Workout Wednesday for Week 9

This Saturday's run will be around Creve Coeur Lake

I'm proud of all of your progress so far.  Most of you have been keeping in great communication and we've experienced very few injuries which means we're training properly!  Keep it up!

As always, remember the reason.  The struggles we go through in training are far less than those patients for whom we're training to help!

Next Training

• Saturday, February 2
• Creve Coeur Lake Tremayne Shelter
• 7:45 am Start time

Like On Facebook

• Run Coach Jeffrey for team pictures and motivation
• You don't have to have a public profile to use Facebook as an information portal

Mark your Calendar for PIZZA and our Spring Season Injury Prevention and Technique Clinic

• On Tuesday, February 5 at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Office
• 7 pm Start Time - one hour clinic
• Please RSVP so we get enough food and drink!
• Coach Jeffrey and Coach John will discuss key topics for new athletes and experienced ones alike that include:  differentiating between soreness and injury, how to avoid common injuries, what to do when they arise, how should you be running with your feet, breathing, arms, etc.

The PURPOSE of this week's training

• We are about 50% of the way through training, which means for most we continue "Base Building" - gradually increases your long run Saturday and Total Weekly Mileages
• Are you interested in getting Faster?
• Contact me and the coaches will begin transitioning you into the next phase of "Strength and Speed Work"
• You must be healthy and current with the existing training program

Are you on the 5K Program?

• Continue to repeat the final week of your current schedule
• Explore the idea of improving your pace, incorporating running or attaining a specific goal
• Contact me if you have questions; we have PLENTY of time ahead of us

This week's Coach's Tip

I want to build around John's message last week regarding nutrition on the course.  When you are at a point in training, whether walking or running, and the workout is longer than one hour then you must fuel your body.  And, you should continue to resupply this energy every 45 minutes to one hour thereafter.  These are suggestions based on common endurance athlete needs and you may find that you need to refuel before or after these times.

The most popular way to supply this energy are GU packets, which can be found at any running store (like Big River Running) and many sporting department stores (like Sports Authority or Dicks).  There are also different consistencies or forms, such as blocks, liquids or beans.  Try a variety of these to see what you like best and then stock up.  Try these when close to home in case you need to use the restroom.  It is very common to feel digestive issues when reaching mileage you've never done before.  Don't let the first experience be your last because you will overcome this and then start to enjoy the mid-training fuel.

Another alternative, depending on your tastes, are to power bars designated for "mid workout" - as opposed to end of work out or recovery - because they also help replenish other essential nutrients and electrolytes.

Try a variety of energy and see what you like best!  

Go TEAM!

--Jeffrey

Mentor Monday Message - 1/28

Happy Early Monday TEAM!!

I would like to start off this week's email by saying what a wonderful job you are all doing! I know that we are all proud of the FUNdraising and training that you are doing, and I feel confident in saying that all of you will not only MEET your goals but you will surpass them!

Here are some of your fellow teammates that have met their goals:

Lynn T. (5k series) $525.00

Laurie L. (GO full marathon) $2,865.00

Julie C. ( GO half marathon) $1,000.00

Erin H. (GO full marathon) $1,845.00

Janet J. (Boston half marathon) $10,491.00

It is truly impressive the amounts that these people have raised and that they are still continuing to raise money for LLS. I wanted you to hear one of their stories about "the magic" that they do while FUNdraising. I don't know if all of you have met Janet. She is a warm, motivated individual who has influenced me since joining TNT. I asked her to share what she does to raise that money and this is what she had to say,"My best advice for participants is to (1) start early with your fundraising, (2) send out letters and/or e-mails to people with whom you have a relationship of any kind (use the memory jogger included in the Fundraising 101 file for ideas), (3) don't be afraid to contact local businesses to ask for their support - the worst that can happen is that they will say "no". Also adding a link to your web page in your e-mail signature (after getting permission for any business e-mail address used) is a very easy way to provide the opportunity to visit your web page to anyone you may contact by e-mail. Also Personalizing the fundraising web page is a great opportunity to add your own touch to the fundraising request. Use photos of your honoree(s) and/or yourself/team during training, fundraising, etc. Quotes from a blood-cancer patient/survivor about how the LLS has impacted their life can be very powerful.

If you would like see Janet's examples of letters, cards etc. please check the attachments in the email sent to you today.

Now on to what you need to now for the upcoming FUNdraisers:

• Bead Drives: As I have said before this is an easy way to kick things off. We do have quite a few opportunities in the near future. This coming weekend there is the Taste of Soulard on Saturday and on Sunday there is the Pet Parade in Soulard. These events in the past have been successful and if you have never done a bead drive before these are good ones to start out with . They are on the calmer side of things and will be easier to get attention to sell those beads. The 9th of February is Mardi Gras and I planned on taking a group down for the parade. This I am sure will be a FUN and eventful time to sell those beads . If you do wish to be a part of bead drives and you haven't already notified one of us that you are interested , please RSVP by this Friday the 1st. ** If the weekends are not a good time for you please reach out to us and we can set up a weeknight bead drive at one of the Blues games! We are here to help you meet your goals and will do whatever we can do to make that happen.**

• McAlister's Nights: This week's McAlister's night is in support of Kristin H.'s FUNdraising at the Manchester location.So please make sure to come out and support your teammate. Please see the bottom of the email for other teammates that need your support at their events.

