Fun Fact Friday: SWIMMING

 

• An hour of vigorous swimming will burn more than 600 calories
• Elephants can swim as many as 20 miles per day using their trunks as a natural snorkel
• More than 50% of world class swimmers suffer from shoulder pain
• The slowest Olympic swim stroke is the breaststroke
• The fastest Olympic swim stroke is the front crawl (also called "freestyle")
• Most of the top level swimmers will swim 4-5 hours per day, seven days per week. They typically swim 6-12 miles per day along with cross training
• You sweat while you swim even if you can't tell
• Water's buoyancy makes swimming the ideal exercise for physical therapy and rehabilitation
• The Olympics are swum in a 50 meter pool (also known as long course). Most NCAA and high school meets are in 25 yard (or meter) pools (also known as short course).
• The oldest form of swim stroke used is the breaststroke, dating back to the Stone Age
• Benjamin Franklin invented swim fins at the age of 11
• Egyptians made a picture or symbol for swimming as far back as 2500 B.C.
• The first recorded swim races were held in Japan in 36 B.C.
• Swimming first became an Olympic event in 1896
• Synchronized swimming first appeared in the Olympics during the 1984 games
• Swimming in the Olympics began as a mens only sport, but women were finally allowed to swim in 1912
• President Gerald Ford had the outdoor swimming pool built at the White House in 1975. In 1976 a pool house was added with a secret, underground passage that lets the First Family and their guests get from the house to the pool without going outside.
• The first person to cross the English Channel swimming from England to France was Captain Matthew Webb in 1875
• The first female to swim the English Channel is Gertrude Ederle, who was just a teenager at the time, in 1926.
• The first person to swim a mile in Antarctica (in only a Speedo, cap and goggles) in 32 degree waters was Lynne Cox. Check out her amazing story: SWIMMING TO ANTARCTICA
• The oldest known concrete swimming pool was built in 1915 in Texas
• The first swimmer to break the 2 minute barrier in the 200 meters was Don Schollander in 1963
• Paul Biedermann holds the current 200 meter record in a time of 1:42:00
• An estimated 65,000 people in the USA do not know how to swim
• Swimmers really do shave their bodies before an important race, not only to get rid of the hair, but to rid the body of dead skin cells on the surface. Female swimmers will choose not to shave their legs for a few weeks leading up to race day to create "drag" in the pool and then just before the big race, they get a nice close shave. Shaving ones head is not as common as it once was because of the advancements in swim cap technology.
• Yes, swimmers pee in the pool

 

 

 

Giving Tuesday

 

 

Today is "Giving Tuesday" and we would like to see this become an even bigger, more exciting day than Black Friday. There are so many ways you can give so please consider jumping into that giving spirit and be sure to encourage your friends to join you. Here are a few wonderful ways you can give...

1. Donate to a Team In Training participant! CLICK HERE to make your tax deductible donation.
2. Volunteer! We are in constant need of generous volunteers willing to give their time. Contact us today and let us know you'd like to volunteer.
3. Make a meal for a family dealing with cancer.
4. Give blood or platelets! Blood cancer patients need many blood products so if you're able to donate blood, please do so! In the Texas Gulf area, you can donate blood at MD Anderson Cancer Center or Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center.
5. Get listed on the National Bone Marrow registry! If you are between the ages of 18 and 45, please consider having your cheek swabbed. You just might be the match for a patient needing a transplant. Click HERE to find out how.
6. Be part of our local LLS chapter's efforts to give to Halo House Foundation. We are collecting toiletries to donate (items such as soaps, lotions, shampoos, etc.). The mission of Halo House is to assist people of all ages who are being treated for a blood cancer by providing them with fully furnished housing at a very low cost while they are undergoing active treatment for their cancer at the Texas Medical Center. If you have items to donate, drop them off at the LLS office this week.
7. Send a card to a child at Texas Children's Hospital. Just CLICK HERE to make the card and a volunteer will deliver it to the child.
8. Give your hair to Locks of Love!
9. Offer to decorate for the holidays. Families dealing with cancer are often really tired and just not up for putting up holiday decorations. Drop by their house with freshly baked cookies and hot chocolate and decorate for them!
10. Hug the people you love today! Every day is a gift.

