Even though I’ve finished a marathon (26.2 miles), half marathon and numerous 5K’s I’ve always been a bit skeptical about 3 day walks. To walk 60 miles over three days! I thought I was going to die at the end of one marathon. How can someone do more than three times that length over 3 days?

Apparently it is possible and there are plenty of people willing to lace up their shoes and go for it. In fact 1,900 people began a three day walk yesterday in Boston. Why? It’s all to help fund cancer research, benefiting the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation and the National Philanthropic Trust Breast Cancer Fund.

Unlike a marathon or other event, the 3 day is not a race. It takes a completely different strategy.

One dedicated walker described it this way:

“You get tired. You tend to lose your sense of humor after lunch a little bit,” said Judi Maguire of Marlborough, whose six-member team is called the Sunflower Girls. The key is to remember “it’s not a race. You have to pace yourself. … You get into the zone after awhile.”

The Sunflower Girls do a whole lot of walking, Maguire said. They’ve done the Walk for Hunger, Race for the Cure and walks to benefit MS, AIDS and SIDS research. They’ve also walked with Milford’s Scialdone, who couldn’t get to Albany to train with her teammates on a regular basis.

Source: Milford Daily News

Just like any long distance event training is really important. The mental and physical training prepares you for race day. Even just as important is that for many charity athletic events, one of the great motivators is the charity. Walkers keep on going because they’ve made a commitment to help promote and raise funds for a cause. It’s what keep you putting one foot in front of another!