Team in Training questions

Yes - I did this! And it was the best experience of my life!! Honestly! (I'll try not to write a book about it because I could go on and on.)

I joined their cycle team because I have an old injury that prevents me from running. But I have a friend who has done a number of runs with them. Basically it all works the same - you pay the registration fee of $75 - then you join the team. You train for your event for however many weeks. Mine was a century bike ride - 103 miles - and we trained for 17 weeks. Which means I trained on my own during the week and then every Saturday morning I trained with the team for a longer ride (or it would be maybe for you a longer run). You have an experienced coach and mentors and they guide you every step of the way with technique, gear, fueling, etc. - its really an incredible way to get into a sport if you want to learn it in a very comprehensive and guided way.

In terms of money - you pay the $75 registration fee - then as you start training you start your fundrasing. Bascially, the further you are from your event the more money you have to raise. So for me I had to raise $2500 - but what you get out of the money you raise is all the training + hotel, race day support, etc. If you're further away - you raise $4500 and airfare and everything else is paid for (except meals). The ONLY way you have to pay money is if you don't raise all your funds. So if you only raise $2000 and you're supposed to raise $2500 - you have to pay the $500. They need a credit card to secure your 'commitment.' IT sounds like a raquet - but remember that almost 80%, I think, goes directly to the LLS - so its a great cause. I met my fundraising within a month and did it simply with sending a letter out to 50 people including work contacts. I had no trouble and only one person on my team couldn't raise the funds - mostly because she didn't try. So you're really only out the $75 in the very start - TNT even pays the postage for your letters.

The only thing for me is that I joined to lose weight (of course) and I ended up gaining weight - because I was new to endurance sports and the idea of eating so much while riding was hard for me. But you'll get help with all of it. I think if you want to get into cycling or running WHILE doing something great for an awesome organization - TNT is the way to go. We focused all our rides and efforts on someone with blood cancer - so it takes you out of your own head while your training - into helping someone else. I had no problem with the money mostly because people could relate and wanted to help. My friend that runs has now done many events with TNT - raising money the entire time. She is an avid runner. She agrees with me - CHANGED MY LIFE!

HOpe this helped - feel free to message me or I'll check back. Honestly - aside from getting me in great shape that summer - it was the most incredible, fun, and self-confidence boosting experience of my life.