September Athlete of the Month – Laurie Cobb

Posted on September 1, 2015 by mpelini

Athlete Name: Laurie Cobb
Age: 32
Hometown: Moscow, Pennsylvania
Education: Widener University (Philadelphia) undergrad, Wilmington University (Delaware) MBA
Occupation: Project Manager at JP Morgan

Tell us a little about yourself.
I’m from the Poconos in Pennsylvania and am married to my husband Marc for 5 years this month. I love and played a number of different sports throughout high school and college (tennis, softball, basketball) but I never pursued or even thought about endurance sports until a good friend suggested it about a year ago. My husband and I live in Jersey City but we are gluttons for punishment and support our Philly sports teams. I also love dogs. One of my favorite running activities is to dog watch to help keep my mind busy.

How did you get involved with Team Boomer?
I got involved with Team Boomer after attending Refi Rock at the Central Park Zoo right after we moved here. A bunch of colleagues invited me to go and I thought it was so well run I had to send an e-mail stating this to the generic e-mail address on the BEF website asking what I could do to help and get involved. After learning more about Team Boomer and speaking with Michaela I ended up joining the Young Professionals Committee and from there I learned more about the Team Boomer athletic events.

What is your favorite Team Boomer memory?
My favorite Team Boomer memory so far was at my first half marathon, I was coming up to mile 13 and there were some people who had already finished waiting near the finish line cheering for me. It was an amazing moment.

What is your best fundraising tip?
Of course, everyone uses social media to fundraise, but I find my posts that get the most responses and likes are those when you include a funny or eye catching picture. My memes of Ryan Gosling tend to get a lot of donations. Get creative with it!

Why do you run?
Short answer – because I can and I should.

Three years ago I was moved from JP Morgan in Delaware to JP Morgan in New York. My husband I packed up our lives and moved to Hoboken and I started working in the city. I had been used to suburban life, park your car in the driveway and drive everywhere and not having to walk far for anything. I sporadically did fitness classes and had many unsuccessful attempts with Weight Watchers, but didn’t really pay a lot of attention to my weight. After a few weeks of living in Hoboken and generally moving more I noticed how truly out of shape I was. I was over 350lbs when I stepped on the scale at my doctor’s office. I started making small changes in my diet and working out a bit more, but nothing too serious. When I saw more weight starting to come off, I began pushing harder, making more changes to my diet and adding in more exercise. I found a workout that I loved (spinning) and met some really awesome people who encouraged me along the way and helped me try new and different workouts. Eventually, the weight kept coming off and my body kept changing. Anyone who has been through a serious body transformation can tell you it is very hard to describe and very emotional.

I wanted to try running, but I was too nervous about running outside or on my own because I figured I would look like a serious hot overweight mess trying to make it around the block. With encouragement from my husband and friends I started some light jogging on a treadmill in our gym. Then I attended a Young Professionals Committee meeting and had the pleasure of sitting next to Steve Bell. I believe he was training for the London marathon at the time (but I could be wrong – he does a lot of them 😉 and I just remember thinking “this guy is amazing” and he inspired me to keep pushing through my fears and to run outside. Every time I got scared about what I looked like, or embarrassed because I had to stop to walk or slow down, I kept thinking of those amazing CF’ers and I didn’t give up. A few months later I did my first 5k, then Tough Mudder, then a half marathon. I am doing the 2015 NYC marathon for Team Boomer and can’t wait to meet everyone from the team soon!

August Athlete of the Month – Vincent Love

Posted on August 3, 2015 by mpelini

241941_10151011993554500_1261684855_o Athlete Name: Vincent Love
Age: 24
Hometown: Stamford, CT
Education: Boston College
Occupation: Investment Banker

Tell us a little about yourself.
I am from Stamford, Connecticut and have one sister Annie, who is going to be a senior in high school, and two loving parents, Lorraine and Vincent, who have supported me as my equipment managers and photographers at all my Team Boomer races. I have played a number of different sports including football, hockey, and lacrosse at KLHT (where I went to school from kindergarten through high school) and rugby at Boston College, but I was never a long distance, endurance athlete. After graduating Boston College in 2013, I got a job as an investment banker in downtown Boston and moved to an apartment in the North End with a friend from college. Despite living in Boston for the last few years, I am still a huge Mets, Jets, and Rangers fan.

