Avon Walk 2011 - Chicago

My journey began back in January…

When I decided to participate in my 3^rd Avon Walk for Breast Cancer – this time in Chicago! With two years of success under my belt, the Avon Walk has become more of a “when do I start the next year?” as opposed to “will I do the next year?” I find that only a few months after the previous year is over, I’m eagerly awaiting the chance to sign on new teammates, organize new fundraisers and give my donors the opportunity to make a difference. This year, many past participants were unable to commit to the Walk due to heavy workloads, higher education courses, new children and the distance, which I completely understood. I was happy to have our small team of three – my mother, SherriJoyce King, my sorority sister, Jackie Moriarty, and myself. I knew that these women would push me to be my very best – as a fundraiser, a team captain and a Walker.

Due to the nature of a small team and the fact that only two of us lived near each other, the experience was quite different than years past. We did not gather together for any group fundraisers. We did not hold team meetings at a specific location because email chains seemed to be enough. What we did do was bust our bottoms to individually raise the $1800 required amount and train on our own to Walk the 39.3 miles. I took my usual approach of donation request emails and letters to friends and family – feeling so encouraged when past donors repeated (and sometimes increased) their donation and when new donors took the opportunity to stand in the fight against breast cancer. 

Every year the Avon Walk offers “incentives” to fund-raise your heart out – this year it was a Fabulous Fundraiser hat if you raised at least $2200, a Super Fabulous Fundraiser long sleeve shirt if you raised at least $3800, and an Avon duffel bag if you raised at least $5000. It was my goal to reach the 2^nd tier of fabulosity and one week before the Walk, I was at $3680. Thanks to a generous and unexpected last minute donation of $120, I am proud to say my goal was met and I received both the hat and the long sleeve shirt.

On that note, I’d like to take this time to thank my incredible donors:

·         Richard & Terry Abrams… Estelle Kluft… Tony Weeg… Alan Tupek… Chelsea Bowers… Becky Christie… Hussein Amin… Lou King & Harriet Langlois… Jaime Neaman… Joe & Mary Cowden… Phillip McKee… Normal Wallis… Marj & Jerry Sparer… Anna DeLuca… Lauren Summers… David & Rita Sandler… Rebecca & Mike Frank… Frank & Pat Duchesne… Linda August… Sandra  Julian Schraibman… Rebecca Halperin… David Eisenberg… Howard Rudnick… Rebecca & Dick King… Vilma Castro… George Goldstone… Katie Kirstein… Alan Roecklein… Hugh Mealy… Tim Kimmel… William Bracken… Angella Rogers… John & Kathryn Wenzel… Diane & Fred Tamayo… Mike & Chris Wenzel… Donald Roberts… Jackie & Sam Cowden… Amr Pertew… Ann Senger… Cecil Mallon… Stuart & Michele Johnson… Erin Patterson… Tiffany Miles… Sarita Eisenberg & Lou Hammerman… Allan Newstadt… Katie Abner… Juliya & Leon Sheynman… Scott & Jenny Midgley… Nikkee Porcaro… Leonard & Carol Eisenberg… Pamela & Rich Finstein… Gayle McClelland… Edith Johnson… Franklin Davis… Jennifer & Jon Seidman… Karen & Michael Patterson… Monica Tarzy… Steffi Wallis… Carolyn White… Inbar Pavon… Pat Lefevre… Rich & Lauren Kimmel… Peter Adams… Melinda Greenberg… Sharon King… Corrie Roberts… Christine Postek… Shelly Postek… Maggie Amin… Philip Price… Courtney Simmons… Lindsay Zumbrun… Katie Stephenson… Jessica & Chris Mundey… Trudi & David Bloom!

While fundraising is always such a joy, training did not go quite as planned…

With a new job this Spring that kept me very busy during the day and rather exhausted at night, my energy level to get in the gym was lacking. I can say that there were spurts here and there when I was a dedicated treadmill-goer, but there is no doubt that I could have done better. I suppose I also assumed I’d be fine because I’d been successful in the past (with only minor injuries each time). Regardless, I should have given more time and effort to making sure I’d be healthy for Walk Weekend. *Mental note for next year.

