Westside LA Team In Training - Summer 2009 Marathon & Half Marathon Team

Name: Maia Jasper
Team: Westside Marathon (Greater LA)
Number of TNT Seasons: 3
Last TNT Event: Phoenix Half Marathon

Why did you join TNT?
When someone very important to me was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia in 2006, I felt helpless. A colleague was training for the San Diego Rock N’ Roll Marathon at the time. She was so enthusiastic about the program as a whole, even though she herself had no personal connection to the disease. I thought TNT could be a great way to honor my loved one and do something totally weird and crazy (like get off my couch) all at the same time.

What was your best fundraiser?
Oh boy. The most humbling thing about TNT is discovering how readily people will give. At the orientation for new participants, I was the super annoying girl in the front row who asked question after question about the fundraising, because I was soooo utterly apprehensive about it. I was blown away when I met my minimum for Alaska ($4,800) by the third practice, simply by writing three email updates to my entire network of friends, family, and colleagues. My second season, I was reluctant to pester these same people (who had just been so generous) again, so I held a few events instead. I sold $730 worth of stuff at my mentor group’s silent auction; and I held an “Ice Cream Social” at Scoops, my favorite ice cream store, in Silverlake. The event was featured on Yelp, which led to a whole bunch of free publicity on other LA foodie websites. It ended up making $700 — plus, the owner wrote me a check for $500 (completely unsolicited), so that was a pretty lucrative day. I did learn that a bake sale is NOT the way to go. I spent $80 of my own money — and an entire day in the kitchen — only to make $120, even though every last item sold. In this economy, if a cookie is $1, people are going to give you $1 — not $5 and a “keep the change.”

Most memorable TNT moment?
When I met a woman named Virginia from the Pasadena team while taking the bus to the starting line in Anchorage. She told me that research funded by TNT led to the creation of a drug called Gleevec, which brought her from a 1990s “death sentence” to the completion of multiple half marathons over a decade later. Hearing her story on the way to the starting line was all the inspiration anyone could want before a race!

What would you have done differently during the season if you could start over?
I probably would have attended more social events in my first season. Friendship-wise, you really get out what you put in.

Do you have any other words of wisdom for our participants?
~ GO TO TARGET and get dry-fit clothes. They are cheap, and will keep you comfortable.
~ Do not “feel bad” about “asking people for money.” It’s not money for you. People really do appreciate the difference. Worst case scenario: people will just delete your emails. Best case scenario: they will respect you and what you are doing, and feel compelled to make a difference. EVERYBODY WINS. So stop with the self-consciousness, and let people surprise you with their generosity. The important thing is that you ask, and ask often, with humor, sincerity, graciousness, and gratitude.
~ If your body hurts, listen. Don’t power through and pay later. Our team isn’t so much about the athletic component. It’s more of a feel-good kind of place — so make sure that if you aren’t feeling good, the support staff knows about it, so we can help you feel better.

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This will be an ongoing series, where we will feature an alumni so you, our readers, can learn some new things from people who has done it before. If you’re a Team in Training Alumni, please fill out this form (or please spread the word).