How did you get involved with Team Boomer?
I met Gunnar at Boston College our freshman year and a group of fellow BC students became interested in Team Boomer shortly thereafter. After meeting Gunnar and learning more about cystic fibrosis, a number of us became involved with the foundation, attending events and fundraising for various races. Since then, we have been able to remain active with the foundation competing in events and organizing fundraisers.

What is your favorite Team Boomer memory?
Without a doubt my favorite Team Boomer memory is running the Boston marathon and specifically running through BC. Heartbreak hill is one of the hardest portions of the Boston marathon and comes directly before BC’s campus. A group of friends, including Gunnar, jumped on to the course and were able to run with me for quite a while, providing much needed support and encouragement. Without their help, it would have been a much harder final push to the finish line.

What is your best fundraising tip?
Don’t be afraid to reach out directly to people you have not seen or spoken to recently. I have found that some of the largest donations have come from people that I did not even think to reach out to directly, but were supportive of the cause after seeing posts on social media. Also holding events can be helpful in raising awareness for your cause, even small social gatherings which are relatively easy to organize can raise a lot of money and help get the word out.

Why do you run?
I run to stay active and use the time that I am training as a release from work, while helping a cause that I am passionate about. Gunnar is a close friend and living with him in college was a constant reminder of what he and so many others with cystic fibrosis have to overcome on a daily basis, which motivates me to this day. I run to support the foundation as well as Gunnar and his family who have provided me with the opportunity and the platform to help the fight against CF. Watching the entire Esiason family fight this disease with such dedication has inspired me to push myself in an effort to help them bring about real advancements to all affected by CF.

July Athlete of the Month: Thomas (Tom) Colaprico

Posted on July 2, 2015 by mpelini

Age:53
Hometown: Congers, NY
Education: BBA, Stetson University, DeLand, FL
Occupation: Executive Director, Production Services – Quad Graphics, Inc

Tell us a little about yourself.
Live in Rockland County; Married with two grown children Love the outdoors; huge NY Giant fan; big Yankee fan.

What is your favorite Team Boomer memory?
Two of them: Dinner right before the 2011 Marathon and sharing training experiences, fund raising experiences and goals for the run. Nice to be with your peer group and understand why the people are running, for whom they are running and their tie to BEF. Second was the support from Team Boomer while running the race.

What is your best fundraising tip?
Personalize it; share why you’re running, for whom and the personal relationship. Share the strength of BEF and how it is helping; educate people on CF. People are mostly generous. Keep them involved in your training progress; I also ran a contest for all of those who donated – a $200 AmEx Gift Card drawing for all who participated. Seemed to go over well. I also reached out to some of the donators to share some of their favorite songs with me so I could include those songs on my Marathon Playlist. People seemed pretty engaged with that as well.

Why do you run?
I run to keep fit, try to stay young, keep my sanity, allows me to think uninterrupted. Uninterrupted “me time.” I run for Boomer because my best friend from college, Richard Weiss, had CF. I ran it for him and his brothers Arthur (passed away) and Anthony (also inflicted). The Weiss family is an amazing family and so supportive of CF and the aim for a cure. Sadly, Richard passed in January 2014.

Abby Dwyer Maltz – June Athlete of the Month

Posted on June 1, 2015 by mpelini

Abby Dwyer Maltz 2 Age: 28
Hometown: Rochester, NY (but NYC has been home for the last 7 years)
Education: Princeton University, Harvard Law School
Occupation: Attorney

Tell us a little about yourself.
I grew up in Rochester, New York with an incredibly loving and supportive family. When I was diagnosed at age two, forecasts were bleak. Two of my dad’s brothers had passed away from CF as children and that was the only experience with the disease my family knew. And they responded beautifully. I was raised like any other kid – taught to set goals and dream big. I had some scary health moments when I was in elementary school and had a G-tube put in because I was so thin and just couldn’t keep up with my calories despite my parents cooking me Fettuccine Alfredo and steaks for breakfast before school. The feeding tube marked a turning point and I worked really hard to stay healthy enough to one day go away to college. That was always the dream.

Who or what inspired you to be so active?
My dad taught me basketball in elementary school – I fell in love and didn’t stop for ten years. Basketball became a huge part of my adolescence and, without it, I don’t think I’d be as healthy as I am today. I don’t play anymore, but have worked to find other ways to replace that activity – today, it’s running. Each time I go for a run feels like a blessing and a challenge. I feel incredibly grateful that I can just run and as long as I can do it, I will.

