My annual 3-Day, 60-Mile Walk knows two speeds – fleeting and gone. The time leading up to my departure to my beloved former home in San Diego is jam-packed.

• Coordination of which family members will be here (and when) for Momcare
• Preparing meals to freeze for said family members to prepare while here
• Packing for the trip that is part vacation (my only one of the year) and 3-Day Walking.

Then when I get back, it’s full-on speed to the holidays. So, that’s my excuse for the delay in posting about the 2024 San Diego 3-Day Walk. How did I do? Are you buying it?

2024 San Diego 3-Day Walk

One change to this year’s Walk that I was thrilled about was the event’s date. For several years, the Walk landed on the weekend before Thanksgiving. That has been a real problem for me.

Because my teammate(s) and I always treat ourselves to a spa day after the Walk, my trip spills over to the Monday and Tuesday of Thanksgiving week. My brother who flies in from Atlanta or my cousin from Chicago would be hit with HUGE spikes in airfare. Also, multiple teammates have been unable to participate due to the proximity to Thanksgiving.

So, when I noticed the Walk fell two weeks before Thanksgiving, I was ecstatic. And the good news is the same is true for the 2025 San Diego 3-Day Walk.

Day One Filled with Trepidation

If you follow me on this journey (thank you!), you know I was dealing with significant foot issues prior to the Walk. My old, twisted toes rub against each other and cause calluses.

I’ve had them for years. In the past, my use of what I call toe condoms 😉 have taken care of the problem.

This year even the toe condoms and soaking my feet in Epsom salt did not prevent the pain once I hit a few miles into walking. And walking 20 miles a day for the Walk qualifies as a tad more than “a few miles.” So, I did not know what to expect for my 21st Walk.

Toe-rrific Results

Feet slapping pavement for 20+ miles tend to swell. At times, the toe protectors felt like they were strangling my poor abused toes. So, this Walk saw me taking to the curb to adjust/remove the toe protectors, which left my toes singing in jubilation. Those slight changes worked, and I was good to continue on.

A happy bonus about the 3-Day is the amount of love and support you receive along the way. Each time I sat on a curb or wall to fix my feet, multiple walkers asked if I was okay and did I need any help. If you haven’t experienced the Pink Bubble (as we call the 3-Day Community), you don’t know what you’re missing.

The “Hills”

Every 3-Day Walker talks about “the hills.” On each day, we encounter one major hill/climb/elevation. You can get a visual of what are laughingly called hills in this short video. My personal goal each year is to get up them without stopping.

Day One – Torrey Pines – Elevation: 1100+ feet

This is the longest of the three. I know many walkers who find this the most challenging. The toughest thing for me in the past was climbing it without stopping to pick up my lung. I am happy to report for the last several years I’ve accomplished a non-stop climb – including the 2024 Walk.

Day Two – Narragansett Nemesis

This is the “hill” that kicks my butt more than any other. It’s about half the length of Torrey Pines but oh so steep. Doing this climb in one fell swoop is a real feat for me.

Last year I encountered a severe case of nausea while tackling my nemesis. So, I was uncertain what to expect this year. Well, color me surprised. Not only did I navigate Narangansett without stopping, I did it in what seemed like record time – for me. Yay!

Day Three – Winning Juan Street

Day Three’s hill is the one I hear the most complaints about from other walkers. Perhaps it’s because just when you get to the top of Juan Street, your jubilation is cut short as you turn the corner. There’s another climb – much shorter but it can mess with your mind.

I do my best imitation of a slow-moving train on this climb (I call myself Captain Caboose as I typically take up the rear). But I have managed this one without stopping for several years now. Definitely slow but still moving. 2024 was no exception.

Special People

As I said, the Pink Bubble is a special experience. Every year as teammates and I question if we have another year in us, we do the current Walk and meet such special people.

Every person has a story, and the shared experience rejuvenates the soul in reminding us why we walk 60 miles in 3 days. The short video highlights a small number of those special people.

If you need more time reading the quote from author, Bryant McGill, about Kintsugi, I’ve included it below.

All beautiful things carry distinctions of imperfection. Your wounds and imperfections are your beauty. Like Kintsugi, the Japanese art of mending broken pottery with gold, we are all perfectly imperfect. Breakage and mending are honest parts of a past which should not be hidden. Your wounds and healing are a part of your history; a part of who you are. Every beautiful thing is damaged. You are that beauty; we all are.

— Bryant McGill

Thank you, Curtis, for such a special gift. I am so glad to have met you and Jeff. I can’t believe we forgot to take a photo together. Next year! 🙂

That’s a Wrap

Fortunately, the only thing being wrapped is another successful year of walking 60 miles in 3 days. And, of course, I am already signed up for 2025 and raising funds for my 22nd Walk. When I started this journey way back in 2003, I never intended to walk beyond that first Walk.

But as new friends, Curtis and Jeff found out, the Pink Bubble hooks you. 😉

Walk on.