I’m always looking for the next challenge. I’m never happy succeeding at what I’m doing. If I’m able to succeed, it’s not challenging enough.
I’ve also wanted to do something to give back, be it time, energy or money, to those who have not been as fortunate as I have been. It’s so easy to get caught up in the stresses of your own life, and consequently lose perspective of what’s important, and forget to be thankful for what you have in your life and your ability to help others.
So I’ve been searching to find this greater experience that will challenge me to be a better person, and what I’ve found is Team in Training (TNT). For those who aren’t familiar, Team in Training is a national organization that raises money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). LLS is a non-profit, voluntary health organization whose mission is to cure leukemia and its related cancers and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families.
The Team in Training program has trained over 360,000 people for endurance events. Participants, such as myself, receive professional training for their long distance run, walk or triathlon. You and a group people who are training for the same event work with a coach to increase your endurance for your race. They offer classes on nutrition, running, footwear and fundraising. In exchange you have a minimum amount of money that you must raise for LLS. They set you up with a webpage like mine, http://pages.teamintraining.org/ga/atlh08/lauramacqueen and will even pay to mail your first 100 fundraising letters. Your Team also has an Honored Hero who is someone who is fighting leukemia or lymphoma who will come to events and group training sessions.
I am training for the Atlanta Thanksgiving Half Marathon. TNT has given me a training schedule that I’ve been following to a T (granted we’re only in week 2), and I have to raise a minimum of $1500 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Team in Training has already enhanced my life so much. I cannot encourage you enough to find a chapter in your area and help those who are battling these terrible diseases. With organizations like TNT, we are on our way to finding a cure. I feel incredibly lucky that I have had great health so far in my life, but people, such as my Uncle have not been so lucky. He has fought lymphoma twice, and luckily won both times.
I encourage you to find your next challenge. It will enhance your life, and possibly the lives of others as well.
-Laura