What is your favorite Team Boomer memory?
This is an easy question. Crossing the finish line for Team Boomer at the Brooklyn Half. It was pretty emotional and just felt like the most pure form of happiness. I am not a long distance runner naturally and to see what you can train your body to do, even your CF body, that was an incredible experience.

What is your best fundraising tip?
Don’t be afraid to be honest. The people who know you well, those who have lived with you or known you for a long time, they probably understand what daily life is like with CF. But everybody else? They probably have no idea. Educate them, help them understand what it actually means to say that you’re an adult with CF. It’s much easier for people to donate their time and money when they feel like they understand why they’re doing it. This can be challenging and, for me, out of my comfort zone. But I promise it’s worth it.

Abby Dwyer Maltz Why do you run?
I run to do everything I can to keep my body. Everyone with CF is familiar with the frustration and disappointment that follows from an exacerbation, despite doing everything you can to stay healthy. Exercise and running are the extra effort that I can put in on top of the therapies and medications. At least I can be at peace with myself and know that I am doing everything that I can.

What is your go-to pump up song?
This is going to expose my nerdiness. I listen to podcasts and books on tape when I run. The Girl On The Train got me through many half marathon training runs.

What is your biggest motivator?
My family and our future. I have an incredible husband that supports me every single day and fights right alongside me. Me at my healthiest is the dream for both of us.

Michael Molnar

Posted on February 2, 2015 by mpelini

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!

Emily Schaller – January Athlete of the Month

Posted on January 2, 2015 by mpelini

1909202_10152323269756814_7836088983908050097_o Athlete Name: Emily Schaller
Age: 32
Hometown: Grosse Pointe, MI
Education: A few years of college at Wayne State University
Occupation:Founder/CEO of the Rock CF Foundation

Tell us a little about yourself.
I’m a Pisces. A vegetarian. Fun loving. Broadway loving nerd. An aunt to 2 awesome nieces. Making small connections with people throughout the day makes me happy.
In 2007 I founded the Rock CF Founation to EmPower people with CF and their families to fight on and feel like they are part of something bigger.

Tell us what motivates you the most.
I don’t really think about this often, but the fact that I have been able to totally change my life just with exercise is my fuel. I never want to feel like I did just a few years ago, and this is motivating enough to never give up and push myself. At Rock CF we believe that exercise is so important for CF patients (and everyone else), so I have to practice what I preach.

What is your favorite Team Boomer memory?
Jerry & Em’s Great CF Adventure! Cycling 500 miles with my buddy Jerry, the man who truly kickstarted and inspired me to start exercising! It was an epic trip and I cannot wait to do it again in 2015.

What is your best fundraising tip?
Think outside the box. What are others not doing? Find the void and fill it. Also it’s super important to really drive home the personal connection that you may have with whatever you are fundraising for.

Why do you exercise?
About 7 years ago I was sick of being sick so I decided to kick myself into gear. I started running and cycling and saw improvements in my health within just a couple of months. That made me want to do more so I started running longer, cycling more and adding in yoga and weights. Not only did I have so much more energy and feel great, my PFT’s improved and hospitalizations decrease. Exercise is so crucial to my health, plus it keeps me sane!

What is your go to song when you are working out?
No music! I like to listen to my breath and my footsteps. Most of the time I run with a group so there is a lot of talking!

2014 NYC Marathon

Posted on November 4, 2014 by mpelini

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!

Created with flickr slideshow.

Bike To Breathe

Posted on August 25, 2014 by mpelini

eBlast Image3

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!!!

DONATE TODAY!

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.

Nathan Hatley

Posted on August 1, 2014 by mpelini

Tell us about yourself…
I have had cystic fibrosis my entire life. In spite of the doctors’ initial claim that I would not live past the age of 2, I am now approaching 22 and getting stronger every day. I am a big believer that exercise keeps me healthy and have been running since the 7^th grade. I got really serious about running once I started cross-country in high school, which led to my running for Catawba College in Salisbury, NC. After I graduate, I want to become a Cross Country/Track and Field coach so that I can help inspire people to run.

