Why I Am Cutting Ties With Team In Training
As most of you know, since 2005 I have been heavily involved in Team In Training. I have served six seasons, I have run five marathons, I have been a mentor twice, I have been a web captain once, I have raised more than $17,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Up until now, my seventh season, I have had nothing but positive things to say about the organization.
As many of you know, I have been fundraising and training for the Nike Women’s Marathon which runs on October 19th. Many of you also know that I have had a lot of trouble running since May due to overlapping injuries.
When recommitment time came, I went ahead and signed the paperwork. Since TNT only pays for the full cost hotel room if you take on a TNT roommate, Brian and I wrote them a check (made out to LLS -- Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) for the other half of the hotel so that he could stay with me and we would have a private room. This was $360.55. I wanted Brian to go to the Victory Party with me, so we also wrote them a check for $50 to buy him a ticket. This comes to a total of $410.55
At last I seemed clear of injuries. Now I could quickly train for this race. But on September 10th, I suddenly experienced sharp knee pain while standing around at work. I wasn't exercising at the time! At first I didn't think very much of it. I'm used to random aches and pains. When I woke up in the morning, it still hurt. It continued to hurt for 6 days, preventing me from even trying to run. Driving hurt the worst as I moved my foot from gas to brake. Then it started feeling better. Good, now I can try a short run. But before I could do that, we had a Rocky pre-show rehearsal on the 19th. My knee started hurting A LOT during rehearsal. It hurt so bad walking across the USC campus. I tried as hard as I could not to limp. It continued to hurt through Sunday. I tried to get into see my doctor Monday or Tuesday before I left for the convention, but was unable to. I left for the convention early Wednesday morning. Luckily my knee pain improved a lot during this time to a point that it was barely noticeable. Now there is no pain at all. But I am still weary about the knee.
Today I finally got a chance to go in and see Dr. Smith. After doing some strength tests, he opted that the damage isn't as bad as he initially expected. He did some ultra sound therapy on it. He showed me some simple stretches. He taped my knee up with some ugly black bad-ass tape. The good news: he wants me to try a short run immediately. The bad news: he does not want me to run Nike. It is too soon for me to be running 26.2 miles on it. He told me to set my sight on the Pasadena Marathon, which gives me an extra month to heal and train. Even though I figured he was going to say this, I got teary-eyed in his office. He wrote me a "disability certificate" to excuse me from my commitment to the Team In Training program.
I've mentored teammates many times, so I know how this process works. I give TNT the letter. 25% of the money I raised is deducted to pay for the hotel and airfare they already booked for me (even though I had opted to drive so they didn't have to buy me airfare, they still deduct that money) and the remaining 75% gets transferred to a different TNT season of my choosing which would be, of course, the Nike Women’s Marathon 2009.
This is where my trouble with the program begins. I contacted my TNT campaign manager, letting him know that I had to drop. I asked for my money back from the other half of the hotel as well as the extra victory party ticket. I was told that I could not get it back because TNT had already cashed the check. What? So I went above the campaign manager's head and contacted the campaign coordinator. She has seen me at multiple events and knows how involved I am in the program. I figured if anyone could help me, she could. She told me the same thing. I told her that it didn't seem fair that TNT would keep my money. Hotels have a cancellation policy. If I had booked my hotel on my own A) I wouldn't have had to pay up front and B) I could cancel within 72 hours of check-in. The campaign coordinator explained that Team In Training buys the rooms in bulk and that the money was already gone. They could not cancel it. Okay, I understand. I'm also a very reasonable person.
"Okay...then since you are deducting half of the hotel room from the amount I raised and I paid for the other half of the hotel room out of pocket, that hotel room is mine. How about Brian and I go up to San Francisco for the weekend and stay in the hotel?" I asked. Sounds fair right? That way no one is loosing.
No.
The campaign coordinator said that in order for that to happen, Team In Training would have to cut ties with us. They would have to move our room out of their block of rooms since we were not with them. It’s a liability thing. We would then have to pay the hotel the Team In Training half of the hotel. What?!?! But they are still deducting that money from the amount that I am raising!!! So I have to pay more money to use the other half of the hotel I paid for?!?! While TNT gets to sit around and pocket more money?! How is that fair?
It sounds like complete and total bullshit to me. In my view, TNT is pocketing the $360.55 I entrusted them with to buy the other half of the hotel.
I then asked her if I could at least get the $50 back for the extra Victory Party ticket I purchased. She told me that it was non-refundable. I told her that if they wouldn't refund it, I wanted the ticket. She wanted to know why I wanted it if I wasn't going. I told her I intended to try and sell it and recoup at least some of my loss. She told me she would give it to the campaign manager to give to me on Saturday's practice. I told her that after this bad experience, I really didn't want to see the Team on Saturday. I requested that she mail it to me. She seemed a little put off, but took down my address. Once I receive it, I will post to different online Team In Training groups to find out if anyone needs an extra Victory Party ticket. At this point it is too late to buy an extra, so someone might be very happy to find that I am selling mine. I felt like TNT was trying to add insult to injury by not refunding me the darn party ticket. It’s the least they could do!