As this Walk was not in D.C., we needed to book flights to our destination and a hotel stay…

Traveling to Chicago would be Jackie & me (leaving from Baltimore) and my parents (leaving from Philadelphia). We booked our flights early enough to get great rates and good seats. The host hotel for Chicago’s Avon Walk reserved a block of rooms at a discounted rate, which was right near the airport and a great location for Friday night’s Event Eve.

After months of preparation, Walk Weekend had finally arrived…

Jackie and I got on the smallest plane we’d ever seen and flew the two hours to Chicago, arriving at the same time as my parents. After settling in to our hotel rooms, we grabbed lunch and scurried to Event Eve. Let me explain the purpose of Event Eve: complete your medical form, receive your tenting assignment, turn in any last minute donations, purchase goodies from the Avon store, visit the booths of the weekend’s sponsors, register for next year’s walk, receive top fundraiser incentives, and meet other Walkers and Crew members with whom you’ll share the journey. I absolutely love Event Eve. It’s not about the fundraising incentives; it’s not about all the pink goodies; it’s not about completing a task necessary for the weekend. It’s about the hope and love in the air; it’s about a community of thousands coming together for one important cause; it’s about the start of a journey never to be forgotten and always to be cherished. It says we are here and ready to stand together in the fight against breast cancer.

The next morning was an early wake-up…

4:30 a.m. came sooner than we expected, so we took quick showers, got our gear together, said goodbye to my father and loaded the shuttle to Opening Ceremonies. Immediately I started snapping pictures! So many clever shirts, so many teams, so much pink, so many hugs, so much energy! We each grabbed a bagel with cream cheese and filled our Camelbaks with water; we put Glide all over our feet (to stop blisters from friction) and waited for Opening Ceremonies to begin. The director of the Avon Walk and a few other speakers welcomed all 3,000+ Walkers and Crew with stories of bravery, heartache and determination. We were so pumped with emotion when they said “GO” at 7:00 a.m. sharp - we were ready to take the journey by storm! The first mile passed rather quickly and we came to walk along Lake Michigan for a few beautiful, calming miles before cutting inward to the city.

The route is so well managed every year…

with rest stops every 2.5 miles, directional signage and set cheering stations for family members and friends in the area. Rest stops consist of bathrooms, water and Gatorade fill-up stations, small snacks and medical help. They usually have some sort of theme, like “Mardi Bra” or “Pajama Party,” to keep Walkers entertained as we stop to recuperate. Each rest stop also has a “leave by” time so that Walkers can stay on pace to finish the 26.2 or 13.1 miles that day. (It is important to keep a solid pace each day so that all Walkers are safe in the Wellness Village on Saturday night before sundown, and so that all Walkers have completed the Walk by the time Closing Ceremonies begin on Sunday afternoon. If a Walker is behind pace or feels they can’t go on at that time, there are “sweep vans” which travel up and down the route picking up those who ask.)

The first cheering station was around mile 8…

Papi was there, with our Team Tit-Tastic banner (made by my mother for last year’s Walk) stretched out and a huge smile on his face! We gave kisses and hugs, talked about how the first eight miles had gone, took a few photos, asked what he planned to do for the rest of the day, and went on our way. As we walked the route, Jackie noticed pennies with painted breast cancer ribbons scattered about, so we saved three and I will carry mine with me every year from now on for good luck.

At the 11.7 mile rest stop…

my mother felt that although she had enjoyed and powered through the first part of the day, she needed to call it quits at that point. I was SO proud of her for making the journey thus far, and wished her well on her way to the Wellness Village. Jackie and I continued of course, ready to tackle the 2^nd half of day 1. At mile 16, Jackie’s mom (who was randomly in town visiting a friend) met us and walked a few blocks to make sure we were alright and drinking water / applying sunscreen. We were in fact doing both, so she felt confident sending us on our way! I need to give a shout out to Starbucks who smartly stood outside their store with buckets of ice chips and small cups for passing Walkers. Talk about marketing skills. A few miles later, my father showed up at another cheering station, with the banner held high and the huge smile still plastered to his face. I don’t know what made him more proud – Jackie & I making it 18 miles already or his successful finding of the camera battery charger I’d been looking for for months.