I was introduced to the Boomer Esiason Foundation and to Team Boomer when I applied for and was given the Exercise for Life scholarship. My parents had been looking online and found the EFL scholarship – one that required a student to have CF and to regularly exercise, so it was perfect for me. Receiving that scholarship enabled me to attend UNC at Greensboro for a year and it opened my eyes to BEF and all of the amazing things they do. The Exercise for Life scholarship put me on track for my college education and encouraged me to keep working hard athletically and academically, to remain compliant, and to continue to be a good example for other CF patients my age.

What is your favorite Team Boomer memory?
My favorite Team Boomer memory is from my first time running Boomer’s 10k Run to Breathe. I was very excited to finally participate in something for the foundation. I remember how awesome it was to come through the finish as not only the first Team Boomer runner, but as a patient with CF. People often think that someone who has as many chronic difficulties as I do isn’t able to do much, especially athletically. So I take pride in showing people that my disease doesn’t make me weak, it makes me strong. Participating in that race and meeting up with Jerry Cahill and even meeting Big Boomer himself showed me that there are people out there who are passionate about finding a cure for this disease and giving aid to those who live with it.

Why do you run?
In the beginning I ran because I wanted to be competitive and because it was good for my health. As I gained success with my running it became a window of opportunity for me. It became my way of leaving my name behind at my high school on the record list, and it became my ticket to college. Throughout those years running has become my way of life, it keeps me healthy and fit, and it constantly provides me with a challenge to better myself. But most importantly, I run because I enjoy it.

Mike Corr

Posted on July 1, 2014 by mpelini

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.

Bobby Campbell

Posted on June 2, 2014 by mpelini

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.

Sabrina Walker

Posted on May 1, 2014 by mpelini

About me: I was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska and I am ¼ Tlingit Indian (Alaska Native). I was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at the age of 4 and was told that I would not live past the age of 8.

I participated in X-Country Running & Track and Field in middle and high school. A few months after graduating from high school, a tumor was found on my spine and I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, a type of cancer. I went through 4 months of CHOP-R chemotherapy and 1 month of radiation. It was very hard to fight lung infections and I ended up with Pneumonia. I ended up doing at home IV antibiotics every 3 weeks during the duration of the time that I was on Chemo.

I have been cancer free for 8 years!

My husband, Adam, is my rock and support system, we have been married for two years. We have two miniature dachshunds, Oscar & Lola. Our home and heart is in Anchorage, Alaska.

I believe that exercise is essential for my health and airway clearance, so I always have a race or goal that I want to achieve. This keeps me motivated to work towards my goal! I also attend weekly boot camp and personal training sessions.

I enjoy raising money for Cystic Fibrosis! I look forward to the day that a cure is found and I am optimistic that I will be alive to experience this miracle.

Why do I run? I run because it is a gift to be able to run, because I am able to run. For me running Sabrina Walker 2 is the best form of airway clearance. I don’t always enjoy running but I believe that I need to work my lungs in order to make them stronger. I dream that I will live to see a cure for CF, so I will fight to make that dream a reality.

Each time I run, I am allowing myself the opportunity to breathe one more breath and it reminds me to be grateful for this adventure that we call life!

I have run in 8 half marathons and 2 Lost Lake races (Lost Lake is a 16 mile trail run in Seward, Alaska that benefits Cystic Fibrosis). I hope to beat my Personal Record of 1:59:22 for a ½ marathon this summer!

I plan on running 2 more half marathons this summer, Lost Lake and a full marathon in the fall in Seattle.

So far I have run a half marathon in 3 different states (Alaska, Arizona, Michigan) and I hope to expand that number. Maybe I will be able to experience a half marathon in all 50 states!

My favorite ½ marathon has been the Rock CF Rivers Half Marathon. I participated in this ½ marathon on March 31, 2014. The course was designed to run around a small island in Michigan. It was a beautiful race with a wonderful view, you could even see Canada on the other side of the river!

I felt so thankful and humbled because my cousin met me in Michigan and had been training so she could run in the race with me. At the beginning of the race I almost started to cry because there were thousands of people who were participating in this race to support a cause that directly affects me and so many other people with Cystic Fibrosis. It was a truly inspiring experience! It was also remarkable because a person with CF started the race and there were 24 CF’ers that participated!

To everyone training for a race… My one tip would be to set a goal and follow through with that goal. If your goal is to run a marathon, do all that you can to achieve that goal. Make sure you put in the adequate amount of training and learn about your body in the process. It is also important to take care of your body by stretching, drinking water, eating nutritious food and strengthening it. Remember your goal and keep that in sight, write it down and look at your goal everyday!

