the roar of the traffic around us were were able to determine that she had said, "Thank you so much for walking.  I just came from having a mammogram."  By this point she was crying (and so were all seven of us).

It was one of many "That's why I walk" moments.  Basically, I walk because so many can't!

Just like this heroine:

I saw her as I was climbing up one of San Diego's many hills and I just about lost my composure at the sight of her sign.

It's why I walk.

*Sniff.

Okay...

On a more hilarious note, let me share with you photos of our "walker stalkers."  Walker stalkers are what kept me going during those 60 miles.  Some dress up, provide treats, deck out their cars, dance, make you laugh, and generally inspire some form of entertainment.  Many do all of the above!

Like these guys.  The melon men.

We saw them at least twice each day, and they quickly became one of my favorite groups.

There was no shortage of support.  Here are a bunch of sights from our biggest cheerleaders on the route!

So many homes and neighborhoods joined in the cheering!

Plus, there was this guy:

And the girls doing cartwheels for a cure!  My camera finger wasn't quick enough to capture a cartwheel, however.

We saw a lot of lemonade stands.

And adult beverages.

And cuuuteeeeeee puppies.

There were these dancing arrows guiding our path,

-and so many awesome motorcycle volunteers decked out in pink to point the way across traffic.

This is Lilly.  Lilly gives kisses for a cure!  (Which apparently is exhausting work!)

There were so many memorial tributes from the supporters.  The effects of cancer touches so many souls, and the unwavering support warmed my heart and brought a tear to my eye every time I saw something like this:

And then... there were these guys.

Because who doesn't need a little eye candy while walking 60 miles?!  We also saw a lot of wonderful, encouraging groups of young people like these guys:

And these gals!

And then there were the "Hula Hooters".  She had moves the WHOLE three days!

And she rolled around with her tropical posse in this SUV, blasting upbeat tunes for the walkers to enjoy.

Boardwalk back deck concert, anyone?

Don't mind if I do!

This guy was EVERYWHERE.  So rad!

Don't mind if I do!  ...Again!  Hic.

Local law enforcement was incredible.  Police men and women rode bicycles alongside walkers the entire time, ensuring our safety.  Even more special?  It's all volunteer based.  These guys request for time off during the days of the event (a year in advance!) and use VACATION TIME to dress up and keep us safe.

Too amazing, my friends.

I didn't get many photos of the awesome men and women, but just picture bicycles with sound systems, police sporting sparkly pink tights and pink bras over their uniforms.  Yes - the men, too.

They also provided the entertainment at lunch!

Boogie for boobies! #The3Day #SD3Day

A video posted by Amy | Pihling Kansas (@amybpihl) on Nov 11, 2014 at 12:13pm PST

Too fun!  Also, there was this hunk handsome fellow who agreed to pose with two ladies from my team while we waited at a stop light.

Thank you to the men and women who volunteered to keep us safe!  You guys were awesome!

I had a great time with my team.  They're smart, funny, goofy, fun, generous, kind, and encouraging ladies!

For the photo below to make sense, I need to tell you that we were trying to show the back of our shirts (which got quite a bit of attention from walkers during the day).  It says that we are the Kansas Tornadoes, aka "Tittie Twisters"!  Get it?  Har har har!  It featured a pink ribbon cyclone along a yellow brick road.

The best shirts for the greatest gals!

One of the coolest things we did became a small trend during the walk.  Around mile 17 of Day 1 we noticed that there were a LOT of stoplights and crosswalks.  We decided that at every stoplight we should give the person in front of us a mini neck and shoulder massage.  Words cannot describe how invigorating it was to have some of the tension in your back addressed while taking a walking break.

Anyhow, eventually we branched out from just offering our own team the little slice of heavenly stress relief, and would approach whoever was in front of us saying, don't freak out, but I'm about to touch your shoulders.  By the way, pay it forward!

Folks did!  Check this out!

The massage trend continued down the line!  A few times we even saw folks in front of us begin it without our encouragement.  So neat!

Speaking of neat...

These gals are the best.

During the last mile or so of the walk we attached ourselves to a walker with fully charged speaker and an AWESOME playlist.  Boogying, clapping, and singing brought us to the finish line where my sweet mother-in-law was waiting with a bucket full of bouquets for all of us!

