Spring Dual Against CF '16
Story and photos by Paul Ostrander
New Paltz—The 6th Annual Spring Dual Against Cystic Fibrosis was held Saturday morning in somewhat rainy weather. The race followed same course it has for the past six year, within the historic Huguenot district of New Paltz. Each year, the race is held as a fundraising event for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, which is the premiere organization for CF research and pharmaceutical development aimed at fighting the genetic, respiratory disease that affects 30,000 Americans.
130 racers, this year, registered to compete in two events: the Kids Duathlon and the Adults Duathlon. Both events begin with a running race; racers then transition and pick up their bicycles for the, longer, second leg and then finish with the same running leg.
The kid’s race consists of a ½ mile run, 2 mile bike race, then, finishes with a ½ mile run. The adult’s race is set up exactly the same way but, with a 2 mile run, followed by a 12 mile bike race, finishing with a 2 mile run.
The running leg of the race takes a trajectory along Huguenot Street, through the historic district and then continuing along the Rail Trail in a loop. The biking leg overlaps with the running leg course but, because of its longer distance, reaches out onto Springtown Road in the village.
New Paltz—The 6th Annual Spring Dual Against Cystic Fibrosis was held Saturday morning in somewhat rainy weather. The race followed same course it has for the past six year, within the historic Huguenot district of New Paltz. Each year, the race is held as a fundraising event for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, which is the premiere organization for CF research and pharmaceutical development aimed at fighting the genetic, respiratory disease that affects 30,000 Americans.
130 racers, this year, registered to compete in two events: the Kids Duathlon and the Adults Duathlon. Both events begin with a running race; racers then transition and pick up their bicycles for the, longer, second leg and then finish with the same running leg.
The kid’s race consists of a ½ mile run, 2 mile bike race, then, finishes with a ½ mile run. The adult’s race is set up exactly the same way but, with a 2 mile run, followed by a 12 mile bike race, finishing with a 2 mile run.
The running leg of the race takes a trajectory along Huguenot Street, through the historic district and then continuing along the Rail Trail in a loop. The biking leg overlaps with the running leg course but, because of its longer distance, reaches out onto Springtown Road in the village.
Competitors did not seem to be bothered by the weather and it’s easy to understand why. As CF is considered by the federal government to not affect enough people to warrant federal funding, fundraisers, like the Spring Dual, and private contributors, are providing the primary sources of funding toward combatting the disease.
Many of the teams competing were comprised of doctors, or individuals who are personally affected by CF and it is apparent, by just attending the race, to see the real passion the competitors have for this cause. Many of them participate every year and have since it was initiated by Marcy Rinn and Kurtis Kurtis Nordahl, the race directors.
Nordahl said that, each year, the race raises between $5,000 and $10,000. In addition, Rinn said, since the first race, she estimates her Hudson Valley chapter CF team, alone, has raised approximately $120,000 for the CF Foundation.
Nordahl said, “The race has been such a great thing and a great way for me to be involved in the community and do what I love.”
Nordahl, had willingly donated his efforts to the cause, despite not being personally affected by the disease; however, the situation was and is, different for Rinn. Rinn has a ten year old son with CF and she said the funding provided to the CF Foundation and the pharmaceutical research it has been able to facilitate because of that funding, has changed her son’s life in a big way, as well as many others who suffer from, or have family members suffering from, CF.
Many of the teams competing were comprised of doctors, or individuals who are personally affected by CF and it is apparent, by just attending the race, to see the real passion the competitors have for this cause. Many of them participate every year and have since it was initiated by Marcy Rinn and Kurtis Kurtis Nordahl, the race directors.
Nordahl said that, each year, the race raises between $5,000 and $10,000. In addition, Rinn said, since the first race, she estimates her Hudson Valley chapter CF team, alone, has raised approximately $120,000 for the CF Foundation.
Nordahl said, “The race has been such a great thing and a great way for me to be involved in the community and do what I love.”
Nordahl, had willingly donated his efforts to the cause, despite not being personally affected by the disease; however, the situation was and is, different for Rinn. Rinn has a ten year old son with CF and she said the funding provided to the CF Foundation and the pharmaceutical research it has been able to facilitate because of that funding, has changed her son’s life in a big way, as well as many others who suffer from, or have family members suffering from, CF.
“It’s tremendous,” she said. “So, he’s [her son] on multiple drugs, basically every day, and they all are CF specific drugs that have been developed through CF foundation research and in 2012, a drug was released that was relevant for four percent of people with CF and it fixes the problem that causes CF at the cellular level, like it fixes the problem; so, it kind of acts as their cure. So, that was in 2012. In 2015, another drug was released and that was for the most common strain of CF; so now, there is, basically, drugs that fix the defect at the cellular level for sixty percent of people with CF. So, it’s tremendous; it’s like no other,” said Rinn.
The Bonannos: Michael, Gillian and their young daughter, Jacqueline, who suffers from CF, come from Staten Island every year to participate in the race, with other friends and family, as a team. Like Rinn, they said that events like this, which help fund the CF foundation, help their and their daughter’s, lives incredibly. They said that it’s not just the development of drugs for treatment that the funding provides but, also provides help for families, like their own, to afford these newly developed drugs when costs can be astronomical.
“It’s really important for her [Jaqueline] because sometimes, one of the co-pays for her, for one of her medicines, can be four thousand dollars per month,” said Gillian. “So, what the foundation does is make sure we get in touch with individuals who can help with co-pay assistance. So, they really help us to make sure that she’s getting the drugs she needs, in addition to making sure that we can afford them and take care of her as best as we can."
The Bonannos: Michael, Gillian and their young daughter, Jacqueline, who suffers from CF, come from Staten Island every year to participate in the race, with other friends and family, as a team. Like Rinn, they said that events like this, which help fund the CF foundation, help their and their daughter’s, lives incredibly. They said that it’s not just the development of drugs for treatment that the funding provides but, also provides help for families, like their own, to afford these newly developed drugs when costs can be astronomical.
“It’s really important for her [Jaqueline] because sometimes, one of the co-pays for her, for one of her medicines, can be four thousand dollars per month,” said Gillian. “So, what the foundation does is make sure we get in touch with individuals who can help with co-pay assistance. So, they really help us to make sure that she’s getting the drugs she needs, in addition to making sure that we can afford them and take care of her as best as we can."
The results for this year’s funding raised by the race will be available in approximately a week and will be posted on the race’s Facebook, according to Nordahl. All proceeds will go, in full, to the CF Foundation to continue helping individuals and families affected by the disease.
This is a local race, the list of hometowns reads like a map of Upstate NY: New Paltz, Rosendale, Wallkill, Saugerties. There were a few racers from out of state but this is a community event.
One of the Relay teams came up from Staten Island; they called themselves FUCF. In a relay, usually a two person team, one does the running and the other the riding.
There were three men in the over 70 division and Dominick Mercurio was first in his age group and 15th overall.
Ten kids from 7-10 years old and 16 from 11-13 competed in the fund raising race.
Complete Results from 2016 can be seen HERE
This is a local race, the list of hometowns reads like a map of Upstate NY: New Paltz, Rosendale, Wallkill, Saugerties. There were a few racers from out of state but this is a community event.
One of the Relay teams came up from Staten Island; they called themselves FUCF. In a relay, usually a two person team, one does the running and the other the riding.
There were three men in the over 70 division and Dominick Mercurio was first in his age group and 15th overall.
Ten kids from 7-10 years old and 16 from 11-13 competed in the fund raising race.
Complete Results from 2016 can be seen HERE
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