It was around mile 20 that the rain began…

And didn’t stop for about a half hour. Oh wait, did I say rain? I meant thunderstorm. Jackie & I, already feeling the back pain, the hip flexor pain, the tense calf muscles and the swollen feet, now found ourselves racing against time to get our ponchos on and forge ahead for the last six miles. Crew members suggested we get on the buses parked at the nearest rest stop to wait out the thunderstorm, but we felt it would be best to just get the miles done! So we walked the last six miles with soggy feet through neighborhoods of people waiting outside their doors to cheer us on! Even now I can hear them clapping and yelling “almost there!”

Around 6:30 p.m., the light shone through the dark sky and we arrived at the Wellness Village…

The Youth Crew was waiting for us with chants and clapping and words of praise. We took a quick picture then went to the tenting area. (Note to past participants: the tents are now pink!) Usually when Walkers arrive at the Wellness Village, they go to the luggage trucks, grab their bags and tenting supplies, put up their own tents and go on with their evening of dinner and bedtime. Because my mother arrived at the Wellness Village earlier than we did, she arranged for a volunteer to help her put up both tents and put our luggage inside – what a marvelous idea! We quickly head to the showers which were a-ma-zing and then visited the Medical Tent to have the podiatrist take a look at Jackie’s killer blisters. Something you don’t want at the Avon Walk – the doctors to be impressed with your blisters. Poor Jackie. But she handled the situation like a champ and we slowly dragged ourselves to the Dining Tent. On the menu: pasta with sauce, salad, rolls with butter, green beans.

We slurped it all up and then waddled back to our tents to pass out promptly at 9:30 p.m. Before bed I thought it ideal to use the bathroom, and I’m so glad I did! Throughout the Walk, Crew members handed out sashes that said “Every Three Minutes” to represent the fact that Every Three Minutes someone is diagnosed with breast cancer. On my way back to my tent, I was stopped and given one of those sashes along with a big hug. I was overcome with honor and emotion; I couldn’t believe that in just three years of Walking, I had received two sashes (my 1^st in 2009).

At 5:30 a.m. on Sunday the alarm went off and day 2 began…

Jackie checked in with the podiatrist who re-worked her blister bandages while my mother and I packed up the tents. We grabbed a delicious breakfast of eggs, hash browns, sausage and juice and sauntered to the day 2 start line with the rest of the Walkers. Although sore, we knew that day 2 would be only half the distance as day 1 and at a much cooler temperature. Did I mention it was 91* on Saturday? That was fun. As we walked through a park, there were three small children picking flowers and handing them to Walkers as we passed by. I thought this was so very simple and so very sweet; I kept the flower tucked in my bracelet for the rest of the day.

I have not yet shared the glory of the crossing guards…

These men and women were hardcore, kind, full of tattoos and some of our biggest cheerleaders throughout the Walk. They wore bright orange of course, and decorated their Harley motorcycles with as much pink as possible. Some of these biker crossing guards were doing their 3^rd, 5^th and even 8^th Avon Walks, showing just as much dedication to the cause as us Walkers. I later found out that two of the biker women were breast cancer survivors.

My father met up with us once again at the mile 8 cheering station…

And true to form, as a superior supporter, he walked the last 5.1 miles with us! After a little while, we caught up to these two women, one of whom wore an ipod speaker blasting dance tunes. Jackie and I were thrilled and picked up our second wind for the day with ease. You know what else was helpful for the last few weekend miles? The EMT van, pulling a sort of hitched platform with two tall blonde men on top wearing pink shirts, pink pants and sunglasses – blasting summer hit songs and dancing their tails off! Every time we saw them, we couldn’t help but scream in their direction and smile from ear to ear.

At mile 13, we unrolled the Tit-Tastic banner and held it side by side walking the last .1 mile through the finish line, holding back tears and reveling in the beauty that is the Avon Walk. We were handed shirts to show completion of the 39.3 miles, put on sandals to relieve our swollen feet, chugged some water and awaited Closing Ceremony.