I struggled to remain polite. I told the campaign coordinator that I was very surprised that Team In Training would treat me so poorly after all I have done for the organization since 2005. She told me they appreciated everything I have done, but it boiled down to a matter of policy. I told her that I regretted this would probably be my last season with TNT because of the treatment I was receiving. I also gently reminded her that I wasn’t complaining that they were transferring the raised money to a future season minus the cost of the hotel and airfare…even though they never had to book me airfare. She again told me that they appreciate everything I have done, but it boils down to a matter of policy. If they make an exception for me, they have to make an exception for everyone who asks. She did not respond to the second half about airfare. I couldn't help but think -- how many long time participants decide to buy the other half of their hotel room and an extra party ticket and then have to drop because of an injury? I'm sure it doesn't happen very often and I'm sure TNT isn't actually loosing any money if they were to give me a refund of my money. That money from me was not meant to be a donation to them. It was entrusted to them to get me the other half of my hotel room and a party ticket. I'm not going, therefore I want it back. I am so upset.
I have decided to cut ties with them. I will not run for an organization that treats its long time participants so poorly. I still support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and everything it stands for, but I do not support their Team In Training program's practices towards participants. As of half an hour ago, I am now registered with the Pasadena Pacers. I don't have to fundraise to run with them. I simply have to show up. Team In Training has meant so much to me for so long, it breaks my heart to be distancing myself from them. But, I feel I can no longer support them when they have been so cruel to me. As I believe I said before in this post, I fully support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, I just don’t support how Team In Training treats people.
Beyond this post, I will not speak poorly of the Team In Training program in the future. Other than this, it is still a wonderful program. I am just going to distance myself from the program. Simply put, I am no longer a Team In Training runner. I will take down links to them on my myspace. I will not wear their singlets during races advertising them. The TNT logo has already faded from my 26.2 bumper sticker, so I don't have to worry about that. Sadly, my loyalty could have been bought by simply giving me a refund on the hotel and party ticket. That's all. That's all it took to keep me happy with the organization. I wonder if they realize how much money they are loosing by doing this? My involvement has brought them over $17,000 since 2005. It seems keeping me around would have been in their best interest.
To everyone who donated to this race, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your donation. Even though I am not doing this particular race, your money has not been wasted. It has gone to a wonderful cause and will benefit the lives of people suffering with blood cancer. Also, do not think I take my commitment to you lightly. I told you that if you donated, I would run the Nike Women’s Marathon. I may not be running it this year, but I WILL run it next year in honor of your donation. I will do that race next year (with our without Team In Training) because of your generous donations. That is my commitment to you.
As many of you know, I have been fundraising and training for the Nike Women’s Marathon which runs on October 19th. Many of you also know that I have had a lot of trouble running since May due to overlapping injuries.
When recommitment time came, I went ahead and signed the paperwork. Since TNT only pays for the full cost hotel room if you take on a TNT roommate, Brian and I wrote them a check (made out to LLS -- Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) for the other half of the hotel so that he could stay with me and we would have a private room. This was $360.55. I wanted Brian to go to the Victory Party with me, so we also wrote them a check for $50 to buy him a ticket. This comes to a total of $410.55
At last I seemed clear of injuries. Now I could quickly train for this race. But on September 10th, I suddenly experienced sharp knee pain while standing around at work. I wasn't exercising at the time! At first I didn't think very much of it. I'm used to random aches and pains. When I woke up in the morning, it still hurt. It continued to hurt for 6 days, preventing me from even trying to run. Driving hurt the worst as I moved my foot from gas to brake. Then it started feeling better. Good, now I can try a short run. But before I could do that, we had a Rocky pre-show rehearsal on the 19th. My knee started hurting A LOT during rehearsal. It hurt so bad walking across the USC campus. I tried as hard as I could not to limp. It continued to hurt through Sunday. I tried to get into see my doctor Monday or Tuesday before I left for the convention, but was unable to. I left for the convention early Wednesday morning. Luckily my knee pain improved a lot during this time to a point that it was barely noticeable. Now there is no pain at all. But I am still weary about the knee.
Today I finally got a chance to go in and see Dr. Smith. After doing some strength tests, he opted that the damage isn't as bad as he initially expected. He did some ultra sound therapy on it. He showed me some simple stretches. He taped my knee up with some ugly black bad-ass tape. The good news: he wants me to try a short run immediately. The bad news: he does not want me to run Nike. It is too soon for me to be running 26.2 miles on it. He told me to set my sight on the Pasadena Marathon, which gives me an extra month to heal and train. Even though I figured he was going to say this, I got teary-eyed in his office. He wrote me a "disability certificate" to excuse me from my commitment to the Team In Training program.
I've mentored teammates many times, so I know how this process works. I give TNT the letter. 25% of the money I raised is deducted to pay for the hotel and airfare they already booked for me (even though I had opted to drive so they didn't have to buy me airfare, they still deduct that money) and the remaining 75% gets transferred to a different TNT season of my choosing which would be, of course, the Nike Women’s Marathon 2009.
