Team in Training Fundraiser!!! SAVE THE DATE!

"Going the Extra Yard" Fundraiser!!!

Where: THE YARD in Santa Monica

When: Thursday, September 25th

Time: 7:00 p.m.

What: Raising Money for Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

Okay Guys and Gals!!!

It's time to get your party hats on, gather all your energy, throw on your sparkling personalities and make your way to THE YARD in Santa Monica for the best darn Fundraiser EVER!!

We're raising money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and we plan on having a BLAST while doing it! So....get your beer guzzling guts ready, your appetites wet, your music rockin' bodies in motion, your charming personalities jumpin' and your pockets o' cash rollin', and march your way on down to THE YARD for music, food, DRINK SPECIALS, an AMAZING RAFFLE and get ready to party with the best of us!

Invite all you know to come along. This isn't just a night of fun and laughs but a night to do an AMAZING service for those in need. Let's raise funds together by contributing to LLS!

You are more than welcome to come, drink and party but just know... In order to take advantage of the bar's drink specials and catered food from Marmalade Cafe you have to purchase a TNT wrist band at the door ($10 Donation).

There will be FABULOUS raffle prizes as well!

A sampling of which includes:

1. A $100 Gift Card to any Marmalade Cafe location

2. A $50 Gift Certificate to The Cheesecake Factory

3. A Generous Gift Certificate to Louise's Trattoria Restaurant

4. A 3 Month membership to Joe's Gym and 3 Personal Training Sessions!!

5. A Family 4 pack of tickets to The Ocean Institute's Sailing Cruise in Dana Point!

6. A $500 Gift Bag of Quality Spa Products

7. A Beautiful Orchid arrangement from Hoot & Heart Florist (Valued at $150)!

8. A Case of wine from Pear Valley Winery

9. A $25 Gift Certificate to Smoothie King

Raffle tickets will be on sale for the first two hours of the night.

DON'T FORGET TO BRING SOME CASH!!!

Raffle tickets will be sold as follows:

1 ticket - $3

5 tickets - $10

12 tickets - $20

If you would like to pre-purchase raffle tickets feel free to contact Alexis Tippets to arrange early purchase! If you purchase before the night of the fundraiser we will give you an extra raffle ticket for FREE!!!!

So GET EXCITED people!!! This is going to be one fantastic night!

Hope to see you all there.

Your Gracious Hosts,

Kelli Coats, Florence Pique, and Alexis Tippets

GARAGE SALE!!!!

Got any old Junk?!?!?!  Why not donate it to my TNT Garage Sale?!

That's right folks...I'm about to host a TNT garage sale - get excited!

I'm on a mission to collect anyone's old junk, or still good junk, but none-the-less JUNK that you are looking to get rid of. Haven't done your spring cleaning yet??? Well now is the perfect time to clean out your closets, your garage, your car, your old shed in the back yard, just about anything!

All proceeds from the garage sale will go to LLS in support of my race. So.....if you were already wondering what to do with that bird feeder you never use from your mother-in-law, or that "interesting" picture frame your cousin gave you on your last birthday, or that Hawaiian shirt that your co-workers bought you for a retirement gift that STILL doesn't look right no matter what jeans you pair it with, or that old pair of running shoes that your spouse keeps telling you are stinking up the closet, well then - it looks like TNT will be your saving grace! JUST DUMP THAT JUNK ALREADY!!! 

Once you have a pile of stuff set aside, shoot me an email at alexistippets@yahoo.com and let me know where I can come pick it up! I'm hosting my garage sale on September 13th so I will need to have all items collected before Friday, September 12th.

Let's make this the most eclectic garage sale to date and chock it full of the craziest items ever! And raise funds for a tremendous cause in the meantime!!

WOW - I'm pumped!

Now, get cleaning.....and that's an order!

There's Gonna be a Party!!!!!

Did someone say PARTY?!?!?!

