Running/Waking/Resting . . . Week of September 28, 2008

[jesvetmed]

Jes, that is great that you were on the treadmill. I think incline is better for you anyway. Did you ever do a write-up on the 3 Day? When was it?

Nope: Didn't post cuz I was out of town a few days after.
I'll edit and post my "thank you letter" to people who donated. It's below.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THANK YOU!!!

The 2008 Breast Cancer 3-Day came to an end after 60 miles of walking over three beautiful sunny Seattle days! 3200 walkers made the trek, and we raised 8.6 million dollars in those three days! I personally was able to raise almost $3400. There were a lot of aches and pain, there were blisters (luckily not on my feet!), and yes, I have a nagging limp from this year's walk as a souvenir. But it is all worth it.

The route started in Bellevue at 5:30 Thursday morning. We traveled to Redmond. We camped (in a sea of pink tents) at Marymoor Park in Redmond each night. Saturday we walked from Redmond to Kirkland and Bellevue. Sunday morning we started at the arboretum near the UW campus and up to Greenlake (where Renee and Garry came out and waited to bring us cheer and hugs... THANK YOU!), and finally ended with a final ceremony at the Seattle Center Memorial Stadium. There we were greeted by supporters filling the stands. Linda, Brenda and Jimmy came to rescue us, and took us to a hot shower, and then to dinner at the Melting Pot afterwards! It was a perfect end to a very long weekend!

I cannot thank you all enough for your support whether it was this year, or one of the last three, or all of them! This is a cause that affects everyone -- 1 out of 5 women in the US will be stuck with breast cancer in their lifetime. And I am proud to be a part of trying to stamp it out once and for all.

Until there is a cure, as long as I can, I will walk. I will walk in memory and honor of my beautiful friend, Kelli (pictured at right with me at our last girls’ weekend in Cabo). I will walk so that other children will not lose their mother at a young age, or mothers lose their daughters. I will walk so that we will not live in fear of a diagnosis of breast cancer.

EVERYONE DESERVES A LIFETIME.
OCTOBER IS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH.... GET A MAMMOGRAM, DO A SELF-EXAM, TALK TO OTHERS ABOUT THIS DISEASE!

Next year, the Pink Rack Pack is planning to hit the road! We are hoping to head to sunny San Francisco to the the 3-Day event there. Seattle's event is planned for rainy October, so we are going to head south and hope for some last minute sun along the coast of California! We are open to taking on new team members... we would love it if you'd all join us!

We will be starting up fundraising early in 2009. You know you will hear from me then! In the meantime, thank you again for showing your support to me, and to the team. And as soon as I can walk normally again, I'm up for training partners!

IMAGINE A WORLD WITHOUT BREAST CANCER! http://08.the3day.org/goto/jessicawilliams

Pictures attached:
1) One of the thousands in a sea of HOT PINK Tents at Marymoor Park in Redmond. 2) The finish line photo of THE PINK RACK PACK! 3) Raising our shoes to survivors at the closing ceremonies at Memorial Stadium (Seattle Center) ) Pic of me at one of my happiest moments... I waited 25 minutes for that cup of coffee! 5) The photo of my friend Kelli and I on our last girls' trip to Cabo San Lucas about a year before she passed away.