Spring 2009 Kick Off!

Last night was our team kick-off! This is always a lot of fun, because the whole team comes together for the first and perhaps for the last time. After last night, the team will break into three sub-teams: cycle, triathlon, and marathon. Each of these groups will train together but separately from the other two groups.

Our teams are pretty decent size. The marathon team currently has 9 people who will train for Country Music and 20 who will train for the Shamrock Marathon in Virginia Beach. The triathlon team currently has 7 people, all training for the St. Anthony Triathlon in Tampa, and the cycle team currently has 6 people training for the Fletcher Flyer 100 mile bike race in Asheville, NC. And who knows, we may add a person or two.

During kick-off, Holly told the inspirational story of her daughter Emma’s experience with leukemia at age 10 weeks! What a horrible experience for this family to go through. Despite it all little Emma survived, and is now a sweet and healthy 9 year old. Can you imagine dealing with your little baby so deathly ill and all of the torturous things that she had to endure? I sincerely hope that our efforts with TNT will make all this things of the past, for the medical museum, some day very soon.

One of my great friends, Susan Glass, is on the cycle team and will be going for the coveted “TNT Triple Crown”, meaning she will have completed at least one marathon, triathlon, and century ride for Team in Training. In Susan’s case, she has already done something like 25 events and just needs the 100 miler to close the deal. Plus she has raised over $100,000 in this time. I am really proud of her!

TNT is awesome, and the people one meets and trains with are awesome and inspirational. I am really looking forward to this team and to renewing acquaintances with old friends, and making new friends. All while trying to make the world a better place and to work towards a cure for cancer.