Tell us a little about yourself…
I was born and raised in Northern New Jersey. My parents still live in Tenafly, NJ, are happy and healthy, and are fabulous grandparents to our two boys – Nicholas (23) and Alexander (20). Nick works on Wall Street and Zan is a sophomore at LMU in Louisiana. My wife Lynn and I started dating when I was in the 10^th grade and she was in the 9^th grade – and have now been married for 26 years!

What is your favorite Team Boomer memory?
I love the Team Boomer camaraderie, the incredible cause the Team supports, and the inspirational stories of fellow runners and of those dealing with the hardships of cystic fibrosis. Training is always a grind – but so much easier when affiliated with great people and a great cause.

What is your best fundraising tip?
Personalize each fundraising message – don’t use a “one size fits all” appeal. Take the time to write individual emails with your Firstgiving link attached. People want to feel appreciated, so the individualized dialogue helps. As the donations comes in, immediately respond with a personalized thank you email. Set up a group email that includes ALL to whom you have appealed for money. Immediately after the race is complete, send a group thank you that recaps the entire event, describe the merits of Team Boomer and the Boomer Esiason Foundation, and how important the donations are. Periodic training updates to the whole group are nice too – especially 2-4 weeks before the race…. And can be a subtle reminder to those who haven’t made a contribution yet.

Why do you run?
My sister ran two marathons – much faster than I have – and that got me interested. I enjoy the challenge, the need to focus, and the great cause that Team Boomer serves. I am also in my fourth year of recovery currently, completely committed to my sobriety, and find that the mental and physical fitness are an integral part of maintaining it. I am grateful to Team Boomer for all of the incredible support and for serving such a fabulous cause – and I look forward to my next race!

On Sunday, November 2, 2014, our Team Boomer athletes toughed it out during a cold, windy day and ran to #CureCF. Thank you athletes for all you do for the CF community!

Jerry’s Training Blog:

“It’s about the journey, about sportsmanship, about friendships made along the way.”

I am a little behind on my training, but have completely the majority of my ‘foundation’ rides – 20, 30, 40, and 50 milers. One of my biggest challenges in training has been lack of strength due to my transplant. Did you know that most people lose about 30% of their strength post-transplant? Grrr!

Right now I am focusing on roadwork climbing hills, which has been killer for me, and taking a longer recovery time. I have also been working on repeat hill work about three days a week.

Hydration has played a key factor in my training – and I have become much more aware of it. I have to drink one full bottle of water with electrolytes every hour while riding, and I use a product called OSMO for preloading and Active Recovery within 20 minutes of finishing my ride. For all day hydration, I have been using NUUN tablets in my water, which come in convenient plastic containers.

The other important thing I have learned is that I have to pay close attention to my nutrition while going on these extended rides, constantly eating carbs during training. My favorites are PB&J on a bagel, Fig Newtons, Kind bars (especially the almond apricot!), and 18 Rabbit bars.

I am just three weeks away from my big ride, and am staying positive and focused. I am really looking forward to challenging myself, enjoying the journey, and raising awareness about cystic fibrosis.

Em’s Training Blog

Hi everyone… Em here! Just wanted to give you a quick update. Training is going really great so far. Michigan weather has been super mile, so I haven’t had to push through any really hot days. I am training for a half marathon during the bike tour training – so at the same time each week, I have to check the weather to see which days I should run and which days I should bike. It has become a full-time job on top of my full-time job. For me, the wind has been the most difficult obstacle. I would rather ride uphill than straight into the wind, but I guess this is what makes you stronger… at least that’s what they say.

I have been using the Osmo for ladies products, and I really dig them. I completed a 50 mile ride last week, using them before, during, and after my ride, and felt better than I have ever felt after that distance. Proper nutrition is definitely key – making sure to stay on top of it instead of trying to play catch-up.

I can’t believe we are just three weeks away from this epic bike adventure and everything that comes along with it! Those long, multi-day rides are going to be a great challenge. Jerry and I are going to see so many new things and meet new CF friends, families, and care teams along the way. Hope to see you along our great CF adventure!!!

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The Boomer Esiason Foundation Announces its Newest Team Boomer Athletic Event Series: Bike to Breathe

The Boomer Esiason Foundation is excited to announce the launch of its newest Team Boomer event series, Bike to Breathe, which encourages people with cystic fibrosis (CF) to cycle for exercise in order to stay healthy.

The first event in this series, Jerry and Em’s CF Adventure, features two riders who are well known within the CF community. Jerry Cahill is a 58-year-old CF patient and double lung transplant survivor who is living proof that an active, healthy lifestyle positively affects his quality of life. He is currently BEF’s CF Ambassador, volunteering for the Foundation to help the CF community in the here and now. Emily Schaller, a 32-year-old living with cystic fibrosis, started cycling, running, and exercising in 2007, when she was introduced to Jerry’s story, because she was “sick of being sick.” At the same time, she started the Rock CF Foundation to heighten public awareness about her disease and to raise money for research.

