San Fernando Valley

Tyler Olsen

Welcome to Team In Training.  I want to be one of many to welcome and congratulate you on your commitment to participate in an endurance event and to help fundraise and bring awareness with the goal of finding a cure for blood cancer.  I've been part of TNT for the past 3 years either as a participant, mentor or coach.  I completed my first marathon as a participant with Team In Training in '04.   Since then, I've run 9 official marathons, and countless half marathons 10 and 5k's.  That's not including the 35 mile days when coaching an event (is that braggin?).

As your Coach it is my goal for you to have FUN and have GREAT BIG SMILE when crossing the finish line!  It is also my promise to be completely available to you for any questions, or concerns.

Peter Valk

I am excited to be your Walk coach for the San Fernando Valley Running/Walking Team. You can count on me for support and encouragement over the next few months as we train. I hail from the New York City area, but I could be called a California native as I have lived in LA since 1976: Venice Beach, Brentwood, Woodland Hills, and finally Calabasas. My biggest cheerleaders are my wife, three children, and three cats. I know how important support from coaches, mentors, and teammates can be.

I first signed on with TNT to compete in a half marathon in November 2002.  I did so well at fundraising and training that my mentor challenged me to "supersize" my commitment by taking on the Honolulu Marathon a month later. Was I crazy or what? Let's put it this way, I cried like a baby as I crossed the finish line after I realized what I had accomplished and thought about the millions that have been affected by Leukemia.  That experience has led to my obsession with marathoning as I have completed 9 marathons in 2 ½ years. My wife called it my "turning 50 mid life crisis." 

Why did I get involved with Team In Training? You see it's a personal thing as I was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphosetic Leukemia in 1998. My condition was dormant for almost 7 years.  I was elated when I found out that my cancer had gone into remission and I would need just three rounds of therapy. So, being the obsessed person I am, I continued training and completed the NYC marathon in November 05 -- just two weeks before my last round of Chemo. The positive vibe of my family (both blood and TNT) and my fitness got me through the challenges of beating back my cancer and finishing the race. 

I will be with you all the way, from helping you get up early on Saturday mornings to figuring out why sweet potatoes are so good for you. Please feel free to call or e-mail me with your concerns or questions. If I don't know the answer, I'll find out. You can do 26.2!!

San Gabriel Valley

Kiley Akers                                 

Welcome to what has the potential to be an extremely rewarding experience. Welcome to the San Gabriel Valley Team In Training Run Team. My name is Kiley Akers and I will serve as one of your run coaches this season. I'm here to support your training and ultimately help you get to the starting line, then finish line, of your endurance event. Nowadays running is my sport of choice. I love to run. While I initially started running to get in better shape, I soon found the mental and emotional products of a good run to be the most beneficial. For me, it is a great stress reducer and makes me more ALIVE. I've run over a dozen road races throughout the years and am looking forward to running and training along side you thought this season.

I came to Team In Training as a participant. I wanted a change of pace as I recognized that I allowed myself to fall in a rut. I wanted to challenge myself and surround myself with uplifting people who were making a difference in the lives of others. I found what I was looking for and much more.  Since my time as a participant I have served as a mentor and coach for the TEAM.

Recently the cause has taken on even more significance to me as my Dad was diagnosed with Diffuse B-Cell Lymphoma in March of 2006. I lost him to this disease in November of 2006. I train, run, compete and coach in honor of my Dad.  You will be a part of something that truly makes a positive difference in your life and in the lives of others. Thank you for making a difference in your life and in the lives of others. Let's have some fun!!!!!

Dave Hagan

My name is Dave Hagan, and I am proud to be a run coach for San Gabriel Valley Marathon Team.

This is my sixteenth season with Team In Training. The teams I have been involved with have raised over two and a half million dollars to fight leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma.  As a run coach my job is to help all of you reach the finish line, and I am here to help anyway I can!

I have a PASSION for Team In Training.  My brother Craig was diagnosed with leukemia when he was 9.  He is now a 30 year survivor thanks in part to research funded by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  I also have lost two good friends to blood cancers.  On December 14th of 2003, my friend Bob passed while awaiting a stem cell transplant - just hours before I was to run the Honolulu Marathon in honor of he and my brother.  My friend Lee died of lymphoma almost exactly one year later, so you can see why I am fanatical about TNT.

