Adrian on running and CF

By Adrian

Hi CF Community and happy CF awareness month!

My name is Adrian. I’m married with two sons and was diagnosed with CF shortly after birth.

I was also diagnosed with CF-related diabetes (CFRD) at 11.

I’m under no illusion that CF affects people differently and what works for people to manage their CF may be different as well. Having said that, staying physically active has really worked for me. It’s been a gradual process. I wasn’t very active growing up. I remember dreading being forced to run cross country in primary school because I knew I would inevitably come last (not that there’s any shame in coming last but that’s what I felt like when I was a kid). 

I started going to the gym in my 20s to try to increase lung function (and for vanity, let’s face it!). A few years ago, I started going on neighbourhood walks with my wife and then moved on to solo neighbourhood slow jogs/walks. Since moving to Sydney, I’ve thrown myself into running so that I could see this beautiful city. I also gave ‘parkrun’ a go and subsequently became addicted.

For those of you who don’t know ‘parkrun’/’parkrun Australia’, is a weekly casual 5km walk/run. You can find them in communities all over Australia. I was so nervous the first time I did parkrun, never having run in a group. Again, I was self-conscious that I’d come last or that I’d be judged if I couldn’t keep up. I ended up being the loudest person running (my lungs certainly got a workout). I got asked whether I was ok (I still get asked this sometimes when running) but that just shows how supportive people are of others giving it a go. I’ve found the exercise community to be very supportive.

I’ve since run in the 65k for Cystic Fibrosis event that CFCC organised last year (no, I didn’t do the 65km distance!) and, to challenge myself, I ran my first marathon to commemorate turning 40 (the 2023 Sydney Marathon). I also ran the Canberra Marathon earlier this year.

I’m not the fastest runner (not even the fastest CF runner out there either!), but in plodding along, I get to see the world, have time out for myself (with the accompanying mental benefits) and it’s done wonders for those all-important lung function tests. Whether you’re balancing family, school or work, I’d definitely encourage anyone with CF to move as much as you can.

Feel free to check out my “@cf_runner” account on Instagram – I’m not mentioning it for blatant self-promotion (haha) but I created it to connect with other CFers and to show what I do to try to stay fit.