Moni Hendrix

Posted on October 30, 2013 by mpelini

“Selfie” of Moni and nephew Gunnar at the 2013 NYC Marathon

When asked to write a blog for Team Boomer, I was not only honored, but also a little uncertain because I have never really stopped to think about my last ten years as a marathoner. On November 3, I ran my tenth – and final – New York City Marathon, something that was exciting and bittersweet at the same time.

I ran my first NYC marathon in 2001, just eight weeks after 9/11 at the age of thirty-one. I can’t remember exactly when or why it happened – but my original goal of completing one marathon morphed into competing in and finishing ten total NYC marathons. With the exceptions of 2005 and 2007, I have consistently trained year after year with my overall goal in mind. When I wasn’t running, I was cheering my friends and teammates on because I know how important the crowd is when you are out there.

I am often asked what inspires me to keep running. Initially, it was my will to complete a goal. It helps that I really like running. I like to train. Well, I like the idea of training. Prior to last year, when finally training with a group, I was what you’d call a “lazy marathoner.” That is, my training slacked the closer I got to marathon Sunday. Training with a group really inspires me to push all the way through to marathon weekend. Other marathoners inspire me. My worst runs inspire me. I do not usually need new motivation for each marathon. I just let my motivations build as each year passes.

My most memorable marathon – other than my first one in 2001 – was when I began running for Team Boomer in 2008. Running for Team Boomer, for me, is a direct reflection of my special bond with my nephew Gunnar, who has cystic fibrosis. When Gunnar was very young and his sister Sydney was on the way, my sister Cheryl asked me to be their nanny – something that allowed me to have precious time with them both. Gunnar has always been my driving factor in raising money for CF, and running for Team Boomer allows me to do that. I will never forget the moment during the 2011 NYC marathon when I saw Gunnar and my sister Cheryl at mile 17; I bear-hugged Gunnar and said, “You are the reason I run. I love you so much.” It was such an emotion-filled moment that I couldn’t help but cry.

After Sunday, I plan on taking the next two years off from anything endurance related. During that time I will continue my studies in the hopes of becoming a pediatric respiratory therapist. After that… IRONMAN 2020!

Fun fact: During the 2008 NYC Marathon, in the middle of my then nemesis, the Queensboro Bridge, I administered CPR to a runner who had collapsed from a heart attack. We both survived that race!

Mark Capristo

Posted on August 7, 2013 by mpelini

Capristo_Mark I was always a bigger guy, and eventually let my weight get to a point where it took a major toll on my health. I ate and drank whatever I wanted without noting the consequences. That all changed when, in 2008, I was in a serious motorcycle accident. Six seconds after a light turned red – and while I had the right-of-way – a car slammed into me while I was crossing an intersection. The police report stated that I went over my handlebars, 30 feet into the air, and landed 150 feet away from the intersection. While I did not break any of my bones, I tore countless tendons and ligaments – injuries that were followed by endless surgeries and maximum medical improvement. Once the doctors determined I had reached maximum improvement, they gave me a functional capacity evaluation and told me I would have high disability issues for the rest of my life, only worsening with age.

Instead of crawling into a pit of despair, I decided that the doctors would not dictate what I could or could not do. I joined a gym that offered a 10-week full body transformation program, and began my journey to a healthier life. Checking into the program, I was 5’8, 280 pounds, and 46% body fat. I could do two sit-ups, one push-up, and ran a mile in 36:46. I knew at that point that I had to make major changes.

Capristo_Mark 2 While working on my health, I found out about a “Fight for Air” stair climb campaign – a stair climb to the top of the 801 Grand Building, one of the tallest in Des Moines. I knew I wanted to participate and to raise funds for a worthy cause, which is when I discovered the Boomer Esiason Foundation. I made a few calls, put my team together, and started working toward my newest goals: to raise money for BEF and to make it to the top of that building. Team Boomer sent me a shirt for my efforts, inadvertently giving me yet another goal – to fit into that shirt comfortably.

I will never forget the day I put my Team Boomer shirt on and was able to wear it with pride; it is still a source of daily motivation. Today I weight 175 pounds and have a 34-inch waist, and plan to keep working on my health every single day. I am walking proof that if you are in control of your life, you can redefine and recreate yourself, and always keep moving forward.

