Snapshot: Menlo mom will walk full and half marathon Snapshot: Menlo mom will walk full and half marathon (July 07, 2004)

The cause: Avon Walk for Breast Cancer

By Marjorie Mader
Almanac Staff Writer

Sally-Ann Cooper never dreamed of walking a marathon.

She couldn't imagine walking a full (26.2 mile) marathon one day, then a half (13.1 mile) marathon the next.

But, that's exactly what this Menlo Park mom plans to do on Saturday and Sunday, July 10 and 11, when she joins 1,800 others in San Francisco for the annual Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.

The walk takes off from Chrissy Field in San Francisco early Saturday morning, crosses the Golden Gate Bridge and dips into Marin County and Mill Valley. Walkers, who can pick up drinks and snacks along the route, return to the Avon "Wellness Village" at Chrissy Field, where they can take hot showers, eat meals prepared by Avon, and sleep in two-person tents -- in preparation for the next day's half-marathon.

Talking Lyceum

Sally's decision to sign up for the fundraising walk came after months of walking on Stanford's Dish Hill, covering the 5-mile loop from Alpine Road up Piers Lane and back. Her walking companion was JuneAn Lanigan of Ladera. Sometimes, Gretchen Flanagan from Menlo Park joined them.

A frequent topic of conversation: the Menlo Park Lyceum, a volunteer-driven program that offers workshops for school children and field trips for families. Sally is Lyceum president and she recruited JuneAn as treasurer. Both were involved in the Lyceum's major decision to offer online registration.

"JuneAn suggested that I consider doing the Avon Walk," says Sally. JuneAn had participated in the walk last summer after losing a friend who had breast cancer. She wanted to organize a team of 10 women this year.

Over a potluck dinner in February at the Lanigan home, Sally met friends of JuneAn's who had walked in the event, and others who were interested in entering. They learned how to sign up online and use the Web site (www.Avonwalk.com) to e-mail prospective donors.

"Every aspect that seemed so daunting is covered on the Web site," says Sally. "It's really a wonderful system."

She created her own home page linked to the Avon site, personalizing requests she e-mailed to friends, who can make contributions online. Before leaving for London June 14, Sally had raised almost $5,000.

"I felt very bold about sending e-mails because it is such a good cause," says Sally, in her distinctly British accent and friendly manner. She is walking in memory of an English friend who died of breast cancer last year.

Sally, at 43 a newcomer to these fundraising athletic events, started training walks in February with friends three times a week. Then, every other Saturday, the group of 10 took part in Avon group training walks, starting at 7 a.m. They increased the number of miles progressively and walked routes along varying terrains in Los Gatos, Portola Valley Ranch, the Almaden Quicksilver Trail, and Sawyer Camp Trail in the Crystal Springs Reservoir area.

The last big walk, says Sally, was 20 miles at Crystal Springs, followed by an 11-mile loop around the Palo Alto Baylands the next day.

"I've really enjoyed the training and the friendships," says Sally, who now walks 4 miles per hour over a 20-mile route.

"It's not a race," she says of the Avon walk. "It's about finishing and raising money."

Her kids -- Libby, 13, and Lyall, 10, -- and husband Piers Cooper are intrigued that she is spending so much time and diligence in training. At dinner time, the family talks about the walk, the training, and the importance of being involved in raising funds for breast cancer research. "It's very important to me," she says. Statistics show a woman has one in eight chances of developing invasive breast cancer.

The Coopers moved from London to Menlo Park eight years ago. Sally had worked in banking in the United Kingdom, for the treasury department of American Express in London and Geneva, and with investment managers here. Last year, she opened her own business -- Menlo Money Matters, a personalized paperwork management service.

E-mail Marjorie Mader at mmader@AlmanacNews.com

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