Walking 40 Miles for Boobies

Last weekend was the Avon 40 Mile Breast Cancer Walk. I raised nearly $2200 (thank you for helping, hubby) for the cause and I actually managed to finish the entire walk without having to take a sweep van! I admit, though, that the last 13 miles were sheer will power.... I started the first mile that morning saying to myself, "If I can make it one more mile...." which turned into "If I can make it to lunch at mile 10, (mile 10 of the second day, which was actually mile 36) I can finish..." I made it to lunch and despite having severely painful and swollen feet, I finished the damned walk. :)

A HUGE kudos to Steve, because he was soooo helpful!! He cheered us along the way, met me at tent city at the end of Day 1 and helped me get my tent set up, blew up my blow-up mattress pad and just basically did all he could to make my life easier that night. He rocks. :)

This is a pic of me by my one of the tents we stayed in on Saturday night. Part of the experience is the camping - we all slept in these two man tents. They actually were pretty cool, and "tent city" is always neato. :)


We started out early Saturday morning, with a group of about 2800 people trying to get moving. It takes a while and it took us nearly 4 hours to go just 9 miles! But it was fun and emotional and motivating. The first day we did 26.2 miles (a marathon) and walked from 7 am until 6 pm. It HURT. Normally walking that far would take about 6-8 hours, so you can understand how the sheer size of the group slowed us down.

Second day we got up and finished the last 13 miles. Like I said... I finished on sheer willpower... but I finished regardless.

As soon as we stopped, I pulled off my shoes and they were hurting and itching - so of course I was rubbing and massaging them. They immediately started to swell, which I expected and didn't think much about.... until they became SO swollen that I could NOT walk on them any longer! In fact, Steve and I went into the famous Fab Dogs hot dog place on our way home and I had to gimp into that place like a handicapped person. Everyone was staring at me! But I wasn't missing that chili dog, dammit....

Anyway, I did a good thing and I'm proud to have finished. :)


This is a pic of me with my friend, Cathy, who has survived breast cancer - she did this walk to celebrate her 5th year of being cancer-free. I met her on the bus on the way to the event, and we walked the entire walk together. She was amazing. :)

These things tend to make a person emotional. I cried at opening ceremony, I cried during the walk, I cried when my feet were hurting so badly that I thought I wouldn't finish, I cried when I saw Steve along the way cheering me on, I cried at the end when I saw Steve waiting for me at the finish line.... it goes on and on. But I made it.

Cathy asked me why I was walking, and if I had personal experience with breast cancer. I told her no, and found myself saying what I know to be true and what I believe... and what many, many others have used as their response.

Why did I walk?

Because I can.