Earlier this year, radio ads promoting the Rocky Mountain Avon Walk for Breast Cancer peaked Julie Strauch’s interest.”I’m turning 40 this year, and it’s time for me to be more health conscious,” said Strauch, a Black Forest resident.She attended an information meeting about the two-day Walk for Breast Cancer and signed up as a participant along with her sister, Teresa Clemans, who lives in Fountain.The Avon Walk is held in nine locations across the country. The walk has previously been held in Denver, but this year it moves to the Keystone Resort.The mission of the Avon Walk is to raise money and awareness for research, prevention and treatment of breast cancer. Since 1992, the Avon Foundation has donated $450 million nationally. Since 2000, the foundation has donated $5.4 million to breast cancer charities, researchers and hospitals in Denver and the surrounding region.Each person joining the walk pledges to raise a minimum of $1,800 and walk up to 39 miles – a distance equaling a marathon and a half.”I was concerned that you have to get $1,800 to participate,” Strauch said. “I don’t have breast cancer, and no one in my family does, but it doesn’t mean we won’t. I wanted a way to give back.”Strauch set her fundraising goal at $2,500 and exceeded it, raising $2,618 through e-mails and letters asking for donations from friends, family and co-workers.”I couldn’t have asked for more support,” Strauch said. “People will give, you just have to ask.”Clemans set her goal at $1,800 and passed it by $76.”When Julie asked me to do the walk I said, ‘are you nuts?'” Clemans said. “But my mother-in-law was a 14-year survivor of breast cancer and I decided I can do this.”With two kids in college, Clemans worried more about raising money than walking a marathon.She sent 45 letters to business associates, family and friends and received 27 donations. “People who I expected to donate didn’t and people who I didn’t think would did,” she said. Clemans said she was impressed by the people who donated.Each sister trained individually. “You have to stay motivated with the things you are doing,” Strauch said.Strauch said she trains mostly on her treadmill, spending two hours a day building endurance. On Saturdays, she gets up at 6 a.m. for longer walks. She also is gearing up for a 21-mile walk in Black Forest before taking it easy the last week prior to the breast cancer walk.On her off days, Clemans walks four days a week and takes water aerobics and other cross-training classes at the gym.”This has been really good to get me back in the gym,” Clemans said. She said she plans to continue a regular workout schedule after she completes the breast cancer walk.And she is stepping it up a notch. “After being on the treadmill for a few hours, you start hallucinating about ways to torture yourself more,” she said. “That’s how I came up with the idea to sign up for the Georgetown to Idaho Springs half-marathon Aug. 9,” she said.Strauch and Clemans said the Avon Walk organization keeps them motivated. They were each assigned a walk buddy who checks in regularly via phone calls and e-mails.Avon Walk organizes training walks, and Clemans said she was encouraged after attending one at Garden of the Gods. “The walk leader said this path had more hills than the one in the mountains,” she said. “I’m excited, if I can do this, I’ll be fine for the actual walk.”As the weekend of the walk approaches, both sisters said they are proud of their accomplishments.”My goal is to complete the 39 miles,” Strauch said. “But even if I don’t, it’s been a great experience.”The Rocky Mountain Avon Walk is scheduled to be held June 28-29.
