Camp: GA World Congress Center

Most 3-Day for the Cure events have their participants camp outside.  However, there must be a plan for inclement weather.  I believe that last year they had some bad weather and they knew that our early mornings would be cold.  This year they decided to go ahead and move camp inside.  It was such a great feeling arriving at the GA World Congress Center.  I was totally okay with camping inside.  All 3 mornings were cold and I was thankful not to be freezing all night outside.  Okay, so as I've said before, I'm no camper.  My main worry about camping at the 3-Day was...setting up my tent.  After scanning in, I found my bag and searched for my tent address to see if my tent mate had gotten their first.  When I found my address, there was no tent.  So, off I went to get a tent and attempt to set it up.  When I arrived at tent pick-up the lady asked me what my address was, I told her it was 37B and she said, "I was bored a little early and I pitched 4 tents, since your address is so close, why don't you just drag one of these that I have already set up!"  I thanked her...this totally made my day!  I am so thankful for my tent angel!!  Once I got my tent set at my address and my bag unpacked, I decided to shower.  The Porta-showers were great!!  They are in a transfer truck trailer and once you enter there are stalls similar to a college dorm shower.  You have a small changing stall and then your own shower stall, all private with warm water!!  Outside the truck there are sinks and mirrors.  I never had to wait on a shower and only short lines at the potties.  After a refreshing shower, I went back to my tent.  Still no tent mate, so I decided to go and grab some dinner.

Inside my tent...my REI sleeping bag.

There is so much food at the 3-Day and I can honestly say that I didn't have a bad meal or snack.  It is really too much to eat.  The picture below is dinner night 1.

Very colorful and loaded with carbs....it takes a lot of energy to walk 60 miles.

Camp is full of lots of things to do. Besides shower and eat, you can shop, dance, sing, sit in massage chairs, stretch on yoga mats, take photographs, remember and reflect, and check the post office.  I knew I'd have a letter from my Momma at the 3-Day post office, but I was not ready for what I saw there.  I was so overwhelmed by all my cards.  Thanks to everyone who took time to write me...some of you even wrote a letter for each day.  And yes, I followed your instructions and opened them on the day that you wrote on the envelope.  These letters made me feel so loved!  I have the best friends and family, students and co-workers!! 

One card that really stood out to me was from my friends Donna and Bugs from Coats Bend.  It had a quote on it that said, "Dream higher than a mountain, deeper than the sea, wider than the world - for the size of our dreams tells not how big we are but how big our God is."  This really summed up my experience.  This whole journey has been so much bigger than me.  I knew that I couldn't do this, but with God all things are possible and that he would walk with me and be there every step of the way.  I was never walking alone...there were thousands of others there and most importantly God was there from the beginning.  My faith in God raised the money and moved my feet.  I am truly blessed to have had this experience and the opportunity to walk for my Mom.

Massage chairs provided by Bank of America.

My tent mate never showed.  So, lucky me...I got the tent to myself, which it was really nice to have the extra room!  I guess my tent mate either stayed at a hotel or for some reason didn't get to walk.  I decided to get my massage and then head to bed.  I hadn't noticed the 20 mile sign when I arrived at camp.  It didn't matter that I was in my PJ's, I wanted my picture at that sign.  I was so proud of my first day!

Proud in my PJ's!!

 

The first night in the tent was rough.  I didn't sleep well.  It was a bit loud with all those people in the conference center. Also, they left the row of lights that was over my tent on all night.  My nose was a little stuffy too.  I tossed and turned most of the night.  I woke up early and got ready for Day 2.  I went to the dinning hall and got breakfast, filled my water bottles and stretched as I waited in line to exit camp and begin the route.  Tired and sore...I was ready to begin the day.  I knew up front that Day 2 was going to be difficult...

DAY 1

DAY 1:  After the opening ceremony the walking part of Day 1 began.  I waved by to my family and starting my walk up hill in front of the carving on Stone Mountain.  I know this hill well.  I was so glad to begin the walking part at Stone Mountain since that is where I did most of my training.  We continued halfway around the mountain to our first Pit Stop.  At a Pit Stop you can refill your water or Nuun (nuun is like Gatorade without the sugar), get a snack (they have everything from candy to fruit to crackers or chips), stop by the medical tent if you need medical attention, and visit the Porta-Potties.  Porta-Potties are not as bad as they sound.  I will say that they kept them very clean all 3 days.  As I entered Pit 1, there were supports shouting welcome and giving us a button to pin on our credentials.  I hit up all the stations except for medical...after all this was only a little over 3 miles into the journey and then headed toward the first cheering station.

Pit Stops are decorated in various themes.  This truck was at most pit stops.

