3-Day for the Cure Day 1

Cannot believe the Atlanta 3-Day is over! It's been such a big part of my life for the past 6 months. Fundraising goal met and 60 miles walked, YEAH!!! Thank you again for all the support - the encouraging words, texts and messages meant so much throughout the walk!

Here's Day 1's recap:

Set my alarm for 5am (and a second one across the room) on Friday but was so excited I had no trouble getting up at all. Left home in the cold darkness clutching a giant coffee that I chugged on my drive to Stone Mountain, which caused me to have to pee immediately, really fun going in the cold porta potty.

Arrived at Opening Ceremonies at 6:30am, they wanted walkers there between 6 and 7. Louisa got there at 6 on the dot, she is one punctual trotter! The text I got from her when she arrived said, "So excited! Can't contain myself!" :)

There was so much going on, and it was SO cold, in the 30's and whatever you wore you had to walk with the whole day.

Wide awake!

Being told to stretch, but I didn't stretch because I was way too cold.

Oh thank you for finally deciding to show up, sun.

Had to wait in line a really long time to start walking the course, there were 2,400 walkers! Started walking around 8:30, I think.

Ready to go! Louisa got us these hats and tiaras at dollar store, anyone want to borrow to wear in real life? :)

So many fun decorations! This truck was one of my favs.

It was recommended to stretch for 5 minutes every hour of walking, or check your phone whatever.

Walking around the town of Stone Mountain. Yeah those hats were annoying and the slightest gust of wind blew them off. Alexis's sunglasses definitely took some getting used to, caught me off guard every time I looked at her during the first day haha.

Danger!

Arrived at lunch! Felt like it took a really long time to get there. I stopped believing anything they told me, was told "You're just a mile away!" for about 3 miles.

Every pit stop had a different theme, this one obvi Hawaiian. They gave out schedules everyday and the stops were open during a scheduled time frame.

So over the cowboy hats

These turtle bras made me laugh, they said it was because they were as slow as turtles.

Trotters fed and ready to walk again. They gave us Panera sandwiches, chips, an apple and a cookie everyday for lunch.

We walked from Stone Mountain through Avondale and then through Decatur. I loved walking through the neighborhoods and downtown Decatur, so many people out cheering and drivers would honk at us, we started feeling like celebrities as we would wave and say "thank you, thank you!"

Movie themed pit stop in downtown Decatur, sent a pic of this poster to Allison as we all know she kind of likes Twilight ;)

And sent this one to Chrissy, we walked into her wedding reception with music from Gone with the Wind.

They gave us soda only at dinner, and those who know me well know I can't have caffeine that late, so we had to make a stop at Jimmy John's to get a Diet Coke fix.

Celebrity trotter spotting on the red carpet! We would joke around saying that we're the famous Harlem Boob Trotters (only to each other), when Louisa wanted to get further up in line of the medic tent she was going to say, "Now I didn't want to have to do this, but I'm a boob trotter" haha.

This one neighborhood in Decatur had more Halloween decorations than I'd ever seen in my life, we decided they must have some kind of neighborhood contest. I made Louisa pose against her protests of "It's private property!"

Sheena posing with a mom and baby skeleton because she loves taking care of babies so much ;)

Needless to say I loved all the dogs that were out and dressed in pink :)

Finally entering Atlanta!

Walked through neighborhoods all around Little 5 Points, we even walked by Sheena's boss's house. So they had these "sweep vans" that went around cheering on the walkers and picking anyone up who needed help getting to the next stop or medical attention. They were all themed of course, 80's, island, can't remember what else, and had music blaring. We crossed the street to say hi to Sheena's boss right in front of one of the vans and they seemed very concerned that we were getting even slightly off course. Sheena's boss's son was out in the yard and one of the crew members from the van worriedly asked, "Do y'all know that little boy?" Like we were going to kidnap him or something, haha. Unfortunately that was not our first or last time being reprimanded for something :/ We're rebellious trotters what can we do?!

Princess trotters walking through the Little 5 Points town square

All walkers had to be done walking by 6:45pm and on the shuttle to take us to our base camp, the GA World Congress Center. Since we weren't chomping at the bit (my mom says that a lot) to get there and just sit by our tents for the rest of the night (or until 9pm when it was lights out) we thought we'd follow some other walkers' examples and stop for a beer. At The Porter Beer Bar, just about a mile from the end of day 1's route and had about an hour to go.

I was obsessed with this pumpkin Terrapin beer, fall in a glass. The beer definitely made that last mile a lot more fun!

At every pit stop there was TONS of food - granola bars, bananas, apples, wheat thins, chips, cheese string, bagels, etc. And supporters would have bowls of candy and treats for us to grab as we walked by, so I think it's safe to say no one will ever go hungry on the 3-Day. My friend Alison who was on crew and this one her 10th 3-Day calls it the 3-Day buffet.

Barely made it to the shuttle on time, after being told to leave the bar by a crew member, oops. We could hear them talking on their walky talkies, "There are walkers still at the Porter bar!" I think it's also safe to say that there's no shortage of liveliness and spirit on the 3-Day :) Please enjoy this beautiful music -

At the GWCC after a dinner of pasta, veggies and salad picked up our "sweet dreams treats," a piece of chocolate someone can order for you. A lady who lives in my building got me one, so sweet. That's Alison, the veteran 3-Day'er, in the blue tee and flair. I know my endless questions never got old, throughout the weekend I would text her stuff like "So what's going to happen now?" She never acted annoyed, so thanks for being so sweet and helpful Alison :)

Recaps of days 2-3 coming next!