Editor’s Note: The Journal-World’s Andrew Hartsock will participate in the Breast Cancer 3-Day, a walk to raise money for research, on Sept. 15-17. He’ll be keeping a diary of the event and preparations for LJWorld.com.

I had heard the commercials – “Three days, 60 miles, one step closer to a cure” – but never thought I’d participate in the Breast Cancer 3-Day walk for breast-cancer research until my wife asked about it.

“I’d like to do it,” Janice said.

Without looking up, I told her she should.

“I don’t know if I could do it. “

I assured her she’d be fine.

“It’s for a really good cause.”

Yes, it is.

“I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to finish.”

Finally, I took the hint and told her I’d do it with her.

And so it is, one week from today, Janice and I will put one foot in front of the other for 60 miles over three days.

Quite frankly, I can’t wait for it to begin.

The leadup to the event has been an event into itself.

First and foremost, the fundraising part has been quite an ordeal.

Each participant much promise to contribute $2,200 to the cause. That’s a $4,440 nut for the two of us. And though it’s for a good cause, that’s still some big coin. Organizers have all sorts of suggestions for how to raise the jack, from bake sales to garage sales to outright begging.

We held a garage sale, sold cookies, recycled aluminum cans, leaned on friends, relatives and coworkers, refinanced the house, donated plasma, auctioned off various family heirlooms and superfluous body parts and we’re still going to end up writing a rather large personal check to make up the difference.

But, hey, it’s for a good cause. And it’s tax-deductible.

When not fundraising, we also found a little time to “train” for the event. We walked just about every day, progressing from around-the-neighborhood strolls to longer treks on the bike-and-hike trail.

We dragged the kids along on most of the training walks. They rode bikes as we walked.

And though we haven’t gone as far as any one of the Three-Day’s three days – about 21 miles each of the first two days, around 17 on Day Three – we have logged some serious sneaker time.

So, why blog about the experience?

Because the boss asked me to, of course. And by agreeing to blog, I felt better about asking him up for a donation.

He came through, so I need to, too.