Fall Post Season

Some photos from Nike

Courtesy of Amy Byrd

Congratulations to all of you who completed your marathon and half marathon season. It was a lot of fun for all of us. We hope you choose to stay active with Team In Training.

Nike finishers check out your results on the link to Nike Women's Marathon.

Your coaches, mentors & staff.

Fall Season Week 21

Mission Moment
As many of you know, last Friday I went in for my PT, CT, MRI scans to see how 16 rounds of radiation and 6 rounds of chemotherapy affected my cancer. Today I met with my oncologist to go over scans.

And he gave me the best news that I could possibly ever hear.

"COMPLETE REMISSION."

So I would just like to thank all the people that have run for me, has prayed for me, has sent all their wishes to me because together we kicked my cancer's ASS!
I love you all!
Byron



There is no happiness except in the realization that we have accomplished something. - Henry Ford

Training Tip
Race Strategy: Getting it right the first time

By John "Penguin" Bingham



One of the most important things you can do as race day approaches is to develop a race strategy. Spending some time thinking and planning can make the difference between having a great time and having the longest day of their life.

Developing a race strategy requires you to look honestly at your training and overall readiness for the race. Second, it requires you to define your goals and look at them realistically and third, it will give you something against which they can gauge their race as it's happening.

You need three race day strategies:

Plan A would be one where everything went perfectly; you sleep well the night before the race, you wake up feeling rested and refreshed, the day is perfect and you've brought exactly the right clothes.


Plan B would be the one where you show up with most of what you need, you manage to get in a few hours of restless sleep, you wake up grumpy, the forecast is for the chance of rain with the possibility of blistering sun or hail. Its 29 degrees at the start but it's suppose to get to the mid 90's by noon.


Plan C, the "doomsday scenario" strategy is where your luggage was lost and you had to buy everything new at the race expo, you didn't sleep a wink because there was a wedding reception in the room next door, you wake up feeling hung over even though you didn't drink a drop, it's cold and damp or it's Death Valley hot and dry, the wind-chill index is 60 degrees below zero or the heat index is 140 degrees and the race starts an hour and a half late.


There is no right strategy. There is only YOUR strategy. But, it is important that you develop SOME KIND OF strategy. You don't want to see all of your hard work and training fall apart because you failed to have a strategy.

You Need to Know Before You Go
1. Your goals, strategy, and objectives have to work together
2. Be prepared to change your goals on race day
3. Be prepared to change your goals as the race unfolds
4. Keep your objectives firmly in your mind
5. If you can't be well prepared, be well rested
6. There is no such thing as the perfect race
7. Imagining a race is not the same as running/walking it
8. A bad strategy is worse than no strategy

Frequently Asked Questions
HOW CAN I STAY INVOLVED?
Join the Team In Training Volunteer Commitee. Mission Team (1 lead, up to 10)
- Select potential honored patients for upcoming seasons and events
- Provide honored patient’s with information and expectations
- Organize all Honored Patient Potlucks with Relationship Team
- Provide a patient banner for each season for all participants to put the name of their honored patient
- Provide Mission Moments at each coach-led training
- Coordinate Thank You cards and gifts to honored patients and their family members
- Coordinate Thank You’s from honored patients to participants at recommitment and end of season
- Coordinate all honored patient photos and names for event weekend jerseys/singlets


Recruitment Team (1 lead, up to 10)
- Generate contacts with the Media (radio, newspaper, television) and pitch stories and/or setup partnerships
- Provide race directors with season brochures for all local event packets
- Coordinate volunteers for “In The Bag” deliveries
- Coordinate monthly flyering at trailheads
- Coordinate volunteers for local event start/finish line tent setup, event flyering and event waterstations
- Support the staff once per season by attending call night


Relationship Team (1 lead, up to 10)
- Coordinate the Annual Alumni Triathlon and BBQ (August)
- Coordinate the Annual Community Partner Event (May)
- Coordinate the Annual Holiday Party (December)
- Coordinate all season Bon Voyage Parties (3 per year)
- Coordiante all Season Kickoffs (3 per year)
- Coordinate all Pub Nights (3 months per year)
- Take Photos of team and provide to staff (first group training, mock marathon, bon voyage)
- Gather birthdates and provide cards to current team and alumni
- Coordinate Special Events (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Valentines Day etc. if the time in the season permits it)

Training Support Team
Mentors (6 participants to 1 mentor preferred)
- Attend season mentor training
- Provide fundraising support to all assigned participants by:
- Setup a team meeting to determine fundraising goals and establish tactics
- Provide encouragement and support for a team fundraising event
- Attend 75% of coach-led trainings, team meetings and events
- Provide a weekly buddy training
- Contact participants weekly by phone or email
- Achieve 65% team retention
- Support all participants during training and at their event (never train alone or with your own friends)
Mentor Captain (1)
- Recruit mentors from current and past teams based upon performance (number 1 requirement is fundraising ability)
- Conduct mentor training each season
- Assign Mentor’s to each participant based on geographic area (zip code)
- Receive all mentor information and communicate to staff
Assistant Coach (1 per sport per team)
- Provide leadership for Saturday coach-led training two times per month
- Provide weekly Check-In/Check-Out sheet and stay at training and events until all participants have checked back in
- Attend 75% of coach-led trainings, team meetings and events
- Provide water, cups, Powerade, bars and gu stations for all group trainings (be sure to give receipts to staff for reimbursement)
- Attend assigned local and national events
- Keep cell phone on at all times, program coaches and staff into cell phone, have a list of participant emergency contacts on hand at all trainings and events
- Provide CPR or First Aid to participants when medically necessary
- If hospitalization is required, follow participant to hospital and wait for staff or family to arrive
Head Coach (1 per sport per team)
- Provide leadership for Saturday coach-led training two times per month
- Coordinate at least one weekday training (hill or speed)
- Encourage, motivate, and inspire participants to do their best
- Lead all presentations regarding proper attire, footwear, stretching, proper techniques, rest and recovery, injury prevention, nutrition, etc.
- Detail all training routes and communicate in weekly message as well as handouts at trainings
- Attend 75% of coach-led trainings, team meetings and events
- Provide speakers and support for all team clinics
- Provide weekly Check-In/Check-Out sheet and stay at training and events until all participants have checked back in
- Determine water stop location and communicate to assistant coaches
- Attend assigned local and national events
- Keep cell phone on at all times, program coaches and staff into cell phone, have a list of participant emergency contacts on hand at all trainings and events
- Provide CPR or First Aid to participants when medically necessary
- If hospitalization is required, follow participant to hospital and wait for staff or family to arrive

Fall Season Week 20

There is no happiness except in the realization that we have accomplished something. - Henry Ford

Congratulations to all the City of Trees participants. It was a cold and rainy day, but everyone had smiles on their faces.
Congratulations, also, to the Sawtooth Challenge participants. We understand that it was quite a challenge with sub-freezing temperatures. We look forward to hearing the stories.

We are very proud of all of you who have completed your events, and those of you who will be doing yours in 2 weeks. It's been an amazing 5 months with lots aches and pains, long trainings and steep hills, awesome social events and fundraisers, tears of joy and tears of disappointment. We love you all and we love the time and experiences we've had with you.

Training Tip
For those of you who've completed your events, take a few days off from training, relax and revel in your accomplishments. Brag and gloat to your friends, family and colleagues. Show off your medals. You've earned the right.

Nike Participants
This last two weeks is important. Pay attention for a proper taper.
Nutrition - Continue to eat a high carb diet. Get quality, complex carbs, not junk food and sodas. Increase your protein intake a little. Don't forget your electrolytes.
Rest - Make sure you get plenty of rest. Rest is important for muscle recovery.
Training - Continue to train according to your schedule. This week you should cut your total weekly miles by about half of what it has been. Next week cut it another 30%. Keep your trainings at a high intensity. Make sure you get your body temperature up enough to work up a good sweat.