Closing Ceremony is something never to be taken for granted…

As our team Walked in, surrounded by thousands of other Walkers, I looked around at all the friends and family who came to lend their support and instantly felt a kinship with every one of them. There are no guarantees in the fight against breast cancer except the knowledge that someone else out there knows exactly how you’re feeling – whether you are a survivor, a fighter, a loved one, a doctor or a donor. We are all In It To End It.

Behind the Walkers came the Survivors…

All 254 of them who walked this weekend. Proudly holding their banner and waving their pom-pons in the air, flashing smiles that brought tears to my eyes. These men and women have a strength that comes deep from within, a courage that we can all admire, an outlook on life that we should be so lucky to have and thousands of witnesses who see that They Walk Because They Survived.

I Walk for my Great-Aunt, my Aunt, and my Cousin... all of whom have had breast cancer, one of whom did not survive.

I Walk for the women and men in my life who live every day hoping they will never hear the words, "You have breast cancer."

I Walk for the future... for the children I will bear, for the grandchildren they will bear.

I Walk for myself... to continue a life of kindness, compassion, love and hope!




Click here for the full Avon Walk 2011 - Chicago photo album!

To the Polls I Go!

Today I am voting for:

Senate:

***Barbara Mikulski (D) because she is all about protecting Maryland jobs, she supports school loan forgiveness for people who go into service work, she increased breast cancer research by 700% since 1990, she created Office of Women's Health at NIH, she is pro-choice, she co-sponsored original Violence Against Women Act, she advocates for the safety of our military (including better equipment)...

Eric Wargotz (R) did get points because he received $4,800 from Burger King for the campaign (love Whoppers)


Governor:

***Martin O'Malley (D) because his work with the job market lead Maryland to be ranked #2 in the country this year by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, he increased school funding by $1.2 billion and minority test scores are up since 2004 and Education Week ranked Maryland's public schools the best in the nation for the second year in a row, he signed the law to increase mandatory minimum sentencing for sex offenders...

Robert Ehrlich (R) did get points because his website pages loaded faster than O'Malley's, but lost major points because none of his highlighted issues had anything to do with women (so not vogue)


Representative:

***Steny Hoyer (D) because he provided $2 billion to strengthen MD's community colleges, he has secured millions of federal dollars to clean up the Chesapeake Bay, he helped establish the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, which helps equip and train local fire and EMS departments throughout the country, he has worked to strengthen the Medicare program and help ensure seniors can see their doctors, he fought to pass the historic GI Bill for the 21st Century, which will provide the 2.1 million members of the military who have served on active duty since September 11, 2001 with up to four years of education benefits...

Charles Lollar (R) did get points for saying that as a nation of immigrants we are strengthened by the diversity of peoples, cultures and religions, but lost major points for being against gay marriage (trying to piss me off)


I hope everyone got out there and voted!  Let your voice be heard!

Avon Walk 2010 - NYC

My journey began back in February... 
when I decided to participate in my 2nd Avon Walk for Breast Cancer - this time in New York City!  After the feeling I had crossing that finish line in 2009, I knew this was an experience destined to be a part of my life for as many years as possible.  So, I contacted the 2009 members of Team Tit-Tastic and asked who was interested in doing another year, another $1800, another 40 miles.  I'm happy to say that two veterans were interested in signing-up and kicking butt for yet another year - my dear friends of 5+ years -  Erin Patterson & Courtney Simmons.  While I was sad to say goodbye to the other 4 teammates, I understood their reasons for taking a year off.  

So the search was on for new members...

I emailed all the women I thought may be interested and enthusiastically welcomed new members to Team Tit-Tastic - my friend of 10+ years Monica Tarzy, my colleague and good friend Chelsea Bowers, and my two dear friends Katie Stephenson and Melissa Tipton.  Our team of 7 was complete, and I had a really great feeling about the drive, passion and friendship heading into this journey.  After an initial meeting so everyone could get to know each other, we set forth with big plans and big hearts - so excited about the opportunity to raise a large amount of money for the Avon Foundation.  We decided that for the first few months, we would each individually see what we could raise (the minimum to Walk is $1800).  By sending out emails, letters and social networking posts, we were well on our way to reaching our goals, but by June, only 1 of us had successfully raised the full $1800.  So, we needed another plan of attack.

