Father-son duo from Villanova racing in Colorado to raise awareness about National Kidney Registry
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A father-son team from Villanova is headed to Colorado to help raise awareness about a special kind of transplant.
Noah Clapp and his dad, Brian, are training for the run of a lifetime.
"I always feel better after the run than before," Brian Clapp said.
The two are training along the Wissahickon trail for a 200-mile run in the Rocky Mountains.
"We'll be running a relay in Colorado from Fort Collins to Steamboat Springs," Noah Clapp said.
It's a journey to demonstrate the importance of living kidney donations
"It's a great opportunity to create awareness that you can do difficult things post-donation both for the recipient and for the donor," said Brian Clapp, who gave his 26-year-old son a kidney.
The transplant was necessary because Noah Clapp has a genetic condition that destroyed his kidneys. But the transplant three years ago was a no-brainer for his dad.
"I just wanted what was best for him so I was grateful and blessed that I was able to be a match and I was healthy enough to donate," Brian Clapp said.
Now, they're helping the National Kidney Registry with their team called the Renal Warriors.
"There's about a 100,000 people waiting for kidneys right now in the U.S., so you know one of our goals is to get the awareness out there that, again, you can do cool things after receiving a kidney and you do cool things after donating a kidney," Brian Clapp said.
Noah's father, who's 60 now, ran the Boston Marathon six months after the transplant and Noah Clapp now shares his dad's love for running.
Since there are now two runners in the family, the question was raised, who's the better runner now?
"That'd be him -- speed and distance, he's got me there. I think I'm catching up as he gets north of 60. I hope," Noah Clapp said
"He's got young legs so he'll, he'll catch me," Brian Clapp said. "My 60-year-old kidney is living the dream in his 27-year-old body so it's all good."
A father-son bond that's now closer than ever.