The Sales Pitch

The TnT program is about more than running. It's about achieving goals, helping others, doing things you never thought possible... and making lifelong friends.

That's a summary of what program organizers and past participants told us at the Info Night back in August.

I went to Info Night just to learn more. Maybe I'd take home a packet of information, think it over for a few days, then decide whether to join the program.

Yeah, that was my plan.

But after a sales pitch like that (it included a tear-jerking video of cancer patients thanking the runners, smiling participants crossing the finish line and other feel-good images), I took out my pen and starting filling out the paperwork left on our chairs. I think I might have even started filling out the paperwork before the video was done.

Jamie and her daughter, Summer, were in the seats in front of me.

She and I smiled at each other and might have made a friendly comment in passing. I don't think either one of us knew what we were getting into. I'm sure we were both questioning whether we could actually complete this challenge.

Little did I know that Jamie would become more just the girl in front on me at Info Night.

Since that day, Jamie and I have become friends. It started with us meeting up during the week for runs or competing in local races. But then our friendship grew to activities other than running. We've shared stories about our lives, offered advice, grabbed coffee together, did Christmas shopping, talked and shared plenty of laughs.

Just normal friend things.

On Saturday, Jamie and I went to an Ugly Christmas Sweater Party at Erin's house. (Yes, I'm including a photo. How could I not include a photo of a party with an Ugly Christmas Sweater theme?)

Erin is another fellow runner. She is a past participant of the TnT program, but still often joins the group for Sunday runs. After her TnT race, she kept running. As Jamie and I flipped through the photo album of her races, we decided we want to keep running.

Erin probably doesn't know it, but Jamie and I look at her as the success story of the program. Perhaps our unofficial mentor. She did it, so can we.

I guess those people at Info Night were right. Now all I have to do is finish my 13.1 miles.


REMEMBER, I'M DOING THIS FOR A GOOD CAUSE.

Have you donated to my fundraising campaign for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society? If not, please consider doing so. You can donate online at http://www.active.com/donate/tntma/Teresa. Please pass this link to everyone you know. Every dollar helps me get a little closer to the Disney 13.1!

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