It was time to start our group fundraising efforts...
The Melting Pot (a fondue restaurant in Gaithersburg, Maryland) is quite the hot spot for delicious cook-it-yourself meals and relaxing atmosphere.  Luckily for us, we had a few contacts in Management who helped us organize Team Tit-Tastic's Fondue-raiser!  From 5-10pm on a Monday night in July, supporters could come enjoy Ladies' Night specials, including pink cocktails and a discounted 4-course meal.  The Melting Pot, a most generous business, offered our team 50% of the profit that evening, which sent us away with $1600, split evenly among the teammates to raise each of our individual totals thus far.
To reach a different crowd, our 2nd group fundraiser was held at The Greene Turtle, a local and very well-known sports bar that many of us frequent on the weekends.  Team Tit-Tastic's Burgers, Boobs & Beer Night featured $10 wristbands for happy hour specials, $1 and $5 pink accessories, and free live entertainment.  Thanks to our many friends who attended the evening, we successfully left with over $1500, again split evenly among the teammates to raise each of our individual totals.

At this point, it was time to start thinking about training...
The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer prepares their Walkers to the fullest - with bi-weekly emails, newsletters, phone calls from "Walker Buddies," packets filled with suggestions and an entire community to converse with.  In the main Avon Walk packet, Walkers are provided with healthy ways to prepare for the demanding Walk Weekend, including training modules for up to 12 weeks prior to the Walk.  You are instructed to begin training with walks as short as 15 mins, and by the peak of your training, you should be able to walk 22+ miles without feeling like a wretched mess.  While our entire team had good intentions and wanted to be top notch by Walk Weekend, we couldn't escape the busy lives and hectic schedules we so lovingly call our own.  Most of us being athletic by nature trained by doing what we thought would work best / what we were already comfortable doing.  I can only speak for myself when I say that I tried to workout each day (which ended up being about 2-3 days a week), eat healthier meals (although my portions didn't change), and stay off my butt as much as possible (rather hard to do when you sit at a desk for 9 hours each day).  Nonetheless, I felt confident going into this Walk Weekend because I had completed the 40 miles once before (last year).

As Walk Weekend approached, we had much to figure out...
First, our team of 7 would become a team of 6 for the actual Walk Weekend - Melissa was 4 months pregnant and chose not to Walk (which we all understood).  True to her word, she raised the $1800 she committed to, and continued to attend team meetings and participate in team email chains until Walk Weekend.
Second, we needed cars and drivers to get us to New York City and back (we could easily drive there on our own but our concern was driving back exhausted after the long weekend).  Two wonderful men stepped up to the plate:  Driver #1 = my boyfriend, Tim, in his parents' large van; driver #2 = Monica's boyfriend, Schyler, in Monica's parents' SUV.  These men were our saviors, giving us a chance to relax on the drive up and sleep on the ride back.  Not to mention agreeing to sleep on couches and park on crowded streets, just for us!
Third, we needed a place to stay in NYC on the Friday night before the Walk.  We booked a hotel (expensive, but necessary) and split the team (and 2 men) up between the hotel room and my sister, Maggie's, NYC apartment.  Now, if you're at all familiar with NYC, you'll know that apartments are not luxurious spaces, but my sister and her two roommates generously gave up their small space for a great cause!
Fourth, we obviously needed to complete our individual goals of raising $1800 each.  After the group fundraisers, everyone was close, but not everyone was done.  So a last minute effort of emails and letters and phone calls went out, and finally, every teammate had raised the required amount - and most surpassed it!
And fifth, we needed to pack everything on the Suggested Packing List (provided by the Avon Walk) to keep our bags efficiently stuffed with gear.  We were each allowed 1 bag weighing up to 30 lbs, with an attached sleeping bag.  If you think about it - you don't need much for Walk Weekend because all you're doing is walking and then sleeping, so packing was not difficult.  Some important things we each purchased before the Walk:  excellent sneakers, non-cotton socks, workout pants, under armour shirts, hats, Camelbacks, Glide and bandaids.