Frequently Asked Questions
HOW CAN I STAY INVOLVED?
Join the Team In Training Volunteer Commitee. Mission Team (1 lead, up to 10)
- Select potential honored patients for upcoming seasons and events
- Provide honored patient’s with information and expectations
- Organize all Honored Patient Potlucks with Relationship Team
- Provide a patient banner for each season for all participants to put the name of their honored patient
- Provide Mission Moments at each coach-led training
- Coordinate Thank You cards and gifts to honored patients and their family members
- Coordinate Thank You’s from honored patients to participants at recommitment and end of season
- Coordinate all honored patient photos and names for event weekend jerseys/singlets


Recruitment Team (1 lead, up to 10)
- Generate contacts with the Media (radio, newspaper, television) and pitch stories and/or setup partnerships
- Provide race directors with season brochures for all local event packets
- Coordinate volunteers for “In The Bag” deliveries
- Coordinate monthly flyering at trailheads
- Coordinate volunteers for local event start/finish line tent setup, event flyering and event waterstations
- Support the staff once per season by attending call night


Relationship Team (1 lead, up to 10)
- Coordinate the Annual Alumni Triathlon and BBQ (August)
- Coordinate the Annual Community Partner Event (May)
- Coordinate the Annual Holiday Party (December)
- Coordinate all season Bon Voyage Parties (3 per year)
- Coordiante all Season Kickoffs (3 per year)
- Coordinate all Pub Nights (3 months per year)
- Take Photos of team and provide to staff (first group training, mock marathon, bon voyage)
- Gather birthdates and provide cards to current team and alumni
- Coordinate Special Events (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Valentines Day etc. if the time in the season permits it)

Training Support Team
Mentors (6 participants to 1 mentor preferred)
- Attend season mentor training
- Provide fundraising support to all assigned participants by:
- Setup a team meeting to determine fundraising goals and establish tactics
- Provide encouragement and support for a team fundraising event
- Attend 75% of coach-led trainings, team meetings and events
- Provide a weekly buddy training
- Contact participants weekly by phone or email
- Achieve 65% team retention
- Support all participants during training and at their event (never train alone or with your own friends)
Mentor Captain (1)
- Recruit mentors from current and past teams based upon performance (number 1 requirement is fundraising ability)
- Conduct mentor training each season
- Assign Mentor’s to each participant based on geographic area (zip code)
- Receive all mentor information and communicate to staff
Assistant Coach (1 per sport per team)
- Provide leadership for Saturday coach-led training two times per month
- Provide weekly Check-In/Check-Out sheet and stay at training and events until all participants have checked back in
- Attend 75% of coach-led trainings, team meetings and events
- Provide water, cups, Powerade, bars and gu stations for all group trainings (be sure to give receipts to staff for reimbursement)
- Attend assigned local and national events
- Keep cell phone on at all times, program coaches and staff into cell phone, have a list of participant emergency contacts on hand at all trainings and events
- Provide CPR or First Aid to participants when medically necessary
- If hospitalization is required, follow participant to hospital and wait for staff or family to arrive
Head Coach (1 per sport per team)
- Provide leadership for Saturday coach-led training two times per month
- Coordinate at least one weekday training (hill or speed)
- Encourage, motivate, and inspire participants to do their best
- Lead all presentations regarding proper attire, footwear, stretching, proper techniques, rest and recovery, injury prevention, nutrition, etc.
- Detail all training routes and communicate in weekly message as well as handouts at trainings
- Attend 75% of coach-led trainings, team meetings and events
- Provide speakers and support for all team clinics
- Provide weekly Check-In/Check-Out sheet and stay at training and events until all participants have checked back in
- Determine water stop location and communicate to assistant coaches
- Attend assigned local and national events
- Keep cell phone on at all times, program coaches and staff into cell phone, have a list of participant emergency contacts on hand at all trainings and events
- Provide CPR or First Aid to participants when medically necessary
- If hospitalization is required, follow participant to hospital and wait for staff or family to arrive

Mission Moment
Camryn Lee Mikels
Arleta, CA
Living with Leukemia - rare type for 2 years
Age: 3

My name is Camryn, and I am almost 3 years old so my mommy is writing for me. I had APL (Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia) and had a bone marrow transplant on October 20, 2006. I was in the hospital for 38 days and I am pleased to say that I did super well! I was able to go home and celebrate Christmas with my family.

On January 28, 2007 I reached my first big milestone of 100 days. My doctors are very pleased with my progress! I'm a survivor, I've beaten my leukemia and now I getting stronger and stronger everyday! May we work to find a cure so that other kids don't have to go through what I did. God is good...always good!

Fall Season Week 19

Every ceiling, when reached, becomes a floor, upon which one walks as a matter of course and prescriptive right. - Aldous Huxley

Fundraising Tip
Start sending Thank you letters to your donors right away. Nothing can replace a thoughful note from you, expressing your gratitude.

Training Tip
Pre and Post Race Tips for the Newbie
from The Running Doc at Runnersworld.com

Mission Moment
MO
Living with Hodgkin Lymphoma for 2 years, 11 months
Age: 25

I found out I was pregnant in December 2004. We were so excited and couldn't wait to meet our baby in August 2005.

Then, in February 2005, a huge lump appeared on my neck. I went to see my family doctor and he didn't seem too concerned about it and made an appointment for me to see a plastic surgeon. A couple of weeks later, I met with the plastic surgeon and he seemed more concerned. He said he wanted to know a little bit more about what he was removing so he sent me to an Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor.

I went to see the ENT on March 21, 2005. I was 19 weeks pregnant at the time. The doctor felt the lump on my neck and under my arms. He basically said, "It's either a virus or it's Hodgkin's and I don't think it's a virus." I had tests done a couple of days later that confirmed that it was Hodgkin's.

I chose to visit MD Anderson in Houston where they attempted to stage me safely and not to interfere with the baby at all. I was staged at IIB. I came home and carried on a normal pregnancy.

Because my breathing was getting harder, we decided to induce at 32 weeks. He wasn't ready and therefore the induction failed. We tried again at 34 but he still wouldn't come. Finally, on July 21, 2005, 4 months to the day I was diagnosed, Hunter came into the world. He was perfectly healthy and beautiful.

2 weeks after giving birth, I had a CT and PET scan that revealed the cancer to be stage IIIB. I had 6 months of ABVD. This ended in January and then I was retested. None of the tests were coming out clear but when they did, I only required 3 weeks of radiation.

I have been cancer-free since July 11, 2006. It was the hardest thing that I have ever done, but it is a journey that I will never forget. My precious son and I will always have a special connection. He was what I needed to make it through this battle and I can't wait to be able to share that with him someday. We are fighters, we are survivors, we are strong.

Fall Season Week 18

I discovered it wasn't a matter of physical strength, but a matter of psychological strength. The conquest lay within my own mind to penetrate those barriers of self-imposed limitations and get through to good stuff- the stuff called potential, 90 percent of which we rarely use. - Sharon Wood, First North American Woman to Climb Mt. Everest

Fundraising Tip
Send a press release to your contacts in the media regarding your training and your upcoming event.

Training Tip
Race Strategy: Getting it right the first time

By John "Penguin" Bingham



One of the most important things you, as a participant, can do as race day approaches is to develop a race strategy. Spending some time thinking and planning can make the difference between having a great time and having the longest day of your life.

Developing a race strategy requires you to look honestly and your training and their overall readiness for the race. Second, it requires you to define your goals and look at them realistically and third, it will give you something against which you can gauge your race as it's happening.

You need three race day strategies:

Plan A would be one where everything went perfectly; you sleep well the night before the race, you wake up feeling rested and refreshed, the day is perfect and you've brought exactly the right clothes.


Plan B would be the one where you show up with most of what you need, you manage to get in a few hours of restless sleep, you wake up grumpy, the forecast is for the chance of rain with the possibility of blistering sun or hail. Its 29 degrees at the start but it's suppose to get to the mid 90's by noon.


