A Little Bit of TNT History

As many of you know, Team In Training (TNT) has been around for about 24years now. And while each of the more then 540,000 participants have their own stories and drive for why they participate in TNT, many of you probably do not know the original story that started the movement.

Georgia Cleland was two years old at the time she was diagnosed with Leukemia. At this time the survival rate was about 50%. When her father first heard the news he began to fundraise for LLS in the hopes of finding better research to help save his daughter and the other children like her that they had met. But no matter how much he raised it never seemed to be enough.

   

So her father and a few of his friends decided to run a marathon raising money for each mile they ran. And thus, Team In Training was born.

    

Today TNT has raised over $1.2 billion for LLS and its missions. Georgia has participated in many ½ marathons including the San Diego and Washington DC Rock ‘n’ Roll half marathons.

What’s Your Story?

For more info on Georgia’s story and TNT history click

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/georgia-cleland/post_3439_b_1567673.html

Staying Cool in the Heat and Humidity

It’s starting to heat up out there! While many runners thrive in the warmer months, running in the heat and humidity can increase your risk for dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. By following these common sense rules, you can decrease your chance of having any of these issues.

• Stay Hydrated
-You’ve heard it again and again, but it still bears repeating. Hydration is the key to avoiding heat-related disorders. In training, drink before workouts and make sure you have access to fluids if exercising longer than 30 minutes. During longer workouts, consider supplementing your water with a sports drink in order to replace lost minerals and electrolytes.
• Choose the Right Clothing
• Run Early If Possible
-Morning (before sunrise or right after) is the coolest time of the day to run since the roads have not heated up during the day. If you cannot run in the early mornings, try to avoid running between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun is at its most intense.
And, as always, make sure to LISTEN to your body. If you feel like you need to slow down, you probably should!
-Opt for light-colored, loose –fitting clothes and choose synthetic fibers instead of cotton in order to stay as cool as possible.

Top Three Reasons to FALL for TNT!!

With the official kick-off to the Fall Season  coming up this weekend, now is the perfect time to think about doing an event through TNT. Maybe you did one in the past and have been thinking about taking on the challenge again, or you’ve always wanted to try but never actually signed up. Here are some reasons why the time to sign up is NOW!!

1. It’s early in the season, which means MORE time to fundraise and MORE time to train! If you start right now, you’ll be ahead of the game the entire time!
2. The weather is perfect right now for runners of all skills, and you get the unique opportunity to train through all three seasons!
3. Fall is our most popular event season, so you will be surrounded by tons of like-minded individuals, making the whole experience more awesome than you could ever imagine!

So, there you have it, it’s time to sign up for fall events—what are you waiting for? Sign up now and start having fun!

The Beauty of a Lunch Time Run

Ever find yourself in the middle of your workday wishing you could escape? Do you get that 3:00 slump that causes you to go in search of a caffeine source? <or worse, vending machine junk food> There is a way to escape, avoid the slump, and reinvigorate yourself at the same time---RUN! That’s right--there’s no better way to ward off the afternoon doldrums than going for a lunchtime run. Getting out for as little as 15 minutes invigorates both mind and body, and can significantly lower stress and stimulate creativity. Aim to escape the office every other day; do it for three weeks, and you'll have formed a perfectly healthy habit. Here are two ways to make the most of a quick lunchtime workout:

• Hit the stairs-taking 15 minutes to walk up and down several flights of stairs will raise your heart rate and provide a good mini-workout, while also giving you a chance to clear your head and help relieve stress and ward off fatigue.

• Consider a run/walk-A moderate workout with a long cool down won't make you too sweaty to go back to work. Warm up with five to 10 minutes walking. Then alternate 30 seconds running at a very easy pace with 30 seconds walking. Cool down with 10 minutes of walking-mission accomplished!

Eating on the Run

Running on an empty stomach can cause you to run out of energy way before you are done, but many morning runners find it hard to eat at 5AM when they’ve only been up for 20 minutes. Plus, eating immediately prior to a run can cause cramping or other digestive issues. If you’re planning a long run in the morning, here are some ideas for a pre-run snack which shouldn’t make you feel too full, but will give your body some fuel to burn.

It’s best to stick with foods high in carbs, but fairly low in fat and fiber. Some good examples include:

• Half a bagel or English muffin with peanut butter


• Small bowl of cold cereal


• Banana with an energy bar


• Apple slices with peanut butter

If you can, allow yourself at least thirty minutes to let your snack digest before you head out the door. Not only will you feel better, but you’ll have the fuel you need to keep you going.

Shout Out for Shamrock!

This weekend marks the 40^th annual Shamrock Marathon Weekend, and we’d like to take a moment to say THANK YOU to the 100 totally awesome Team In Training participants from VA and DC who will be walking or running in either the half or full marathon. Together, they have raised an amazing $200,000 for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society! Way to GO!

Thanks also to the coaches, mentors, and other volunteers who have helped them along their journey. We are proud to be part of a team with such dedicated, hard-working people. Together, we can and will accomplish great things!

For all you Shamrock runners and walkers, here’s to a great run and a terrific Shamrock weekend! We’ll see you all out on the course Sunday morning—we’ll be the ones making all the noise!!!!

GO TEAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Words to Run By

Sometimes, all you need for motivation are the right words to put you in the mood for running. Here are a few running quotes to inspire, enlighten, or just make you smile.

"If you run, you are a runner. It doesn't matter how fast or how far. It doesn't matter if today is your first day or if you've been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run." ― John Bingham

"Even if you fall flat on your face, at least you are moving forward." - Sue Luke

"The longer the race, the shorter the champ." –Manciata

"If the hill has its own name, then it's probably a pretty tough hill." - Marty Stern

"I run so my goals in life will continue to get bigger instead of my belly." - Bill Kirby

"There ain't no shame looking at a good runner's back. Now, if the runner sucks, that's something else entirely…" - The Rage, Training Tips "Comeback"