#imlp15

Dirk Johnson

Middletown, RI

In 1984, Dirk Johnson’s father-in-law was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, and sadly lost his battle with the disease only a few months later. In 2006, Dirk’s sister-in-law, Peri, was also diagnosed with multiple myeloma.

Almost ten years later, Peri is alive and well. Always contagiously upbeat and positive, she has served as a huge inspiration for Dirk as he works towards his goal of hearing his name called out at the IRONMAN Lake Placid finish line. This will be Dirk’s first full IRONMAN, and his journey to get there has not been easy; in the past five years, he has completely turned his health around for the better. Dirk has lost weight and ditched old habits for good with his newfound passion for participating in group runs, which also introduced him to the world of the IRONMAN.

For the past two years, Dirk has been quietly preparing for his day to complete the 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, and 26.2 mile run. His journey almost came to a screeching halt this past May though, when Dirk and a training partner were cut off by a car leaving a parking lot while out cycling. They were both thrown over the car, totaling their bikes. Fortunately for Dirk, he walked away relatively unscathed and will be able to continue to train and compete.

Dirk takes nothing for granted in the world of IRONMAN, and feels extremely blessed to be in a position to not only do good for others, but to encourage friends and family to join in his journey by helping him achieve things he never thought possible. Joining the MMRF Team for Cures is a way for Dirk to give back to the foundation that made treatment and medicines available to Peri as she fights this terrible disease. IRONMAN Lake Placid will present a huge challenge for Dirk on July 26th, but it is little compared to the challenge that Peri and all cancer patients face everyday, so he looks forward to taking it on to honor Peri and his father!

Dirk is currently the 9th highest fundraiser on the team, raising $13,001 to date!

Jerrold “Chip” Marasco

Yorba Linda, CA

After competing in the Escape from Alcatraz triathlon last year, Jerrold Marasco, better known as “Chip,” fell into conversation with one of the MMRF organizers while sharing an ale in the post-race beer tent. Chip’s father has been fighting multiple myeloma for the past two and a half years, and so he immediately went home and researched more about the MMRF after meeting Betsy in San Francisco. Reading about how much they were doing to fight multiple myeloma opened a new pathway for Chip’s involvement with triathlons.

Chip is certainly no stranger to the IRONMAN tradition; he has already competed in the IRONMAN races in Florida and Arizona. Lake Placid had always been on his bucket list though, so when he discovered the opportunity to compete with the MMRF Team for Cures for the IMLP 2015 event, it was too extraordinary an opportunity to pass up! 

Chip has done IRONMANs for charity before, but this will be the first time that he has been able to do one that he feels directly connected to. He believes it is definitely going to make his race so much more meaningful. 

Chip will take on the 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, and 26.2 mile run on July 26th to honor his father. Chip is one of seven, and his father has been a strong, inspiring presence throughout his entire life, sacrificing so much for all of his children. Fundraising with the MMRF Team for Cures is a way for Chip to give back to his father, and hopefully, ultimately, pave the way to find a cure for his disease.

Chris Fiacco

Bel Air, MD

    Inspired by the unwavering courage and spirit of a member of his sales team who fought a two year battle with cancer, Chris Fiacco started the Patrick Comer Courage Foundation. After only two years, the Foundation had raised over $75,000 for individuals battling cancer, and for their family members who are also affected by the disease. Certain circumstances made Fiacco step away from his philanthropic efforts, but it was only a brief hiatus; a few years later, he discovered the MMRF Endurance Team. “It was at a time in my life when I was ready to come back to IRONMAN and fundraising for cancer research.”

Chris is not your average athlete. He is a single dad dividing his time between his job, raising three teenage kids, and training for IRONMAN Lake Placid - that is, his fifth time at Lake Placid. Chris is an eight-time IRONMAN, having already completed triathlons in Florida, Idaho, Wisconsin, Canada, and, of course, Lake Placid. He is a very involved supporter of the MMRF Team for Cures, having raced with the Team in the New York City Marathon, the Citifield Spartan Race, and also IMLP 2014.

Chris joins our team as a proud member ready to tackle another day filled with a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and 26.2 mile run. He is especially proud to be a member of the MMRF Team for Cures as a way to set an example for his kids while helping others. Last year Chris finished in the top ten fundraisers, raising $12,200 and now he is pushing to raise more than $10,000 again for IMLP 2015.

To see Chris’s journey from last year, check out the video above, created by his very talented son, Zach, at IMLP 2014.

To support Chris and help him raise over $10,000 again, visit:

http://bit.ly/1QtBGTR