So 2010 is in full swing and you’ve committed to taking better care of yourself, this year and beyond. What better way to get motivated and in shape, all while helping to eradicate several forms of cancer, than to join the Team in Training (TNT) program?
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society® (LLS) introduced the program in 1988 to help people reach monumental fitness goals — running a full or half marathon, completing a triathlon, finishing a century (i.e., 100-mile) bicycle ride or enduring an extensive hike — while raising money to fund blood cancer research. Since then, more than $950 million has been raised and almost 400,000 people have achieved their fitness goal.
Now, it’s your turn.
The TNT program works well for all fitness levels. Whether you are a self-proclaimed couch potato, a casual exerciser or a gym rat, you can achieve your goal with help from the fitness training and group support that are part of the TNT package.
For four to five months, a certified coach guides you and your teammates through the training for your chosen event. A mentor shares tips for training and fundraising based on his or her experience in the TNT program. And Honored Teammates — local blood cancer patients — help inspire you along the way.
In return for all this training and support, you raise money to help the LLS fund research for such diseases as leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, as well as improving the quality of life of patients and their families. The TNT program provides you with several tools to help you reach your fundraising goal, so the most difficult part just may be choosing in which event to participate.
More than 60 accredited events across the United States and abroad are a terrific motivator. Do you like to enjoy the scenery? Check out America’s Most Beautiful Bike Ride in Lake Tahoe, Nev., or the hike through Yosemite National Park. Do you prefer the rock ’n’ roll lifestyle (the healthy one)? Sign up for the Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon® in San Diego, Calif. Do you need to get away from it all? Try the Honolulu Marathon®. Do you want to participate but don’t want to travel far? Then the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon or 1/2 Marathon is for you.
For those who want to become more active but are wary of committing to an entire triathlon, marathon or century ride, a sprint distance triathlon is being offered in May. It makes the decision to get involved easier because of its shorter distance and lower fundraising price point.
Just take that first step. The rest will follow.
So what’s the first step?
Information meetings start Jan. 12; dates, times and locations can be found on the TNT Web site. For additional information, contact the Kansas Chapter of the LLS at 316-266-4050 or e-mail Susan Fleming at susan.fleming@lls.org.
Comments