I'm not crazy. I just want to make a difference!

I read this on another blog and found it interesting and might help explain WHY I'm walking 60 miles in 3 days!

First Time Walker Tip #10: They might not “get it”….
March 25, 2010 / Posted by Jackie in 1st timer tips

Last year, I was a first time walker. I remember being overwhelmed at how unprepared I felt. I didn’t know what camp would be like, or how our days would go. I felt like I was going in totally blind. My only saving grace was having a tent mate who’d BTDT and could give me tips. This year I’m walking with a, what I consider to be, good sized team of first-time walkers. So I’m going to start posting some small, but helpful, first time walker tips. Things I wish I’d known before hand (or things I did know before hand thanks to my walking buddy, and that came in very helpful)

If we want to be honest with ourselves, walking 60 miles over the course of 3 days isn’t “normal“. In fact, if you walk up to someone who has never heard of the 3day before and tell them what you are doing, you’ll likely be called “Crazy” or “Insane“. Because it isn’t normal. It’s long and tiring and it seems very over-the-top when you first think about it.

I mean, for both first time walkers (FTW) and veteran walkers alike, how many of you said “I’d love to, but gosh, that’s a lot” prior to registering. How many of you questioned your ability to complete it? Probably most, if not all, of you. Heck, I know I did. It took me 2 years of wanting to sign up before I finally did. It took a healthy dose of courage and a friend signing up with me to get me over the hump.

So to hear someone say “Yeah, I’m going to get $2,300 in donations, then walk 60 miles in 3 days” might sound a bit outlandish. You can’t really blame them for such a surprised reaction.

But what you CAN do is explain it to them. Explain to them that the event is meant to be “crazy“. It’s meant to be “over-the-top”. It’s not intended to be “normal”. After all, this is supposed to be the most inspirational and extreme event that benefits Breast Cancer Research. It’s meant to push your boundaries and have you question “can i finish this?” so that when you do, you will know you did something extraordinary. You were a part of something bigger than a bake sale. You were a part of the Susan G Komen 3 Day for the Cure.

So when people ask “Are you crazy?!” Say, “Yeah. Maybe a little…. but here’s why…” and explain to them that in 2009, the Dallas Event alone raised over $7million. Explain to them that the estimated $105million dollars raised in 2009 (15 events x $7mil) will help further research that will ensure that their daughters have a brighter medical future than their mothers did. That the money raised will provide low cost mammograms for women who are uninsured or underinsured. That the money will directly affect the lives of millions and millions of people.

The thing I’ve noticed is that the people who think it’s “crazy” to walk that far… they don’t get it. They don’t get what the event stands for or how emotional it is. I’ve found that when people learn more, research more, ask more questions, or even show up and cheer at an event, something clicks. They get it. They understand why it’s so big. They understand that if it were just a 5k, it wouldn’t be as huge and successful. It wouldn’t be as powerful. It wouldn’t have the same impact on our medical future as the 3day does. So encourage your friends to read more about it, help answer any questions they have, And invite them to come see you at a cheering station or at closing ceremony.

If you can help them “get it” you may have doubled your impact towards this disease, simply by passing the kool-aid on to the next First Time Walker ;)