Plan C, the "doomsday scenario" strategy is where your luggage was lost and you had to buy everything new at the race expo, you didn't sleep a wink because there was a wedding reception in the room next door, you wake up feeling hung over even though you didn't drink a drop, it's cold and damp or it's Death Valley hot and dry, the wind-chill index is 60 degrees below zero or the heat index is 140 degrees and the race starts an hour and a half late.


There is no right strategy. There is only YOUR strategy. But, it is important that you develop SOME KIND OF strategy. You don't want to see all of your hard work and training fall apart because you failed to have a strategy.

You Need to Know Before You Go
1. Your goals, strategy, and objectives have to work together
2. Be prepared to change your goals on race day
3. Be prepared to change your goals as the race unfolds
4. Keep your objectives firmly in your mind
5. If you can't be well prepared, be well rested
6. There is no such thing as the perfect race
7. Imagining a race is not the same as running/walking it
8. A bad strategy is worse than no strategy


Mission Moment
Amy Griffin Grady
Zebulon, NC
Living with CML for 1 year, 5 months
Age: 31

I'm 30 years old and have Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML). Most days I'm scared to death and try to just make it through the day. I just started working and feel a little better.

Fall Season Week 17

Congratulations to Super Byron and to every one of you who are making it possible for him!

Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true. - Leon J. Suenes

Fundraising Tip
Email your monthly update reminding others to donate. This is a great way to keep people up to date with your training and fundraising progress. It's also a great time to update your potential donors on your honored patients status.

Training Tip
Essentials of Endurance Recovery
#1: Water, water, water:
The backbone of any recovery program is always water - and more specifically hydration! Water alone can give substantial benefit in your recovery, but even greater gains can be found combining it with other nutrients. However, no other nutrient or magic pill will work without water as its backbone. All cellular reactions, including the basis of ATP production (electron transport-oxydative phosphorylation) require water and oxygen. Without water, the entire process of converting nutrients to glycogen and protein is limited. Choose water first, whether by itself, in a formulated sports drink or through foods such as fruits.
Keep in mind that the average fluid loss during exercise: 1-2 liters (33.6 to 67.2 ounces) per hour. Some individuals may lose even more than that during intense workouts/races in extreme heat and humidity!
It is recommended to drink 20-24 ounces of fluid in recovery for every pound of body weight lost during exercise.

#2: Replenish your carbs:
Following water, the second most important nutrient group to consider is not proteins, but carbohydrates. The primary fuel source for endurance athletes is glycogen…period! If you don't restore your fuel, you aren't going anywhere fast, and some carbohydrates are better than others at restoring glycogen to the working muscles. Keep in mind that a window of opportunity exists where your depleted muscles open their acceptance to this fuel, further allowing for maximum replenishment. Depending on what data you reference, this window is somewhere between 20 minutes and two hours following exercise. To keep things simple, always try to start your recovery immediately following exercise. During this time, insulin sensitivity is at is highest. Insulin, which allows sugar to flow into your bloodstream, works most efficiently immediately following exercise. In addition, high glycemic carbohydrates are broken down easily and further increase the flow of glucose into the bloodstream. This glucose can then be converted to glycogen in your working muscles, in essence 'filling your tank.' To ensure you have refilled your glycogen fuel tank to the top, always practice using a high glycemic recovery product/food immediately following exercise. Glucose (also known as dextrose), a high glycemic carbohydrate, is twice as effective at restoring muscle glycogen as fructose, a low glycemic carbohydrate. Whether a carbohydrate is a simple sugar or complex carbohydrate makes little difference on the recovery rate -- the key for post-workout nutrition recovery is the food's glycemic index.(Gonzales, Roberts, Roy) Whether a food is a liquid or solid will not make a difference either, though some claims state that liquids offer more efficient absorption. But remember, regardless of the form, the glycemic index is a direct indicator of the breakdown of the food into your bloodstream and is most useful as a tool to help select foods for post-workout recovery.
It is recommended to eat 1.0-1.5 grams of carbohydrate (ideally high glycemic index) per kilogram of body weight immediately after exercise to promote optimal recovery.

Here is a short list of high glycemic index foods. A more complete Glycemic Foods lists are available at www.mendosa.com/gilists.htm
plain bagel, Rice Chexs, baked white potato
dark rye bread, Rice Krispies, pretzels
bran flakes, Total cereal, skittles
white bread, Instant cooked rice, Gatorade
Cheerios, short grain white rice, watermelon
Cocoa Krispies, Graham Crackers, sucrose
Corn Bran, Vanilla Wafers, Soft drink
Crispix, Saltine Crackers, Dates
Grapenuts, glucose, Maltodextrin
Raisin Bran

#3: Protein demands:
Over the last ten years the media, the body building world, fad diets, and new research have made protein the magic nutrient for recovery. Proteins play many critical roles aiding in recovery, including the building of new tissue; as a primary constituent in cell membranes and internal cell material; comprising the enzymes which allow the body to function and breakdown fat, carbohydrates and other proteins; aiding in blood clotting; acting as a critical agent in muscle contraction; and aiding in regulation of acid-base balance. Though protein is critical in many aspects of recovery, it always works better when combined with carbohydrates. A high protein meal or nutritional product with little or no carbohydrates is relatively ineffective for any endurance athlete as a recovery product. On the other hand, protein added to high glycemic carbohydrates can actually further increase the shuttling of glycogen back into the working muscle. Protein is not a preferred fuel source for your depleted muscles, and ingesting too much protein following a workout may actually hinder the resynthesis of muscle glycogen.
Six to twenty grams of total protein is recommended in the nutrition "window of opportunity" following exercise.

#4. Electrolyte demands:
With excessive sweat, the body may also require the replenishment of electrolytes. The primary electrolytes lost in sweat are sodium, chloride, potassium and phosphorus. Electrolyte replenishment typically only becomes problematic for those athletes who consume only water during a long exercise bout in heat, or poorly designed electrolyte replacement and energy drinks. A 'during race' nutrition plan should always contain some electrolytes in order to keep homeostasis. With excessive sweat, body fluids can become hypotonic (low in electrolytes) when not replenished. The key here is to simply make sure what you drink and eat following exercise contains some or all of these electrolytes. Be careful not to drink plain water following exhaustive exercise. Water alone will actually dilute your electrolytes even further, and may cause additional nausea. Most sports drinks contain sodium. The better sports drinks will focus on all of the key electrolytes in doses large enough to help you replenish your lost stores.

Mission Moment
Abby
TX
Living with ALL for 1 year, 9 months
Age: 5

It will be difficult to forget May 9, 2006, yet we have such a hard time remembering the details of that day. That morning, we took our 3 year old daughter in to our family doctor for the second time in 5 days. The symptoms by this time were unmistakable to her doctor: fever, leg pain, swollen lymph nodes and incredible bruises. We were sent for blood work at our local hospital, and were given the results back at the doctor's office...Abby has leukemia. We were immediately sent from our small town to a nearby city, to a wonderful pediatric oncologist. After an initial exam at his office, we checked in to the Children's Hospital next door, which would become our home for the next 29 days.

During that first stay, Abby was found to have Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL). At some point later, testing showed Abby also has the Philadelphia Chromosome, which makes treatment very difficult.

Now, after 5 months in and out of the hospital, and many medicines later, we are finally feeling like we can breathe again. We are adjusting to life with a child on chemo (and sometimes steroids!), we have cried at the loss of her beautiful blonde hair, and we have rejoiced each time a FISH test comes back clear. It is still a long road...6 more months of high and intermediate dose chemo, then 2+ years on maintenance. Our faith in God has gotten us this far, and we know that He will sustain and strengthen us until the day Abby is healed.

Fall Season Week 16

And the beat goes on!

Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from indomitable will. - Mahatma Gandhi

Fundraising Tip
Call friends and family and ask for a donation over the phone. Remember, you are asking on behalf of patients all over the world, not for yourself! Be brave and know that you are saving lives with every phone call you make.