While heading towards the first Cheering Station, I saw a picture of real love and dedication.  As I was walking I looked to my right and there was a man pushing his wife in a wheel chair.  A lady walked up to him and asked if he wanted her to help push.  He said he was fine, but to find him later in the day and he would need some help.  As we walked, he and his wife told the story of how she was finishing up on her treatments, but she didn't want to miss the event.  So, he decided to push her the whole way.  That my friends is love!  The story of course brought tears to my eyes.  How I hope that one day we won't have to walk or push our loved ones...one day there will be a cure.  They also told us of another woman on their team that was being pushed in a wheel chair too.  I don't know how far they got nor did I cross paths with them again (there were 2,400 people walking).  They were an inspiration to me! 

Cheering Station 1 was located on Main Street in the city of Stone Mountain.  As I entered I collected a few more buttons (buttons are huge at this event).  Cheering Stations are amazing!  They are almost overwhelming.  Such support, love, and encouragement from total strangers.  When beginning this journey I was told I would enter a world of love and kindness, a world that I would never want to leave.  It truly is a different and amazing world.  I have never in my life been told "thank you" so many times.   "Thank you for walking!" are the words that I heard over and over.  The cheers and shouts were so encouraging!! Seeing survivors along the sides saying "Thank you for walking for me" made every mile worth it.  Supports dressed up in pink and gave out all kinds of things...stickers, bracelets, necklaces, balloons, candy, brownies, cookies, water, bread, coffee...and the list goes on.



I finally arrived to where my family was located.  I was so excited to see them, even though I just saw them 4 miles ago.  Graham had made me a sign and in his own little writing wrote "Mommy you are beautiful!"  I have some video clips of the Day 1's cheering stations that I'll post at the end of this post.  Having all this encouragement was defiantly motivation to continue.  After all, if a man can push his wife in a wheel chair...I can walk this!

Getting a hug from Graham before leaving Cheering Station 1.

I continued on heading towards Pit Stop 2 and a Grab and Go.  A Grab and Go is a small version of a Pit Stop.  It has potties and hydrating stations only.

Pit Stop 2 was hosted by the Treasured Chests.  This is the team that I had done a lot of training with to prepare for the walk.  Of course it had a pirate theme.  It was also sponsored by New Balance.  I wouldn't have made it 60 miles without my New Balance shoes/clothes!!

Before I knew it, 12 miles were complete and it was time for lunch!!  Each day for lunch we were treated to subs from Panera Bread, fruit, chips, and a cookie.  Trust me, you do not go hungry during the 3-Day.  I had heard of many who gained weight during it!  Resting at lunch was the best part.  I changed out my socks to try to prevent blisters too.  Then headed out towards Cheering Station 2.

I was always nervous approaching the cheering stations, I did not want to miss my family in the crowd.  I know it was a headache on their part to try and time each station right when I would be there, but knowing that I was going to see them kept my spirits up and motivated me to keep going.  Poor Scott got vary familiar with Atlanta.  Thanks, Scott for driving Momma and the boys.  It meant so much to have you all there!! 

Again, like I said earlier the complete strangers kept me going too.  There were always so many people at cheering stations.  It is really hard to put it into words.  You just have to experience it!  Cheering Station 2 was a little over 14 miles into Day 1 and was located at the DeKalb History Center.  I first found my friend/personal trainer Ryan.  He had come to cheer me on.  Ryan has been such an inspiration to me.  He has worked with me for almost 2 years and has helped me to loose 45 pounds, gain strength, and be a bit healthier too.  Under his training, I have done things that I once thought were impossible for me like walk 60 miles, run a 5k, or even do a real push-up.  He always believes in me and encourages me, even when I don't believe in myself.  He was one of the first to encourage me to walk in the 3-Day and didn't look at me like I was crazy when I said I was going to walk 60 miles.

Me and Ryan

  

After visiting with Ryan for a bit, I was still concerned because I still hadn't found my family.  Ryan walked several blocks with me because the route was going towards where he had parked his truck.  He got a little taste of the 3-Day experience as we walked.  All the people cheering and offering various items.  I was sure to say "no thanks" when I was offered chocolate while he was walking with me!  =)  Actually I did pretty good, I only had 1 cookie and 1 brownie along the 60 miles and I gave my candy to my boys when we met up with them at cheering stations.  We finally found my family, this time, they had made more signs!

I said goodbye to Ryan and my family and continued on...before I knew it, 20 miles were down and I had arrived at Camp:  GA World Congress Center.  What an amazing day!  I was sore and tired, but excited to be at camp.  I was thankful for the first 20 miles, all the cheering and support, and visits from Scott, Momma, my boys, and Ryan.  Now it was time to rest and experience camp.  If you didn't know, I'm not a camper...I have only stayed in a tent 3 times in my life and those few times were in my cousin Lori's house (yes, we put a tent in her living room) or in my friend Annette's back yard where we ran an extention cord to our tent so that we had power.  Camp was an experience!!

Here are some clips of Day 1's Cheering Stations.  Remember to turn off the music player (if its on) at the bottom of the page before watching the video.