• California Pizza Kitchen: On February 10th at the California Pizza Kitchen in Chesterfield Mall they are hosting a Team In Training Day. 15% of the proceeds from each bill that presents a flyer will be donated to LLS. The mentors and I thought that this would be a fun time to have a meet and greet. I have not had the pleasure of meeting all of my mentees and would like the opportunity to do so. We can all meet and discuss FUNdraising and what brought you to TNT. Please feel free to bring your family and friends and those flyers too!!

• Continue to send out those letters and update your FUNdraising pages!! Update everyone on your progress and upload new pictures of you and your team training. This will help show people how much this means to you and they will be able to see the progress that you are making. I can't stress how easy this is!! If you need help with setting up your page or how to get started on those letters please let us know! We can point you in the right direction.

• BC Squared: This is our big event and we need to make sure it's a huge success!! The bands that we have are amazing!! Sh-Boom, James Lee, The B Sides Band and The Reeling Gilly are really excited about the chance to team up with TNT and we don't want to let them down. 
• What we need from you is to sell those tickets. To get tickets from us we will need the cash, check or credit card info up front. We have a limited amount of tickets and want to make sure that everyone has a fair chance at selling them. The tickets are only $40 and that entitles you to beer or wine for the evening, snacks from Qdoba , door prizes and GREAT entertainment!! That sounds like a deal to me!! 
• We also are still in need of items for the raffle. If you have items that have been donated please email Heather (address listed above) and let her know what it is that you have and she will make the arrangements for the pick up.  
• Another fun thing that Sky is doing for us at the event is ,he is donating a projector to us for the evening to show the pictures of our honored teammates and the people that we have known with blood cancers. If you could start emailing us pictures of them along with what type of blood cancer, their diagnosis date and their remission date or when they lost their battle with cancer. This will play the entire evening and I think is a great way to honor all of our loved ones who are in remission or who have passed. Please have those in to us by no later than 15th of February.
• As for the sale of tickets, we will have the them at group training and you can purchase them at that time. When paying for the tickets we will except cash, check or credit cards. If you are paying with a check please make sure to leave the pay to the order of blank. I know that seems a little scary but this way it will be easier to divide the money up in the end. There is a cost that we will need to pay Sky for the event and this would make it easier to do so. If you are not comfortable leaving the check blank you can make it out to one of the mentors and then we will divide it accordingly. 
•  ** Reminder when a donor gives you a check it can take up to 3 weeks to be posted to your fundraising account and also to their accounts. This is a normal occurrence due to the amount of deposits they receive** If you are unable to make it to group training please feel free to mail the checks to either Andrea, Kristen, or Heather (see your email for addresses).

In closing, I would like to give a shout out to our Columbia teammates! I know that you guys have not been able to do a lot of the events up here with the rest of the TEAM, but just know you are not forgotten!! Keep up all the good work!! And another quick shout out to the new teammates! Welcome!! I am glad you chose to train and raise money for LLS. If you could please take the time to send us a quick email about yourself and your goals for the season.

Here are some save the dates for you all:


January 31, 2013- McAlister’s Deli Night for Teammate Kristen H- Manchester Location 4:00-9:00 *Bring Flyer
February 5, 2013- McAlister’s Deli Night for Teammate Laura W- Fenton Location 4:00-9:00 *Bring Flyer
February 9, 2013- Mardi GrasParade BeadDrive – Details, Meeting Place, Time, details to come
February 10, 2013- California Pizza Kitchen TeamNight 11:30 am-8:00 pm Chesterfield Mall
*Bring Flyer
February 23,2013- BC Squared Blood Cancer Benefit @ The Loft at Sky Lounge in Ballwin 7:00 p.m. -1:00a.m

As always......GO TEAM!!!!!!

Kristen 

Mission Moment and Go! Hotel Info

What an exciting week this has been!

A big announcement from LLS showing just how the funds you raise really make a difference.

LLS announced it has awarded $1.68 million in funds to Dr. Anand Jillella of Georgia Regents University to improve patient care and decrease early deaths among those with Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL). The project aims to reduce the mortality rate by educating community oncologists and hematologists with a straightforward treatment of the newly diagnosed APL patients. This award is part of the LLS strategic initiative known as Therapy Acceleration, to speed the development of drugs, treatments and supportive diagnostics that have the potential for him impact on the current treatment of outcomes for patients with blood cancer, especially in areas of high unmet medical need.

And how about that extra mentor email with details of the BC² - Blood Cancer Benefit Concert!  That is the big event February 23 at the Sky Lounge.  We have 200 tickets and the ones YOU sell are credited to your fundraising totals.  Check Andrea’s email from Wednesday and watch for the upcoming one on Monday for all the details.  People have been posting this all over Facebook and we can’t have too much publicicty!  Tell everyone!

GO! Weekend – Of particular note for Columbia teammates but available to all, we have arranged with the Westin St. Louis to make rooms available for LLS participants who want to stay there.  The cost is $109/night and the Westin  will give LLS a $10 rebate for each night booked.  You are responsible for booking and paying for your room.  Here is the contact number:

Westin St. Louis

314-621-2000 (phone)

314-552-5800 (fax)

The cut off date for reserving a room is 5 pm, Friday, March 22. Contact me if you have any questions.

See you at training tomorrow at 7:45 in Forest Park.  As you know, Coach Jeffrey has been getting the training started very close to on  time.  GO TEAM!

