Ann Gregory on her Susan G. Komen 3 Day for the Cure Walk {guest writer} – The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans LLC

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{Ann Gregory has been around the Sisterhood for AGES! She’s one of our favorites (every Sister has one!), and also one of our most supportive members. Two weekends ago Ann did something amazing – she walked 60 miles in 3 days. Ca you even imagine? She’s stopped in today to share her very inspirational story……so give it up for Ann – our 3 Day Walk champion!}

This past weekend I walked the Susan G. Komen 3 Day for the Cure. I can honestly say it ranks as one of best 5 things I have ever done! This was truly an experience that made me feel like I was more than a wife and mother. It gave me a purpose other than preparing meals, doing laundry and teaching That Other Kid (all worthwhile for our family but very mundane!)

This is Glenna…the reason I decided this was the year to “put your words into action” and walk the 3 Day for the Cure that I have wanted to do for years! She came down to join me for lunch on Saturday – the roughest day of the weekend for me! I’m so blessed to have her in my life and I’m so glad she didn’t let cancer beat her!

As a wife and mother I usually devote my attention to caring for my family. Rarely do I do something just because I want to make a difference in someone else’s life, but this weekend that’s what I did. Rarely do I do something purely for me. This weekend I did. Rarely do I do something that I have such a strong commitment to that I feel good about when I’m done. This weekend I did. Like most Americans I usually don’t follow through on things that I start doing. This weekend I followed through on the commitment that I made in July to walk the Komen 3 Day. Not only did I train for this event, but I raised more than $2300 to help find a cure for breast cancer {WAY TO GO, Ann!}. Then I followed up by walking 60 miles in 3 days!

Now that the Komen 3 Day is over for the year, I’m experiencing many emotions that I wasn’t prepared for. I was so exhilarated while I was walking. I felt on top of the world; like I could do anything I set my mind (and feet to). I felt as if I couldn’t be stopped.

I saw so many people this weekend with the same goal in mind – finding a cure for breast cancer. I walked with a woman on my team who was diagnosed with breast cancer last October and has gone through chemo, radiation, surgery, etc ALL while training TO WALK THE 3 DAY! She walked all 60 miles and was smiling, laughing and SERVING several other women on my team along the way!

Definitely applies here!

The lady on the far left is Yvette! She’s one of my heroes..the lady on my team I just mentioned!

All along the route people came out to cheer us on throughout our 60 miles. Many of these people spent the whole weekend following our route and setting up cheering stations and supporting us. Many of these people have a very personal reason for supporting us.

In case you can’t tell the top of her head says thank you! This one brought me to instant tears!

Some just wanted to say thank you for making a difference.There were times when I cried because there were so many people at a cheering station. There were times when we were walking that I was so physically and mentally exhausted I cried. There were times when I was in pain and wanted to cry, but I knew the discomfort I was in was NOTHING compared to the pain of breast cancer and all that goes with it. There were a few times I thought I could go on forever and there were times I didn’t think I could take another step!

There were times when the signs I saw posted along the route kept me going – “It’s kind of fun to do the impossible” really spoke to me!