Training Tip
Some Things to Think About During Training and Racing 

By Jack Daniels, Ph.D., TNT National Run Coach

The most important thing to concentrate on in training or racing is the task at hand. In shorter, more intense races, you need to be a little more aware of your competitors and how far you are into the race, than is the case with marathons or even half marathons. In these longer events, the intensity of effort is not so stressful, but the duration of the event is considerably longer, so the thoughts that are dominant in your mind may vary considerably from those that are more useful in the shorter events. Still, the most important thing is to concentrate on the task at hand.

This may sound a little controversial, but sometimes concentrating on the task at hand means taking your mind off the race itself; actually letting your mind wander in long races can help pass the time. I will sometimes try to guess when 30 minutes have passed, and then try to make sure I wait at least 30 minutes to check my watch. Some other thought processes that may help you through a long training session or race include the following.

1. Think about how different parts of your body are feeling. Mentally move from the top of your head to your feet, telling yourself to relax your face, relax your jaw, relax your shoulders, relax your back and stomach, relax your hips and thighs and relax your legs and feet. Just going through this process now and then will not only help relax your breathing and all your body, but will take your mind off the physical aspects of the event and lessen anxiety about the distance you have yet to cover in getting to the finish line, of a race or prolonged workout session.

2. As alluded to in point #1, above, often think about your breathing - make sure it is a rhythmical 3-3 or 2-2 cadence (taking 3 steps while breathing in and 3 steps while breathing out, or 2 in and 2 out). Anything faster than a 2-2 breathing rhythm is too fast and means you are not relaxed or you are running too fast.

3. Periodically count your leg cadence. The ideal stride rate is about 180 steps per minute - 90 with each foot. Every 20 or 30 minutes time your stride rate, counting how many right-foot falls you have in one minute.

4. Think about how your feet are hitting the ground - feet pointing straight ahead; landing mid-footed or heel first are usually the most relaxing ways to strike the ground with your feel. Also think about being light on your feet, as if running over a field of raw eggs and you don't want to break any of them - as soon as your foot hits the ground let it rebound quickly into the air for the next step.

5. Don't drive your arms; just them balance your body. Think about your elbows being the end of a pendulum that is swinging easily back and forth as you run along. There are little weights on your elbows that pull your shoulders down and prevent them from being raised or tense. Let your hands relax, with your thumbs resting lightly on top of the fingers right next to them.

6. Learn to be an optimist regarding your running. For example, internalize your feelings about good training sessions and races - you are the person who did those good things. On the other hand, externalize poor training runs or races - that was not really you who had that bad day, it was just a bad day and not representative of your true ability. There is no such thing as a fluke good performance, but there definitely is such a thing as a fluke bad performance.

7. Something that tends to help athletes is to visualize their training or racing efforts. First you relax and close your eyes and think about a very relaxing location - maybe at the beach or in a field of wild flowers. Then you shift your thoughts to a very successful training session or race that you have experienced; go through the entire event remembering why it was so positive. Then shift to the relaxing site and after some relaxation time there, go to a training session or race that was not a positive experience. Go through this poor event and try to imagine what you could have done differently to make that poor effort a successful one. Maybe you should have gotten up earlier or eaten differently or started more conservatively; imagine whatever it would take to turn that poor event into a good event. Then go to your relaxing place again, followed by the positive training session or race, and one more time to the relaxing site, and finally back to the present. Before a demanding training session or race, quickly go through the positive aspects of your successful performance and remind yourself of all the things that made it feel so good, and that it was you who did those things and you certainly can repeat them in any new confrontation.

Possibly most important is to hang on to any positive experiences you have in training and racing and forget the not-so-positive ones. Doubt any negative experiences and believe in the good things, and most of all believe in yourself.

Frequently Asked Questions
WHY IS THERE A FUNDRAISING DEADLINE? Team In Training is first and foremost a fundraising program. The primary goal is to raise funds for leukemia research. In light of this objective, we take your commitment to raise the fundraising minimum seriously. We want all Team In Training participants to be successful in raising at least the minimum, and we have structured the program to provide as much support as possible. At the final deadline date, two weeks before your event, if you have not reached the fundraising minimum, we will place the remaining amount on your credit card. In the event that your credit card must be charged, you will have an additional month to fundraise (30 days after your event). The Society will reimburse you any additional funds collected up to the amount that you personally contributed. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society has a national “no deals” policy. The preceding procedures are designed with the intent of maintaining the integrity of the TNT program, and to be true to our mission of finding a cure for leukemia.

Mission Moment
Kyle
Living with ALL for 4 years
Age: 6

Kyle was diagnosed with ALL (T-cell) at age 2, on February 5th. His symptoms began in October of ‘03. After going to his pediatrician several times for a swollen stomach and getting practically ignored by the nurses, he was given the wrong x-ray until I corrected them. I finally listen to my Motherly intuition and took him to a Gastrologist (thinking he was severely constipated). They did one finger prick and Kyle's white blood cell count was 265,000. That is where our journey begins.

Everything changed. I quit my teaching job to care for Kyle, we moved to a different state to be close to family and we quickly learned the true meaning of life. Kyle's leukemia was diagnosed as high risk because it was T-cell and in his central nervous system (CNS). Before he was diagnosed we noticed some developmental problems, but we ignored them because we were so focused on getting him well. After everything started becoming routine we paid attention to some odd behaviors. After seeing many developmental doctors and therapists, Kyle was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome. This is sometimes called High Function Autism. This was another hit. Why my little boy? All of this and he is only 3! Why our family?

With God's strength and guidance we found Kyle the help he needed. He began going to a special class to help with social development. After getting that in place, we were into Kyle's 18 month of treatment. Kyle had a regular spinal tap and they found leukemia cells in his CNS. This meant he was relapsing. Why!! It was a living hell, but I had to be strong for my little boy and let him know that everything would be fine. The only time I could not be strong was when he had to receive all the shots of chemo again. I cried every time. After 8 more chemo injections Kyle got into remission again-praise the Lord!!

After Kyle relapsed we found out my husband, Kyle's dad, was diagnosed with Esophagus Cancer. This was just unbearable to hear. Kevin began a 9 month treatment plan. At one point, Kyle was going to radiation in the morning and his Daddy was going in the afternoon. God showed us he was in control. Kyle thought it was so cool his Daddy had a button (port). We made everything a family affair. Kyle saw Daddy get on the 'machine' just like he did. This really helped with Kyle's treatment. However, the sad thing is that this is not what any child should grow up to. My daughter thinks everyday we need to visit a hospital. When she gets a simple cold, she asks to go to "St.Jude". She started feeling “left out” because she did not go to the doctor. That was when it was a little too much.

Today Kyle is 5 and still receiving chemo and going to school on a daily basis, where he receives help for his developmental challenges. My husband is back at work after 9 months of treatment. I am busy during the day trying to show my daughter normal experiences. Kyle will finish his treatment July 07. Please keep my family in your prayers and be thankful if you are healthy.

Fall Season Week 15

It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause, who at best knows achievement and who at the worst if he fails at least fails while daring greatly so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat. - Theodore Roosevelt

Fundraising Tip
Send a Postcard Reminder to those who haven't donated yet. Be sure to update your list at this time as you may have realized someone you forgot earlier or you may have recently met someone new.