-- Rich

Workout Wednesday for Week 8

Welcome to another wonderful week of saving lives!  Two quick things before we jump right into this week's coaching, which is brought to you by Coach John Gray:

1. Tomorrow, 1/24 is DISCOUNT DAY at BIG RIVER RUNNING!  All day long, at all three BRR locations, for being a part of the Spring Training Season you will receive 20% off you entire order!  This is a PHENOMENAL savings that only comes around once in a blue moon so take advantage!  Click here for the locations of the three stores in O'Fallon, West County and South City.  Just make sure to either wear your shirt or let them know you're a part of the team.  Get your next pair of shoes in advance and pick up the water bottles or fuel belts I've been heavily promoting!  BRR has graciously offered this to us so please take advantage to get some good gear, cheap.
2. Like on Facebook Run Coach Jeffrey to see all of our training pics, tips or share your comments.  The more we have the more fun it is!

And, for this week's email, check out what Coach John has to say:

Hello Heroes!!
Hope all of you are doing well with your fundraising and training. This team has really come a long way since last November and we're all so proud of what you're doing. Speaking of that, have you ever found yourselves second-guessing yourselves as to why you're doing this? Just think about this - every 4 minutes someone is diagnosed with a blood cancer. Every 10 minutes, someone dies from one. That's pretty staggering. However, on the bright side, since LLS started, survival rates for most blood cancers have risen dramatically! Twenty years ago, a child who was diagnosed with a blood cancer was almost certain not to survive. Today, thanks to awesome participants like you, child survival rates are in the 90% range for many types of blood cancers. To me, there's nothing worse than to see a sick child. And knowing these facts makes me want to strive harder to find a cure. We've come a very long way and it won't be long before researchers unlock the door to a cure. But we're not there yet. Our work isn't finished. So, next time you're having a few aches and pains or just don't feel like going out to train, think about someone you love who possibly has been affected by a blood cancer. It would be easy for us to give up and walk away from this. But, for them, they can't. Let's keep all of our patients in mind as we forge ahead with our training and fundraising efforts.

This week, let's talk about getting yourselves into a routine before and after your long runs/walks. This is very important as the miles climb. You're going to want to start figuring out what to do, eat and drink the day/night before your long miles and what to do afterwards. Here are some suggestions:

•  The day before, hydrate well throughout the day. Remember, your urine should be pale in color. That's how you'll know you're well hydrated. Even though it's colder out, you'll still sweat just as much as when it's warmer and you’ll need the extra fluids.
• Eat meals that are balanced with carbs and protein the night before. It used to be that everyone would "carbo-load" the night before, but recent studies show that adding protein is beneficial to performance also. Don’t gorge on your meal, just eat a normal portion.
• Get plenty of sleep the night before, as well as throughout the week.
•  The morning of your long run/walk, you should eat something an hour or so before you run. Typically, a bagel, oatmeal, waffle, banana, etc. are good choices. This is where part of the routine comes in. Some people need more time from when they eat to when they run and others need less. Some foods will work better for you than others. You'll need to figure out what works best for you regarding what you eat and when you eat it then stay with that routine throughout the rest of your training and especially on event day. Something else to consider - think of event day. You'll want to make sure that, whatever you decide works for you can be eaten at the hotel on event day. For me, I usually eat a couple of packets of instant oatmeal. So on event day, if there's no microwave to heat water, I can use the coffee maker that's usually in the rooms to make hot water. Making PBJ sandwiches is another easy option.  
•  Also on the morning of your long miles, drink about 8-12 ozs. of water or Gatorade before coming out. Again, this will vary from one participant to another. You'll need to find what works best for you.
•  During your long runs/walks, make sure you continue to eat and drink regularly. The coaches keep plenty of gels, Clif Bars, Sport Beans, Chomps, GU, etc. at the table. Feel free to take some and see what works best. You should actually experiment with these during your weekday runs/walks to see how well you tolerate them. You don’t want to find out at mile 4 of your 8-mile run that it’s not agreeing to with your stomach. It’s really personal preference as to what you use. Some don’t like the texture of the gels or Chomps. Some prefer one type of nutrition or flavor over another. Some people carry pretzles, Fig Newtons and other snacks with them. Just make sure there's very little fat in whatever snack you decide to use. Fat will upset your stomach and you don't want that.
•  You don't want to let yourself get hungry or thirsty during your long runs/walks. Once that happens, your body has pretty much used up all the glycogen in your system. This is what fuels your muscles and gives you the energy to keep going. If you feel hungry or thirsty, you’ll have a difficult time to make up the lost fluids and energy. You need to eat at regular intervals during your long runs and during the event. For some that might mean every 30 minutes. For others, it might be 45 minutes to an hour. It will depend on the individual. Either way, work on getting that routine in place. Having a plan on event day is crucial to finishing strong. So start experimenting now so you’ll know exactly what to do on event day.
•  After your long runs/walks, make sure you get some fluids and carbs/protein in you within 30 - 60 minutes of finishing. Your body needs the nutrients for recovery. Carbs are absorbed very quickly and will allow your body to store glycogen more efficiently. Protein will help repair the muscle fibers damaged during your run and allow you to come back stronger for your next long run/walk. Examples are: PBJ sandwich, turkey on whole wheat, tuna, fruit smoothies and (my favorite!) chocolate milk.
•  Be sure to stretch afterwards. Do it slowly, though.
•  Don't sit or lay down when you get home. This will make you extremely sore. Be sure to walk around to help break up the lactic acid in your muscles. Sitting or taking a nap will cause your joints and muscles to really stiffen up and that’s not fun!
•  Take an ice bath if you're particularly sore. This will help reduce any inflammation in the joints and muscles immediately which will make for a faster recovery. You can start filling your bathtub with room temp water and climb in. Once you’re in, you can turn the hot water off and let the cold water fill up around you. You can add ice if you like, however, this time of year, the water out of the tap is usually cold enough. I wear a warm hoodie and a cup of coffee to help keep my upper body warm. You only need to be in for about 10 minutes or so.