Abby Dwyer Maltz

Posted on June 20, 2013 by mpelini

500 Last April, I decided to run Boomer’s CF Run to Breathe 10K in New York City and to help in the fight against Cystic Fibrosis. While I’m from a small town in upstate New York that is much closer to Canada than “the city,” I have fallen in love with New York over the past five years. The Team Boomer race felt like a perfect combination of finally getting serious about exercise and doing so in the beautiful city that I consider my second home. But when race day finally came, I found myself with a PICC line*, a terrible lung infection, and no Central Park.

I felt like a failure for missing the race; as if I had made a terrible mistake somewhere along the way. I hadn’t tried hard enough. I should have done three vests a day. I hadn’t Purelled my hands enough times before descending into the subway. I should have simply wanted it more.

As someone with CF, this is a feeling that is all too familiar. We try and we try. We get up early to do those vests before the rest of the world even thinks about getting in the shower. We remember (and sometimes forget) the complicated combinations of colorful pills that change on an often daily basis. We sit in our hospital rooms on New Year’s Eve and allow an endless stream of medical students to probe us, when all we really want to do is watch TNT’s marathon of The Closer on the tiny hospital television. And yet, despite all of this trying, we still don’t always end up where we think we’re meant to be.

In my heart, I know that I didn’t fail at anything. I know that sometimes my body just has plans that are different than the rest of the world’s schedule. My lungs did not care that I had an Evidence exam scheduled for 2pm on a Thursday last December – they wanted to be in the Emergency Room with hemoptysis. My sinuses had no regard for the fact that I was in law school – they needed to be cleaned out and demanded to do so smack in the middle of my fourth semester. And my body definitely did not give consideration to my small potatoes dream of running a 10K in Central Park.

We try to take such good care of our bodies and sometimes they ungraciously throw a bucket of cold water back in our faces. But, we keep trying because there’s nothing else to do. I eventually sat for that exam a week later. I took a leave of absence from school for surgery and started back working towards my degree the next semester. And this July, I will run in Team Boomer’s 10K in my beloved New York City.

Anyone who has CF, or loves someone who does, knows that specific brand of disappointment and frustration – when you try your best and it simply doesn’t work. Sometimes, it really does feel like it’s just all too much. My husband frequently reminds me to give myself credit for what I do do to take care of myself. This is an oft-repeated speech in our household, and I will be the first to admit that I am far from mastering this piece of Zen. In the meantime, I will continue to train, taking it one day at a time. This weekend, the goal is a long run in Halibut Point State Park on the north shore of Massachusetts. I know I will get to Central Park eventually.

— Abby Dwyer Maltz

*A PICC line (peripherally inserted central catheter) is inserted into a peripheral vein and advanced until the tip terminates in a large vein in the chest near the heart to obtain intravenous access. This line allows for prolonged IV antibiotic treatment and allows for less invasive, longer lasting IV access.

Stephen Bell

Posted on October 9, 2012 by mpelini

What the Marathon Means to Me…

Stephen Bell running the 2012 Bank of America Chicago Marathon

Whenever I tell people that I run marathons they normally respond with one of three words: crazy, nuts, or insane. It’s been nearly 11 months since I last crossed the finish line of a marathon, but here I am once again staring down the barrel of 26.2 miles. A journey that will not only take me through the streets of Chicago, but a journey that will once again push my body and mind to see what I’m made of; to see if I have enough determination, fight, and grit to overcome the challenges of the marathon and complete what only 0.5 percent of the US population will ever do; to see if I can mentally, physically, and emotionally sustain the demands of moving my legs for 3.5-4 hours. Just like life, the marathon is a roller coaster. There will be ups and downs and highs and lows. I will feel great at times and awful at other times. I will smile and I will cry. To some of you this may seem crazy – this may seem like something only people who are nuts or insane do. But to me, the marathon is so much more. For some, it’s to pursue a dream, or cross something off the bucket list, or to prove to themselves they still “got it.” For me, the marathon is a celebration.

For a long time, I had a hard time finding one word to describe what the marathon means to me. I had all the feelings, all the emotions and all the intangibles, but I couldn’t find one word to sum it all up. Last weekend I had the opportunity to see a friend of mine, Jerry Cahill, speak and he used the word “celebration” when describing what it was like to run and finish a 10K just 3 months after receiving a new pair of lungs. After thinking about it for a few days I realized the word he uses is perfect.

