2013 Seattle 3Day - Come and Gone

I realized today that September has been a bad month for me where blogging is concerned. This will be my 3rd post this month. There could be a couple of reasons for this. One, I could be super busy and no time to blog (negative). Two, I just don't have anything interesting to say (most likely) Or three, my life isn't as exciting as I'd like right now. (definitely).

Still, if there's one thing I want to be sure to blog about it's the Seattle Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer 3 day.  In years past, I've ranted and raved about how wonderful these three days every year is. And this year is no different. It was a wonderful three days. Yet, there was something about this year that was off.

First the things I know that were off:
1. I couldn't make opening ceremonies. I had some work calls that I couldn't get out of so met the team at lunch.
2. My co-pilot the Niece was walking all three days.
3. My second co-pilot The Niece's wife was walking Saturday
4. And BigBro wasn't feeling great so had limited time with us for three days. (That sucked)

Still, those things together really shouldn't have made the three days feel as off as they did. The weather was decent (until Sunday when it was cold and rainy). So I'm not really sure why I wasn't feeling it this year. I surely hope this goes away and next year I can feel the excitement I've felt in the past for this event.

Day 1 I met the team at Bellevue Park where they were stopping for lunch.  The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day for stalking.  The Niece seemed to be doing OK, but I could tell her lack of training was going to hit her hard.  Blueberry (a Flamingo Road team member - but a honorary Wrack Pack team member) joined us for lunch. I think because we had chairs.  Mrs. Landlord walked down to join us as well. 

 

The Niece's Wife (we'll call her Lady Tata) joined me in Sparky at lunch.  We drove, and sang, and honked, and cheered, and maybe broke some street laws for the rest of the afternoon. Occasionally we'd stop, hop out, Lady Tata would write on the sidewalk and we'd wait for the Wrack Pack to come by.

 

Two of my most favorite 3day walkers were walking together this year.  I got a chance to see them often and each time I did they "struck a pose" for me. 

 

Eventually the Wrack Pack found their way into camp. They did it. 22 miles...they don't look tired to me.

Day 2 the weather forecasters said we'd have rain and possibly thunder storms.  I love that Seattle weather forecasters can be wrong 90% of the time and still have their jobs. We had beautiful weather. A nice fall day. Warm, but not too warm. 

The Niece's Wife walked on Saturday so I had to find another co-pilot. Queen PopUp joined us at lunch and she spent the second half of the day helping me stalk our walkers.

And stalk them we did.

Nutballs. And I love each and everyone of these women.

Zoe is such a sweet girl!

The Princesses helped us cheer our walkers into camp.

Day 2...done.

My BFF...Blueberry

Day 3 was a questionable day in the morning weather wise.  The Niece was tired, and her feet hurt. The Sister-In-Law seemed like she hadn't just walked 44 miles. And The BFF seemed to be tired, but fine.  These walkers constantly amaze me. Tired and sore, they set out again for another 16 miles.

The Niece's Wife and I found the walkers and stopped to cheer them on at a local park. The wind had come up and we were freezing.  We had tossed some blankets in the car and found one of them to be a Superman Snuggy. 

I love that Blueberry got photo bombed on this picture. It totally cracks me up

The photo of Blueberry getting photo bombed was on this bluff that looks over Puget Sound. As we were up there cheering on the walkers it got colder, windy-er and the rain started.  Lady Tata and I headed to closing.  As we came off the bluff, crossing this bridge, the wind and rain were horrible.  I felt mildly bad for the walkers out there. Yet, the die hards stayed the course.  Amazing men and women.

Blueberry coming into the finish.

Closing is one of my favorite moments of the 3 day (the Last Walker being my favorite). This year because of the weather there were very few spectators out there cheering on the walkers.  It saddened me greatly to see so few people out there cheering across the finish line walkers who really deserve some extreme cheering. I understand it was cold and wet, but these folks had just walked 60 miles to help find an end to breast cancer. The LEAST I could do, or anyone, was to be there and cheer them home.

My friend T walked (left side) this year. It was fun to see her along the route and cheer her and her team mates on.

The crazies coming into the finish.

Naturally they had to strike a pose for me.

Here comes the Wrack Pack!!!

The Wrack Pack (and one Flamingo Road gal) finishes the 3 day

Survivor salute

So proud of these three!!!

And so ends another 3 day. Next year those three women, Blueberry and maybe BigBro will hit the trail again. Sparky and I will be there to cheer them on all the way.  I'm going to start doing my anti-rain dance now and start paying the piper so we have nice weather next year.  That rain stuff sucks!