Finally, Walk Weekend had arrived... 
As we had all taken off work on the Friday, we left Maryland around 2:00pm (a little later than planned), in order to make it to Event Eve before it closed at 8:00pm.  Event Eve is essentially the check-in for the Avon Walk - you turn in any outstanding donations, receive your tenting assignment, purchase buttons and pins and Avon gear, and start getting excited for the weekend upon you.  {Because I raised over $2200, I received a Top Fundraiser hat (which I wore all weekend); because I raised over $3600, I received a Top Fundraiser Jersey shirt (which I now wear to the gym).}  After Event Eve (which was a madhouse), we walked around the corner and had a carbfest - pizza and pasta!  Bedtime was quite early that night, as we were about to embark on one of the most challenging physical activities of our lives.

Wake up on Saturday morning was 4:00am!  Some of us wanted to shower, and all of us needed to check our bags one last time (putting everything unnecessary in the cars).  We put stickers on our faces, adjusted our hats, made sure all our buttons could be seen, and tied Monica-made ribbons in our hair.  We looked very pink and ready to rock and roll!  

Opening ceremonies was held at Pier 84...

which was absolutely freezing at 5:00am in NYC during the month of October!  We huddled together for warmth as the Director of the Avon Walk spoke to us about just how far we'd all come that year - 2300 Walkers + hundreds of Crew members, medical staff, volunteers = $9.4 million raised for the Avon Foundation (in NYC alone)!  As per usual, I was extremely emotional during Opening Ceremonies - listening to survivors tell their tales, listening to teenagers recall the battles fought by their parents or grandparents.  I felt so honored to be part of this group of philanthropists - showing New York City that we are In It To End It!  After a few light stretches, the Walk opened promptly at 7:00am, and we were off!  In an interesting move, they had us walking on the paths right near the water, which was utterly freezing.  Being the intelligent team that we are, no one except Monica brought gloves, so we had to make an emergency call to my parents asking that they bring 5 pairs of black gloves to us at the first cheer station.  As we walked, I was not only checking out the scenic route through NYC, but also the outfits and signs of other Walking teams.  

 
 One team - the Wellness Warriors, a team of about 20 women - had a 7-year total of over $100,000 raised!  (Yes, I teared up.)  A great thing about participating in the Avon Walk for multiple years is getting ideas from other Walkers and other Teams.  A _-year total is definitely something I'd be interested in keeping track of for Team Tit-Tastic!  (FYI:  Team Tit-Tastic's 2-year total is $32,713.)

 

Another fantastic feature this year was Alumni buttons!  At Event Eve, if you had participated in multiple Avon Walks, you received a button to disclose how many years you've Walked.  Erin, Courtney and I received 2-year buttons, while this man (a truly dedicated citizen) wore his 8-year button proudly, as one of NYC's esteemed crossing guards.
So, we started getting sore after a few miles, but nothing was too much to handle.  Lunch came at the exact right time for us, at mile 9 (we enjoyed turkey sandwiches, chips, apples, cookies) and we ate quickly so we could continue on the correct pace for completing the 26.2 miles on Day 1.  I can say this - walking on the streets of NYC was very different from the streets of DC.  As DC is more of a busy-weekday city, NYC is a busy-everyday city, so the streets were crowded, taxis were everywhere, and crowds kept us from walking at a constant pace.  At mile 13 (half way through Day 1), we were greeted by family & friends at a cheering station along the path!  It was so overwhelming to see our loved ones (complete with an incredible banner made by my talented mother) yelling loudly and showering us with hugs & gloves!  Although we were only able to stop and say hello for a few minutes (as to keep on pace schedule), we took pictures and admired the banner (which we later learned was a HUGE success - capturing the eyes of all Walkers, many of whom stopped to take photos).

