Go! Information

Photo from the Go! Website

Hey Team!  On Tuesday, y'all should have received an email from Go! with information about race weekend.  If you didn't receive this email, let Rich B. know!  You can click this link to review a copy of this info.  I don't know about y'all, but I'm so excited.  But it's a bit bittersweet because, with the exception of the 5k participants, this race weekend marks the end of our Go! season.  I hope to see many of you on future Team in Training teams!

- Jen

Workout Wednesday for Week 18 -- Event Week!

Wow, your work in training and fundraising has been impressive and you should truly feel good about your efforts.  Whether you are a first timer or an alum, you will feel just how much of a positive impact you're creating more and more with everyday you participate.  I'm proud of you, but I'm also humbled by our work as a team.  It feels good to be a team with you and you should feel good too!

As you've learned throughout the season I like to keep these emails as succinct as possible using sections.  Please do take the time to read these sections, attend the Inspiration Dinner, read the know-before-you-go information from Rich B, and contact me with any questions.

Next Training:

• Due to the traffic congestion of the GO! 5K race at Forest Park, the location within the park for GT and time is different than normal
• Forest Park Ball Fields (South side of the Park - As you enter from Hampton, go right at first roundabout and straight across at second roundabout)
• 7 am start time

** Wish our 5 K runners good luck!  They run Saturday morning!  Cheer them on at Group Training because they'll be running in Forest Park near our meeting place **



ATTENTION 5K Runners:

• Coach Jen will be meeting you on the steps of the visitor's center at 7am
• Please RSVP with her directly if you would or would not like to meet at this time before the race

ATTENTION marathoners and half marathoners:

• Please be sure to read all of Rich B.'s messages about important pre-race information because this is vital for successful getting what you need to participate
• We are meeting on Sunday at 5:30 am in the Lobby of the Westin Hotel downtown.  Please be there on time so we can provide you with last minute information that is important on event day and to get a fun group photo before we walk on over to the start line
• While there will be on-course nutrition and hydration, it never hurts to carry your own.  Remember what we talked about before, if you find yourself hungry or thirsty during the race, it's too late.  Better to be safe than sorry.
• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate all week long.  Try not to let your urine become anything other than clear or pale yellow to make sure you're hydrated come Sunday.
• Don't eat or drink anything new.  Stick to only what works and what you know.
• Make a conscious decision to eat more carbs through the remainder of the week.  You do not need to go overboard, just have one serving of pasta, whole grain bread or other complex carbohydrates each day.  
• Ultimately, just stick to what we've discussed and what you've come to know.

Coach Zones on the Half and Full Marathon Course:

• We will have five coaches on the course to support you!  Look for us because it can be hard to see you!  We will have GREEN TNT coaching jerseys on
• Zone One - Coach John:  Miles 4 through 8 (same for both Marathon and Half Marathon)
• Zone Two - Coach Jeffrey:  Miles 8 through 12 of the Half Marathon
• Zone Three - Coach Jen: Miles 8 through 10 of the Half Marathon plus Miles 10 through 12 of the Marathon
• Zone Four - Coaches Sharon and Amanda will be additional support for full marathon miles 12 through 23.  Amanda will be between 12 and 18; Sharon will be between 18 and 23.

EXTREMELY IMPORTANT ADMINISTRATIVE POINTS FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS:

• All participants MUST attend the race expo to pickup your race packets.  These contain your official race bibs (race number that affixes to your jersey) and other race information.   You MUST bring your divers license and confirmation email from the race organizers (STL GO!).
• REVIEW the "know-before-you-go" information that was provided to you last week by Rich B.  ALL OF THE information is important, trust us!
• Just like a Group Training, at the end of the race you must "check out" at the TNT tent so we know you've been finished.
• If something comes up and you decide not to participate on event day then you must contact Rich B. as soon as possible.
• I really hope to see all of you at the Inspiration Dinner because it is both, well, inspirational and also fun!  We will also go over one last time important points for event day

All of my best regards specifically to each and everyone of you for doing what you've done to improve the lives of our patients, families and friends.

Jeffrey

Mentor Monday from 4-1

Team,

Well…… we have officially made it to race week! (First race week for our 5K teams!)

We are looking so forward to all of the fun race-week activities this week from the Inspiration Dinner, to the 5K race (Which is at Forest Park DURING group training!), to the Expo, to race morning and day. Please try to make it to GT this week as we will be able to cheer on our fellow teammates who are participating in the 5K series!

Your hard work between your miles and all of the many fundraising activities you did is finally going to come to fruition! As we all know, we are here for a mission…. “Someday is Today!”. We are looking to find a cure for these patients…..so I encourage you all to send out one final Facebook message, one final email, or even a letter to your friends, family and area businesses. No matter where you are on your fundraising…we are looking to help fund a cure for blood cancers! Do one final push to raise every dollar that you possibly can! Its amazing how much I’ve seen fellow TNT’ers raise via one or two Facebook posts!

Don’t believe me??? Ask Coach John! He hit his fundraising commitment within a few hours after posting that he was $200 short of his commitment---and got 7 donations from the post!

For those of you who may have had to guarantee some of your commitment via your personal credit card, I strongly encourage an email, or a post like this!

As always, your mentors are here to help you! Please contact us this week with any advice or assistance you may need for your fundraising goals or anything else LLS related, for that matter!

Our top FUNdraisers are:

• Janet J.
• Andrea L.
• David & Loriann R.
• Miranda M.
• Laurie L.

Janet has raised $14,375!! Her goal is $15,000!! She is only $625 from her fundraising goal!! I know she will surpass that goal as she has with every single one she has set for herself this season! What an inspiration!!

It is important to remember that as the events near you still contiue not only your training but also your FUNdraising! Our team has raised $60,765.31 for LLS (not including any last minute checks/deposits people are waiting to have post to their fundraising account). This is INCREDIBLE!!! Every dollar we collect will put us one step closer to finding a cure for blood cancers!! Keep it GOING!!! This should be the week you push for more donations, just as you will push to cross the finish line!

If you ever need any assistance or help with FUNdraising or want to brainstorm with one of your mentors, please reach out! We will be there to help!!

Here are some important things that are coming up:

• Inspiration Dinner – 6pm, Saturday, April 6, Pasta House on Delmar. Please email Rich a photo of your personal honored patient(s) so we can include them in the slides for the dinner. Deadline: Friday, March 29.

• If you would like to help work the LLS booth at the Expo please contact Martha at the LLS office, she was still looking for a few volunteers when I was there last week!

• Anyone who hasn't filled out their medical forms for the race will need to contact Rich. I am sure that he has emailed you about it, but in case you haven't check in with him.

• If you haven't checked into http://www.races2remember.com/TNT.php, please do so. It's a nice way to display your honored hero/teammate on race day. Such an awesome way to honor those you are running for!

• Here is a fun upcoming event that Coach Doug is hosting: The Running Dead 5k run/walk. It is $25 to participate in the event that is being donated back to LLS. It's full of Zombie infested fun in Forest Park on 4/20. If interested please contact Kristen or Doug.

• Kristen is putting together a TNT Yard Sale on May 18th! The location is TBA, however she is looking for donated items including but not limited to: old clothes, books, kids toes, housewares, knick-knacks, etc. All of the proceeds will be donated back to LLS! So if you have any sell-able items you can donate please contact Kristen to arrange your donations!

This has been such a wonderful season and we thank you all for making it such a success!!! We cannot wait to cross the finish line with all of you!!

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

-- Andrea