Saturday, October 24, 2009

2009 Breast Cancer 3-day @ Washington DC (10/9/2009-10/11/2009)



I know I have been procrastinating but here they are - my Breast Cancer 3-day pics:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2110872&id=5407487&l=06acc51e68

and

now I can proudly tell you guys that my teammate Cen and I both finished all 60 miles and despite that fact that I could barely move my legs (by legs, I mean my hips, my thighs, my knees, my calves and my feet) for the next 2-3 days, I was doing great after the 3-day and still managed to gain a pound or two. And two weeks have passed by since then (man, time traveled fast when one buried herself with the drudgery of every day life) and now that all the pain and soreness are gone, it seems to me that 60 miles was rather easy and all my worries about not being able to finish or about having to walk in pouring rain (that was the weather forecast) were quite unfounded. It wasn't until I downloaded my 3-day pictures from the camera and went through the process of organizing/captioning them that I got to relive my 3-day memory (my memory is rather short-termed you see) and I realized that it was not easy at all and I had so much to thank for.

Here is my list of Thanks:

  • I want to thank my teammate Cen for simply walking with me and encouraging me along the way or else I definitely would not be able to walk all 60 miles alone
  • I would also like to thank everyone who has donated to me. Your donations and all your kind words not only helped raise breast cancer awareness and helped fund breast cancer research but also gave me the chance to participate in such a meaningful event. I would like to give special thanks to Nancy Meyers, a cheerful lady who offered to donate first time I met her in this little gym in the condo complex that I live in. She might not know but I was truly touched by her kindness that day
  • I also want to thank all the crews who volunteered their time and helped the walkers with crossing, medical needs, meal distribution etc. As walkers, we had to wake up around 5:30am everyday to get prepared, eat breakfast but these are the people who woke up even earlier to get everything in place and serve us breakfast and they were also the ones who helped walkers cross at the intersections in freezing rain or scorching sun while also serving as the cheering squads as you should see in the pictures. They are simply the best!
  • I want to thank all the walkers who are also breast cancer survivors. Cen and me think it's incredible (and unbelievable) that we could actually finish 60 miles. But these people, they are our inspirations. Whenever the route was going uphill and my feet (and my mouth) were whining about the hills, I thought of them and immediately all the excuses for not being able to finish the walk went out of the window.
  •  Lastly, I thank God for giving me all the above people to thank for. Thanks for listening to my prayer. Despite the cold weather in early mornings and at night (I couldn't sleep Sat night because it was too cold in the tent and I didn't bring enough clothes), the weather did warm up nicely later in the day.

I know that all walkers are walking for different reasons and for different people in their lives. Cen and I have both lost someone who means a lot to us to cancer. To my love ones in heaven, I was not able to be there for you all the time while you were suffering but I want you to know that I am walking for you.