Excellent work, Heroes! The staff, coaches and mentors are all so proud of all your accomplishments so far. You’re doing a fantastic job! You’re making such an impact on the lives of blood cancer patients. Being able to help someone you’ll never know is very gratifying. Keep up the great work!REMEMBER THE REASONGO TEAM!!

- John

Mentor Monday Message

Happy Mentor Monday,

Are you aware that TNT has an app?

You'll be able set goals and invite your friends and family to donate! It will even create a more one-on-one experience with the capability of sending immediate feedback and thank you messages to donors! Spread the word on Facebook anytime, anywhere!  We are excited to offer a mobile fundraising app LLS mTools for iPhone®, iPad®, iPod touch® and AndroidTM users. LLS mTools makes it easier to keep track of fundraising on the go. Don't forget our upcoming team fundraising events. Please make an effort to participate in as many of these events as you can, regardless of where you are on your fundraising goal. We are looking to raise the most amount of money as a TEAM as possible.

Here are some save the dates for you all:

• January 24, 2013- McAlister’s Deli Night for Teammate Allison Brown- LeMay Ferry Location 4:00-9:00 
• January 31, 2013- McAlister’s Deli Night for Teammate Kristen Harris- Manchester Location 4:00-9:00
• February 5, 2013- McAlister’s Deli Night for Teammate Laura Wende- Fenton Location 4:00-9:00
• February 8, 2013- MICE RACING FOR BLOOD CANCER- Crestwood Civic Center 7:00 PM  *More Details and flyer to come
• February 9, 2013- Mardi Gras Parade Bead Drive – Details, Meeting Place, Time, details to come
• February 10, 2013- California Pizza Kitchen Team Night  11:30 am-8:00 pm Chesterfield Mall
• February 20, 2013- Show Me St. Louis on air- be there at noon. Need up to 10 people in LLS/TNT Gear that day to help promote our Blood Cancer Benefit Concert.
• February 23, 2013- BC² (BLOOD CANCER BENEFIT CONCERT)- The Loft at Sky Music Lounge 7:00 PM-1:00 AM  *More Details and flyer to come

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

• McAlister’s Nights: Everyone who has reached out to me, I have scheduled a night for.  If there is anyone who would like to schedule one that has not yet, please email me as soon as possible.
• Team California Pizza Kitchen Night:  We are hosting a California Pizza Kitchen night. California pizza kitchen is donating a percentage of sales to our organization. Like the McAlister’s nights, we are required to bring a flyer. Your distribution of these flyers is how we will decipher at the end of the fundraising what money goes to whom. Details on that to follow.
• Mice Racing for Blood Cancer: This will be like trivia nights. You will have your friends, family, supporters buy a table by donating to your fundraising account directly. We believe we will have 20-25 tables available, but obviously will make room for as many as we need.  This evening we will need donations for the silent auction. If you know of anyone or are connected to any businesses that can donate, please let us know. Anything that you personally get donated and gets auctioned, the proceeds will go directly to your fundraising account.
• BC² - Blood Cancer Benefit Concert:  This will be a benefit concert hosted by Sky Music Lounge’s “The Loft” in Chesterfield at Kehrs Mill and Clayton where we will sell tickets (again directly to your fundraising account) and have bands play. All profits from drinks, food, auctions, raffles, etc. will be donated to LLS this evening. We also have secured time at Show Me St. Louis to help promote this event.
• Again, we will need a few things to auction off this evening.
• Bead Drives- We will be setting up a bead drive for the Mardi Gras parade as well as the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The more people we have in attendance the better.

This week we HIGHLY recommend if you haven’t already, to send out letters to everyone you know. I have spoken to Rich Buckley, and he is waiving the deadline this week, and allowing us to send these out for FREE. So, if you write your letter, print it off, stuff the envelopes, and address them, we will mail them and pay for the postage.  You can either contact your mentor or bring your letters to the group training, and we will get them to the LLS office for you.

Please feel free to go to my webpage-because both of my letters, from the previous season and this season, are copied on there. Also, do a google search for a great resource to find example LLS fundraising letters.

Again, please let any of the mentors know if you have ANY questions.
Take care and stay warm,
Heather

Fundraising Ideas

Photo courtesy of MS Office / iStockphoto

In January 2007, I first learned about Team in Training.  I was running the Walt Disney World marathon, and  was surrounded by a sea of people in purple shirts.  Being curious, I asked one of the runners in purple why they were all wearing matching shirts.  The runner, a TNT participant from the South Florida Chapter, enthusiastically told me all about Team in Training.  Her enthusiasm made me want to sign up that very day.  So, why did it take me well over a year to sign up?  One word:  fundraising.  I found the idea of raising money quite daunting.  Before mailing out my letters and meeting my fundraising mentors, I was terrified that I wouldn't reach my fundraising goal.

But once I joined the team, I learned how fun and easy fundraising can be.  First, I was amazed at how many people responded to the fundraising letters that I sent in the mail.  Second, I took advantage of the team fundraisers.  Our team had several group fundraisers, including a night working at Sonic Drive-In and a large garage sale.  Additionally, I did a few individual fundraisers.  For example, I covered old protein powder canisters in purple paper and had a canister drive at a local grocery store.  Fundraising quickly changed from something I was dreading, so something positive and enjoyable.  When you reach your fundraising goal, you really feel like you are making a difference in the fight against blood cancers!