Training Tip
4 Ways to Make Anxiety a Motivator
Visualizing yourself overcoming any challenges helps with mental preparation. (from active.com)

One major impediment in running performance is anxiety. All runners experience this feeling. Its key components are apprehension, tension and nervousness in both mind and body. Physiological manifestations of anxiety include increased heart rate and sweating, labored breathing, muscle twitches, dizziness and upset stomach. Psychological symptoms include confusion, attention disruption, and an expectation of failure. Runners may experience several or all of these symptoms.
Because of this, the connotation of anxiety is usually negative; but anxiety can be a positive force in producing running success. Knowing what these symptoms mean and being able to address them during a race can help motivate you to a strong finish. Anxiety can be the signal that challenges you to rally at the task ahead. Our thoughts affect our physical function; and negative ones can transfer from the central nervous system to the musculoskeletal system, causing a detriment to running performance.
Avoid the Wrong Questions
Our interpretation of a situation has much to do with our anxiety in regard to it. As runners, it is important to avoid the type of personal-ability questioning that can plague a race performance. Common examples of this include:
• Am I fit enough to race at this pace?
• Did I train correctly or did I arrive fatigued?
• Are my competitors better prepared and faster than me?
• Did I plan my mile splits right or am I in over my head?
• Can I run the distance to the finish or am I risking injury?

These are questions that can have their place, particularly if you feel an acute pain or find yourself running considerably faster than your pre-race strategy. Yet many times we are in the bounds of what we planned for--well-hydrated, well-rested, and not feeling stride-altering pain--when anxiety sets in and compromises our performance. When these feelings occur, focus on your preparedness. This psychological assurance is another benefit of arriving to the start line well trained, nourished and rested.

Picture the Right Images


You may also wish to use visualization techniques in your training to give you strong, positive images of success to conjure during difficult points in your race. Visualization techniques involve imagining challenging situations during the event, and then imagining overcoming those challenges.
For example, picture running up a steep incline, being outpaced by a passing runner, sensing the onset of muscle fatigue and reaching for an ever-receding bend in the course ahead. You then see yourself surging on the steepest part of the hill, receiving a turbo boost just as your competitor tries to pass you, getting an injection of oxygen to those tired muscles or closing the distance and rounding that curve ahead to the finish.
You should imagine these powerful scenarios both during your training runs and in your spare quiet time, kind of meditating on the event as the date approaches. Once you practice calling these images to mind, you'll find you can quite easily rely on them whenever runs become difficult. Here are a few additional images you can use during a long run or race:
• Feeling a bungee cord around your chest and hooked to an object in the distance which pulls you along
• Seeing a personal best time on the finish line clock as you cross
• Finishing ahead of a faster rival
• "Thinking away" discomfort (do not ignore stride-altering pain)
• Imagining your feet as two wheels rolling beneath you. You are pedaling a tiny bicycle, pulling up on the pedals rather than pushing down on them

Finally, turn off the chatter and listen to your body. In turn, instruct your muscles to relax and go to work. Feel the perfect tempo and enjoy the experience.
Go With the Flow
The concept of flow is closely related to – and oftentimes achieved with – mental imagery techniques. In sports (as well as many other disciplines), a "flow state" refers to a positive psychological state in which a person finds an almost euphoric balance between the challenge at hand and his or her capabilities. It is a relaxed state, not one of hyperawareness, though the performance result resembles that of a deep and total focus on the task. A flow state is the opposite of over thinking; you are "in the zone" and things seem almost effortless as you proceed feeling exactly matched to the task.

In endurance running, remaining mentally present – with no regard for what is behind or ahead – is one way to ready the mind for this euphoric state. Each step is the only step. It may also help to view the running task not in competitive terms, but as a natural process of oxygen intake and energy expenditure that rolls along without regard for strategy. Flow state is about recognizing positive feelings and capitalizing on them as you run.
Put Up a Fight
Sometimes a flow state can remain elusive. At such times, there is a place for a competitive spark in your arsenal of mental strategies. And the fuel that ignites the competitive spark is mental toughness. This fosters a need to stay in the game, not give up, push past all limits and plow through failure to success.
If flow state running involves capitalizing on positive feelings, mental toughness strategies can be thought of as capitalizing on negative feelings. Mental toughness is the gift that keeps on giving. Each time you push through failure and finish strong, you strengthen this disposition and make it that much more accessible and effective for the next challenge.
Practice competing – even in your solo runs – so that you can call upon these feelings during a race. First, be sure a hard run is on your schedule, and that you are physically ready for such a run. (Remember, regardless of what the schedule says, muscle fatigue or sluggishness means your biggest benefit that day will come from taking it slow and easy.)

Once you are warm and feel ready to run hard, you can compete against the clock. Try interval training on a track, hill repeats or variable-pace road runs. You can also compete against another runner or against objects by spotting neighborhood landmarks and keeping pace until you reach them. These running games teach you that you can push past limitations, building the key ingredient you'll want on race day: self-confidence.

Frequently Asked Questions
WHO LOVES THEIR COACHES?
Your coach has been with you step by step during the last few months of your training. All of our coaches are veteran athletes. Each one has the skill and knowledge it takes to get every Team member across the finish line. They are available to answer individual training questions and will lead some of the Group Training functions. Your coaches will be running, cycling and walking right along side of you. Don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and call them. There is no such thing as a stupid question with our coaches. It is also very important to contact your coach as soon as possible should you have an injury. We encourage all Team members to consult a physician prior to starting the training program. PLEASE email me to let me know what your coach has meant to you this season!

Mission Moment
In Memory Of
Matthew Quarcini
Canton, OH
Lived with CML for 1 year, 1 month

Our son Matthew was diagnosed with CML after a motorcycle accident in July of 2004, at the age of 21. Within 6 months, a bone marrow transplant (BMT) was done using an unrelated donor that was a match for him. Unfortunately he battled hard with Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD), which ultimately took his life on August 17, 2005. He has a 5 year old son, Jordan, who misses his Daddy very much. I know that Matt is watching over all of us everyday and especially his little guy! I only wish that there was more clarification on the survival rate for non-related BMT donors. If we knew, I think that he would have opted to stay on the Gleevec, which had him in a remission state. His life was robbed from him, too young. We love him & miss him dearly. If only....the “should haves” and “would haves” that we all live with...God Bless you Matt! We will see you in Heaven my Son!

Fall Season Week 14

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step." - Lao-Tzu

Fundraising Tip
Gimme 5. This is a great way to get larger quantities of people to donate just a little and spread the word to all of their friends to donate. This is what your email will say:

Gimme 5 minutes of your time – Go to my website at (put your website address here) and read about what I'm is doing.
Gimme $5 (or $10) – Just donate online. Five dollars for a great cause – and hey if you want to donate more, fantastic!!
Gimme 5 friends – Send this to five friends and help spread the word!
5 is the age of McKynna, our honored patient. I am running for her. She was diagnosed 2 years ago and is still in treatment.
Every 5 minutes someone new is diagnosed with a blood cancer – money for research is desperately needed – so please donate now.

Training Tip
Daily run strategies
It is important to know what your objectives are whenever you have a workout as part of your training regimen. The three topics below address the ideas of 1) building your base, 2) increasing your strength, and 3) avoiding injury. Daily runs and workouts are a key part to getting you to your event in shape to complete and enjoy the day.

Maintenance miles
A critical part to distance training is getting your body and sinews used to the pounding it will take. This involves spending time running/walking on the surface your event will be on. This is usually asphalt. So it is important to spend part of every week working out on asphalt.
All surfaces are not created equal. Concrete is hard and unforgiving. Do not run long distances on sidewalks. Your knees and hips will thank you! On the soft side are things like treadmills and packed dirt. Asphalt is somewhere between, probably closer to concrete than packed dirt.

Building yourself up
Enjoying the event will require most of us to improve our physical condition. There are three basic training concepts you might try. Note that you should be adequately warmed up and loose before doing these. Have a watch handy to track your progress!
Interval training – raising your heart rate to the anaerobic threshold (about 90% of max) for a brief time. Exercise should continue between intervals so that heart rate does not return to resting until after the workout is over. This category can include track work, hills, spin classes, or biking. This builds leg strength.
Tempo runs – holding a pace above your comfort level for an extended period. Heart rate should be about 75% of max. This builds endurance and helps you learn to hold a pace.
Foot speed – the proper pace and form is essential to efficient running. Elite runners are incredibly efficient and run at a pace near 180 steps per minute. Count the number of times one foot hits the ground in a minute. Try to get this number to be greater than 80. Relax and concentrate on moving your legs and feet quickly. Your step should be quick, easy, and light. This will help spare your body some of the pounding and help maintain a good pace for long distances.

