Extreme Fundraising!

Year after year, TNT participants take fundraising to the next level by pushing their physical limits and testing the waters of what might intitially seem like an impossible venture. We've seen hundreds of partcipants complete incredible endurance events year after year, leaving us inspired and proud to wear the purple! But why do our participants dedicate so much time and put so much energy into training for these events? Because they are training for a cause; they are training to help rid the world of blood cancer.

{Dressing down for a cure!}

 From sending out countless letters, to hosting spectacular fundraising events, TNT participants go the extra mile with their fundraising...literally. Through their outstanding fundraising efforts and endurance training, participants have helped TNT raise more than $1.32 billion for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to support blood cancer research and patient services. TNT's own Thea Cerio is a fundraising powerhouse; she is running her first marathon at the Disney World Marathon this January, and has already raised an amazing $2,375!! She has planned successful events, such a dress down day at Lincoln Technical Insitute that brought in over $400 for LLS! Thea is hosting yet another fundraising event tomorrow night;   help her reach her fundraising goal by supporting her event!

Join me (and hopefully everyone I know!)

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 28^th

after work (till whenever) at the HAVANA CAFÉ

10% of the proceeds from your order will go towards the

TEAM IN TRAINING fundraising goal!

Havana Cafe - Authentic, traditional Cuban Restaurant

329 North Washington Street North Attleboro, MA 02760
(508) 695-7400

http://www.havanacafema.com/

*Please print this out and bring it with you so they know you are supporting the Team!





Mission Monday: Fred Campagna

Fred Campagna tells us about his experience running the Goofy Challenge at this past year's Disney World Marathon. Within two days, Fred completed both the half and full marathon, leaving all of us here at TNT speechless and inspired!



{Fred and honored hero Arieana}

 Running the Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge was one of the most challenging experiences of my life, but thanks to my involvement with Team in Training, it was also among the most rewarding. Long before arriving in Disney for the races, I was inspired by the people I met while training and raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I ran in honor of Arieana Carcieri who was going through her second battle with Lymphoma in the past two years. Her determination and positive attitude was on my mind during every training run in the chilly, late-fall weather.

  

{Race ready!}

I was an experienced runner, but I did not know much about how to effectively raise money. The staff at LLS RI was incredibly helpful with answering any questions I had about fundraising; they truly made it easy for me to reach my fundraising goal by providing me with helpful hints and innovative ideas. I already felt fulfilled before I even arrived at Walt Disney World for marathon weekend, but the whole experience went to another level when I saw how the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society went above and beyond to make it an unforgettable time for all of us. I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with my LLS RI teammates and coaches. The pre-race dinner was fun and incredibly inspirational. The actual races in Disney are a blast;  they are unlike any other road races on the planet! Personally, I was dealing with an injury that, under normal circumstances, would have prevented me from completing both the half and full marathon, but, because of my involvement with with LLS, I was helped by TNT coaches throughout the races. Their words of encouragement made something that I would have deemed impossible, not only possible, but truly rewarding. It was the experience of a lifetime.　

{Fred and fellow TNT-ers showing off their medals!}









A Muffin a Day

Breakfast is notoriously the most important meal of the day, and rightly so! It kicks off your day, jumpstarting your metabolism, and fueling your mornings. However, for a person in training, a good breakfast takes a backseat to that early morning run, cycle, or swim. Between watching the sunrise during your workout and racing to get ready for work, cooking breakfast falls low on the totem pole. Breakfast on-the-go becomes the norm, and you find yourself dreading that crumbly, old granola bar that greets you upon opening the cupboard. But we're here to say that there's light at the end of the tunnel! If your mornings are too hectic, prepare your breakfast the night before and try something new! You may not know the muffin man well enough to get some free muffins, but you can certainly whip up your own using the recipe below. These tasty little treasures are hand-held gifts from the bakery gods. Snatch one up on your way out the door and be satisfied.

{Mmmm}

Here's what you'll need:

1 2/3 cups chopped fresh strawberries

2/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Heat oven to 400 degrees while you mix together the ingredients in order and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper baking cups! Spoon the batter into the cups and sprinkle a dash of sugar over each muffin before placing in the oven for 18-22 minutes. Let cool and then enjoy fields and fields of fresh strawberries in the shape of a muffin! Makes 12 muffins.

{Enjoy}

***for a healthier muffin, substitue yogurt for some of the oil and use 3 egg whites instead of 2 whole eggs



Mission Monday

This January, TNT participants will be able to cheer "I'm going to Disney World!" ...to run or walk 13.1-26.2 miles. Not your average vacation to the land of the giant mouse! But then again, TNT-ers are not your average person. Our Disney Team has just begun their training, embarking on a journey to complete a half or full marathon spanning the four Disney World parks. What motivates this group of people to train daily and fundraise for the next four months? Among the reasons is this season's honored hero, Maya Spadano. We heard from Maya's father, Bob, in last week's post, but take a few minutes to watch Maya's video to learn about this incredible, courageous little girl who has inpired us all here at TNT. Team Disney trains for Maya, who do YOU train for?

 

Little Moments

We all have that inner voice that helps us get out there for our daily run, cycle or swim. It's the motivation that pulls us out of bed or drags us out of the office to tackle a workout. It's the drive we need to push us each day. That little voice, although small, carries with it great strength. It varies from person to person, as we all accept the challenge of training for different reasons. It tells one athlete to run to fight depression and find joy in each day; it tells another to cycle to escape from the corporate world into the mountains; for some it tells them to train to save a life other than their own. If you ask someone why they train, why they dedicate so much time and push themselves past their physical limits, seldom will you find them without a reason. TNT's own Bob Spadano runs for his 4 year old daugther, Maya, who has been battling leukemia for the last year and half. Below he shares a little moment he had with his daughter which reminded him why he runs. Bob found his inner voice in his beautiful, bright little girl...where did you find yours?

{Maya in her rockstar shades}



"This morning after my run, I was sitting in the kitchen trying to cool down. Maya noticed how much I was sweating and asked, as only a four year old would, why do I keep running if it makes me sweat? So I explained to her as simply as possible that daddy runs to help kids like her and her friends at clinic beat leukemia by raising money for the doctors and hospitals. She looked at me somewhat puzzled and said,'But daddy, how does running help kids with leukemia?' I just hugged her and thought how thankful I was for her innocence."
                     ~Bob Spadano

Running Is...

We all run for different reasons, but within the running community, we often find our reasons overlap. TNT's own Thea takes a moment to reflect on what running means to her...

Cathartic, thought provoking, invigorating, heart breaking, intense, challenging, mind numbing, humbling, energizing, emotional, puzzling, overwhelming, passionate, boring, awesome, contagious, powerful, weather contingent, dehydrating, sleep depriving, therapeutic, body numbing, calorie burning, liberating, reflective, beautiful, meditative, mocking, independent, revitalizing, vapid, glorious, self-indulgent, mood altering, relentless, sweaty, goal oriented, addictive, weighty, looming, ruthless, crushing, and lovely….

All at the same time.