That being said, I know that there times when TNT participants can feel discouraged about fundraising.  In fact, the teammate that I see everyday (i.e., the one who's stuck with me for life), thinks the fundraising will be more challenging than the physical training.  Since he asked me to help him fund-raise, I have been scouring the internet searching for more fundraising ideas.  In this search, I found a wonderful and helpful list of fundraising ideas on the LLS website.  There are some great ideas here:  http://www.lls.org/content/chaptercontent/li/pdf/fundraisingideas.

And if you still find fundraising a bit daunting, remember that we have some amazing mentors this season!  They'd be happy to help you!  The mentors and coaches all want to see you succeed, so be sure to reach out to us if you need anything!

GO TEAM!

- Jen

Week 7 Workout Wednesday

Wow, week 7 brings us closer to event day and I'm proud to report that we have some amazing fundraisers that have already reached goal!  Congratulations:  Allison Brown, Brian Kraus, Erin Hartnett, Julie Chodacki and Lynne Turner.  And, we have our fundraising leader, who is not only above goal, but far beyond!  Way to go Janet Johnson for having raised $9,106 so far!

In week 7 both the half and the full training schedules are taking you near or into weekly mileages at or above 20 miles.  This also happens to an area in most schedules where athletes begin reporting soreness in various parts of the body other than just an exhausted or repairing muscle.  It is important to be able to distinguish these feelings as either soreness or injury so that you can address them appropriately.  The great thing about training in this sport is that with proper care you can minimize the impact of injury by adhering to a few standards or quickly resolve the issue through early identification.

To minimize the impact of injury, or avoid it altogether, follow these simple standards:

• Run naturally.  Imagine you were running through the air, how would your legs, arms and body move?  When you’re on the ground, if you’re running in a natural form then you’ll be training in a natural way.  The best way to check this:  does it feel comfortable?
• Follow the schedule.  As you get into longer mileage you become better at shorter mileage.  Then, when you’re doing a shorter midweek day you might feel a tendency to go faster or longer and this can result in injury.  Just stick to the schedule.
• If discomfort sets in after you start, but goes away within about 10 minutes you are simply experiencing a phenomenon called delayed onset muscle fatigue.  If it doesn’t go away or feels painful then it may be a bigger issue so stop and walk back.
• Eat right.  During the week you want at least 60% of your calories to come from carbohydrates.  There are 4 calories for each gram of carbohydrates so either do the math on your own or just look at what you’re packing and is far more than half carbs?  After your training, eat protein to help rebuild muscle.  A power bar works well

Common Injuries and what to do:

• Shin splints - occur when the muscles in your calves are strengthening at different rates leaving one tugging more than another.  Sometimes you can even ‘hear’ this tugging when you move your ankle around in circles.  You can get shin splints anywhere on the shin, but many times they are nearest the ankle.  To cure them you need to ice after every workout, decrease the intensity of your workouts and do a few special exercises like laying a hand towel on the floor and with your bare foot in one spot use your toes to scrunch the towel back towards your foot.  When you've brought it all the way in then straighten it back out and do it again.  Repeat three times on each foot twice a day regularly.
• Numb feet - likely occurs during the middle of a run because your quadriceps on your upper leg are getting strong and end up pinching the nerve that runs to your feet.  The cure:  stand on both feet, cross one leg over the other just above the knee, now do a one legged squat.  Hold on to something if you have to.  You’ll do it right if you feel a deep stretch in your glutes and hamstrings.  Also do a simple forward fold, just let the head hang for 30 seconds, there is no need to push hard.
• Pain on the outside of the knee - is likely Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS).  There is a band of tissue, not muscle, that runs from your hip to below your knee that helps hold your leg in place.  With training, this gets thicker and end us rubbing the knee causing pain, sometimes very severe or debilitating.  You can test if it ITBS by laying flat on your back with legs extended straight.  Then take the affected leg and lift the heel about 3 inches and slowly bend your knee back to your chest.  You’ll know if you feel it, trust me.  Also, going down stairs, as opposed to up stairs, will make you feel it.  The cure:  you have to rest and ice more frequently.  Because the IT band is not a muscle you cannot stretch it and using a foam roller may make it feel better, but not cure it.  

Go TEAM!
- Jeffrey

Survivor Saturday Run

January 12 was the first Survivor Saturday Run in Columbia, MO and there was a great group of TNT alum there! In Columbia, these runs take place on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month.  They serve as a way to raise awareness of the LLS's mission to cure blood cancer. Everyone is welcome, walkers, runners, as well as past, present, and future TNT participants. If you live in or near Columbia, the team would love to see you at the next Survivor Saturday run at 8 am on January 26th at the Forum Blvd entrance to the MKT. 

Photo Gallery and Silent Auction Fundraiser for Angela

Mentor Monday Message for 1/14/13

Hey Guys!! Happy Mentor Monday!! Please take the time to read this message in its entirety. Thank you!

Congrats to the Disney Participants on a job well done this weekend! The Disney Team raised over $110,000 for LLS! Did you know that each 75% of EACH dollar that you raise is going to blood cancer research and support to patients and families diagnosed with blood cancers?