Unless you have done this before, there is no way you can understand what I am going to say next, but here goes.  Team In Training will change your life.  You are about to embark on an adventure so rewarding that it cannot be put into words.  The quality of the people you will meet while in this program will blow you away, and the Team In Training staff, coaches, captains, and mentors all are wonderfully committed to your success.  Together we will make a difference in the fight against these diseases.  

Long Beach

Chuck Fowler

About 18 years ago I was a semi-pro bicycle racer and sailboat racer but then my world changed when I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. I got to experience the adventure that is open chest surgery to remove a fist sized tumor from my chest and then I had the pleasure of 6 months of chemo-therapy and 6 radiation treatments.  Well, after that I was kind of torn down but after a little while I started improving but then 10 years later it was another adventure.  I had congestive heart failure, seizures, mini stroke, and my thyroid shut down, With this one I was in hospital for 2 ½ months and I only remember the last two weeks and to this day this one is undiagnosed.   Then just a few years later, prostate cancer paid me a visit which was a simple removal process that was followed shortly thereafter by a blood clot in my left leg.  Well after all of this, I was pretty down, both physically and emotionally for a couple of years, I couldn't walk up a flight of stairs without gasping. 

Then it happened.

My wife was invited to go to a fundraiser for a friend that was going to do a marathon to benefit some charity.  At that event I was challenged to come out and try this organization and walk-racing.  At this point I was pretty tired of being tired and wanted to be fit again so I went and I haven't stopped yet.  I started with TNT in mid 2003 and did my first event as a participant in January of 2004 and then I came back as a Mentor and raised funds two more times for a total of about $14,000.  I have been a Mentor four times, a Captain for 3 teams, an Asst. Coach for two seasons and now a Coach.  I have done a full marathon, about 14 half marathons and many 5k and 10k events and am back sailing and kayaking.  TNT got me off of the couch and into fitness but more importantly, I am part of something that is way bigger than just me.  We are part of a wave of athletes that are saving lives at an amazing rate.  Every day the Society touches lives that need so much support and help and through our efforts we will find cures to these horrible diseases.

Thank you for being part of this grand organization, this is an important thing that you are doing with this part of your life and many people appreciate it.

South Bay

Edward Arenberg

This is my ninth season with Team In Training and I coached runners for both track and road running prior to joining the Team.  In high school and college I was a sprinter, and ran for many years in corporate track competition for TRW.  I started road running in 1989, and ran my first marathon (LA) in 1993.  I have now finished 14 marathons, including Las Vegas, San Francisco, San Diego, Boston and several LA.  Prior to joining TNT, the highlight of my road running career was qualifying for and running the 100th Boston Marathon.  Having guided several hundred TNT participants to success, I now find as much joy in their accomplishments as my own.

I took a short break from Team In Training to fight my own battle with cancer in 2005.  After a challenging 7 month ordeal, I have been cancer-free since, and resumed my own training routine in 2006.  My personal experience has reinforced the importance of the Team mission and the critical support our participants bring to the lives of those touched by cancer.

Gail Goldstein

Welcome to what will be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life!  Running with Team in Training has added so much to my life.  At the completion of each season I find myself wanting more.

I originally joined TNT to accomplish two extraordinary goals; one to complete a marathon and two to support Leukemia and Lymphoma research.  As a child I lost my best friend to Leukemia at the tender age of 10.  Being a child myself it was difficult for me to understand how such a terrible thing could happen to such an innocent person.  From age 8 until today the word ?leukemia? shakes me to my core.  I now find comfort knowing there is a remarkable organization working endlessly to battle this feared disease, and being part of it fills me with pride.

In March of 2007 I completed the Los Angeles Marathon, my first marathon ever, as a TNT participant.  I had such an amazing experience that I returned to mentor for the Nike Women?s Marathon that October.  This past year I ran the New York Marathon (which was an AMAZING experience!!!) and the Rock N Roll San Diego Marathon, where I qualified to run Boston 2009.  I?ve also completed many ½ marathons using the knowledge I?ve gained from my Team and Training coaches.

When not running, I am busy mothering 4 wonderful children, Morgan (10), Zachary (8), Adam (5), and Emery (3).  Ballet, piano, basketball, baseball, PTA and volunteering in 4 classrooms basically fills up all of my non-running time!

I hope to assist each of you in meeting your personal goals and to help you all take away from this experience as much as you are giving. I look forward to working with you in an amazing fight for a cure.