You see, for a young man who has Cystic Fibrosis, a chronic, progressive lung disease, that’s exactly what the marathon is. It’s a celebration – a celebration that at the age of 28 my lungs still work. A celebration that my lungs are still strong enough to carry me 26.2 miles. A celebration of how hard I work. A celebration that I continue to not only beat, but crush the odds.

And if celebrating life or the fact that my lungs are still this strong by running marathons makes me crazy, nuts or insane, then yes, I am crazy. I am nuts. I am insane. We all celebrate life in different ways. This is how I celebrate.

To learn more about Stephen, visit Life according to Stevie B…

Natalie Wainwright

Posted on September 20, 2012 by mpelini

Mountain Momma Training

I signed up with Team Boomer for the New York City Marathon in April and I started my training in May. It just so happens that in May I also moved from New York City back to my hometown – Bridgeport, West Virginia. Yep, that’s right, I moved from the “big city lights” back to “small town USA.”

You all know the song, right?

Country Roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain momma
Take me home, country roads

As cliché as it sounds, that has been my theme song ever since I started unpacking my boxes…and, ever since I started my marathon training. So, the story begins for my “Mountain Momma” training…

My first run through my neighborhood – wait – it’s not a neighborhood. Let’s get one thing straight. I have been running throughout 1,500 acres of my family’s farmland the past four months. My God. These hills at home are so much steeper than I remember! Small mountains are a better way to describe them.

Anyway, my first run was two miles. From my house down the windy, and of course, hilly, country road to my grandmother’s is exactly one mile. So, I went down and back. Sounds simple. Nope—it’s a constant decline so mile one was a cakewalk. Mile two… Ugh, mile two. Well, I did not run the whole way back. In fact, I walked most of it, and was very frustrated, not to mention, DEAD TIRED.

As the weeks went by, I slowly, very slowly, started to conquer those hills. Each time I ran, I thought to myself, “why the heck am I still running on these roads? I could drive into town, hit the track and find a much smoother course.”

Call it what you want…. Desire…Pride….Ambition…Cows. HA! It was the cows that got me. About one month into my training, I was coming up that dreadful mile incline (although this time is was mile six). I noticed that a bunch of cattle were right up against the barb-wired fence, about 20 feet from me. I kept the strides steady but, I’m not going to lie, I really didn’t think those four skinny wires were enough to hold the cows back from coming right at me.

I kept running… and I kept singing…

Almost heaven, West Virginia

Blue Ridge Mountains
Shenandoah River

This one calf and her momma are staring at me; the calf is stomping his front legs. I think, “It’s okay Natalie…. There is NO way they can get through that fence.”

Life is old there

Older than the trees
Younger than the mountains
Growin’ like a breeze

And here they come.

The calf is running at me; momma follows. “I am totally screwed.”

Suddenly, they took a quick, hard turn and they were running parallel to me, right beside me. I hit pause on my iPod and just listened. The stomping grew more intense and much louder. I turned to look behind me – behind them – and about 150 head of cattle are following their leaders. They are running with me up the hellish hill and they don’t stop until the top.

At at that moment, I knew this was the place for me to be training.

Country Roads, take me home

Week after week I got stronger and faster on those darn hills. Week after week I ran alongside my friends in the field and learned to appreciate this beautiful land.

Throughout my training I have seen some of the most striking sunrises and sunsets; I have run through thunderstorms (literally) and fog; I have heard birds singing and coyotes screaming; I have smelled beautiful flowers and fresh manure. Okay, the manure isn’t that lovely but you get the picture.

Over the past four months, I have also had to train in other places due to my travels – two that stand out are Des Moines, Iowa and New York City. I did 19 miles in Des Moines. Can we say F-L-A-T (and no offense to the city but, BORING)?! Quite frankly, I could not wait to get back to my moo-ing friends and their hills.

I did a 21-miler in New York City most recently. Actually, I incorporated the last half of the marathon route into this long run. It was awesome to run this city since I hadn’t done so for many months. However, I kinda felt guilty humming the lyrics to Frank’s Sinatra’s New York New York. I felt like I was cheating on my mountains…and the cows.

