60km for Weekend to End Breast Cancer raises $7.1 Million

Submitted by Jean Scott
 

Yes!  I did it!  I finished the 60 km walk for the Weekend to End Breast Cancer on Sunday, August 14 along with 2280 of my fellow walkers.  There were 2281 walkers that raised 7.1 MILLION DOLLARS for breast cancer research in Calgary the weekend of August 13-14.  Each walker had to commit to raising a minimum of $2000 before they were allowed to walk.  I was able to raise approximately $3200 through the generous support of friends and family members.  Just a totally awesome experience.

(Shown at top right:  left to right, Cathy Perry, Terri Kinsman & Jean Scott, photographed at the 51km mark, still with enough energy left to be smiling.)

I had done my training walks — about 16km/day walking to and from work.  I felt in great shape — both mentally and physically to do this walk.  However, reality seeped in around the 25 km mark that it wasn’t going to be an easy task.  We did 35 kms on Saturday and finished with 25 kms on Sunday.  We stretched every hour, hydrated ourselves with water and sports drinks, ate the snacks and took time out to rest.  The muscle aches, the sore toes and ankles were totally unexpected.  Saturday evening, I didn’t think I would be able to take another step.  The last thought I had before I went to sleep — around 8:30pm! — was, ‘I’m not going to make it.’  However, I felt surprisingly well on Sunday morning and almost sprang out of bed to get going on the last leg of the walk.  A totally intense two days.

The emotional and physical demands of this type of walk cannot really be explained to anyone that wasn’t there walking the route alongside you.  There were resting and eating stations strategically laid out along the route, along with Medic stations.  Seeing the state of some of those women’s feet and their determination to keep going was inspiring.  There were a few people in wheelchairs that would go as far as they could go with help from a team mate and then ride in a sweep vehicle to the next take off station and get back out on the route.  I practically had to have a sweep vehicle kidnap my friend Cathy, before she would stop walking to get her blistered feet iced and bandaged.  She was determined to continue and finish we did!

My thoughts were of my mother and her four bouts of cancer, and my friends, Janey, Darlene and Penny, all who have fought hard through their pain just to live.  I couldn’t let you down, ladies, not with the feeble excuse of sore feet or ankles.  You were my inspiration and the help I needed to take each step.  Once, I got to the last 1.2 kms I knew that I had my goal in sight and by keeping you in my thoughts; I made it to the end.

The long line of smiling faces, and cheering well wishers and fellow walkers, lining the way to the finish line was an emotional moment like no other I had ever experienced.  The closing ceremonies when, we the walkers, entered the Corral to an incredible roar of cheering and clapping from family and friends was amazing.  Then the walkers that were survivors came in!  What a deafening roar of cheers!  Everyone cheering and clapping for those incredibly courageous women!  I wished you could have been there.  It was a moment that everyone should have been a part of.  In reality, I played a very small part and undertook a short walk of 60 km, while the survivors showed us all, what true courage, spirit and commitment was all about.  The thought of not being able to make it was selfish.

These ladies never had the option of saying they were too tired, too weak or too achy to go through the surgery or treatment of breast cancer.  I am so proud I could play such a small part in the raising of 7.1 MILLION DOLLARS for breast cancer research.

I did it!  The energy and cheering from the closing ceremony had me in a weakened, emotional state because I signed up to do it all over again next year!!!!