That's right folks! There is gonna be one heck of a fun fundraiser just around the corner. We haven't got the date totally worked out yet....um.....because another member of our team is slacking - but I want you all to keep your date books open because in about 3 or 4 weeks we're gonna have the best Fundraiser EVER!!!! 

HINT, HINT....there will be booze, music, and fabulous raffle prizes for everyone!

So stay tuned cause you've got to be there!!

A wonderful surprise!

So, just yesterday (after our usual Sunday group run) Flo and I decide to go to breakfast. This is typical for us, we go run and immediately head to a very filling and fattening breakfast of some kind of pancakes or french toast. However, yesterday Flo and I were in serious debate over eating out for breakfast because lately both our pocket books need a little rest. haha! We are both trying to save money and figured we might actually forego the breakfast for once. But then again, who are we kidding!?!?!

Nice idea, but didn't actually happen. Right after our run, as we are driving home Flo suddenly turns to me and goes, "Um....maybe I do want breakfast after all!" haha! We both laugh and decide to head to one of our old standbys Amendine Cafe on Wilshire. They have fantastic french toast that I CRAVE!!!!

Anywhoo, so as we are sitting there enjoying our meal we notice a very cute family out front. We took notice right away because of the cute little boy (maybe 3 years old or so). Looking back I realize Flo and I were probably starring, but we couldn't help looking at this cute little boy. Anyway, one of the ladies walks over to Flo and I and immediately asks, "So, when is your race with Team in Training?"

I think both Flo and I were surprised at first that she knew of Team in Training, but then again, a lot of people do! We got to talking and told her about our race in October and the training we've been going through and what a great organization it is. We told her how many wonderful people we've met through this and what it's been like to be part of this team. 

This woman then went ahead and told us how her friend passed away recently from Leukemia and how she had been researching something to do. She wanted to help in some way. She wrote down her email address and asked us to send her our link because she really wanted to support both of us in our race! Flo and I found that completely amazing! We were so stunned and felt so grateful that this woman would approach us out of the blue, tell us her story, and offer to help. 

After we left the breakfast place Flo and I couldn't stop talking about what a great encounter that was. And how, had we decided not to go to breakfast that morning, we never would have run into that woman. Just that morning Flo and I were starting to feel a little discouraged about raising the funds for our race. We've both felt that we've talked to most of our immediate circle of family/friends/co-workers/etc. and have hit that wall with contributions. Both of us have agreed to take on the financial responsibility of committing to raising $3200 for LLS and sometimes that can be a stressful situation. Often, when training for something like this you wind up focusing so heavily on getting that money that you often loose sight of the cause and the greater good of what you are doing. Meeting this woman yesterday and seeing how Leukemia has personally affected her life, and hearing how she wanted to help us, gave both Flo and I a sense of renewed purpose in what we are doing. We feel honored to be running in place of many of those who cannot.

Needless to say, Sunday brought us both a wonderful surprise when we would least have expected it. We were grateful for the timing of it all and how it reminded us of what a wonderful thing we are taking part in and our contribution to changing many peoples lives in different ways.

THANK YOU!!!! 

Our First 13 Miler!!!

Yup, yup, love the crooked name on my jersey? I'm such a pro.

Um, I think I'm gonna puke...

Oh no, u got a tear in ur pants!!!

Oh Flo, are you about to cry???

Soooo....sorry it has been so freakin' long since I posted something! Wow - time seems to fly faster and faster these days and these GIGANTIC workouts seems to be happening quicker and quicker!

But alas, we have finally tackled our first 13 miles! Flo and I never thought we could do it. Woke up that morning and bitched and moaned our way to the team meeting. 

But lo and behold, we wound up running the entire thing without too many hiccups. Flo did, however, trip over a giant tree root and took a bit of a spill (sorry Flo!) and did tear a hole in those "oh so trendy" running pants. I have to say, the following day we were feeling the pain. But times like that we tend to remind ourselves why we are doing this in the first place. And our pain is only minor to the pain many families suffer when a loved on is taken with a disease like Leukemia. Running 13 miles is NOTHIN'!!!