Alternating stress and ‘rest’
Rest is part of building yourself up. Muscles must be stressed but then must be allowed to recover in order to strengthen themselves. Overtraining will lead to injury! Have at least 2 weekly workouts that are easy on your legs. Cross training is a good option. If you do run, keep your pace easy and enjoyable.

Frequently asked Questions
WHO LOVES THIER MENTORS?
Your Mentor is a special Team Member who has successfully completed his or her training and fundraising aspects of the program, and loves TNT so much that they just can’t stand to leave it! They have been in contact with you on a regular basis. Mentors are one of your best resources. They have “been in your shoes” and have great advice. Mentors share fundraising ideas and have often trained together with you. They help us to ensure that you have a positive, enjoyable Team In Training experience. PLEASE email me to let me know what your mentor has meant to you this season!

Mission Moment
In Memory Of
Firouz
CA
Lived with AML for 3 months

My father was diagnosed with AML in July at the age of 66. He underwent chemo, achieved remission, but relapsed within 3 weeks. We unsuccessfully tried another treatment, and my father passed away about 3 months after diagnosis. We live our lives expecting tomorrow, without truly appreciating today. If there's any good that came out of my dad's illness, it's that we had a chance to appreciate today as a family, knowing that we may not have tomorrow. My dad left this life knowing how loved he truly was and we were reminded of how much my dad loves us. This was my father's final gift to his family and friends. He is greatly missed!

Fall Season Week 13

Motivational Video
Epic Feats

Fundraising Tip
Email your monthly update reminding others to donate. This is a great way to keep people up to date with your training and fundraising progress. It's also a great time to update your potential donors on your honored patients status.

Injury Prevention Tip
To Prevent Leg Injuries, Look to the Hips, Not the Feet
http://footloose.runnersworld.com/2009/04/to-prevent-leg-injuries-look-to-the-hips-not-the-feet.html

Mission Moment
Mace' Antuanette Tager
West Columbia, SC
Living with AML for 1 year, 6 months
Age: 17

Mace' has just been diagnosed with secondary AML as a result of her previous cancer treatments. In October 2001, she was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma IV with little hope for survival of 6 months. She had two stem cell transplants in the summer of 2002, after the doctors were unable to remove the tumor in her abdomen. The only symptom she had then was complaints of back pain. Little did we know, she had a tumor in her spine that was removed immediately and aggressive chemotherapy followed. She had multiple infections and fever, and had to be hospitalized. She had many surgeries to repair what chemotherapy and radiation damaged.

She was doing well and was in remission since May 2005. The endocrinologist put her on hormone replacement therapy because the radiation and chemo had caused her to be in primary ovarian failure. She was looking forward to her junior year in high school and getting her license before this summer. The beginning of the summer went well and Mace' was excited about the upcoming school year. When she came home from Camp Kemo in June, she was complaining of an ear infection and female problems. Her pediatrician put her on antibiotics, but the ear infection did not clear up. The pediatrician advised me to call her oncologist about getting some blood work and scans done. While Mace' was on her second dose of antibiotics, the oncologists informed us that three medium sized tumors were found on her liver and Mace' needed a liver biopsy immediately. The needle biopsy was done the end of July, but not helpful, so a week later Mace' had to have a surgery to obtain another biopsy. The findings were benign and two of the tumors were able to be removed. 5 days after being released from the hospital, Mace' was admitted back to the hospital for a staph infection, in the form of big fluid blisters all over her abdomen and around the incision site. Mace' stayed in the hospital for 6 days before the doctors could find out what was going on. She had to celebrate her 16th birthday in the hospital.

The next day she was released to go home, but not before one of the oncologists informed me that her CBCs did not look good and something was going on. Mace' had to return to the oncologist the following Monday for some more blood work. The doctors were not sure if Mace's infection was causing her blood work to be abnormal, or if it was another cancer. Well, the hematologist told me that Mace' could have secondary AML, which is caused when a patient has had a previous cancer and the treatments can cause another cancer to emerge. Mace' had a bone marrow biopsy done on August 25 and the doctors diagnosed her with having AML and said that it was very serious and would difficult to treat because of how aggressive the cancer is, therefore, the treatment would be aggressive as well. Mace' is to be admitted into the cancer center this week to start her chemotherapy treatment and will be in the hospital for treatment and remission. A possible bone marrow transplant may be needed, and her brother, father, and I will be tested for match. My family and I are torn. My community is as well, because Mace' has gone through so much these past 5 years. She told me that this was going to be her year to be a high school student and be like the other teenagers her age. She said that she is lucky and has everything a teenager could want. She received a car for her birthday and was excited about taking driving training in October of this year. She has a wonderful spirit and constant belief in God's healing.

When she was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma, I was shocked and worried, but I left it in God's hands. This time, I am more worried and in disbelief that my daughter has to go through such an ordeal again, when she has overcome so many obstacles; even shocking the doctors. My family and I pray every day for Mace' and her doctors. I know God will be there with her, but I guess I am just hurting for my daughter because I know what is coming ahead, and no parent wants their child to endure such a disease or hurt for anything. Mace' has a brother and he is hurting as well. He and Mace' are very close and I know this is tearing him apart because he doesn't quite understand all of it. I pray for my son as well because the siblings are sometimes forgotten about, unfortunately. All I ask is that anyone who reads this or knows us; pray, pray, pray, and pray for my daughter Mace' and the family. God does answer prayers. He has brought Mace' so far.

Fall Season Week 12

I don't think I've chosen this life; I feel I've been pushed into it. And what sustains me is a sense of my life as a mission. - Jane Goodall

Fundraising Tip
Host an event for your friends, family, and/or colleagues. Some events could include cocktail parties at your home, raffles (make sure items are donated), garage sales, sporting tournaments or a dress down day at work. It's best to keep it small in this area.

Training Tip
Technique
With Base training fully underway, there is no time like the present to focus on improving your sport technique. Better technique is critical to your overall goal achievement. With improved technique, your performance is helped in several ways:

1. Better Economy – Your “economy” in sport is defined by how far you can go on each unit of oxygen you consume. Put another way, the less oxygen you use for any given amount of exercise equates to better “economy”. If you improve your skill & become a more technically proficient athlete, you will simply consume less oxygen for any given bout of exercise. Therefore, you will be more economical…this translates into going faster for the same distance or going longer before tiring!

2. Decreased Injury Risk – We all know that poor technique is one of the leading causes of injury. When joints/muscles are repeatedly moved in improper ways or have stresses placed upon them in unsupported positions, the aches & pains of pre-injury may show themselves. For endurance athletes, this is critical – consider the number of times that your shoulders rotate during a 1k swim, that your knees bend & straighten during a 40k bike, or that your feet hit the ground in a 26.2 mile run. If your form is off by just a bit each time, your injury risk is substantially higher.

3. Improved Performance – If one of your main goals is to reach the finish line a bit faster, then technique improvement is where you ought to spend a great deal of time. That base training & those high intensity intervals are certainly important, but if your mechanics are poor, you just won’t be able to go as fast as you could if you had more efficient movement patterns. Remember this…energy put into movements which don’t directly move you forward is simply wasted energy! Also consider…Olympic athletes regularly spend hours working on improving their technical abilities. If the athletes at the top of their game continue to work on form, who are we to think that we don’t need to!!!

Run Technique
For running, the misconceptions are that speed comes from running more, striding out farther, & pushing off harder. Again, some points to consider:

1. Cadence – If you want to maximize your speed abilities & minimize your injury risk, proper cadence is a huge skill to master. Ideal running cadence is 90-100 strides per minute (count one foot only)…very similar to cycling cadence, yes??! If your cadence is too low, then you are potentially either heel striking (the lower your cadence the more strongly you may be doing this) or strongly pushing off from your toes. Both of these (heel striking & toe pushing) have huge injury risks attached to them – just chat with any Physical Therapist! Additionally, if you are doing either of these then you are making running too hard!!

