Attention all video-savvy Team In Training alumni!

YouTube has allowed us to create a Team In Training YouTube channel, where we’d like to feature the best of the videos that you’ve created to promote your Team In Training experience.  We’ve seen some amazing contributions on Facebook and YouTube over the years, but didn’t have a mechanism in place to showcase them. Well, that day has come!

If you’d like your video submitted for consideration, please upload your files here:  https://bigfiles.lls.org/Dropbox/db.aspx?v=8a716a8b9f9072bc729b

Thanks you for sharing your 'Go Team' spirit!

Kudos to not just one, but TWO of our product partners, G-Form and Nuun, who are featured in a special December issue Gift Guide of Outside Magazine!  We appreciate Outside's taste almost as much as we appreciate their call out for Team In Training.

That's the recently launched grape flavored, TNT branded Nuun product in the upper left-hand corner. Here's Outside's commentary, "Play It Forward --> Odds are you've donated money to a friend's or co-worker's Team In Training - sponsored project (www.teamintraining.org).  Over the past 25 years, more than half a million people have raised $1 billion to support cancer research while preparing for a triathlon, a marathon, or some other endurance race.  You might also be familiar with electrolyte-packed Nuun tablets (12 for $6.50; www.nuun.com) -- go on a run or a bike ride with an Outside staffer and chances are good he or she will try to slip you one into your water bottle. Now Nuun and Team In Training joined forces.  You don't need to run a half marathon to contribute to the cause (though we still think you should): 15 percent of the proceeds from Nuun's special-edition grape flavor will go to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society."

G-Form's Extreme Sleeve 2 iPad case ($70; g-form.com) is featured on another Gift Guide page. G-Form products are popular among the active lifestyle set. G-Form has maintained a strong team presence with Team In Training over the years, thanks to their passionate staff.

Want more impact? Work with a leader and reach millions!

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the world's largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research, education and patient services. Partner with us to target responsive audiences and take advantage of a proven event such as Team In Training (TNT).

Our year-round marathon training program reaches highly-motivated and dedicated women and men who are active consumers and interested in taking on the ultimate challenge of running or walking a marathon, completing a 100-mile century ride or a triathlon.

Click here to see our National Sponsors who have already joined us in the fight.

For more information about how you can benefit from a relationship with LLS through sponsoring TNT or other activities on a local, regional or national level, please contact partner@lls.org.

That's what we're asking you to do with the Team In Training Just Go For  It video contest. Enter the contest and you'll have a chance to win one  of three prizes -- a $200, $125 or $75 gift certificate (not to mention  a feature on the TNT Blog).

Here's what we're asking our contestants to do:

• create a 15 second video that answers the question of why you should 'just go for it' with TNT
• include the call-to-action to 'just go for it at www.teamintraining.org'
• share your video with your social networking buddies
• submit your video entry by 11/12

this is where the real fun begins...

• appeal to your friends to vote daily for your video through 11/21

Note: all videos included in this contest will be featured from The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society YouTube Channel, as well.

The videos with the top three numbers of votes win!

See, this contest is quick and easy-  and will serve to aid all of you  participating in our spring season in launching your fundraising  efforts! For those who aren't currently signed up for Team In Training,  this provides an opportunity for you to share your story (and maybe that  finish line picture)!

So, tap your inner Scorcese and 'Just Go For It' -- who knows, you might  even end up being the next big YouTube sensation in the process...:)!

Go Team!

Nancy Clark is just one of the expert advisors affiliated with Team In Training, providing guidance on sports nutrition to our network of TNT Coaches.  A renowned author on sports nutrition, the following article is available courtesy of The Athletes Kitchen.

The Athlete’s Kitchen
Copyright: Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD August 2011

Why Is Weight Loss So Hard…?

How to lose weight is the number one reason runners choose to make a nutrition appointment with me. They express frustration they “cannot do something as simple as lose a few pounds.” While none of these runners are obese, their frustrations match those of dieters in the general population.
At a conference presented by Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard Medical School, and the Boston Nutrition Obesity Research Center (July 13-14, 2011), researchers addressed some of the issues that contribute to difficulty losing weight. Perhaps the following highlights might offer insights if you are among the many runners who struggle with shedding some unwanted body fat.