This is where my trouble with the program begins. I contacted my TNT campaign manager, letting him know that I had to drop. I asked for my money back from the other half of the hotel as well as the extra victory party ticket. I was told that I could not get it back because TNT had already cashed the check. What? So I went above the campaign manager's head and contacted the campaign coordinator. She has seen me at multiple events and knows how involved I am in the program. I figured if anyone could help me, she could. She told me the same thing. I told her that it didn't seem fair that TNT would keep my money. Hotels have a cancellation policy. If I had booked my hotel on my own A) I wouldn't have had to pay up front and B) I could cancel within 72 hours of check-in. The campaign coordinator explained that Team In Training buys the rooms in bulk and that the money was already gone. They could not cancel it. Okay, I understand. I'm also a very reasonable person.
"Okay...then since you are deducting half of the hotel room from the amount I raised and I paid for the other half of the hotel room out of pocket, that hotel room is mine. How about Brian and I go up to San Francisco for the weekend and stay in the hotel?" I asked. Sounds fair right? That way no one is loosing.
No.
The campaign coordinator said that in order for that to happen, Team In Training would have to cut ties with us. They would have to move our room out of their block of rooms since we were not with them. It’s a liability thing. We would then have to pay the hotel the Team In Training half of the hotel. What?!?! But they are still deducting that money from the amount that I am raising!!! So I have to pay more money to use the other half of the hotel I paid for?!?! While TNT gets to sit around and pocket more money?! How is that fair?
It sounds like complete and total bullshit to me. In my view, TNT is pocketing the $360.55 I entrusted them with to buy the other half of the hotel.
I then asked her if I could at least get the $50 back for the extra Victory Party ticket I purchased. She told me that it was non-refundable. I told her that if they wouldn't refund it, I wanted the ticket. She wanted to know why I wanted it if I wasn't going. I told her I intended to try and sell it and recoup at least some of my loss. She told me she would give it to the campaign manager to give to me on Saturday's practice. I told her that after this bad experience, I really didn't want to see the Team on Saturday. I requested that she mail it to me. She seemed a little put off, but took down my address. Once I receive it, I will post to different online Team In Training groups to find out if anyone needs an extra Victory Party ticket. At this point it is too late to buy an extra, so someone might be very happy to find that I am selling mine. I felt like TNT was trying to add insult to injury by not refunding me the darn party ticket. It’s the least they could do!
I struggled to remain polite. I told the campaign coordinator that I was very surprised that Team In Training would treat me so poorly after all I have done for the organization since 2005. She told me they appreciated everything I have done, but it boiled down to a matter of policy. I told her that I regretted this would probably be my last season with TNT because of the treatment I was receiving. I also gently reminded her that I wasn’t complaining that they were transferring the raised money to a future season minus the cost of the hotel and airfare…even though they never had to book me airfare. She again told me that they appreciate everything I have done, but it boils down to a matter of policy. If they make an exception for me, they have to make an exception for everyone who asks. She did not respond to the second half about airfare. I couldn't help but think -- how many long time participants decide to buy the other half of their hotel room and an extra party ticket and then have to drop because of an injury? I'm sure it doesn't happen very often and I'm sure TNT isn't actually loosing any money if they were to give me a refund of my money. That money from me was not meant to be a donation to them. It was entrusted to them to get me the other half of my hotel room and a party ticket. I'm not going, therefore I want it back. I am so upset.
I have decided to cut ties with them. I will not run for an organization that treats its long time participants so poorly. I still support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and everything it stands for, but I do not support their Team In Training program's practices towards participants. As of half an hour ago, I am now registered with the Pasadena Pacers. I don't have to fundraise to run with them. I simply have to show up. Team In Training has meant so much to me for so long, it breaks my heart to be distancing myself from them. But, I feel I can no longer support them when they have been so cruel to me. As I believe I said before in this post, I fully support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, I just don’t support how Team In Training treats people.
Beyond this post, I will not speak poorly of the Team In Training program in the future. Other than this, it is still a wonderful program. I am just going to distance myself from the program. Simply put, I am no longer a Team In Training runner. I will take down links to them on my myspace. I will not wear their singlets during races advertising them. The TNT logo has already faded from my 26.2 bumper sticker, so I don't have to worry about that. Sadly, my loyalty could have been bought by simply giving me a refund on the hotel and party ticket. That's all. That's all it took to keep me happy with the organization. I wonder if they realize how much money they are loosing by doing this? My involvement has brought them over $17,000 since 2005. It seems keeping me around would have been in their best interest.
To everyone who donated to this race, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your donation. Even though I am not doing this particular race, your money has not been wasted. It has gone to a wonderful cause and will benefit the lives of people suffering with blood cancer. Also, do not think I take my commitment to you lightly. I told you that if you donated, I would run the Nike Women’s Marathon. I may not be running it this year, but I WILL run it next year in honor of your donation. I will do that race next year (with our without Team In Training) because of your generous donations. That is my commitment to you.