 

Westside

Gary Stoltz

First, I want to congratulate you for stepping up and taking on this challenge.  I strongly believe this can be a life-changing event, the type of thing you'll remember decades from now, so kudos for stepping up and taking this challenge on!  As for my background, I grew up in LA and started running in high school, getting hooked early.  After competing in college, I was sponsored by Nike for another 7 years.  I tried out for 3 Olympic teams (narrowly missing) and was able to represent the US at the World Championships in 1999.  I also won the Long Beach Marathon in my first marathon attempt.  At my peak, I placed in the top 5 in the U.S. and top 25 in the world.  After "retiring" from competing, my coaching experience includes coaching high school teams, new runners, people aiming to qualify for the Boston Marathon, US Secret Service agents training to run with the President, and more.   I've been indirectly involved with TNT for a number of years.  I've always believed in the cause and philosophy, have been a guest coach for several teams and have been indirectly helping coach some of the Northern California teams.  A friend of mine back east is currently fighting (successfully!) leukemia, which makes helping find a cure that much more personal.

 

Marissa Tiamfook 

I grew up in New York City and moved to Los Angeles three years ago.  I have been a competitive runner my entire life, running track, cross country and road races from age seven.  My father began running to lose weight, and my mother made him take my sister and I (and are our dogs!) with him to the local track.  It got us out of the house and we got to spend time with Dad.  Pretty soon we were beating him and most other kids in our age group races.  This ignited my life-long passion for running and instilled healthy lifestyle and nutrition habits that I continue to have.

 

I ran my first marathon at age 21 and have now run numerous half and full marathons and one triathlon, including the NYC and Boston Marathons.  I run and race regularly, but also cross-train with spinning, weight training, yoga, Pilates, dance classes, and plyometrics. I?ve practiced and/ or competed in every sport from soccer to rowing to judo and am an outdoor adventure enthusiast, and hike, climb and run over every mountain and trail I can find.

 

It's so exciting that you have committed to training for a half or full marathon and to raising valuable funds for Team in Training.  I firmly believe with this commitment to your own health and the health of others, you will cross the finish line.  Welcome to the world of marathoning. You'll be forever changed!

 

Ventura County

Debbie Glass

Debbie Glass is a Team In Training coach (yes, with a wall full of medals and certifications, blah, blah, blah.) She has been a marathon coach for 12 years and has completed over 70 marathons.  Holding coaching certifications for marathons, cross-country, track and personal training, Debbie, as you might guess has a love for running. However, she has other interests and duties (ask her husband, Robert, and he will probably disagree.)  Debbie has a daughter, Kaitlyn, who is 17 years old and a son, Jamie, who is 14 years old. She is their taxi driver to all the very important events in their lives.

  
Other coaching duties include the varsity track and cross-country teams at Cornerstone Christian School, where she is also the secondary school's girls PE teacher.  When she is not running or walking with TNT folks (her favorite thing to do), Debbie runs ultra marathons. You know, 50 or 100 miles races that only crazy people run.  Other interests Debbie has are church, writing, hiking and spending time with family and friends. That is, when she not asleep due to pure exhaustion.

Nicole Hackbarth

I have this list of 50 things I want to do in my lifetime. Running a marathon was on the list. I joined Team In Training after I lost my Grandpa to cancer last October. Last January I started training for the San Diego Rock N Roll Marathon. In the process, I developed incredible physical and emotional strength, met some of the most amazing people in my life and accomplished one of my largest goals.

Last March I lost my Grandma to cancer as well and had the honor of taking her ashes to join my Grandpa's in San Diego on race weekend. Over the few months of training I was touched by everyone's stories of lost loved ones, cancer survivors and our honored teammates. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is making incredible advances in research and we are part of their success. 

After completing my race in June of 2007, I became hooked. I recently finished as a mentor for the winter season and here I am as a coach. Over the past two years I have completed the Holy Half Marathon, Santa Barbara Half Marathon, Carlsbad Half Marathon, Nike Women's Half Marathon, Santa Ynez Half Marathon and the PF Chang's Rock N Roll Marathon. I look forward to cheering you in to complete your race!

Jeff Price

Five years ago I decided to get in shape. I weighed close to 300 pounds, could barely lift a 15 pound dumbbell over my head, and had a goal of walking one mile in under 30 minutes. Now I've completed over 15 full and half marathons and a number of 50 mile bike rides. 