2. “Falling” – Have you ever considered “falling” when running? If not, it’s time to do so. Running is simply the act of falling from a balanced position to an unbalanced position & back to a balanced position. If you let your body mass fall forward, then your legs will move underneath you to catch you (self-preservation). It’s really that easy! That’s what I meant when I said that “pushing off” makes running too hard!

3. Running in Circles – Lets discuss how to “run in circles”. It’s really the same thing as on a bike! When on a bike, your leg is longest at the bottom position. After you pass the bottom position, your knee bends to pull the foot around to the top position (heel directly under the hip). Then the knee extends to bring the foot back to the bottom position. The same sequence happens when you run. When your foot is on the ground directly beneath your body, your leg is at its longest. Once your body moves past your foot, then your knee should immediately bend to bring the foot up to top position ( heel directly under your hip). Once the foot moves past the hip, then your knee should extend to place the foot back down on the ground directly beneath the body. If you think about pedaling circles while running, you’ll start to get the hang of it!!

Frequently Asked Questions
HOW DO I GET TO KNOW MY HONOREE?
The honorees are involved in this program because they want to be. Please feel free to e-mail them, send them a note, or arrange a get-together. However, please keep in mind that you are not the only participant matched with this Honoree. Respect their time by remembering each patient family has 10-15 participants training and fundraising in their honor. We try to provide several opportunities for you to meet your participant in person. We will invite each honoree to the kick off party, one group training and one clinic. When you contact your honoree, be sure to identify yourself as a Team In Training Member.

Mission Moment
Thomas
Living with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma for 5 years, 3 months
Age: 51

My husband Tom was diagnosed in Nov. 2002 with Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, MALT type, stage IV. We had gone to 15 doctors over the course of 5 months to get a diagnosis for what Tom had. When he finally got a diagnosis of cancer, we were stunned. We never imagined this could happen to Tom. He began chemotherapy immediately since he was having symptoms, and the lymphoma was in his spinal fluid, sinuses, bone marrow and ear. He had 7 rounds of two types of chemo and also chemo directly into the spinal fluid. He then had 20 treatments of radiation to his head. He got a 3 year remission, but unfortunately in May 2006, he relapsed with the cancer, which is now wrapped around his spinal cord. He is currently undergoing chemo again and has had another 18 radiation treatments. His oncologist is hopeful he will achieve remission again. The type of Non-Hodgkin’s Tom has unfortunately can never be cured. They can treat it, but it is low grade and will more than likely come back again.

Tom lives each day to the fullest but this was not always the case. He has changed a lot of his behaviors and said he is determined to make the most of what this disease has taught him about life. He is an inspiration to his family and friends and all those who know him.

Fall Season Week 11

Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly. - Lanston Hughes

Fundraising Tip
Provide a service like painting, cleaning, babysitting, shopping, etc. People also like to receive a service at a reduced price especially when they know their funds will go to a good cause.

Training Tip
OK, as if running/walking 12 or more miles isn't torture enough, here's something else that you'll think is torture, but is very helpful in the long run. When you get home from a long training, run yourself a low temperature bath about 6 inches deep. Set a large bucket of ice next to the tub. Get yourself a cup of hot tea, coffee, cocoa, or whatever you like to drink warm. Sit down into the water and start putting the ice into the water until ice water covers your legs. Remain in the water as long as you can, but not more than 20 minutes. Or, after training, simply sit in the river for as long as you can stand it (like Lexi, Kandy, Amy Byrd and Louise did after training Saturday). This will help your muscles heal and recover faster and your legs will feel better the next day.

Frequently Asked Questions
TNT’S COMMITMENT TO YOU:
• Travel, accommodations, and entry fees for event weekend.
• Four or five months of supervised coaching including comprehensive training schedules, and opportunities to train with other Team Members.
• Professional advice on nutrition, injury prevention, and other related topics.
• Fundraising materials, ideas, and strategies.
• Support and encouragement throughout the fundraising and training period.
YOUR COMMITMENT TO US
• Raise the minimum amount of funds designated to aid researchers in their race to find a cure for leukemia and related cancers.
• Train to run, walk, or cycle the marathon, half marathon, century ride for which you are registered.

Mission Moment
Gail Alice Denker
Batavia, IL
Living with CML for 7 years
Age: 67

I was 61 years old when diagnosed, newly retired and had just found out my husband and I were going to become grandparents for the first time.

My diagnosis came 5 months before Gleevec was approved by the FDA. Fortunately for me, a trial was beginning at OHSU, conducted by Dr. Brian Druker (who developed the drug) and Dr. Michael Mauro, who became my oncologist at OHSU. I enrolled as patient 001 in the trial to treat newly diagnosed, untreated CML patients.

The trial ended successfully for me. A year later I was in full remission and able to harvest my stem cells. Although I was subsequently diagnosed with breast cancer that same summer (DCIS and LCIS) for which I had bilateral mastectomies, I have remained in full remission for 6 years.

I could not have faced this without the support of my husband, Merle, an orthopedic surgeon who became my personal physician and administered my shots with kindness and patience. My husband and I have been able to enjoy our retirement winters in Southern California, and we are now the proud grandparents of two lovely granddaughters and two darling grandsons.

I feel very blessed to have been diagnosed at the time that Gleevec was being developed, which erased the original prognosis of 3-5 years. I owe my life to Dr. Robert Bayer, my oncologist, who made my diagnosis and encouraged me to enroll in the study, and to Novartis and Drs. Druker and Mauro, as well as the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, for defeating a once fatal disease.

Fall Season Week 10

We had a great time on Saturday, visiting with our Patient Honorees. Thanks to Michelle King for organizing it, AJ Zenkert for offering his house to hold it at, and to all of you for helping make it possible for our friends to be survivors.

"The difference between involvement and commitment is like ham and eggs. The chicken is involved; the pig is committed." - Martina Navratilova



Fundraising Tip
Be sure to ask around to all of your donors about Matching Funds. Lot's of large corporations offer this benefit to their employees at 50% or sometimes even 100% of the funds donated by the employee. The employee must complete the necessary paperwork.

Training Tip
"I always loved running...it was something you could do by yourself, and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs." - Jesse Owens

Hot Weather Running
There’s good and bad news about running in the heat.
Posted Monday, 5 June, 2006
First, the bad news: When the temperature rises about 55 degrees F (10 degrees C), you’re going to run more slowly and feel worse than you will at lower temperatures. But by gradually preparing yourself for increased temperatures and taking action from the beginning of hot weather runs, you’ll get a welcome dose of the good news. You’ll learn how to hydrate yourself, what to wear, and when and how much your body can take in hot weather, all of which will help you recover faster and run better than others of your ability on hot days. While even the most heat-adapted runners won’t run as fast on hot days as they can on cold ones, they won’t slow down as much nor will they feel as much discomfort.
Until the temperature rises to about 65 degrees F, most runners don’t notice much heat buildup, even though it is already putting extra burdens on the system. It takes most folks about 30 to 45 minutes of running (with or without walk breaks) to feel warm. But soon after that, if the temperature is above about 62 degrees F, you’re suddenly hot and sweating. On runs and especially races under those conditions, most runners have to force themselves to slow down. It’s just too easy to start faster than you should when the temperature is between 60 and 69 degrees F because it feels cool at first.
As the mercury rises about 65 degrees F, your body can’t get rid of the heat building up. This causes a rise in core body temperature and an early depletion of fluids through sweating. The internal temperature rise also triggers the rapid dispersion of blood into the capillaries of the skin, reducing the amount of that vital fluid that is available to the exercising muscles. Just when those workhorses are being pushed to capacity, they are receiving less oxygen and nutrients. What used to be a river becomes a creek and can’t remove the waste products of exercise (such as lactic acid). As these accumulate, your muscles slow down.
Scheduling
The best time for hot weather running is before sunrise. The more you can run before sunrise, the cooler you will feel, compared with how you’ll feel later in the day. The second best time to run, by the way, is right after sunrise, unless the temperature cools off dramatically at sunset, which would make that time more favorable. In humid areas, however, it usually doesn’t cool down much after sunset.
Some tips on how to say cool at 55 degrees F or above
• Slow down early – The later you wait to slow down, the more dramatically you’ll slow down at the end and the longer it will take to recover from the run. Walk breaks, early and often, help you lower the exertion level, which conserves resources for the end and reduces heat buildup.
• Wear lighter garments – Loose-fitting clothes allow heat to escape. Don’t wear cotton clothing. Sweat soaks into cotton, causing it to cling to your skin, increasing heat buildup. Several materials will wick the perspiration away from your skin: Coolmax, polypro, etc. As moisture leaves your skin, you receive a cooling effect, and these types of materials are designed for this.
• Pour water over yourself – Up to 70 percent of the heat you can lose goes out through the top of your head so regularly pour water over your hair (even if, like me, you are hair challenged). Regularly pouring water on a light, polypro (or a similar material) singlet or tank top will keep you cooler.
• Drink cold water – Not only does cold water leave the stomach of a runner quicker than any type of fluid, it produces a slight physiological cooling effect – and an even greater psychological cooling effect. But don’t drink too much either.

