When Nikki and I walked in our first event I remember reading the suggestion to pack a pair, but I didn’t fully understand why until we were in the camp that first night attempting to go to sleep. I thought surely everyone is going to be super tired after walking 20 miles and will fall fast asleep in no time flat. Unfortunately some of your neighbors may not be as polite as you would hope, and may not respect the quiet hours the camp has set. We had very noisy giggling neighbors, port-o-potties slamming, and could hear snoring from nearby campers. Thank goodness for my Sleep Pretty In Pink ear plugs! Not only are they pink, but they also help block out a lot of the extra noise in camp. Once I put them in, I was finally able to get some sleep. You can buy them at pretty much any drug store, or your local Walmart or Target.

You can also receive a free pair of ear plugs (one pair of the ones shown above) by asking for a sample on their website. I hope you have a great camping experience at your 3-Day and that these help you cross one thing off your packing check list!

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. Hearos did not contact me or ask me to promote their product. I simply wanted to share my past experience with their product and link to the free trial pair for my reader’s benefit.

They are made of stretchy, rubbery silicone, are water resistant up to 99 feet, and slip right onto the wrist (think LiveStrong bracelets, but MORE durable). These watches come in practically every color of the rainbow, plus they even have a Komen Pink Ribbon version. LOVE. IT. They are donating $2 from the sale of each Komen logo-ed design to Susan G. Komen for the Cure® with a minimum guarantee of $25,000. Amazing. I want one in every.single.color. Best of all? They are only $20. Yes, seriously.

The people at Deuce wanted me to see how fabulous they really are, so they sent one for both Nikki and I to try out. I already love mine so much that it has replaced my regular COACH watch. That says a lot, people. It definitely passes the sweat test on long training walks too. I have to admit I had not heard of them until a few weeks ago, but celebrities like Snoop Dog, B.o.B., Ashanti, Dave Mirra and more have been spotted wearing them.

I will be a fan for life, and you should be too. Deuce has offered to give two readers of Our3Day.com a Pink Ribbon watch! All you have to do is LIKE Deuce on Facebook and leave a message on their wall telling them:

I heard about Deuce Brand from Laurie & Nikki at Our3Day.com and would love to win a Komen Pink Ribbon watch.

Deuce will select the two winners, so be sure to leave the comments on their Facebook wall. They are also on Twitter, as well as have their own Deuce Brand Blog where they give tips to beat breast cancer every Wednesday. Follow them, and good luck!

Disclosure: Deuce Brand sent us two complementary watches for review, however our opinions were not influenced nor did any monetary exchange take place.

My opinion is that you should always select a sock with wicking technology (fabrics which draw moisture away from the body). I would say cotton is a no-no, especially for the 3-Day. Here are some suggestions:

Injinji performance socks are my personal favorite. Why? Before I discovered them, I would get blisters in between my toes due to rubbing. After switching to Injinji, I no longer had toe blisters. I love that each toe has it’s own compartment. They are like gloves for your feet, and yes they are comfortable! You completely forget you have them on. For the 2008 3-Day I actually wore these with another sock on top for more cushion. Also, they come in pink. My teammate says they are not as comfortable for her feet, so you should give them try on a long-distance training walk before committing to them for the event. Where to buy: InjinjiStore.com Cost: $12 each

Another good one are these Double Layer socks from BaySix. These socks have a 100% blister free guarantee. I also wore these during the 3-Day. I still did get a few blisters on the sides and bottom of my foot, but definitely not as bad as some other walkers did. These are comfortable and light. You can also select from anklet, crew or ped styles. Where to buy: Amazon.com Two Roads Fitness Ladies Only Sports Cost: 3/$20, 6/$35 or 3/$24 with pink ribbon

Thorlo is another sock you will hear a lot about in the 3-Day community. Many walkers swear by these. A few years ago the company gave away these at the walk which generated a lot of buzz. I bought several pairs. They come in two styles– thick cushion and thin cushion. I actually prefer the thinner version as the thick version feels like you have about four pairs of socks on. When my feet were swelled, it was a lot harder to get my foot back into my shoes. I also found that Thorlos were harder to clean. Even after I wash them they still look dirty. They definitely do give you lots of cushion. Where to buy: Thorlo.com Cost: $13.99

Whatever socks you do choose, be sure to give them a test drive on a long-distance training walk to get an idea of how they will work for the actual event. I like to change my socks every 5 to 10 miles too in order to let them air out and get some that are completely dry on my feet. Also, make sure that you take all of your socks with you when you get fitted for your new shoes. This will ensure that you order the right size if you decide some of the thicker socks are the ones you prefer.

Good luck and happy walking!

60 miles in three days is a long distance. Trust me, I did it last year. When I signed up the first time, I was more worried about the fundraising than I was the walking. The money actually came in pretty quickly and I got a lot of support. I was lucky to work at a company that allowed me to sell baked goods and openly ask for donations. As we began to train, I became worried about blisters and maintaining my feet.

We were told not to get pedicures because we needed to build up a callus. I get regular pedicures and scrub my own feet religiously. My feet were prime candidates for blisters, bad blisters. After one of our longest training walks, I got a major blister in between several of my toes. I was devastated. It hurt, and took quite a few weeks to heal.

I began looking for solutions. I read message board after message board, and discovered a thread about Injinji toesocks.

Sure they look kind of silly, but do they work?! You bet! I went to my local Luke’s Locker and bought several pairs, and happily wore them on several training walks which ended in blister free feet. They work, because each toe has it’s own space and does not rub against your other toes. They also are made with CoolMax material which pulls the moisture away from your feet. During the actual 3-Day event, I alternated between them and another sock made with wicking material, and even doubled up. I can’t say that I had completely blister free feet (60 miles is a long way to walk), although I didn’t have any between my toes. I had a few on the bottom on my foot, and also on the side where my foot rubbed against my shoe. Still, it could have been a lot worse, and I attribute that to my fabulous toes socks from Injinji.

I wear them anytime I know I am going to do a lot of walking, like the State Fair of Texas last week! Recently I was in touch with a rep from Injinji who provided me with several pairs of socks at cost for review. My feet felt perfect when I got home, were not sore, and I had zero blisters. Plus, I love that they come in pink (and a variety of other colors and styles). You can also choose between crew, mini crew, and micro. My favorite is the mini crew because they are not too short, and not too long. As Goldilocks would say, they are just right.

Now as I prepare for my upcoming walks, I am confident that my feet will be well taken care of. I am now more concerned about making the fundraising limit. Isn’t it strange how things shift?