Looking back at TNT

At the pasta party on Saturday night The Peguin asked all the Alumni to stand up, then he went on to ask the people who'd done 2 seasons to stay standing, 3 seasons, 4 seasons, etc. He got to 10 seasons and I sat down because I knew I'd done a lot but wasn't sure that I had done more than 10. Well folks, I have completed 12 seasons with Team in Training and on November 8th I will start season #13. WOW!!! I can't believe it.

Here is what I've done

Cycle Winter 2009 (Web Captain)
East Bay Triathlon Summer 2008 (Participant)
EB Run Fall 2008 (Community Captain)
EB Run Summer 2007 (PR Captain)
EB Run Spring 2007 (PR Captain)
EB Run Fall 2006 (Team Captain)
EB Triathlon Spring 2006 (Mentor)
EB Run Fall 2005 (Team Captain)
EB Run Summer (Honoree Captain)
EB Run Winter 2004 (Web Captain)
EB Run Summer 2003 (Training Captain)
SF Bay Area Half Marathon Spring 2002 (Mentor)
SF Bay Area Half Marathon Winter 2002 (Participant)

It's funny to type this out and look back at all those seasons. When I started TNT I actually had no desire to do this at all. Someone I used to work with was involved with TNT and still is and she thought it'd be cool if I tried it. She was going for a 3 mile run and invited me. I made it 1/4 mile and thought I was going to pass out. She went on her 3 mile run and I walked. I signed up though and at first had signed up for the Washington D.C. Marathon, that was insane. I very quickly changed my race and decided that I should start with a half marathon. I did the Las Vegas Half Marathon my first season and hated it. I was so darn sore afterwards, the race itself was not fun. What's funny is that because I'd had fun during the season and met some awesome people I had already signed up for the following season as a mentor, Spring. In fact on the day of my 1st race in Vegas back at home the Spring Season was having their Kickoff Celebration which I missed. When I got back from Vegas I said to myself "SELF are you crazy, you hated that. Why did you sign up again?". Had a good season and went on to run the Avenue of the Giants Half Marathon. This season I also made a lot more good life long friends including Ms. Olivia :o)

At some point during the Spring season I met Coach Al at a workout (The first two seasons were only a half marathon team and so Coach Al was not the Coach). He ran with me during that workout and I was so impressed by him. I was also impressed by how much his team loved him and respected him. I watched closely and that night I went home and decided that I'd join the marathon team as a Captain. I could be part of the team but also just observe. I thought running 13.1 miles was crazy but I really thought 26.2 was even crazier and those people had for sure lost their minds. NO WAY! I'm doing that. HA! Little did I know.

It's been 6 years and because of Coach Al and Mama Lisa's training, frienship and inspriation I've done 5 marathons and some how found the determination to do the other crazy endurance sports like triathlons and hopefully in March I will complete a century. I now have personal connections to the cause and I have made as I said above, life long friends and I met my amazing husband.