Mission Moment
Nate Robert Wilkos
Middletown, CT
Living with ALL for 1 year, 10 months
Age: 5

Everything was going great. My family was expecting a third child in March. She came on Feb 27, 06 - with some complications. I almost lost my mom and sister, but they both pulled through. Four weeks later, my parents noticed a lump near my ear, the doctor said it was a swollen gland and gave me some antibiotics. Then, another lump grew under my chin. The doctor said to go and see my ENT. The ENT said I had Lyme disease or Mononucleosis, and not to worry. They took some blood and it all came back fine. So the ENT did a biopsy on the lump and it came back as Precursor B-cell Lymphoma. My parent's took me to the oncologist the next day and they did a bone marrow biopsy. I had 30% blast cells and was told that I had pre-B leukemia (ALL). My parent’s world fell apart, but we all made it through the rough part of chemo and I am now in the maintenance part of chemo and doing fine. My hair is even starting to come back!

Fall Season Week 9

Men do less than they ought, unless they do all they can. - Thomas Carlyle

Fundraising Tip
Email your monthly update reminding others to donate. This is a great way to keep people up to date with your training and fundraising progress. It's also a great time to update your potential donors on your honored patients status.

Training Tip
Wow! We're very proud of all y'all for how well you are doing in the training. More importantly, you should be very proud of yourselves.

As we get into longer times on the road, many of us have concerns and questions about our progress. One of the concerns is "How in the world am I going to be able to be out there for 4 to 6 hours, or more, when I'm barely able to make it 2 hours?"

This question enters everyone's mind at some point of the training. No worries, mate. We've been watching all of you, and believe me, "you look maahvelous!"

This is the reason we increase the length of training a step at a time. This is the reason it is important that you keep up with and keep coming to the training. It's difficult to do long trainings on your own. It's difficult to go from 1.5 hrs to 3 hrs, having missed 2 long trainings. When you're with the other participants and the mentors and coaches you get a lot more support and it's easier.

Another of the concerns is we may still be experiencing some soreness a day or two after a long training. I'm talking about general muscle soreness in the quads and calves. If you're experiencing chronic or sharp, localized pain, that may be something that needs to be attended to by a specialist.

Approximately every other week, we're increasing the time we spend on the road by 30 to 60 minutes. Should your muscles be sore? Of course. Expect them to be sore, plan for them to be sore, look forward to them being sore. This kind of pain is weakness leaving the body. Muscle soreness is a result of working the muscles more than they're used to. The muscles rebuild, stronger, over the next day or two of rest and recovery. Active rest the next day helps prevent you from stiffening up and keeps blood flowing to the muscles so they get the nutrients they need. The harder you work now, the more fun you'll have during your event. 4-5 hrs of fun vs. 6-8 hrs of misery; you choose (that's for runners, walkers extrapolate).

What can you do to minimize the soreness?

Stretch - Not just after the first mile and at the end of training, but whenever you can. When you're watching TV, pull a knee up toward an opposite shoulder and hold it for 30 seconds. Then the other one. When you're riding an escalator, hang your heels over the edge of the step and stretch your calves (easiest to do one at a time). If you have to bend over to pick something up, make that an opportunity to stretch your hamstrings. Stretch all the time.

Ice - Do an ice bath as soon after training as you can. Ice periodicly (about 20 minutes on, 45 - 60 minutes off).

Massage - Whenever you can, massage the sore muscles.
I have no doubt that each of you is capable of accomplishing your goal and completing your event. You're reaching levels of fitness that you may not have ever had before in your life. You are becoming stronger, in body and mind. Believe it.

Mission Moment
Mother of Eddie Jr. Velasquez
Owings, MD
Living with AML for 2 years, 3 months
Age: 24

I am here because I was just doing a little research on support groups, etc. I came across this site and think it's great to be able to share your stories. My son was diagnosed with AML on November 7, 2005. He has fought very hard and the treatment has really taken a toll on him. But overall he is doing well considering, and he is currently in remission a year as of December 7, 2006.

He is 23 now, and this was one of the most difficult times in my life as a mother. I try so hard to help him and be there for him now and always, but he is a grown man and doesn't always want my help. I wrote a poem for him when he turned 23, because a year ago I didn't think he was going to make it to 23. It was the hardest battle of his life and on my heart. He is strong willed and just a beautiful person. I Love him so much, I just pray everyday and thank the lord for blessing me and allowing me to have my son in my life another day. I know with faith and love that God and my son will prevail!

Here is my poem for my son Eddie on his 23 Birthday:

With Me

My son Eddie has turned 23, and I didn't think this day I would see.

He's been through hell, I know this to be, and with God's blessings, he is still here with me.

I remember that moment, the nightmare came to be. I sat and watched him through the night and prayed to God to let him stay here with me.

I called his Daddy and my sister and cried so hard with pleas, I couldn't understand how this could happen to my baby.

My world had come to an end and completely stood still, the day I found out my son was very ill.

I questioned my life, my God, and my heart, how this could happen to my son, with whom I knew I could not live a part.

All around me the world continued on, but I couldn't focus, and felt my life was gone.

He is so young, he has so much to give, he is so handsome and strong, but in my mind, still a kid.

He's barely done anything much in his life, like see the world, dream a big dream, make a lifetime friend, or even have a wife.

I asked God to please, please, please let him stay here with me. I could not be here on this earth today or tomorrow without my baby.

I felt selfish, angry and hated the world. I wanted my son here with me and his family; I would have sold my soul to make it a reality.

After some time, as the word got out, there were people from near and far, praying for my son with out any doubts. They knew with God's power, he would be alright, and all they had to do was join forces and pray for his life.

From the love, and the prayer and my son's will to fight, it ended my shock that kept me from life.

He fought this disease hard and long, and had many setbacks, but he remained very strong.

Next thing I knew, he decided to come home to be with his Mama and my heart sang a song.

Many prayers were answered during his fight, many friends gathered around, from his hometown that night. They gave their support through laughter and cheers, at the close of the bash we all shared a tear.

It's these unbearable things that can go wrong, that make you realize it's the love of our family that keeps us strong. It's not money, nor material things, but the love for my child that makes my heart sing.

It's God's blessings, and the miracles he performs, the same type of miracle as when my baby was born. God was there for me then and he is here for me now, I know he is with me when I see my son's smile.

My days are much brighter as you can see, the blessings of love I have with my family. The biggest blessing of all, and I'm sure you'll agree, is that I have my son here with me, and he's now 23!

Thank You God, for letting me keep my baby here with me and for this special day I didn't think I would see.