At mile 17, I started feeling some major pain in my hip flexor area.  It was difficult to take steps with my right leg, especially on the Brooklyn Bridge which kept us at an incline for about a mile.  I was thankful for the rest stops every 2.5 miles to rest, stretch and fill-up on water or Gatorade.  During Day 1, there were a few other amazing things to note: (1) there was a male volunteer who posted himself about every 5 miles with a boombox, shaking his groove-thing, making us smile, (2) there was an elderly woman whose sign said "walking for my daughter" whom she lost to breast cancer a few years earlier, (3) while walking over the Brooklyn Bridge, Erin's glove - that she had received from my father a few miles back - flew over the side, so she walked the rest of the weekend with only one glove, (4) the Youth Crew - made up of those too young to walk just yet - posted themselves every few miles and chanted words of encouragement as we walked by.  

We finally arrived at the Wellness Village around 5:30pm.  After such an intense and demanding day, it took all our strength to set up our sleeping tents, grab dinner, and visit the bathrooms.  While most of the team passed out early, I was still suffering from severe pain in my hip flexor area, so I visited the physical therapy tent, where I signed in as #274 (good gracious).  I waited and waited, and finally received some painful stretching-therapy which lasted about 20 minutes.  Because it was causing me to cry and they had tried all they could think of, they sent me back to my tent to sleep (with legs raised) and asked that I come back on Day 2 to check up.  After a restless night, I arrived back at the physical therapy tent at 5:00am, hoping that things would look more promising.  Unfortunately for me, the physical therapists expressed that there was nothing further they could do, and recommended that I not participate on Day 2, another 13.1 miles.  I absolutely could not believe that my body was doing this to me - I was furious, overcome by a feeling of failure, and so sad to send my team off on Day 2 while I waited for the shuttle.   {I must take this time to say Thank You to the Crew member who sat and consoled me as I broke down in tears, embarrassment and frustration that I could not start Day 2.}  The 2 injury shuttles took us to the lunch stop, where I decided to hail a cab, go to my sister's apartment, shower and sit with ice.  I kept in good touch with my teammates, and after two hours of "rest," I asked Tim to drive me to the 10.5 mile cheering station (where my parents would loyally be holding the banner as my team passed).  As soon as I saw Team Tit-Tastic coming toward me, I had this rush of energy, and knew that with their strength and support, I could finish the last 3 miles, no matter how much pain I was in.  We packed up the banner and my parents walked along with us!  Then at mile 12, after her GMAT class had ended, my sister joined us as well!  (This entire time, Tim was looking for parking near the Finish Line.)  My parents unfolded the banner once more, and walked with it in front of our team.  Team Tit-Tastic crossed that finish line holding hands, after 40 miles of cold weather, sore muscles, laughter, tears and extreme emotions we'd never felt before.

 

BIG THANK YOUS:

• To my generous donors, for making this year so successful, you've left imprints on my heart forever:  Sophia Franklin... Marj & Jerry Sparer... Ann Senger... Angella Rogers... Hussein Amin & SherriJoyce King... Rebecca & Dick King... Sam McDonald... Marion, Steve & Beth Pardes... Lou King & Harriet Langlois... Aaron Foster... Pam & Rich Finstein... Julian & Sandra Schraibman... Susan Sandler & Howard Eisenberg... Becky Christie... Danielle & Ben Cupido... Jen Mino... Chris & Mike Wenzel... Alan Tupek... Richard Abrams... Allan Newstadt... Normal Wallis... Cecil Mallon... Diane & Fred Tamayo... Mary Moczula... Barry Shrut... Dung Nguyen... Franklin Davis... David Sandler... Joseph Beller... Roberto Almelor... Anita Russell... Harris Stern... Mame Templeton... Trudi, Dave & Sarah Bloom... Edwin Smith... Rob Derubeis... Karl Kozarsky... Giampiero Di Guardo... Len, Carol & Shoshana Eisenberg... Alan Roecklin... George Goldstone... Phillip McKee... Barun & Usasi Chatterjee... Philip Price... Howard Rudnick... David & Ruthie Eisenberg... Yael Sandler... John Csaklos... Eduardo Widmar... Wiliam Bracken... Ralph & Elizabeth Von Dem Hagen... Hock-Chye Ong... Corrie Roberts... Estelle Kluft... Donald Roberts... Esther Sobel... Peter Adams... Maggie Amin... Omar & Karen Helal... Hosni Berzi... Ron Frezzo... Erika Conner... Hugh Mealy... Donald & Billie Orenbuch... David McCue... Frank & Lorraine Lopresto... Kelly Wilmoth... Becca Halperin... Lee Baklarz... Ricardo Mena... Eve Finstein... Lauren Summers... Amr Pertew... Gabrielle Carlson... CustomInk.com... Scott & Jenny Midgley... Lauren & Rich Kimmel... Amy & Bill Ratcliffe... Nikkee Porcaro... Emily Garfinkel... Steffi Wallis... Laurie & Ibby Burch... Tony Weeg... Mary Hall!

