Q&A with Leigh

Leigh sporting her NFE tri-top.

Leigh is among our growing rank of triathletes. We asked her 10 questions about herself and her experience with the team.

10. When you were 5, what did you want to be when you grew up?

At five, I was very interested in the animal world. I liked butterflies and frogs and rolly pollies. Horses were my passion, but I never owned one. I was not aware of careers at 5 years old, but over the next few years, I learned about ‘animal doctors’ and for many years I thought about going to vet school. Although I did not be come a vet, I still love animals and am curious about how biological systems work.

9. What is your favorite quote?

This is a tough question! Most of the quotes I know and think about are from the Bible, but I also love English poetry from about 1600 to 1800. Something I say to encourage myself is “Trust in the Lord and do good.” This helps me gain perspective by focusing on the present and not to focus on worries or things out of my control.

8. What was your most embarrassing moment? (Or the most embarrassing moment you are willing to share.)

I don’t really have an answer about a “most” embarrassing moment. However, I am pretty clumsy, so I have lots of little embarrassing moments. Sometimes I run into things, fall up the stairs, or spill my coffee on something important.

7. How did you hear about NF Endurance?

I learned about NF Endurance through my sister Tracy Draper who joined the team in Florida for the Disney marathon events. She was a team member, then became a captain and now is an employee and participant in many events nationwide. Her enthusiasm for the work, the teams, the organization is just fantastic.

6. Could you tell us a little bit about your hero?

Joshua Velasquez is my hero. Joshua loves video games, soccer and the Man Versus Food TV show. He was diagnosed with NF at 10 months when café-au-lait spots appeared. He began some therapies right away and  has been monitored frequently every since. Currently, there is evidence of UBO’s (“unidentified bright objects”) on his brain and many café-au-lait spots on his body. Also, he has a plexiform neurofibroma on his chest. Joshua has annual exams to monitor his condition, but thankfully, his health is good and he is leading a typical teenager’s life!

5. Why did you choose the Iron Girl Triathlon in New York??

I decided to do this race because I had hurt my back muscles on a few occasions last winter. I decided, “Enough! I must get in shape again!” I had been a cross country runner in high school and enjoyed many different kinds of sports. My dental hygienist mentioned that she was entering the race. I checked it out and decided it was just the fitness goal that I needed. I started training in May with the race in early August.

Leigh posing with her medal.

4. How did the race go?

The race was tough! I did well for a short training season though. I finished 147 out of about 730 women. The swim was chaos, the bike was great, and the run was misery… I had a great time. It had been 28 years since I did a triathlon so I was happy with the result.

3. Any plans for your next race?

I might try the Iron Girl again or another local triathlon in summer 2011. The Iron Girl event was very well organized, and it was fantastic racing with all those women. The encouragement and team spirt was great — and still the competition was very strong. I hope that the next triathlon I try has no lake weeds to swim through!

2. What is your favorite brand of running shoe? Why?

I honestly do not have one. Twenty years ago I would have said Saucony because they had the coolest tread. Now, I am not familiar with the different brands or their relative strengths. What do you prefer? Any advice is welcome! (Share your favorite brand in the comments, and we’ll get your suggestions back to Leigh.)

1. What does being a part of this team mean to you?

For me, it means racing for a purpose larger than just self-improvement. I wanted my efforts to have larger benefits beyond my own physical fitness. As soon as I registered for the event, I contacted my sister who works for NF Endurance and asked how I could run to raise funds to fight NF. It was truly my pleasure to help by raising awareness among my colleagues about this cause and wearing the NF Endurance tri-top to spread the word among the other athletes.

Keep an eye on the NF Endurance events page for our growing list of official triathlon events. http://nfendurance.org/events

Want to Run the ING NYC Marathon? NFE Has Only Eight More Spots!

Our top five reasons to run NYC with NFE:

5. It’s a premier race. Where else can you run in the same event as Super Bowl Champion Amani Toomer and other sports elite athletes?
4. Sightseeing Galore. Spanning all five boroughs, the marathon course will take you across five bridges, through cultural neighborhoods and Central Park.
3. Great Music. If the cheers from the sidelines aren’t enough, enjoy more than 100 live bands stationed at regular intervals to motivate you to the next mile. From kilted men holding bagpipes to funky sidewalk bands, there will be live entertainment from start to finish.
2. NFE Family Support. Our staff and team provide support and advice all along the course. In September, NFE will have weekend training runs through Central Park to help for the big day. And, if you don’t live in NYC, take advantage of our online training plans. You can also get personalized training advice from our certified coaches.
1. NF Heroes. Training is tough and some days you probably wonder, why would I ever want to do this? Children and adults with NF have to keep pressing on even on through MRIs, doctor appointments, feeding tubes and other complications of NF. NFE can match you with an NF Hero and you can even meet some of them at our team pasta dinner. Be inspired by knowing that because you have chosen to RuNFor a Reason, you can cross the finish line.

For more information on how to RuNFor a Reason in NYC, please e-mail Molly at (Enable Javascript to see the email address).

Haag House Runs for a Reason

Kristen Haag sent a few e-mails to her friends and family explaining her plans to train for the San Diego Half Marathon on the NF Endurance Team. She never expected that in one week the response would be $7,000 strong, quickly surpassing her goal of $3,000. “I’m so overwhelmed,” said Kristen Haag of her fundraising support for the San Diego Half Marathon.

Kristen is used to doing things big — she completed a marathon even before a half marathon, running Marine Corps  before she will run 13.1 miles in San Diego this June.

Like many members of NF Endurance, Kristen runs for a reason other than herself. His name is Henry. He is 2 years old with blond hair and clear blue eyes. Henry likes to say hello to people in a big, loud voice. But unlike most two-year-old boys, Henry has had to adjust to numerous doctors appointments, MRIs, anethesia and surgery. Several times each month he travels three and a half hours to Denver, Colo., to Children’s Hospital.

Henry was just diagnosed with NF in 2009. He was approaching his second birthday and not walking. Kristen took Henry to the pediatrician. The Haag’s started counting the cafe-au-lait spots that speckled parts of his body. Henry had 15 spots. Kristen thought they were birthmarks.

An MRI confirmed the pediatrician’s suspicion that Henry had neurofibromatosis. The MRI showed 12 tumors in Henry’s head; one on his left optic nerve known as a glioma. “It has grown over the past year and we are monitoring it to make sure it doesn’t grow any bigger because if it does, we may have to shrink it with chemotherapy,” said Kristen.

Henry had surgery last January on his right tibia because he was missing part of the bone. After having a bone graph, Henry can now finally walk. He just got his fourth cast off, but he must wear a leg brace for a few more months and participate in occupational and physical therapy. “It’s a waiting game for now. We are not sure if it will heal and we may have to do the surgery again.”

Kristen learned about NF Endurance at the NF Forum in Las Vegas in April.”We are totally isolated here in the Colorado mountains, and we needed to find out more information about NF and just get some support, ” said Kristen.

Kristen started training last month and now she is up to 26 miles/week. “I love training in the mountains because of the challenging hills, and there is always a new place to run.” Joining Kristen in San Diego on Team Haag will be her brother Todd,  sister-in-law, Christine, and friend, Kristen.

“As a mother who has been in denial and completely devastated from Henry having NF, it is my time to fight back and help raise as much funds for research for a cure. I can run.”