Why gaining weight is easy

• To the detriment of our health, we are living in a food carnival. No wonder today's kids enter adulthood 20 pounds heavier than in 1960! By the time kids are 4 to 5 years old, 60% of them have lost the ability to self-regulate food intake.
• Most people believe that obesity is a matter of will power, but it's not that simple. For example, in obese people, the brain's response to foododors and flavors is often blunted. Compared to lean people, they need more of a food to experience a positive brain response.
• When stressed, obese people (more so than their lean counterparts) seek high fat foods. Chips, ice cream, fries...
• Impulsivity, a genetic trait, is a risk factor for obesity. That is, obese people (more than their lean counterparts) tend to impulsively eat, let's say, the whole plate of cookies.
• Food advertisements are designed to encourage impulsive consumption.
• Food advertisers know that marketing “works”—and kids who watch TV are a prime target. The average child sees an average of 13 food ads a day on TV; most of these foods are high in sugar, salt, and saturatedfat.
• Research with children who watched TV with four ads for food ate 45% more Goldfish Crackers (100 calories more) when exposed to the ads for food as compared to when they watched four ads for games. The kids who liked the taste of Goldfish ate even more calories!
• Foods marketed with a character (such as Scooby-Doo) sell better. Fifty-two percent of pre-schoolers said the character-food tasted better (as opposed to 38% who said it tasted the same, and 10% who said food without the character tasted better).
• The standard supermarket diet is rich in sugar, saturated fat, and sodium. It causes obesity in rats. That is, rats fed standard rat chow maintained a normal weight. But rats fed a standard supermarket diet ended up overweight—until researchers took away that food. The rats then lost weight when they returned to eating rat chow. There's little doubt that fats, sugar, and salt stimulate us to eat more than we need!
• When the calories are listed near a food, as is happening in many fast food restaurants, some people choose the foods with higher calories, believing it will be yummier. That response certainly negates the intention of the calorie campaign!
• People make an average of 200 food choices in a day; all these decisions can deplete our limited mental “resources” that govern self-regulation. That's one reason why, at the end of a hectic day, you can more easily overeat. You lack the mental resources to say “no” to that tempting cookie…
• The food industry's bottom line is always profits. When Pepsi started marketing more of its healthy products, sales of the unhealthy products dropped. The stockholders complained—and that puts the food industry in a bind.

Weight loss tactics: So what’s a hungry athlete to do???

Drugs are not the answer. For the past 20 years, no successful weight-loss drugs have been developed and none are in sight in the near future. Drugs that regulate appetite impact many other regulatory centers and create undesiredside effects. Hence, we need to learn how to manage the obesity problem at its roots—and that means prevent excessive fat gain in the first place, starting in childhood. Here are a few tips on how to do that.
• You can reduce your food intake by using your imagination. That is, if you imagine eating a food, let's say, ice cream, you can end up eating less of it.
• Technology offers a glimmer of hope in the battle of the bulge. A free application for I-phones called Lose It! has created a thriving weight losscommunity, as measured by 7.5 million free app downloads since October 2010. The web version, www.LoseIt.com, is just as popular. LoseIt! members can conveniently and easily track their food and calorie intake.
• Lose It! includes a social network. Dieters seem to prefer online support from people they do not know, as opposed to involving their family and friends with their dieting progress (or lack there of). LoseIt!’s social groups are created according to goals. Dieters can easily (and anonymously)connect with and get support from others with similar goals. In fact, the best predictor of weight loss success with LoseIt! is having three or more Lose It! buddies.
• Food advertisements are designed to trigger certain pleasure centers. (For example, McDonald's is associated with happiness.) We now need to learn how to advertise healthy foods. The baby carrot campaign to “eat ‘em like junk food” has boosted sales 10%—including a newdemand for baby carrots in school vending machines.
• We can change our brain circuits by substituting food with another stimuli, such as exercise. Exercise does more than burn calories to controlweight; exercise changes the reward systems in the brain.
• Exercise supports self-control. That is, people who exercise have greater control over what they eat. They also have more control over sticking with their exercise program. Successful exercisers are able to make exercise a habit, and not a choice. Having one less decision to make bolsters their mental resources so they can cope better overall.
A final thought:

Somehow we need to change the perception that eating supermarket foods loaded with sugar, salt, and saturated fats gives us satisfaction. A few years ago, we changed the perception that smoking is satisfying. Parents stopped smoking when kids came home and said “Mom, Dad, please don't smoke.” Today, we need kids to start saying “Mom, Dad, please don't take me to McDonald's.” Will that day ever come…?