What you are doing DOES make a difference. The reason I got involved with LLS is because of my dad. Almost 17 years have passed since my father was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Several chemotherapy regimens including ASHAP, CHOP and FND, a high dose chemotherapy followed by a bone marrow transplant, Lymphoma recurrences in 1999, 2001, and 2002, and thousands of prayers later, we thank God every day that He has given us all of this and that my dad is still with us today! Rituxan (rituximab) is a monoclonal antibody, which was approved in 1997 by the FDA. My dad was given this in conjunction with another chemotherapy in 2001 and then began using it as a preventative maintenance drug in 2002. The current cost of this drug without insurance is $18,000 per infusion. He gets this drug in two four-week cycles every six months. It has kept him in remission ever since. My dad was told he would not live to be 45. I am proud to tell you he turns 57 this June.

Approximately every 4 minutes one person in the United States is diagnosed with a blood cancer.

Because of funding raised by Team in Training and the Leukemia Lymphoma Society, drugs like Rituxan have been developed to help patients get past these terrible prognoses. KEEP DOING WHAT YOU ARE DOING! IT WORKS! As you all may or may not know the mentors have some AWESOME FUNdraising stuff in the works for this team!  I mentioned this at the training this week, but will try to reiterate it here…Your support of these events is VITAL to their success. No matter where you are at in your fundraising goals, your support for these events is much appreciated. We are here to help find a cure for cancer, so let’s keep fundraising until that happens!

•  McAlister’s Nights:Everyone who has reached out to me, I have scheduled a night for. If there is anyone who would like to schedule one that has not yet, please email me as soon as possible.
• Team California Pizza Kitchen Night: We are hosting a California Pizza Kitchen night. California pizza kitchen is donating a percentage of sales to our organization. Like the McAlister’s nights, we are required to bring a flyer. Your distribution of these flyers is how we will decipher at the end of the fundraising what money goes to whom. Details on that to follow.
• Mice Racing for Blood Cancer:This will be like trivia nights. You will have your friends, family, supporters buy a table by donating to your fundraising account directly. We believe we will have 20-25 tables available, but obviously will make room for as many as we need. This evening we will need donations for the silent auction.If you know of anyone or are connected to any businesses that can donate, please let us know. Anything that you personally get donated and gets auctioned, the proceeds will go directly to your fundraising account.
•  BC² - Blood Cancer Benefit Concert:  This will be a benefit concert hosted by Sky Music Lounge’s “The Loft” in Chesterfield at Kehrs Mill and Clayton where we will sell tickets (again directly to your fundraising account) and have bands play. All profits from drinks, food, auctions, raffles, etc. will be donated to LLS this evening. We also have secured time at Show Me St. Louis to help promote this event. Again, we will need a few things to auction off this evening.
• Bead Drives- We will be setting up a bead drive for the Mardi Gras parade as well as the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The more people we have in attendance the better.

This week we HIGHLY recommend if you haven’t already, to send out letters to everyone you know. I have spoken to Rich Buckley, and he is waiving the deadline this week, and allowing us to send these out for FREE. So, if you write your letter, print it off, stuff the envelopes, and address them, we will mail them and pay for the postage. You can either contact your mentor or bring your letters to the group training, and we will get them to the LLS office for you.

Please feel free to go to my webpage-because both of my letters, from the previous season and this season, are copied on there. Also, do a google search for a great resource to find example LLS fundraising letters.

Here are some save the dates for you all:

• January 24, 2013-McAlister’s Deli Night for Teammate Allison Brown- LeMay Ferry Location 4:00-9:00 *Bring Flyer
• January 31, 2013-McAlister’s Deli Night for Teammate Kristen Harris- Manchester Location 4:00-9:00  *Bring Flyer
• February 5, 2013-McAlister’s Deli Night for Teammate Laura Wende- Fenton Location 4:00-9:00  *Bring Flyer
• February 8, 2013-MICE RACING FOR BLOOD CANCER- Crestwood Civic Center 7:00 PM *More Details and flyer to come
• February 9, 2013- Mardi Gras Parade Bead Drive – Details, Meeting Place, Time, details to come
• February 10, 2013-California Pizza Kitchen Team Night 11:30 am-8:00 pm Chesterfield Mall  *Bring Flyer
• February 20, 2013-Show Me St. Louis on air- be there at noon. Need up to 10 people in LLS/TNT Gear that day to help promote our Blood Cancer Benefit Concert.
• February 23, 2013- BC²(BLOOD CANCER BENEFIT CONCERT)- The Loft at Sky Music Lounge 7:00 PM-1:00 AM  *More Details and flyer to come
• February, 26, 2013- McAlister's Deli Night for Mentor/Teammate Heather Barcroft Manchester Location 4:00-9:00 *Bring Flyer
• March 16, 2013- St. Patrick’s Day Parade Bead Drive-Details, Meeting Place, Time, details to come
• March 23, 2013 – Fundraiser put on by Coach Kevin West at Innsbrook – more details to follow!

** As we can get them coordinated, we may go down to do a canister drive or bead drive for the Blues Games**

In the works: Scotttrade Center Volunteer nights, Canister Drives at local grocery stores (we’re in the midst of girl scout cookie season—so this is why these are a little less frequent then usual), 50/50 raffles on your personal facebook –please email us for more details on that…
Please, please, please make it your grandest effort to participate in as many of every single one of these events as you can, REGARDLESS of where you are on your fundraising or what your fundraising goal may be. We are looking to raise the most amount of money as a TEAM as possible.

