Breana Pitts introduces us to Katie O’Grady, who is running the virtual Boston Marathon with a team of 10 Cystic Fibrosis patients who go by the name “26.2 Miles Apart.”

Katie O’Grady is a CF Workout Warrior who coaches Cross Country and Track & Field at Tufts University and started her own running coach business, Mission Breathe Again, where she helps other people with chronic illnesses get into better shape. To stay motived and positive, she lives by words her mother left her… “Never let anyone tell you what to do with your life.” Team Boomer is the athletic branch of the Boomer Esiason Foundation that encourages people with cystic fibrosis to live active, healthy lifestyles. We welcome all advocates to join the team to raise funds and awareness for CF. Cystic Fibrosis Workout Warriors (CFWW) inspire others living with CF to incorporate fitness into their care routines and represent everything the Team Boomer program stands for. This the CF Workout Warrior video series features people living with cystic fibrosis who inspire those around them on a daily basis.

In this episode, we talk with Katie O'Grady, a 17-year old senior at North Rockland High School in New York. Katie is an avid runner and is a member of the Red Raider varsity cross country and track teams. She talks about the role sports and exercise have played in managing her CF, but particularly how beneficial running has been in keeping herself healthy. • Katie's first sport was soccer. She played for five years, but eventually gravitated away from soccer and towards running. • Katie began running early in grade school, running side-by-side with her father. • For Katie, running provides her with an opportunity to think and take in the outdoors around her. • By the eighth grade, Katie was her school's best competitive runner. • Katie says running has helped keep sinus infections at bay, while improving her breathing. • Aside from running, Katie keeps herself in shape through weight training, swimming, and biking. • When she does get sick, running can be frustrating for Katie, but she stays motivated by remembering the fun times at past events, and the support she has from her friends. • In 2012, Katie crossed the finish line at the New York City Half Marathon, running for Team Boomer. This CF Podcast is made possible through an unrestricted educational grant from GILEAD to the Boomer Esiason Foundation. For more CF Podcasts, visit www.jerrycahill.com

Seven years ago, Jerry Cahill sat down to interview Katie O’Grady for his podcast show. She was in high school, at the peak of her health, and had so many exciting steps in front of her. Now, Katie is working full time, coaching at Boston University, and building a virtual coaching business so that she can help other people living with cystic fibrosis achieve their health and wellness goals. Tune in to hear more about where Katie is now and how she got there. This video podcast was made possible through an unrestricted educational grant from Gilead to the Boomer Esiason Foundation.