• To my parents, sister and best friend Stevie - thank you for being at the cheering stations, texting me throughout the day with words of encouragement, buying gloves for the whole team when we underestimated the cold, holding up that incredible momi-made banner, and being the greatest support system a girl could ask for!

• To my incredible boyfriend, Tim - you supported me throughout the journey by running emergency errands, leaving the house to us girls during Avon meetings, excusing the nights when I was too busy writing donation emails to hang out, driving the team to and from NYC, wearing a button that said "I'm a Boob Man" throughout the weekend, waiting at the cheering stations with a smile on your face even though you had work to do, giving me strength (and ice) when I thought I wasn't going to make it, pleasantly standing for multiple pictures at the finish line, and taking care of me the following week (with hurt muscles, fever and exhaustion).

• To the members of Team Tit-Tastic - I admire you for taking part in a cause as important as the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer; I applaud you for surpassing your fundraising goals,  whether it was through individual or group efforts; I appreciate you taking off work for a few days to truly give your all to this experience; I am blown away by your determination to finish the 40 miles with powerful strides; I am proud of you for setting up tents and sleeping in the cold; I am grateful to you for the laughs, the companionship, the positive attitude, and the celebration at the end of our long journey.  You are forever a part of me; I love you!

Family Housewarming

As Tim & I moved into our new condo at the end of July, mid-September was finally time to have a Housewarming, to celebrate with our family this new life we've so happily begun.  We decided to keep it really small - just immediate family and a few uncles - the perfect size for our 1300 sq ft condo and the beautiful gazebo in our neighborhood.

I organized my pants off for several days - planning the menu, cleaning the condo, filling in the moms on how they could help, orchestrating pick-up and drop-off for those coming from out of town, etc.  Luckily I had the help of my parents (who came down from Philly early) and Tim (who came home from NY early) - and I immediately began assigning tasks to make sure we were totally prepared.

I am quite proud of our menu:

• Appetizers - 7-layer dip, spinach baklava, salmon dip, strawberry-mango smoothies
• Entrees - chicken/steak/veggie kabobs, fruit salad, corn on the cob, garlic bread, grilled potatoes, rice
• Desserts - chocolate chip cookies, chocolate cake, baklava, brownies

It was all so delicious and ended up being just enough for our family of 16 guests including Momi, Papi, Maggie, Britny, Christine & Michael Wenzel, Mat, Rich & Lauren & Maddie Kimmel, Lou King & Harriet Langlois, Amy & Bill Ratcliffe, Eleanor.  I can say with enthusiasm that I am in love with our families - they are so smiley and supportive and outgoing - it made for a wonderful day.

There was football watching, cornhole playing, constant eating, story-telling, and laughing.  As I looked around the condo (when I wasn't frantically hosting a gathering), I couldn't help but smile.  Smile at the 3 small dogs running around... smile at my boyfriend standing by the grill overlooking our first hosting meal... smile at our families engaging in deep and fun conversations with people they met just an hour ago... smile at my sister re-living the suburban life she left 3 years ago... smile at 2-year old Maddie giggling and loving the center-of-attention feel... smile at this home that Tim & I created from scratch, a real gem in the eyes of our parents, who smile back from across the room.