Columbia teammates: I put in an application for Buffalo Wild Wings fundraising night, Schnucks Canister Drive, as well as working to get us on campus for bead drives on the day of Mizzou Basketball games. If anyone of you know the procedure in order to do this, I believe the application I filled out didn’t go very far, so I’m looking for another avenue. I am planning as much as I can remotely. So, whatever you all can do to help, is great!

Let’s do our part to save lives! We are still recruiting. If you have any friends that are considering joining, or on the fence about joining, please send out their information to one of the coaches or Rich Sloan/ Rich Buckley, and we can get them signed up!
Thank you all for everything you are doing!!!! Do not hesitate to reach out to your mentors with any questions, concerns, or anything you need help with at any time!

Week 6 Workout Wednesday

This Workout Wednesday email is our sixth of the training season and arrives with three months to go until the STL GO! 2013 Marathon and Half Marathon! Our group training runs have been fun and it's so great to see new faces each week. I'd like to remind all of you to keep in touch, even just for a friendly hello from time to time, whether you are able to make the Group Training Saturdays or not because I'd love to hear from all of you :)

Before digging into this week's coach's email, I want to take a pause and reflect on the most important aspect of what we do: fundraising. There is so much we can do to help save and improve the lives of patients and their families and all we need to do is look around us and we see just how much of a difference we can make. Make it personal, have pride in what you're doing, but be humble enough to know that the fight doesn't stop until we find a cure. Margie was one of my best friend's mother growing up. She fought a blood cancer for over 15 years. Each year she had a bout that she overcame until one time it was too much and she couldn't win that battle. But if it wasn't for the work that you and I do to raise funds for the research that LLS helps fund, we wouldn't have had her for as long as we did. Margie is one of the wonderful people I volunteer to do what I do.

Next training:

Saturday 1/12

7:45 am Mission Moment

8 am Start time

Forest Park Visitor's Center

What is the purpose of this week's training?

Incorporate nutrition and hydration as we begin to enter critical mileage thresholds

DISCOUNT DAY AT BIG RIVER RUNNING COMPANY ANNOUNCED!

I'm happy to say that we've secured a special discount day for ALL Team in Training participants on 1/24 ALL DAY LONG at ALL THREE Big River Running Locations!! There are three BRR locations across St. Louis so be sure to stop in and get 20% off your entire order! For locations click here. This is a prime time to get your next pair of shoes, some winter clothing, and my highly recommended 'fuel belts' and 'water bottles' for your training runs. These guys (and gals) are experts at what they do and can fit your properly and recommend what you need. Make sure to tell them I sent you and that you're part of Team in Training to get your discount!

Don't Forget to Like on Facebook

Run Coach Jeffrey. I post all of our photos and training tips to keep you motivated and having fun!

Topic this week: Hydration and Nutrition

The one thing I've been telling everyone at training is that training for an endurance sport requires experience to really nail down what is best for you when it comes to everything from apparel to food. While there are guidelines, you really need to try out a variety of options to see what's best for you. When it comes to nutrition and hydration it is the most important. Your body cannot function without proper fuel and fluids.

Short and sweet guidelines:

Hydration during the week

• Drink plenty of water, try to keep your urine clear or pale yellow at all times to stay well hydrated
• You don't have to only slurp down water to stay hydrated, plenty of foods have tons of water in them, for example:
• Tomatoes, broccoli, low fat yogurt and milk are all greater than 90% water
• Oatmeal is more than 80% water
• Coffee and sodas are mostly water, yes, but caffeine can dehydrate you so be moderate
• Cut back on the salt

Hydration during your workouts

• Everyone sweats in different amounts. Weigh yourself nude before your workout and then afterwards the same. How much did you lose? You want to replace this fluid during your workout by taking a fuel belt or water bottle with you.
• When you're thirsty, it's too late. Know how much fluid you lose and replace that during your workout.
• A general rule of thumb is to take about 6 ounces or so every 20 minutes.
• Alternate between a sport drink, like Gatorade or Cytomax, and water during your workout so you absorb enough electrolytes. At group training we will begin using only the drink that will be offered on the race day event.

Nutrition during the week

• Ideally, about 60% of your calories should come from complex carbohydrates. We're not body builders (or at least not most of us) so you don't have to bulk up on protein.
• 1 gram of carbohydrates is equal to 4 calories; you'll have to do a little math to calculate this based on what you eat. However, generally speaking, just take a look at your plate and is more than half of it carbs? Or is it fatty and protein?
• Oatmeal, whole grain pastas and rice, potatoes, and high fiber bran cereals are awesome sources
• Before your workout, eat about an hour in advance to allow digestion and energy absorption. A commonly good pre-run meal is a slice of toast with almond or peanut butter and cup of coffee (yes, it's ok to have coffee).

Nutrition during and after your workouts

• Now that we're getting into higher mileage, the rule of thumb is to consume energy every 45 minutes to 1 hour. GU energy gels and sports beans are great sources and available at Big River Running or other sports stores.
• Having a fuel belt is helpful to store your gel packs so you have them when you need them
• After your run is when you want to eat protein to help repair your muscles. Most any protein bars are great, but make sure they have carbs, too! Without carbs many people will find themselves getting cranky.

While this is a short and sweet list of tips, any of us coaches are available to answer your questions. Remember, the key is to try a variety of drinks and foods to see what you like best and what suits your tastes and tummy. Ideally, you want to know what's best for you so when event day arrives you know exactly what you need to avoid any issues.

I want to close this week's email again with reminding you how wonderful it is what you're doing. You're efforts reach far beyond what you may realize and I know for me I realize this more and more everyday. You're a hero for the work you're doing. Remember the reason always.

