Team Transplant, UWMC

It’s amazing how many times in the past month I’ve been asked, “Hey, Alysun, when are we going to start training again?”  It’s wonderful to realize that so many of you have missed training and with this balmy winter we’ve had, it seems that you may even be looking forward to our early Saturday morning practices!   So for all of you who have been eagerly awaiting this first Team Transplant e-mail of 2010, I’ve got exciting news for you…Our first practice will be Saturday, March 13th. I’m still working on the schedule so will have to let you know the location later but as per usual…we will start at 8:00am…and as per usual…the training schedule will begin the week leading up to that first Saturday..

Here’s a tentative look at our plans for this spring…
•    Last day to enter race at discounted rate…Feb. 28th
•    Season starts…March 8th…look for training schedules the week of March 1st.
•    First group practice Saturday….March 13th, 8:00am…location to be announced
•    Beat the Bridge….May 16th
•    Seattle Rock’n Roll Half Marathon…Saturday, June 26th
Paperwork/Fees
I’ve attached paperwork for those of you who did not participate last fall…We will need to have an updated team registration form and for transplant recipients, an updated physician release form, on file before you attend your first practice.

If you’ve already turned in forms, they are good through September.  Also…if you’re just joining us this spring, we’d ask you to contribute $10 to help support our practices.
Entering the race…
You will need to enter online (http://seattle.competitor.com/)  Remember to use the Team Transplant coupon code which is good for $10 off the entry fee, making it $75 vs. $85.  After Feb. 28th, the fee goes up to $100.   If you have not received the code, please contact me…It should be used by team members only!

Transplant recipients…If you need help with the cost of the entry fee, please let me know. We can cover a limited number of scholarships and would like to help you out!
And finally….for those of you still not sold on the idea of 8:00 am training…or who haven’t been swayed by our unseasonable weather…or who need a reminder that this exercise business really is a good thing…I’ve included some words of inspiration from Shirley Schultz. Shirley, a new liver recipient, joined us for the first time last fall.  This excerpt is from an article she contributed to her work newsletter as she reflects upon her race and her first season as a Team Transplanter…

And me? I participated with the UW Medical Center’s Team Transplant for a couple of reasons. Partly this was because the coach started recruiting me about two days after I received a new liver last March. I was a bit dubious – not only because at that time it was impossible to walk across the room, let alone a whole mile – but also because I have never in my life set a fitness goal and actually worked toward it in a consistent manner. Forget actually accomplishing a goal… I had always had one excuse or another.

I was finally able to join the training sessions in September and quickly realized I had completely underestimated the motivational power of a team! . There was something about knowing that the 65-year-old heart/lung recipient would be out there slogging through the course that really killed any excuses I might have had for skipping practice. There was also the encouragement from meeting and getting to know folks who are 20-year recipients, and watching the hard work of one teammate who was a month behind me. This overpowered lazy Saturday mornings to inspire cold or soggy or long runs and walks around Seattle. It overpowered muddy trails and steep hills and sore knees. It overpowered any sense of “I can’t” that I had.

Best of all, though, at some point on a muddy run through Discovery Park, I realized I was really, truly, having fun. I plan to continue and actually run the half marathon with Team Transplant this June… because I can for the first time in my life, it’s good for me, it’s a stress release, it’s a way to support friends, but mostly because it’s fun. I think that’s probably what my colleagues would say, too. Wish us luck (and good knees)