Friday, February 29, 2008

Hello and Welcome to the Team for Kids Family!

The first email I received from Team for Kids...  Changed my life!

Your Team for Kids 2008 application has been approved -- you are now an official member of New York Road Runners Foundation Team for Kids and have received guaranteed entry for the ING New York City Marathon 2008. The marathon entrant database will reflect your affiliation with us after the June lottery.

We salute your participation as one of a team of 1,300+ runners who have committed to changing their lives – and the lives of countless at-risk children – by running the ING New York City Marathon as a member of Team for Kids this year. Your fellow Team members hail from dozens of states and countries and we have organized our resources to provide you with responsive, personalized support.

Team members who reside in the greater New York area are ‘Metro’ members and those from everywhere else – across the country and around the globe – are ‘National’ members. That said, we are ONE TEAM, and urge you to use our interactive tools to empower your training, fund-raising and TFK social experience.  It is by participating together as a team that each individual will enjoy the greatest and most meaningful support.

If you are a TFK National member, we welcome you to our on-line chats, coaches’ hours and other forums that enable you to ask questions and interact with coaches and fellow participants daily.  We’ll help you set up group runs with other TFKers local to you. If you are a TFK Metro member, we hope you will participate in NYC-based weekday training runs, weekend long runs and clinics with Team members. Regardless where you’re located however, you’ll receive a personalized training plan, individual coaching assistance and Team support, all designed to provide you with an incredible ING New York City Marathon experience.  

This season, members will enjoy a host of benefits for their efforts, including guaranteed entry into two premier NYRR races for the price of one -- the ING New York City Marathon and NYC Half-Marathon Presented by NIKE (limited entries available); an online member handbook with successful tips to make your fund-raising simple, significant and fun; race-day VIP perks; special ‘members only’ events throughout the season and marathon week; six-months of personalized training targeted to runners of all abilities; a vibrant online community with availability to our coaching staff via the Flotrackr module; as well as official Team for Kids signature gear.

Wondering … what’s next?
The online member handbook and our online community will be available shortly, the official six-month training program starts Saturday, May 10 (mark your calendar), and information on how to build your mileage base in preparation for the marathon training journey is coming soon. For a great first step, we recommend you bookmark and review tfkworldwide.org. Our site will provide a variety of resources to get you started with your fund-raising, and uplift your contributions above and beyond your funding pledge.

We’re thrilled to have you on the Team and are here now to answer questions and help get your fund-raising and training preparations started. Don't hesitate to contact us at 212.423.2227 or via email your respective Program Coordinator: tfkmetro@nyrr.org or tfknational@nyrr.org.

Yours in Running!

 Your Team for Kids Staff