Thanks to Nancy for sharing this article with our TNT Blog followers!  Nancy Clark, MS, RD, CSSD (Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics) counsels both casual and competitive athletes. Her office is at Healthworks, the premier fitness center in Chestnut Hill MA (617-795-1875). Her Sports Nutrition Guidebook and Food Guide for New Runners: Getting It Right From the Start, and Food Guide for Marathoners: Tips for Eceryday Champions offer additional information. They are available at www.nancyclarkrd.com. See also www.sportsnutritionworkshop.com.

Team In Training is gearing up to bring you another amazing round of events.  What better way to warm up in those cold winter months than with a trip to a beautiful destination and an amazing race?  Where would you like to go?

	Savannah, GA   Taste the flavor of sweet Southern charm at the inaugural Rock 'n' Roll Savannah Marathon & 1/2 Marathon on November 5th! Experience the intrigue and ambiance of the city while running to the beat of rock, country, jazz and blues. Find your Southern drawl and rock out in Savannah!  And, the party doesn't end at the Finish Line - enjoy the free Post Race Concert to celebrate with friends and family. Carve out a few extra days to relax and enjoy the Southern allure of Savannah!
	St. Petersburg, FL   Women's Running Magazine Women's Half Marathon is a gorgeous fast, flat course snakes along the scenic waterfront, through quaint communities, past historic buildings and museums. Grab your girlfriends, mother, daughter or running and walking partners for a special weekend of fun and memories. See for yourself why everyone is raving about The Women's Half Marathon - St. Petersburg!
	Honolulu, HI The Honolulu Marathon takes place on a small, tropical island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and is among the 10 largest marathon races in the world. The race follows the magnificent Pacific coastline including the world famous Waikiki Beach. Before reaching Kapiolani Park, the state's first public park, runners pass a few famous Hawaiian landmarks such as Iolani Palace - the only royal palace in the US - the statue of surfing hero Duke Kahanamoku on surfing heaven Waikiki Beach and Kawaiahao Church, built with coral blocks from nearby reefs. Come check out this amazing runner and walker friendly event in the capital city of Hawaii.
	Miami Beach, FL   Soak in the savory flair of Miami Beach at the Inaugural Dodge Latin Music Miami Beach 1/2 Marathon on December 11, 2011! With enviable December weather and picturesque oceanfront views, this course is infused with a mix of live Latin music coupled with the sizzle and panache of Miami Beach.  Find your pace while moving to the beat of live bands stationed at each mile making for a 13.1 mile block party. Celebrate with friends and family at the free Post Race Concert and spend a few extra days to experience the exciting mix of Miami Beach!
	Orlando, FL   The family-friendly 2012 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend is a weekend of races that are as magical as they are memorable. Every mile is filled with Disney fun. Saturday morning the 13.1 mile course of the Walt Disney World Half Marathon takes you to the Magic Kingdom® Park and then to an exhilarating finish in Epcot®, this race is perfect if you are a first timer or a veteran.  The marathon course on Sunday takes you through all four Walt Disney World Theme Parks starting at Epcot, continuing on to the Magic Kingdom Park, Disney's Animal Kingdom® Theme Park and Disney's Hollywood StudiosTM and then back to Epcot for an exhilarating finish.
	Phoenix, AZ   The P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon & 1/2 Marathon courses are as flat and fast as they come - perfect for runners and walkers of all ability levels.! The race start line is at Wesley Bolin Memorial Park in downtown Phoenix, with both races merging for one spectacular finish in downtown Tempe. You can expect to catch a glimpse of Arizona's best along your way to the fabulous post-race party at the finish line!
	Miami, FL South Florida plays host to an amazing race - ING Miami Marathon and Half Marathon. More than 21,000 people will hit the streets of the magic city. Participants get to experience the best scenic tour that Miami has to offer. They will start in downtown Miami, run over causeways, into the heart of the illustrious South Beach, through the canopy streets of Coconut Grove and end at Bayfront Park for their post race festival. The marathon and half marathon share the same course for 12.8 miles.
	Anaheim, CA   Disneyland® Resort becomes Never Land for a magical weekend especially for Fairies and Princesses. Sassy, feisty, and fun loving, Tinker Bell is the fairy we all know and love! Celebrate your inner Miss Bell at the new half marathon for women - The Tinker Bell Half Marathon, full of pixie dust and Never, Never Land adventure. This 13.1-mile run that weaves you through Disneyland Resort and historic streets of Anaheim, California on your way to a Fairy Finish where you will earn your "wings". Each finisher will receive an exclusive Tinker Bell-inspired Finisher Medal. Just follow the second star to the right.
	Tucson, AZ   The University Medical Center 29th El Tour de Tucson starts and finishes at Granada, south of Congress in downtown Tucson, with cyclists touring the scenic perimeter of the city. The most unique feature of El Tour is its two river crossings. At two points along the route, cyclists must cross a "wash," which may or may not have water in it. Cyclists generally dismount and push, drag or carry their bicycles across the sand/rocks/mud. Bridges are built especially for the day if the water is flowing. This ride is 109 miles. In addition, there are also 81, 66 and 35-mile routes.