As a matter of fact - running an entire 26.2 miles is NOTHIN'!!! When you look at it that way...

So, after our little jaunt we took it upon ourselves to (of course) pound some french toast and eggs!!! ha ha

Where would we be without a little post-run breakfast action?

Monday Night Runs

Look at those snazzy TNT shoe tags!!! We are rockin' the style!

So, after I typed that headline in I'm re-reading it and thinking that could sound slightly gross. Like the kind of "runs" that send you speeding down the freeway, five inches off your seat in an effort to make it home before something truly embarrassing happens. Okay - that's my sick and twisted mind getting off course. 

Enough about that, I just lost my appetite. And that never happens!

So......last night marked our first run of the week, oh boy! Something always has me dreading that first run of the week. Flo and I like to head out once the sun is almost down - keeps us cooler and uh, it's dark outside so not as many people notice me plopping my way down the street. Kinda cool. 

However, one downside to this whole night running thing - LA Drivers!!! Do they not see me?! Do they not see me?!?! Maybe I need to run with one of those flashing median signs, or cole miners caps on. Not a bad idea come to think of it, but cumbersome so I'm tossing it.

First order of Business - those TNT Shoe Tags! Can't leave home without one! Then, one quick dance with Lola before we go (yes Lola, we know you're cute! but please, please, PLEASE stop pooping all over the house!).

About Us and Our Cause

Welcome to our Blog Spot - Team FLEX! 

That's Flo + Lex in case you were wondering.....I know, awesome right?!?

We are just two crazy chicks from Los Angeles who have decided to make 2008 the year for setting goals and achieving them! We are taking on our biggest challenge to date as we plan to run in the Nike Women's Full Marathon in San Francisco this October!!

We invite you to tag along on our little journey over the coming months and follow our progress on one of the largest undertakings we've ever done! 

Our journey began over a year ago when we both met at work in LA and it was ALL LAUGHS at first sight! We have more than a few things in common - ahem, A LOVE OF FOOD being first and foremost. But running, surprisingly....wasn't one of them! So why do a marathon you ask?

Because doing something for a greater good IS something we have in common. Pushing ourselves to the limit EVEN BETTER!

Both with our own personal stories, we landed ourselves at a group meeting for Team in Training - an amazing organization geared towards raising money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. It's been all gung-ho ever since. And now with a snazzy name like Team FLEX, we are a force unstoppable!

If I hear any wise cracks about our team name, you're gonna get a personal visit from me (Lex). I'm Italian, and I have connections.

Okay, moving on.

You are all invited to visit our individual Team in Training home pages and read both of our stories. Find out what brought us to Team in Training, learn a bit about the cause and hopefully feel inspired to make a difference in the lives of thousands by making a personal donation.

This is truly a charity worthy of your support. 

Remember - no donation is too small! Even $5 means so much to so many people!

Each donation helps accelerate finding a cure for leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. More than 712,000 Americans are battling these blood cancers. We are hoping that our participation in Team in Training will help bring them hope and support.

Below are the links to both Flo and Lex's Team in Training Home Pages. Don't feel distraught over which person's page to donate to. We are mainly looking to give to a great cause and no matter who's page the donation is through it all goes to the same place! 

Florence's Home Page Link:

http://pages.teamintraining.org/los/nikesf08/fpique

Alexis' Home Page Link:

http://pages.teamintraining.org/los/nikesf08/atippets

Keep visiting our blog as we will continue to post all kinds of stories during our journey over the next few months. Anything from training mishaps (and there are bound to be a few), to inspirational stories from cancer survivors, to notices of upcoming events in the area, to new tips on FOOD (how did that get in here) and for an all around good time.

It's never a dull moment with Team FLEX! So stick around - it's sure to be a good time as we grunt, growl, stumble, and laugh our way to the finish line!