Bradley’s Back At It!
Bradley’s Back At It!
The 24-Hour Fitness Challenge to Fight Cystic Fibrosis
Bradley Poole is a man of many talents. He has risen from humble beginnings as a child diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis. A young adult aspiring to be an MMA fighter in “Run the Gauntlet”. Going back to college to acquire 3 degrees with 2 of those being Bachelor’s in Sports Management and Exercise Science, and the final being a Master’s in Sports Administration. From putting together basketball tournaments for Cystic Fibrosis charities, to building a loyal following as a personal trainer, and eventually finding his true calling as a local gym owner and fitness instructor.
While the gym, Warrior Fitness and Wellness, has drawn much attention and has been very successful as an establishment, most people outside of the local community would recognize him as the man who ran 266 miles all throughout Cattaraugus for Cystic Fibrosis with a whole county having his back. Brad has been keeping himself busy since last summer’s massive event, participating in marathons from EVL to NYC, giving speeches to packed crowds at major university events in WNY, and raising his daughter with his wife, with another baby on the way.
To some, it would seem that Poole has done it all. Although he would beg to differ, how does one top a magnum-opus such as a 266-mile run? You just keep going. Brad is back to pushing the limits of the human body, this time challenging himself to a 24-hour workout. That phrase does not scrape the surface of what he is going to do, yet it is beyond all of us. The last time I worked out was stretching my arm to grab the TV remote from the couch. It really would be better coming from the local legend in his own words.
ELIJAH: Before we start, how are your other ventures going?
BRAD: The gym is doing well. My members are satisfied and love the facility. I get to change people’s lives every day, and you can’t beat that. I’ve been doing CF charity events for 8 years now and each one keeps getting better than the last. It’s awesome to have the support from all of these different communities. My mission is to continue spreading awareness about Cystic Fibrosis and raising funds for better medications and a cure. I won’t stop doing what I do until a cure is found. As far as marathons go, I’ll take some time off after this event and then start training for the New York City Marathon. I ran in it last year for the first time as part of the CF Breathe Team out of NYC and I’ll be back at it again this fall.”
ELIJAH: What is your goal with this new event?
BRAD: I am doing a 24-hour fitness challenge that includes a 50-mile run, 3000 push-ups, 3000 squats, 3000 sit-ups, 1000 tire flips using a 250-pound tire, and a 15-mile bike ride. My goal is to complete all of these in 24 hours, raising as much money and awareness as I can for Cystic Fibrosis.
ELIJAH: Where and when is this event taking place?
BRAD: Friday, June 3rd and Saturday, June 4th. I will begin on Friday the 3rd at 11:00am and finish on the 4th at 11:00am. It’ll all be held at my gym, Warrior Fitness and Wellness (@warriorfitnessevl on IG, @WarriorFitnessandWellness on FB) in Ellicottville. After I finish on Saturday morning, we’re going to have a chicken barbecue with vendors, basket raffles, bands performing all day, and a beer tent. These festivities will start at 11:00am on Saturday and carry on until 8:00 or 9:00pm that night. Again, everything will be hosted at my gym.
ELIJAH: How many more charity events do you plan to host? Annually?
BRAD: As I mentioned earlier, I will continue doing fundraisers for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation until a cure is found. The CF Foundation does not receive any government funding, so the only way for those of us with CF to have access to life prolonging medications and eventually a cure is through fundraising. All profits raised go towards the CF Foundation’s research. We’ve come a long way since I was a kid, but there’s still more work to be done. Not many people with CF get the opportunity to live into their 40s. So, every year I will continue doing these crazy challenges and I will continue being an advocate.
ELIJAH: Where can people find out more information?
BRAD: You can find more info about this event by going to my Facebook page @24hoursforcf. I also encourage people to come down all day Friday and Saturday morning to exercise with me. There will also be a beautiful 2.5-mile course that will go through the village of Ellicottville that people may either run or walk on. So, come on out and help support this wonderful cause.
Now, it’s not every day that a person gets an opportunity to meet someone who is as passionate, kind, and dedicated to their cause as Brad is. Fortunately for myself, he is my uncle. He is also a positive role model, idol, and an inspiration to everyone. Quoted from the article that served as a prelude to the 266-mile run, “Whether in one aspect or all of them, you will find few better to carry the running torch for the CF Community other than Bradley Poole." There are many ways you can show your support for him as he tackles this absolute behemoth of a workout. And it still stands, by all means … get out there and show some support.