Pick up the July issue of Runner's World, dedicated to "outrunning cancer", and you'll find numerous references to Team In Training. In fact, two of this edition's seven cover variations feature Team In Training participants -- one with Coach Lyle Jacon and the other with Angela Alleyne, both cancer survivors.  Then, in "Team Effort," Runner's World writer and Team In Training participant John Brant chronicles his TNT experience with the Portland chapter while celebrating his colleagues -- from Coaches Julie Hoffman and Karl Johnson, to Team Captain Kevin Tangen to fundraising star Tam Driscoll to participants Annie Spague, Dawn Viar and Cassandra Mercer. TNT National Advisory Coach, Jack Daniels, TNT Director, Audrey Shepperd, TNT participant and cartoonist John Tomac and LLS funded researcher Dr. Brian Druker, who famously developed the cancer drug Gleevec, are featured in the July issue, as well.

Why so much TNT? Because in the fight against cancer, no endurance sports training program features more prominently than Team In Training, a program that alone has raised more than $1 billion dollars to fight cancer. Funds that have been dedicated to funding transformative research.

As the feature on Dr. Druker suggests, our investment in research is what sets us (both LLS and Team In Training) apart.

Dr. Druker notes, "The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society recognized the opportunity with Gleevec...They were willing to take a chance on our work."

"Unfortunately, researchers today are in the same position we were in a decade ago.  If anything, it's even more difficult for novel research to gain federal funding. We're more reliant than ever on non-profits…like LLS, which means in effect, that we're more reliant than ever on Team In Training."

We'd like to thank Runner's World for profiling so many Team In Training participants and focusing on both our differentiator and our
motivation -- life-changing cancer research. Go Team!

To join the team that makes the biggest impact in the fight against cancer, visit www.teamintraining.org to find out more today.

Guiding our cycle program we’re proud of our association with renowned athlete and cycle scholar, Arnie Baker.  Arnie’s an eight-time National Record Holder, six-time National Champion who has 200-plus career wins. He has coached cyclists to more than 100 national cycling championships and more than 30 U.S records.

A board certified family physician, Dr. Baker has authored  17 books on cycling, including Nutrition for Sports, Bicycling Medicine, and High-Intensity Training for Cyclists, and has been a columnist at Bicycling magazine and other publications.

A National Advisory Cycle Coach for Team In Training since 1997.

Train for a century ride through Team In Training  -- like The Honolulu Century Ride, The Sea Gull Century, or the Moab Century Tour , all currently accepting registrations, and benefit from Arnie’s expert influence. We’ll see you across that finish line!

The Nike Women's Marathon Benefitting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is now SOLD OUT to the public.  You're only way in is through Team In Training.

Join us for this show-stopping event.  You won't want to miss it!

Spend the whole weekend before the event at the Nike Women's Marathon Expotique - a truly unique expo experience where you'll be pampered at various stations.  Plus, get tons of freebies and meet your teammates from across the country.  Gear up at our pep rally and Inspiration Dinner, where you'll hear from TNT honored heros and participants.

And, on the morning of the Nike Women's Marathon, get to the start line bright and early to join the sea of purple Team In Training participants at San Francisco's Union Square. Travel all around the beautiful city.  Run up and down it's infamous hills and race past the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz and Fisherman's Wharf.

Then, just when you worn down at that last leg, cross the finish line and you'll be greeted by the men of the San Francisco Fire Department.  Dressed in tuxedos, the SFFD will welcome and congratulate you, as they give each finisher a special limited edition Nike Women's Marathon Tiffany necklace!

It's the weekend of your dreams!  Join Team In Training to be part of the Nike Women's Marathon this fall!