Reason2Race

 

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is excited to partner with Reason 2 Race so that athletes of all ages and ability levels can make LLS their "Reason2Race".

 

With Reason2Race, you have the ability to turn any event into a fundraiser, allowing you to challenge yourself physically while spreading awareness for a great cause. Every dollar that is raised through Reason2Race helps bring LLS closer to a cure for blood cancer.

 

So, how do you get started? As they say, it's as easy as 1,2,3...

 

1. Choose your event and get registered. You can do a 5K. You can do an Ironman. You can do an adventure race, cycling event, mountain climbing. The sky is the limit! Just register for a race or event and then...
2. CLICK HERE to set up your Reason2Race donation page. If your event is not listed, all you need to do is email teamintraining_txh@lls.org to request that it be added.
3. Start your fundraising! You should customize your fundraising page and then send out letters and emails to your friends, family and co-workers. Tell them what you are doing and why you would like their support.

There is NO MINIMUM FUNDRAISING AMOUNT. It's up to you how much or little you choose to raise for the Luekemia & Lymphoma Society through your race.

 

Take the challenge! Many race directors in the Houston area have set up charity challenges in which the top event fundraisers receive additional donations for their chosen charity. These include The Woodlands Charity Challenge, Onurmark Giving Challenge, Texas 10 Series Charity Challenge and Finish Line Sports Charity Challenge. CLICK HERE to learn more about these events.

 

*The Woodlands Charity Challenge: The Woodlands Marathon management team is awarding $18,000 in prize money to the charities of the highest fundraisers. Follow the three easy steps outlined above and you can start competing for one of the top fundraising spots today! The following awards will be provided to the charities of the highest athlete fundraisers:

 

1st Place Fundraiser	$3,000
2nd Place Fundraiser	$2,000
3rd Place Fundraiser	$1,000
Next 20 Fundraisers	$500 each ($10,000)
Next 20 Fundraisers	$100 each ($2,000)

**Make a $1,000 fundraising commitment when taking The Woodlands Charity Challenge and receive your training to prepare for the event, a training shirt, race day shirt, an Inspiration Dinner, and a finish tent celebration on event day.**

 

 

 

Let's Go To Canada!

So, TNT is heading off to Van (that's what the Canadians call Vancouver) in May. Pretty exciting, eh? This is shaping up to be one of our best adventures yet. If you'd like to join us or at least hear a little more about this marathon, come on out to Maple Leaf Pub Thursday, November 20 at 6:00 PM.

Here's a little blurb from the BMO Vancouver Marathon website:
Named a Top 10 Destination Marathon by Forbes.com and one of the world's most "exotic" marathons by CNN Travel, the BMO Vancouver Marathon is a Boston Qualifier that takes runneres on a 42.2 kilometre (26.2 miles) adventure past beaches, through natural parks, and along Vancouver's bustling Seawall.

Now, if that doesn't sound great, check out these 10 cool facts about this amazing city...

1. Vancouver was recently ranked as the third most "livable place in the world" for its high standard of living and quality of life. It was also ranked the 10th cleanest city in the world. In case you're wondering where the cleanest city in the world is, it's a little north- Calgary.
2. Vancouver has the 4th largest cruise ship terminal in the world.
3. Home to Canada's longest pool, measuring 137.5 meters (451 feet), it is nearly the size of three Olympic pools. This outdoor, saltwater pool is a major tourist attraction and is open year round.
4. Vancouver has the highest real estate prices in Canada. In 2011, the average price of a detached home was a staggering $1,204,587.
5. It's estimated that Vancouver could witness a major earthquake at anytime (8.0 Richter big). It sits on a fault along with Seattle & Portland. But in our opinion, this will not happen in May 2015 ;-)
6. Stanley Park, an urban oasis, is 10% larger than New York City's Central Park. It's 1001 acres.
7. The Vancouver Aquarium ranks in the top 5 worldwide.
8. Downtown Vancouver is 65% residential. Don't be surprised to see a lot of high rise condominiums.
9. Vancouver has the mildest climate in Canada. But it does receive an average of 1,589 m of rain per year.
10. Greenpeace, one of the world's oldest and most successful environmental groups was established in Vancouver.