I've found that walking marathons provides me with the goals I need to stay focused on living a healthy, balanced lifestyle. When I'm not walking I can be found power lifting at the gym. The only thing more fun than walking a marathon is having over 400 pounds on a barbell you're about to lift. I may not be the fastest walker but I bet I'm one of the strongest power lifters to walk a marathon. So if you need someone to carry you, I just might be able to do it.

I started marathoning as a Team In Training participating, became a mentor, an assistant coach, and then a certified TNT coach. I've coached walkers who were in their early 20's and walkers in their late 60's; walkers who were extremely fit and others who were not. As a coach, I want to help you have a fulfilling and successful experience. I'll do my best to answer all of your questions and also provide you with encouragement and support so that you can cross that finish line with a smile on your face.

If I'm not exercising or working I'm playing with my five cats and two dogs. I have been blessed to have a wonderful wife and daughter who keep me going strong and out of trouble. Well mostly out of trouble.

Jessica Needham

Hey everyone!  I'm Jessica, and I'm a senior at Pepperdine University.  I will be graduating in May with a degree in Sports Medicine and a minor in Coaching. I am the oldest of 6 kids, the youngest of which is my reason for being involved with this amazing organization.  Zoey is 19 months old and has Down syndrome. She was also born with a heart disorder called AV Canal Complete which required open heart surgery at the age of 5 months. In addition, she suffered a stroke before she was born and has most recently been battling an epilepsy disorder called Infantile Spasms, which stems from her stroke site. 

When Zoey was born, a blood test was performed which revealed she had an extremely high white blood cell count.  She was air lifted to Children's Hospital Los Angeles where she received a double exchange blood transfusion, meaning all of her blood was taken out as new blood was put in, and then the process was repeated.  Because her body then began producing healthy cells on its own, it was determined that Zoey had Transient Myeloproliferative Disorder (TMD), a rare transient form of Leukemia.  This disorder puts her at an increased risk of developing Leukemia, specifically AML before she is 5.  Zoey is the strongest person I know, and has been such an inspiration to me in the short time she has been in my life. 

I heard about TNT through a former soccer teammate in Spring of 2007.  I was nervous at first about both the fundraising and the training, but the coaches and mentors made me feel comfortable and were always willing to answer whatever questions I might have had.  I completed the marathon with no more than a couple blisters and raised $2,000 over the fundraising minimum! The great thing about TNT is that it allows you to do something for yourself, while also allowing you to make a direct impact on the life of someone battling a blood cancer. I cannot wait to help guide others through this incredible journey!

 

Norma Bennett

I'm a farm girl from the Canadian Prairies. I think I was born walking. When the winter snows began to melt, the rubber boots came out, the knap sack was stuffed with peanut butter sandwiches and a Tupperware of water and I was off. . . and I walked until the winter snows came again. I walked the ditches looking for springs first crocus, I walked up the dirt lane to the wild saskatoon berry patch anxious to fill my empty syrup bucket, I walked to the dugout for a summer swim with my 6 siblings, I walked to the wheat field and rode a loop on the combine with my dad, and then I took the long route back home through the poplar woods, around the neighbour's horse pasture, across the alfalfa field, over pussy-willow creek . .

And now I'm 51 years old and I'm still walking.  Since marrying a California boy, I no longer have to wait for the spring melt; I can walk all year round. ah. . . this is Paradise!  Now I'm on the mountain trails behind my home in Ojai, standing on top of the Ranger Outlook, looking down into Rose Valley on one side and the Oxnard plains on the other, or I?m walking the orange grove roads, or the bike path all the way to the beach, or walking barefoot on the hard low-tide sand. Just walking, and thinking, and walking, and being happy in my heart.  And before I know it, I've gone 25 or 30 miles. Oh!  That's a marathon!  Hmmmm, maybe someone else would like to do this I think I could help!

Does walking sound like something you could do? Or have always wanted to do? Don't tell the runners this, but walking is the new running!  If you are ready for a challenge, love to be outside, want to get in shape, or need a natural high. . . . come walk with me.  Let's do it together. Working with me, your walk coach, and TNT, you will learn how to be efficient in your walking and the better you are at something, the more you enjoy it.  And then, just for fun, we'll go walk a marathon.  Won't the folks back home be amazed?  So, come. . . We've miles to go before we sleep. . .

For my Danish emigrant Dad, who died from lymphoma while I was still mid-stride. Thank you for teaching me to be a Pilgrim and for giving me wide-open spaces to walk and the happy heart to love my wanderings. Someday we'll walk the streets of gold. . .