On September 15, Jerry and Em will start a 500-mile bike ride that starts in Cary, North Carolina and ends in Baltimore, Maryland. The route is as follows:

Day 1: Cary, NC to Rocky Mount, NC
Day 2: Rocky Mount, NC to Murfreesboro, NC
Day 3: Murfreesboro, NC to Norfolk, VA
Day 4: Norfolk, VA to Williamsburg, VA
Day 5: Williamsburg, VA to Richmond, VA
Day 6: Richmond, VA to Fredericksburg, VA
Day 7: Fredericksburg, VA to Baltimore, MD

Johns Hopkins Hospital (1800 Orleans Street, Baltimore, MD 21287) graciously offered to host Jerry and Em for a speaking engagement on September 23, where they will share their stories and update everyone on their ride.

Jerry, Em, and the Boomer Esiason Foundation would like to thank Chiesi, Genentech, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Marriott, and Penta Water, whose generosity made this even possible.

Hi! My name is Mike Corr and I am the Dad to two great kids – Anna, 22, and Aidan, 19 – who happen to have cystic fibrosis. Both of my kids fight their disease continuously in ways that epitomize their personalities.

Right now, we are so close to fully managing – or even curing – the disease, so I firmly believe we need to continue with the full court press and do everything possible to fundraise. I can’t personally cure the disease for my kids, but I sure can go out and raise money and awareness about cystic fibrosis with Team Boomer.

So far, I have competed in Ironman Wales, Ironman Mallorca, Ironman Miami, SACTS Mombasa Kenya Dualthon, and the Fine Stretch of the Legs Challenge in New Jersey. But my favorite Team Boomer memory is Ironman Wales. After a tough day, I came across the finish to hear the commentator saying, “…raising funds through Team Boomer to find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis – Michael Corr.” And of course when my little girl, Anna, registered for Boomer’s Cystic Fibrosis Run to Breathe in Central Park, I couldn’t have been more proud.

If I could give other Team Boomer athletes advice, it would be to never be afraid to ask people and companies to make donations to the cause – to never be embarrassed about it. At the end of the day, it’s a numbers game. The more people we ask, the more people donate, and the faster we beat cystic fibrosis.

About Me:  I was born and raised on Long Island, NY where I currently live with my wife and two children, Ella and Luke. Throughout my childhood, high school and college years I was constantly competing in sports like football, basketball and baseball, though it was not until my late twenties that I really took up running.  I turned to running to get me through some tougher times years ago as a stress reliever (a free one at that), and it has stuck with me.  Now I am able to use running as a way to stay in shape in order to keep up with my two kids’ endless supplies of energy.  Today running has offered my family an opportunity to bond together in our support of the cystic fibrosis community through Boomer’s CF Run To Breathe.

Along with my wife Liz, I became involved with the Boomer Esiason Foundation and more specifically, Team Boomer, about three years ago when our son Luke was born with Cystic Fibrosis.  Liz and I help Luke work to fight the effects of CF through the daily routine, which I am sure is shared by many of the readers here.  We see how challenging this disease can be for those families and individuals that are impacted by it. Lucky for us, Luke is a relentless little dude who doesn’t know how to quit.  At only three years old my little man inspires me every day with his amazing abundance of energy which is always coupled with that glowing smile.

Team Campbell:  Soon before Luke was born, a small group of us including my sisters; Katie, Kelly and Patty and my brothers-in-law; Pete and PJ, were discussing ways we could get involved in supporting a cause to help those battling CF like our new little guy would be.  The discussion inevitably turned to Boomer Esiason and eventually to the upcoming inaugural Run To Breathe put together by BEF.  That night, sitting around a table into the late hours of the evening, Team Campbell was born with the seven of us.

Today, Team Campbell is made up of an incredible collection of the most supportive family, friends, colleagues and even generous strangers who have all embraced our amazing son Luke.  These people have chosen to support him and those with CF like him in their own various ways.  Back in 2011, Team Campbell brought more than 40 runners/walkers/supporters to the first Run To Breathe in Central Park and has been back every year in growing numbers.  This year we hope to be able to continue the trend of growing participants and donations to BEF.  Hopefully some of you reading here will now recognize the green shamrock shirts of the Team Campbell crew on race day.

Our favorite Team Boomer memory:  Liz and I joke that each year’s Run To Breathe is like our Christmas, in that it is an overwhelming day filled with love, hope and happiness.  The support that we see from our own team, as well as the thousands of others in Central Park that morning rallying around the same cause, is incredible.  It leaves us with such a positive feeling that, though Luke will certainly have challenges in his life due to his diagnosis, he is not defined by this disease and can achieve so much, as many others with CF have been determined to do before him.  I have had some uplifting conversations at this event with runners my age who have CF telling me that my son has so many advantages just by the fact that he was born at a time of such exponential medical advancement in the journey to find a cure for CF.  The HOPE that prevails over the race course on that morning is contagious and leaves all of Team Campbell walking away with the feeling that a cure for CF is attainable in Luke’s lifetime.

Why do I run?  I run for Luke and Ella.  I run so that they will know the importance of exercise and taking care of yourself physically, especially with CF being a part of our lives.  I run so that when they are old enough, we can share in an activity that brings us together in a positive way. I run for Team Campbell.  I run for Team Boomer.  I run in the hopes that someday my son Luke will out run me.