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Walking 60 miles is a difficult task, and I know lots of participants in the 3-Day choose to go it alone. I can tell you firsthand that I wouldn’t be able to do it without my BFF, Nikki. We push each other to keep going and to continue fundraising and training on days when the other needs a little motivation. Having a team mate(s) definitely makes the miles pass faster too, both during training and the actual event.

One key thing I learned in 2008 is if you walk with a team, don’t expect everyone to walk at the same pace. I cannot stress that enough. We had six team members our first year, and for the most part we did not train together except for Nikki and I. She and I had an established a pace and had followed the training schedule pretty closely. We had another teammate who did not train at all, and managed to walk most of the first day at a pace faster than ours. We had several others who also didn’t train as much and had a slower pace than the rest of us.

We were all first-time walkers that year (except Ana who had never been on a team before). Naively I think a lot of us had the idea that we were going to take every single step of the 60 miles together as a team. We quickly learned in the first few miles that wasn’t going to be the case. I wish that I had known that ahead of time so that we could have addressed it before the event and had a plan in place. Unfortunately the result was that some of the slower-paced walkers got their feelings hurt when some got farther ahead, and the rest of us spent most of the first day feeling guilty. Don’t let that happen to you.

My advice is to talk about this with your team (if you have one) in the weeks and months leading up to the event. Make plans to meet up at lunch or at a pit stop, and of course at camp for nightly activities. You can start out the day walking together, but then part ways and keep your own pace. On the last day, you can meet at the last pit stop and walk into holding as a team. Nikki and I saw a team who met on the side of the road and toasted with champagne before finishing. I thought it was really fun that they found a way to get together before the end to celebrate their accomplishment together.

In reality, you’re in the company of thousands of other walkers. You will find someone to walk with if you do get separated from your team, I promise. Sometimes you will walk faster, and sometimes you will walk slower. You may find someone interesting to talk to and walk at their pace for awhile. Nikki and I met a survivor who was currently going through treatment along the route on our third day. She was walking and participating alone, so we asked her to join us and we talked and walked at her pace. We then parted ways at the next pit stop. These are the parts of the journey that make it so incredible. If you aren’t a member of a team and don’t plan on joining one, you will find and meet tons of people. Don’t worry!

If you are still nervous and want to ensure that you are with someone you know the entire 60 miles, find a training buddy on your team. If you train together for the 24 or 16 weeks leading up to the 3-Day, chances are your pace is going to match since you walked together all of those miles beforehand.

Also, please train. Remember the teammate I mentioned who didn’t train but walked a faster pace on the first day? She got injured and was not able to complete the second and third days. Don’t expect that you are going to be able to wake up one day after not training all year and walk 20 miles for the 3 days of the event. Yes there are sweep vans and SAG buses along the route if you cannot continue, but if you plan to even attempt to walk more than a few miles you need to condition yourself or you may get seriously injured. There’s no shame in taking a sweep van or bus even if you do train. That is what they are there for. Do what is right for you. Nobody is going to be standing over you asking which of the 60 miles you did not complete. Besides, there are some fun vans and a few even give you little trinkets when you ride. Use them when you need to. Don’t push yourself beyond your limits and risk injury.

If you’re currently registered as an individual who hasn’t joined a team yet, why not invite your friends to join you? Now is the time, because if you use the promotional code REGISTERWITHAFRIEND by June 22 you will each receive a $35 gift card for Shop3day.com! There are some really great training items and gear on there, so how great would that be? Also? You can earn up to five gift cards, which would be $175 to use in the online store.

Happy walking whether you decide to join a team or make friends at the event. Either way, it is an experience you will never forget.

Are you still pondering participating in the 2010 Komen 3-Day for the Cure? Now is the time to join! There are tons of teams out there looking for new members. You can get a $25 discount on registration with the 3-Day promotion code GO TEAM now through April 23. If you are in Dallas and are looking for a team, ours is Breast Friends Forever.

Two heads are better than one. So just imagine what you could do with four, eight or sixteen friends working together on your Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure™ team. Become the strongest, most determined, cancer-fighting team you can be. The more teammates you have, the more training companions and the more fundraising support you have alongside you.

Build your team today. Each new member who joins your team between April 12 – 23 gets a $25 discount off registration.

The Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure Coaches

You can register online at The3Day.org, via phone at 800-996-3DAY, or in person at a Get Started Meeting. I highly suggest attending a Get Started Meeting in your area. I will be writing a post soon about what you can expect to learn and take away from one, so come back soon.