Spotlight - Alaina Tosatti

Each week we will be picking members to spotlight to tell their Alzheimer's story and why they are running in this year's New York City marathon. Check in each day for new updates on who will be spotlighted and get to know your teammates...(each person is picked at random)

I joined the Athletes to End Alzheimer's team this year in honor of my Grandfather who has dementia. My Grandfather has always been very supportive of me and I am glad to have the chance to support him by raising money for Alzheimer's research and care.  

My family and I visited my Grandfather earlier this summer in the assisted living home where he lives in Maine. We played blackjack, with my Dad often playing my Grandfather's hand, looked at photographs, and ate chocolates (he has not lost his sweet tooth!). There were a few times when my Grandfather nudged the box of chocolates towards me and my family suggesting that we have one more. This made me smile because it reminded me of my childhood when my Grandfather loved nothing more than to spoil my sister, our cousins, and me with sweets. Every meal ended with dessert, there was an endless supply of ice cream in the freezer, and he often added a little extra sugar to our frosted flakes. Although much has changed since then, I cherish the moments like this one that remind me what a wonderful grandfather he has always been.  I am running this year to raise money for the Alzheimer's Association and am so happy to be doing it for someone so important to me and my family.

Spotlight - The Coaches

Brian Hsia

Brian Hsia had a dream in creating an official team for the Alzheimer’s Association in participating as a charity for the New York City Marathon in 2006.  He joined the Junior Committee (JC) to learn more about the Alzheimer’s Disease because his grandmother first showed signs of it in 2003.  He brought up the idea to former JC President, Meghann McKale, which probably at the time thought he was crazy.  He got that dream fulfilled in 2009, after 2 years of rejection and despair applying and reapplying. 

Modeling the program from two previous Alzheimer’s Association chapter running programs: Chicago and Boston, and teaming up with an even crazier runner, Jeff LeBlanc, they set forward in putting a running program together in 1 month (first impressions of Jeff was that he had to stay off the caffeine.) 

Trained as an architect, Brian has been running since high school in Somers, NY.  Since moving to New York City nine years ago, he has evolved from a sprinter into a long distance runner.  When Brian attempted to run his first half marathon, his only goal was to "complete" the race. He now runs ultra marathons and multiple marathons in the same weekend. The marathon is his favorite distance with the perfect combination of speed, distance and time. He has competed in 38+ marathons and has a quest to complete a marathon in all 50 states.  He ran his personal record of 2:54:42 in the 2010 Boston Marathon. He enjoys running competitively, although giving back to the running community is a better satisfaction than any personal achievement. Best known for running with his camera, taking pictures of teammates, and capturing race moments along the way, he enjoys saying hello to friends in Central Park.

Trained as a Road Runners Club of America, USA Track and Field certified coach and Track and Field Academy, he is also the New York City marathon coach for the New York Road Runners Team for Kids.  Brian also served as the co-director of the marathon training program for the New York Flyers, one of the largest running clubs in New York City and has been featured in The New York Times.

Brian’s advice to a new runner training for a marathon is, 1) “Listen to your body, the marathon training is a long season, pace yourself.”  2)“Just have fun with it. Have no expectations, enjoy the moment and believe in yourself. You are doing this for yourself. You will gain so much more than you will expect as you bond friendships, memories, and new experiences in your life”

Alexandra Cohen

Ali is not directly affiliated with the Alzheimers’s Association, but have become dedicated to spread awareness and the fight against Alzheimer’s.  When asked to be part of the 2010, it was a great honor. She was really excited, amazed and thankful to be with a team that has such passion for the reason why they are running. 

 My role as a coach is to design a run specific/technical training program, as well as avoid, treat, and beat injuries.  My background is in Exercise Science (slowly advancing to exercise physiology). I am licensed in manual therapies with multiple sports specific certifications.  I have both personal training and group fitness certifications through ACSM, NSAC, ACE and Advanced first aid.

 In my teens I trained and competed as an elite athlete (not running).  Some of my worst and best, mental, and physical moments occurred during my training and racing seasons.  When I decided to stop, I also decided to try every other extreme sport and resulted in a life altering injury that led me to be a runner.  My recovery started with walking up 2 steps and ending with a ½ marathon.  Today, running is something I love and am passionate about. 

Glen Wiener

Glen is a former collegiate quarter miler who in 2006 rediscovered my love for running when I began to focus on running the marathon.  Since then he have completed 18 marathons, including New York, Boston, Chicago, and Philadelphia.  Proving that age is just a number, he has recently achieved his marathon PR of 3:12 and a half marathon PR of 1:29 both at the age of 52.  In 2012, he has placed third in his age group in two marathons, a ten mile, and four mile race.  

After decades as a competitive runner, he now achieve immense enjoyment in coaching others and helping them achieve their running goals.  He has completed the rigorous USA Track & Field Level 2 coaching certification program with a specialization in endurance events and also a Road Runners Club of America certified coach.  In 2007, he has created the New York Flyers Marathon Training Program and its famous Three Bridges 20 Mile training run and he still serves as the Director of the Program.  For over six years, he has been a marathon and half-marathon coach with the New York Road Runners’ Team for Kids.   His training programs and advice have been featured in the New York Times and New York Runner magazine. 

A lawyer by trade, he now works as an arbitrator for New York State and a former Captain and two-term President of the New York Flyers running club.  As a coach with Athletes to End Alzheimer’s he is extremely excited to help you reach your running objectives.

Spotlight - Hilary Thompson

Each week we will be picking members to spotlight to tell their Alzheimer's story and why they are running in this year's New York City marathon. Check in each day for new updates on who will be spotlighted and get to know your teammates...(each person is picked at random)

My mother, Mary Lou Thompson was an amazing woman.  I never in a million years would have though I would have to live most of my life without her.  Losing my mom to Alzheimer's was the worst thing I have even gone through and I miss her every single day.  10 years ago I had no idea what Alzheimer's was.  I thought it only affected the elderly and was something that was easy to handle and maintain.  Boy was I wrong.  I came to find out that it is one of the most horrific diseases the world is facing and that we need to find a cure.  We HAVE to find a cure.

My mom started showing symptoms in 2003 and as the years went by it became more and more obvious that something was terribly wrong.  After an official diagnosis, I began to really understand what was going to happen.  What was in store for my family was nothing that I could imagine and I still look back and am in awe that we survived.  Watching my mom deteriorate before my eyes was the hardest thing I have had to watch.  The worst part of it all was not being able to help her fight against this disease.  Last year, on April 22nd, my mother passed away after a long 10 year battle with Alzheimer's.  It was the worst day of my life.

After the passing of my mother, my sister suggested that we do something together to honor her life and the struggle she went through.  My sister Rachael had run the NYC Marathon a few times with the Alzheimer's Team and she suggested that I run with her.  Even though I was never a runner, and rather scared of running, I decided to do it! It would be an amazing challenge for me.  My sister is the biggest role model in my life and I wanted to do this with her because I knew she believed in me.  

Last year I was set to run the 2012 Marathon but due to Hurricane Sandy I sadly count not.  I trained for 6 months and it was all taken away from me.  I was devastated.  But now I am back and ready to run this year.  Because I go married and went on my long honeymoon, my training has not been great... but I know that with the help of my friends and family supporting me along the way, I can run this marathon (even though my time may not be amazing!).