Mr. Gelber, a 1990 graduate of Syracuse University, has more than two decades of experience in retail, most of which played out at CBRE (CBRE), where he has been responsible for executing leasing and sales transactions valued at more than $4 billion.
A recipient of the Real Estate Board of New York’s Retail Deal of the Year and Most Creative Deal of the Year, he has advised retailers such as Barilla and CIT Bank and spearheaded projects at the New York Marriott Marquis, the MetLife building at 200 Park Avenue, the Chrysler Center and the Empire State Building.
Mr. Gelber ran his first marathon in 2001 and wouldn’t run in an official race again until 2007, but he has since participated in 20 official races and several solo runs. He attributes his relatively late entry into running as one of the reasons his body is able to withstand the punishment of his now yearly ultra-runs.
Two years ago, he ran 155 miles through the Catskill Mountains to his parents’ home in Suffern, N.Y., which took 45 hours. Last year, he took on the 135-mile Badwater ultra-marathon, billed as “the world’s toughest foot race,” which begins at Badwater Basin in Death Valley and over the course of 42.5 hours took Mr. Gelber across Mt. Whitney.
Mr. Gelber was made aware of multiple myeloma, an incurable blood cancer, after a family friend, Anita, was diagnosed 2003, later undergoing multiple stem-cell transplants. It was Anita, who passed away in 2012, who directed Mr. Gelber to the MMRF.
“I know she’d be proud—that’s for sure,” Mr. Gelber said, “And she’d probably ask me how my feet were.”
The MMRF funnels 90 percent of every dollar raised directly to cancer research, according the foundation, which said it is leading the charge in multiple myeloma research, culminating in the release of six new drugs over the last 10 years.
“We are really pushing other cancer organizations to accelerate their processes, just like Eric is pushing everybody else,” said Alicia O’Neill, director of endurance and race programs with MMRF, noting that Mr. Gelber has raised somewhere in the neighborhood of $225,000 through his races with the organization. “That’s definitely the highest of all time in terms of any one individual.”
Ms. O’Neill was particularly taken aback by the $25,000 donation made by T-Mobile CEO Jon Legere.
“It was about 11 o’clock, and it starts pouring rain, and Eric’s out there running with a poncho on, and I get this text from this guy that says, “Hey, how’s your guy going, is he still out there?’” she recalled.
“When does he finish the next loop? I want to tell him something,” Mr. Legere texted again.
Mr. Legere, who had made a previous $5,000 donation, arrived at the last midnight of the race on a pedi-cab to pledge that he would cover any remaining balance under $100,000, which amounted to an additional $20,000, becoming the top donation and meeting Mr. Gelber’s six-figure goal.
Asked what went through his mind as he crossed the finish line, Mr. Gelber said, “I felt very lucky to have had such support and lucky to do it with such an amazing organization, in such an amazing city, with so many amazing people. I felt like a very lucky man.”
Toward the end of last week, Mr. Gelber was still nursing some residual soreness and blisters. Still, one had to ask: When is the next big race?
“People keep asking me what my next goal is, and right now I’m just trying to walk without a limp,” he quipped. “It’s going to be tough to top this. But we will definitely be back next year—hopefully bigger and better.”
