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