So, what do you say? How bout you get another great stamp in your passport, run through a cool city, and wipe out blood cancer all at once!

Contact Dana-Susan Crews at TNT today! Or come see us at Maple Leaf Pub.

 

 

 

 

National Caregivers Month

November is National Caregivers Month.

When someone is diagnosed with cancer, their pain, fears and uncertainty can weigh them down. Their caregiver often experiences a depth of pain, fear and uncertainty too, but may not always show it. Many caregivers feel their duty is to hide their own feelings because the person they love is so very ill.

But caregivers need care too. This month, think about some ways you can reach out and care for a caregiver. Following are just a few simple ideas of ways you can offer much needed support:

1. Offer to give the caregiver some time away so they can go out with friends or relax a little.
2. Send a nice card or gift or leave a basket of goodies on the front porch (massage oil, iTunes gift card, magazines, chocolate are all great items for a gift basket).
3. It's the holiday season! Bring the family a nice Thanksgiving meal. Surprise them by coming over with a tree and lights and decorate their house. Do their holiday shopping for them.
4. Mow the lawn, do the laundry, clean the house, go grocery shopping, pick their kids up from soccer practice, etc.
5. Arrange meal deliveries to be conveniently dropped off.
6. Find local businesses willing to donate gift cards (cards for restaurants, movie theaters, etc.)
7. A simple phone call! And don't ask about the patient this time. Just ask the caregiver, "How are YOU doing?"
8. Put together a "hospital waiting room" goodie bag - fill it with snacks, reading materials, a journal and pen, coins for the vending machine, small games, craft materials, etc.
9. Send them to the spa (or send that super cool guy out for a day of golf or fishing).
10. Pray with them. Hold their hand. Let them cry or talk about their feelings. Just listen.

Face Painting for the Cause

Peyton raised $295.50 doing face paiting at Jack's Ride,
an annual event organized for kids with cancer. She
presented her donation to LLS staff today.

Philanthropy is for kids too!

When 13-year-old Peyton was in the third grade, she and her brother were out in the back yard playing with face paints when she asked her mom if she could do some face painting as a fundraiser. Their friend Jack had leukemia as a baby and thankfully survived. Following this, his family began hosting a neighborhood fundraiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Peyton's mom suggested that she do her fundraising for this event called Jack's Ride. Peyton grabbed her paints, a table and chairs, and a small cup on which she wrote "25¢ donation for LLS". As soon as her booth was set up, there was already a line of kids waiting to get their faces painted. By the end of the event, she had raised $105 for the LLS.

Not long after this event, Peyton's grandfather was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer. Peyton was glad to know that part of the funds she raised are going to find a cure for her grandfather's cancer.

By the next year, she was even more prepared. She had volunteers to help her, more paint, a bigger table, posters and a much bigger container for donations (a large jar). Her little brother even got involved and ran a temporary tattoo booth next to hers. They raised $170.

Every year, Peyton returns to the event. The funds she raises partly go to Jack's Ride (which supports childhood cancers) and partly to the LLS. She has raised more than $2,000 so far and she's only in the 8th grade.

"I want other kids to do what I did," says Peyton, "I want them to set up face painting booths at neighborhood parties and community events to raise money for charities that they want to support. It is really easy to do and better than raising money to spend on yourself. Plus, it is really fun!"

Visit Peyton's website here: FACEPAINTINGFORTHECAUSE

National Wear Your TNT Shirt Day

It's National Wear Your TNT Shirt Day so we're proudly wearing our purple at the LLS office in Houston today! It's cool and rainy out so we warmed things up a little bit with some holiday spirit.

GO TEAM!!!