I did the 2009 WDW half marathon with Team in Training. It was an incredible experience. I was a brand-new runner (had never run more than 4 miles before our first group training run), so I really got a lot out of the program. Three of my Teammates and I did the entire race together and crossed the finish line hand-in-hand, but we noticed that many of the other TNT'ers ran on their own, so your mileage may vary.
The fund-raising was tough -- especially in the current economic climate, and I did have to shell out a bit more than I might have wanted to in order to meet my minimum -- but it really wasn't all that much when compared to what the cost of a personal trainer would have been. And since my coaches and Teammates inspired me to get out there and run, they were the most effective "personal trainers" I could have wished for!
TNT has several alumni who come back as Mentors, and I was able to ask them for fund-raising suggestions and advice. One of them even arranged for a group fundraiser, which helped a lot. Start thinking now about businesses you might solicit for donations, as that gives you the biggest bang for your fund-raising buck. Corporate sponsors who donate a certain amount can have their logo printed on your Chapter's race-day singlets, which helps sweeten the deal for them.
Race registration is included in the program, and I was told that if you registered for the marathon on your own before joining TNT, you would not be reimbursed the duplicate registration fee. If you are planning on joining TNT, don't worry about the race filling up before they process your registration. Disney keeps a large number of slots open for charity groups, and I've never heard of a TNT applicant being turned away.
Also included in the program were training and race day singlets, air transportation to MCO and back, a 4-night stay at a Moderate Resort (we stayed at CSR but other chapters were at CBR), a pasta party on Friday, access to the TNT tent at the finish line with light refreshments, and a victory party on Sunday night. Not to mention the support of our wonderful coaches, who led our weekly long runs and provided loads of advice via email. There were also informational meetings throughout the season on topics such as running shoes, apparel and nutrition. Some of the local running stores gave TNT participants a discount on their gear, but I don't know if that holds true for every location or if we were just lucky. Another benefit of the program was that, through my fund-raising efforts, just about everyone I knew was aware of my half marathon training and even casual acquaintances would ask about my running. I can't tell you how many times their basic inquiries would give me the necessary push to go out and do a training run after work.
Sorry about the novel. Long story short, doing my first half marathon with TNT made the experience even more memorable and I highly recommend it. My TNT web page is still active (even though I'm no longer soliciting donations), so click on the link in my signature if you'd like to read my updates about training and fund-raising with this program. Don't hesitate to ask if you have any more questions!
-Kim