So pretty!  After finishing our miles and flower photos we took the obligatory 60 mile photo full of delirious joy (and exhaustion).  By the way... the exhaustion?  Totally worth it.

What fun!

By the way, check out the crowd of supporters at the finish!  Makes my heart happy.

After the finish line, we entered a walker-only area where we could dry our tears, remove our shoes, and pick up our swag.

Like this lovely rose from Komen -

Also, I have a story for you.  Along the route and among the 2,400(ish) walkers, are several solo walkers.  A solo walker is someone who has committed to the walk and raised the required amount of money, but is not on a team.  They arrive, walk, and make new friends along the way.  One such walker named Emily approached me a few miles into Day 1 and asked me if I was walking alone, too.  I said I wasn't, but that she was more than welcome to tag along with the gang of crazy Kansans I had trailing along behind me.  We made some small talk, but became separated at the next Pit Stop.  By the end of the day, however, I found her again and the rest of my team got to visit with her during the last 6 miles of the day.  Days 2 and 3 sported much of the same: We saw her and flagged her over, but due to the chaos of massive number of people walking we didn't always keep track of her.

Fast forward to the finish line at Day 3.  My team finds Emily and congratulates her on finishing (we've adopted her in our hearts by this point) and she and I confirm that we need to find one another on Facebook.  The girl has a surname to the effect of "Brown" or Green" (omitted for her privacy).  Common, and EVERYWHERE, so I prepare myself to have to hunt while searching for her on my Facebook iphone app.  Low and behold, I see someone with Emily's name and Facebook lets me know that I have one mutual friend with this particular Emily.  I select her to see who the mutual friend is, and I'm BLOWN AWAY.

The conversation that followed goes something like this:

Me: Umm.... I think I found you on Facebook, but apparently we have a mutual friend.  I wanted to make sure it's really YOU before I send a request to a total stranger. ... Do you know Megan Butala?

Emily:  YES!!!!  She was in college classes with my fiance!

Me: Sonofab**ch.  She's my SISTER!

Emily:  Whaaaaaat??? No way!

What are the chances that I would find the one person in 2,400 who knows my sister?!  So stinking cool, and such a blessing.

Anyhow, here's the team with Emily!

At the end of 60 miles, all we wanted was to sit and drink a beer.

So... we did!  We finished in the 180's out of the entire 2,400 walkers, so we had puh-lenty of time to find a table at the pub along the finish line.

Soon it was time for the closing ceremony!

Walkers parade in first, linked arm in arm with at least eight people across.  Once we were in the arena, volunteers, the medical team, and the local law enforcement were acknowledged and came in.  Finally, a beautifully large group of breast cancer survivors came in, bearing flags and banners.  Here are the survivors before they walked to the ceremony.

Here's a view of the walkers at the ceremony - in front of me,

 and behind me.

When the survivors came in, I ended up needing another box of tissues.  I wasn't near enough to the aisle to see the survivors themselves, but I did get a photo of the infamous shoe salute.

Legend has it, someone took of a shoe in salute to the survivors years ago after a walk, and it stuck.  It's incredibly beautiful, really.

So, there's my photo diary!

I have more to share that falls into the trip category, but that's for another post.

Reflecting on this experience brings me pride that I did it.  It brings me sorrow thinking about all of the loved ones lost who I saw honored in the buttons, pins, and printed photos attached to so many walkers and supporters.  Reflecting brings me hope that we really can live in a world free from breast cancer.

Most of all, reflecting sings to my need for the human experience and connecting to others.  This walk?  This experience?  It's something that everyone could benefit from.  I would walk in all seven 3 Day cities if I could afford the transportation costs.  This walk allowed me to feel like I was contributing  to the world.  Walking was something I could DO.  Like this song that says if not me, then who?  Or this song, proclaiming I refuse to sit around and wait for someone else to do what God has called me to to myself.

Faith.  Hope.  CURE.

The photos in this post are a compilation of moments captured by the lovely ladies on my team who were generous enough to share them with me so that I may share them with you.  I truly hope you enjoyed them!