GO TEAM!

Jeffrey Promnitz

Mentor Monday Message from 1/7/13

This is the first of many mentor Monday messages that you will be getting over the course of your training. I am happy that all of you have made the commitment to train for your endurance event and to also raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Our TEAM goal for this season is 139,750!! Currently we have raised $12,219.64!!! Which is not too shabby, but if we continue to raise money as a TEAM, I know that we can pass our goal.

We are a TEAM and each one of your coaches , mentors,and team-mates are here for you every step of the way. We are all here for the same reason so never be afraid to ask questions or ask for help. We want to make sure that you have everything you need to successfully FUNdraise and train. ANYTHING that you need please let us know!

The money that you will raise is so important. There are an estimated 1,012,533 people in the United States living with, or are in remission from, Leukemia, Hodgkin Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma or Myeloma. Since 1954  LLS has invested more than $814 million in Leukemia, Lymphoma and Myeloma research that has led to key advances in understanding blood cancer and has helped produce new treatments to enhance and prolong lives.

How might you go about raising that money?? Well I am here to help as well as two other amazing people, Andrea and Heather. We have 2 big FUNdraisers in the making! We are currently planning a Battle of the Bands and also Mouse Races.  We will have more info on those particular FUNdraisers in the next Mentor Monday email.

In the meantime, here are some suggestions on how to get started:

• Send out your letters: Send them to everyone you possibly could. Make sure that you personalize them and tell them what your training involves and what kind of goals you have set. 
• Canister Drives:  I have one day set up for the TEAM right now ,but will hopefully have more dates set up in the next email. This weekend on the 12th at the Schnucks in Chesterfield starting at 10 am there are  openings. If interested please let me know! This is an easy and FUN way to get things started
• Bead Drives: Mardi-Gras is right around the corner and then after that is Saint Patrick's Day parade. We can go down to the parades and sell beads for donations. This is another group FUNdraiser that is easy. Please let me know if you are interested so I can fill you in on all the details.
• McCalister's Nights: You can have a designated night with your neighborhood McCalister's where you will be given flyers that you can hand out and for each flyer you hand out that a customer brings in,  you get a % of their bill. Also you can ask some locations if they  are okay with you being at the facility the night of your event and you can bus tables and refill drinks for tips. If this is something you are interested in doing please let one of us know. So far the dates we have coming up are:  
• January 24 -South County Location 4-9 Allison Brown 
• January 31 -Machester Location 4-9 Kristin Harris
• February 5th-Fenton Location 4-9 Laura Wende
• February 26th- Manchester Location 4-9 Heather Barcroft  
• Fundrasing page: Get your fundraising page up and running. Personalize it with what your doing and why you are doing it. And you can update people on your progress with either your training of FUNdraising. When ever you send out an email  put your fundraising link at the bottom 
• Post on Facebook! It really works!! Keep your friends up to date on all your accomplishments and progress. You will be suprised how many people are excited or interested in it. I post like crazy on Facebook and people that I haven't seen in 10 years are donating to me and telling me how a family member/friend has been affected by blood cancers.
• Ask everyone!!! Do not be afraid to hear no! You will be surprised how many people are willing to donate. The more you put it out there the more you will get in return.

In closing, again I am super excited for this season and I know that you all will do great! Don't hesitate to get in touch with us, and we would love to sit down with each one of you and get things ironed out. Please keep us up to date on any accomplishments or upcoming FUNdraisers you may have planned or that  you are hosting so that we can pass them on to the rest of the TEAM.

GO TEAM!!!!

- Kristen

Team Mentors

The Go! St. Louis Team is lucky to have three great mentors on our team this season.  Andrea, Heather, and Kristen will be helping with fundraising -- they have some great tips!  Here are some individual notes from each mentor:

Andrea:  My name is Andrea. I was new to TNT in 2012 with the St. Louis Rock N Roll Team. Leukemia Lymphoma Society has impacted my life personally , and I wanted to give back to this organization to help beat blood cancers! My dad was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, stages II and IV in 1996.  Because of research and funding for drugs like Rituxan by this organization, he just had his port removed on 12/14/2012, and is "cancer-free"! 

I want to help make these outcomes possible for anyone that faces a blood cancer! I look forward to getting to know each and every one of you this season and to helping you exceed your FUNdraising goals! 

And here is my fundraising site! 

Heather:  My name is Heather and I joined Team in Training for the 2011 Chicago Lifetime Triathalon after my mom was diagnosed with Lymphoma. Her last treatment was in December 2010 and she has returned to full life. The diagnosis hit the family hard, especially after seeing mom's sister struggle with cancer for years  before it took her life. I decided that I would participate as a way to honor my family and to raise awareness for others. As a benefit I was able to meet a team full of wonderful people who have become close friends. I am returning this year as a mentor and participant for the GO! half marathon. 

Kristen: My name is Kristen Raetzloff and I joined Team in Training in 2011 for the Rock and Roll 1/2 marathon. I was very moved by the entire experience. I loved the whole team oriented enviroment and couldn't wait to sign up for another event. 8 years ago I lost my uncle to Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and have wanted to do something to honor him and others who are battling blood cancers. That is what intially brough me to join TNT and I haven't regretted that decision.  This time I am doing it a mentor and participant in the GO! 1/2 marathon.  Running for a cure, one mile at a time! Please visit my FUNdraising page and see how you can help!

 

Thanks Mentors for sharing your stories!