Day 3: Is This Emotional Journey Really Over?

Man, I must have overslept.  I peaked outside on the final morning of the
event, and my tent was one of only a handful left standing!  The flattened pink tents looked like those hideous inflatable yard decorations that lose their air and just lie there on the lawn until someone finally drags them inside. 

Good thing I got my bag packed the night before.  Phew!  I had forgotten about dealing with the tent before taking off.  Most everyone else had a tent-mate to help them…I was on my own to dismantle and roll up my wet tent and stuff it into the tiny little bag from which it came.  Its sort of like trying to cram the Christmas tree back in the box after the holiday ends…never quite fits the same way.  Well, as long as I get it in there…grass, dew and all!  I bet they will smell pretty nasty closed up in those hot trucks all day…Yikes!  I would hate to be the one dealing with those little bundles of pink later on.

We were doing approximately 16 miles today.  This, believe it or not, sounded like a walk around the block (a big block) compared to the previous days.  Another sunny day and they say it will be a hot, hot, hot one!  Dropped my gear bag off at the loading area, filled my belly, emptied my bl…never mind, you know what I mean, then I was ready to hit the road.

Megan and I said goodbye to Rosie, got one last hug from her, and we headed out of camp for the final time.

Taking in one last look at good old Westlake, our home for the past few days, we then set our sites on North Olmstead, where the cheering station was packed with folks showing their support.  I mean, it looked like the whole town was out there!   Children and adults were dressed in costumes, music was playing, people were dancing, and we had all the popsicles we could ever want…we sure needed them…it had to be 100 degrees in the shade!  We were melting as fast as the popsicles.

In Olmstead Falls, we crossed a historic covered bridge, and almost got lost.  Ok, not really, but we did feel a little uncertain we were headed in the right direction for a brief time.  Where are those pirates when you need them?  That would have been a good location to have one…gee whiz!  Just kidding, pirates…you were great! 

In Berea, only a few short miles from the fairgrounds where we will cross the finish line, Kris drove by see how we were holding up.  It was so great to see our teammate again!  It is too bad she couldn’t have shared the whole experience with us.  Next year, Kris…I’m holding you to it!

Is that Jerry I’m hearing?  Yes!  It is Jerry!  He had to give us
one final cheer as we entered the fairgrounds.  We approached the two lines of walkers and crew that we were to walk through to receive our high-fives as we crossed that beautiful finish line.  We made it…hurray! 

A flood of emotions began to come over me…the first of many floods that evening.  Tears, smiles, laughter, singing, cheering, and utter joy swept over me.   Ok, singing and cheering are not emotions, but they were expressed with the greatest of emotional energy!

The most overwhelming flood of emotions came when all of the 900 plus walkers lined up to high-five the crew walking through, led by all the survivors present that day! Everyone of the wonderful individuals who cleaned up after us, fed us, waited on us hand and foot, gave us towels, filled our water bottles, cleaned our showers, equipped our potties, and kept us energized and uplifted during this magnificent event walked through the lines…and yes, that includes the pirates!

Everyone was crying…I mean, speaking for myself, I could hardly utter the words “thank you” without breaking down into uncontrollable tears!  I think that was more exhausting than the walk itself…powerful emotions really take its toll on an already weary body.  Trust me. 

If all that wasn’t emotional enough, walking into and participating in Closing Ceremonies was over-the-top emotional.  We were all honored with cheers, as we held hands and raised them up during our victory walk.  Then each of us, walkers and crew, took off one shoe and held it up as our survivors took the stage.  I thought I would pass out from the emotion that consumed me.  I know I was not alone in that feeling.

For those of us who took part in the 3-Day, the walk may be over, but the battle against breast cancer rages on.  We are not the valiant heroes of this disease…the survivors, the loved ones lost, and the brave warriors fighting the battle inside them right now are the ones we honor during this walk.  And, as we gather our belongings and head home to our families, these amazing people press on…one treatment, one test, one diagnosis after another, until one day it is finished.  All cancer is gone!  Won’t that be wonderful?

That is it for my 3-Day experience.  I hope you enjoyed reading about it.  I want to see you in the event next year!  Registration is already in full swing…so sign up, and get out there and train!

Smiles to you,

Betty