I am now less than seven weeks away from Marathon Sunday. I know that I will have a positive marathon run because I learned, over the past months, to trust my surroundings, my body and my mind. I learned that the perception of something so “big” (whether it weighs 1,000 pounds or it is 26.2 miles long) – can be deceiving and intimidating to anyone. Don’t let that discourage you from conquering it. Have fun. Keep the faith. Run with the cows.

Sally Bell

Posted on June 20, 2012 by boomadmin

Left to right: Stephen Bell, Boomer Esiason, and Sally Bell

My name is Sally Bell. I am the mom of a 28-year-old son, Stephen, who has Cystic Fibrosis. He is truly an inspiration to the Bell family. Exercise has always been a part of my life. About a year ago, we were having a family dinner in Hoboken and Stephen mentioned there were spots on Team Boomer to run the New York Marathon in November of 2011. Stephen had already run two New York Marathons with Team Boomer. I really didn’t have to think about it. I committed right there that I would register. If Stephen can do this, so can I.

I got a training plan and started running. It became an addiction after the marathon ended. I understand why Stephen is running half-marathons all the time. Being involved in Team Boomer is now a part of the Bell family. We wish we knew about this when Stephen was growing up. The support and sense of family is what I most admire. The true dedication that the Boomer Esiason Foundation has to helping and supporting individuals and families with Cystic Fibrosis is of the highest standard. From the Bell family, I am thanking you.

Roger Wright

Posted on June 17, 2012 by boomadmin

Roger Wright and his niece Julie following the Boston Marathon

I am not your typical runner. My only brush with running was when my father ran the Boston Marathon in 1968. I was 7 years old and vowed to someday run Boston in his footsteps. Forty years later, I found myself over 300 pounds and had numerous obesity-related diseases. My nine-year old niece Julia had her own health problems. Battling Cystic Fibrosis, she was placed on the lung transplant list. I made a promise to myself and to Julia to do everything I could to change my life and hopefully hers.

I could run only 10 yards without stopping, but I committed myself to run the Boston Marathon and raise money for CF. I had 10 months to train. I lost 113 pounds, ran the Marathon nonstop and raised over $11,000 for CF. I thought I had reached my goal. But I hadn’t.

From a video I made to raise money for CF, I started receiving messages from strangers thanking me for inspiring them to run a race, obtain a goal or get healthy themselves. Others thanked me for raising money for CF. I realized that my goal was no longer only personal.

My Journey to the Boston Marathon

Why do I run? I run to try and make myself a better person. I run to help inspire other people. I run to raise as much money as I can for The Boomer Esiason Foundation and to hopefully one day bring an end to this disease.

Roger Wright

Club CF Profiles Help Spread the Word

Posted on May 15, 2012 by boomadmin

The money you raise and time spent advocating for those with Cystic Fibrosis is carefully managed and appreciated. We direct our efforts to projects that truly benefit people with CF and the CF community as a whole.

One such project conceived and operated by BEF is the Boomer Esiason Foundation’s Club CF. This online “club” is for individuals of various ages who are living, breathing and succeeding with CF. Their caregivers who are the true warriors in their support and fight against CF are invited to contribute as well. Club CF features individuals who are an inspiration to the CF community.

Spreading the word in this Club CF profile is Dan Palumbo. You helped make this site a reality. (suggestion: Dan believes there’s great value in sharing and advocating for cf)

“The Boomer Esiason Foundation has touched my life positively in so many ways,” he writes. “At 53, and being one of the survivors, BEF has taught me that telling my story may help so many others in their daily struggles with cystic fibrosis.

BEF has helped me grow to learn to open up and share my experiences. Working in television and owning an advertising agency for the past 31 years, I tried to keep my CF story to myself. I really can’t explain why, other than fear of scaring off clients and associates — a selfish motive that [BEF’s] Jerry Cahill and my friends at BEF have taught me to overcome and outgrow.

Having a degree in mass communications, you would think that I should know the importance of getting the word out — but obviously, I’m a slow learner! Looking back, a few things have helped me get through the harder times: prayer, family, attitude, exercise, compliance, and knowing that whatever mountain I must climb, I’m not the only one.

I am part of the CF family. If you are young and fighting CF, take it from a moldy oldie: tell your story and get the word out — we need a cure and more resources like BEF. Thank you Jerry, and thank you BEF for really changing my outlook … and changing my life!”

To learn more, visit www.clubcysticfibrosis.com.