The First Day

If you have never done the 3 Day before, prepare yourself for one of the most exhilarating, exciting, emotional times of you life. This year will be my 4^th and I can hardly wait to get to Tampa and get going just to feel the positive energy that is the 3 Day.
On the first day, you will wake up (if you have been able to sleep at all) around 4:30/5:00 and get ready. You will have packed and repacked your gear bag the night before just to make sure. It will be dark and a bit cool when you get to the start point but you will warm up very quickly walking around and meeting all of your incredible new friends. Three is no such thing as a stranger at the 3 Day.
After a bit the “organized” part will start. People with more energy than should be allowable at that time of the morning will pump you up with a group stretch. There will be welcome speeches and then the most incredibly moving ceremony as the circle of survivors is presented. If you haven’t cried by now, you will my friend. Then the moment you have been waiting and training for arrives: you start the walk. There will be much craziness from the teams. There will be chants, songs, costumes all moving forward in a great wave of enthusiasm. All of us are headed for the same thing, a journey that will help combat Breast Cancer.
As the day moves on you will experience pit stops, grab and go’s, and a gourmet lunch (probably a chicken sandwich). You will know the joy that is a very clean port-a-potty and become adept at finding the shortest line. (Just a note here ladies, the thing on the side of the wall is NOT a purse holder). Your legs will tire and your feet may start feeling the miles but your spirit will never sink. Just as you start to feel sorry for yourself, you will find yourself in a conversation with one of your new best friends sharing a story about courage and inspiration. This is the 3 Day spirit.
At the end of the day you will reach camp. Here you will struggle to find your bag, curse yourself for bringing that thing that weighs a ton cause now you have to drag it to find your tent. And oh by the way you have to figure out how to (1) put the tent up and (2) how is all of your stuff and your tent mate’s stuff going to fit in there and you still have room to lay down? Oh the luxury of a hot shower (and here it really pays to be “one of the guys” since the line at the men’s shower is way shorter than the ladies’).
Dinner will be spaghetti but it will be the best spaghetti you have ever had. There will be entertainment (well what passes for it), announcements and finally lights out. You will find that the ground it not THAT hard and will eventually drift off. And of course you will learn to recognize the sound of the wild port-a-potty door slamming in the night.

What a day.

And you get to do this two more times………………