Ep 31: You Might Live to 30… So How Has This 42-Year-Old Run Multiple Marathons?

What would you do if you were told, that best case scenario, you might live to 30?

In this episode, you’ll meet Adrian Flor… now 42, living with cystic fibrosis and diabetes, and running marathons.

His journey wasn’t straightforward. From childhood health challenges, to serious illness, to being hit by a car... Adrian had to rebuild from scratch.

It started with a treadmill. A goal to run 5K. And the fear of coming last at parkrun.

What followed changed everything...

Follow Adrian's journey: https://www.instagram.com/cf_runner/

In this episode:

• Living with cystic fibrosis and CF-related diabetes
• Being told as a child, that you won't live past 30
• Starting from zero (and training just to avoid coming last)
• The role of parkrun and community
• Running marathons with chronic health conditions
• Balancing training, health, and being a single dad

Runbelievable — real runners, unreal stories.

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Transcript

Intro

Adrian 0:07

And I woke up, my mother was crying. I was like, uh oh, something's happened. What's what's going on? The doctor had just phoned her up, and she thought it was it was the end. That was it.

Joshie 0:20

Hello everybody and welcome to Run Believable, the podcast that celebrates why we run. I'm your host, Josh Trishan, and I'm here to bring you stories about what first got people running and what keeps them lacing up day after day. From the last and the lessons to friends and family not making it to the finish line in time, this is why we run and how it shapes who we become. And coming up in just a couple of moments, you'll meet a runner who's literally defied death on multiple occasions. To be honest, the biggest challenge today will be trying to keep a lid on the conversation as he has had quite the journey. Joining me today as co-host is Brett Peterson. Brett, welcome back to Run Believable.

Brett 0:58

G'day, Josh. Yeah, really happy to be here. Thanks for inviting me.

Joshie 1:01

Oh it's a pleasure to hear your voice again. Now, look, you shared your journey with us a month or two ago, and everyone's been telling me we need to hear more of Brett. So it's it's good to have you back. They want to hear more of you, they want to see more of you, they want more spreadsheets, they want more data. Hilarious. Yeah, I don't know about more spreadsheets, gee. Um I must ask, um, how's your shoulder going? I saw a little message that you you sort of posted about um yeah, the shoulder not being quite great with that.

Brett 1:27

Thanks for asking, Josh. Um, like when I do throws training, um, they do all four throws, and while I my main focus is javelin, I also will dabble and do the others as well because there's only so many throws I can do someone in my mid-50s starting javelin, my shoulder wears out pretty quickly. So then I um will have a go at the other throws. So um, yeah, I was doing the hammer throw and I was doing the six kilos, which is um two kilos more than I'd been used to. Okay. And I noticed the next day my shoulder was incredibly sore. So I haven't been to a physio or anything yet. Um, but I decided to have a couple of weeks' rest. Um I went to the pool. I'm finding the pool's actually working really well for me. So I actually went to the pool today and went on Monday as well. And actually, swimming laps is actually fine. So my shoulder's not too bad, but it is bad. Like I just can't do, yeah, I just can't do throws at the moment.

Joshie 2:18

So is the swimming sort of yeah, is a swimming sort of helping with mobility and that kind of thing?

Runbelievable Rundown

Brett 2:23

Yeah, just getting the shoulder moving and stuff. It seems to be w working well. I have to go a bit slower. I'm still running as well. Like I'm actually just sort of getting back, doing a bit more running as well, because I can't do the strength throw throwing throwing work. So yeah.

Joshie 2:37

Now at the intro, Brett, you might have noticed my little quip about peeps not making it to the finish line in time. Now, look, we've all been there. Um I've actually had some listeners recently share stories with me about uh their nearest and dearest not making it to the finish line in time with uh marathons and that kind of thing. It's actually happened to me um on a few occasions. Okay. Bit of a sore point, actually. Uh actually, uh, you know, it happened when you and I um cycled the Hartley Challenge. Um I don't know if you remember this, but um my um my ex-wife wasn't there when um it's not the reason by the way, but um, she wasn't there when I crossed the uh crossed the finish line. I mean, just for context, the Hartley Challenge is a 450-odd kilometer endurance event from Canberra to Charlotte's Pass and back over three days. Um lots of climbing, lots of hills and lots of climbing. Yeah, especially that second day. That second day is just crazy. Yeah. But anyway, um yeah, so she didn't she didn't make it, and I sort of inquired afterwards about why she wasn't there, and um, in her words, she got stuck behind a bunch of fucking cyclists.

Brett 3:45

Oh, that's a classic.

Joshie 3:47

Yeah, so clearly I am not over that one. Uh, and look, folks, if um you'd like to engage in some of the more light-hearted aspects of Run Believable, then feel free to follow us on Instagram. We've got some really exciting stuff coming up over the next few months that you don't want to miss. Uh, we've got a couple of competitions that we're gonna be kicking off. There'll be prizes, so it's all pretty exciting stuff. And of course, if you're enjoying listening to the podcast and you haven't already, then please do consider subscribing. It's by far the best way to stay informed when new episodes drop. And of course, you'll be helping support the podcast to continue growing. Now, Brett, it's quiz time.

Quiz Time: London Marathon

Brett 4:26

Okay, let's go. I listened to the previous quizzes and um yeah, you get quite specific. Uh yes, anyway.

Joshie 4:36

And it is very specific, so I hope um hope you've been doing some research. Uh actually, in the interest of avoiding yet another divorce, I might actually set the record straight a few episodes ago. I might have mentioned that we hadn't had a three from three in Matt's absence. Um but we actually had a listener called Nat Rishan that wrote in and she highlighted highlighted that there was indeed a perfect result when she had stepped in as co-host for the first time. Okay. Well, well done, Nat. And good idea for recognising it. Yes, and for calling for well, that's it. All I can do is, I guess, um, offer the most sincere apology from the bottom of my heart. So, Natty, I am sorry for not making the questions hard enough. Okay, let's keep moving along. The London Marathon. Yep. Yeah, oh, it is. Now, look, um, Brett, the London Marathon, as you know, has been a big talking point of late. Yep. And uh we we've also had a few l uh listeners reckon that the quizzes need to be a little bit more challenging. So I've tried to find the balance between Yeah, I know um I think five percent wanted it to be more challenging, which is enough for me. So I'm trying to find a balance, Brett, between uh yourself and how you'll go with this topic and what our listeners are looking for. So question number one, let's see how we go. Yep. So at the London Marathon, which you know is quite recent. Yes, I know that. Three yeah, three men broke the previous world record that had been set by Kelvin Kiptum in 2023. Yeah. Now, where did Kelvin Kiptum break that world record? Was it Chicago, Berlin, or Amsterdam?

Brett 6:13

Hmm. Wasn't Amsterdam, so it was Chicago or Berlin. Um, I'm gonna go Berlin. It was Chicago. Oh, was it? Yeah. I thought Berlin I just picked Berlin because I thought it was a bit known as a particularly fast course and where people do really well.

Joshie 6:32

It really is. Yeah, Berlin's I don't know, this I haven't got no evidence for this, but I'm pretty sure that Berlin has been the site of perhaps more men's world records in the marathon. But he broke that um Chicago and yeah, um, obviously very sadly um he's no longer with us. Um yes, very quite an incredible result. Question number two. The male and female marathon winners were both wearing a brand new shoe, the Adidas Adios Evo Threes.

Brett 7:00

Yes.

Joshie 7:01

Now, do you know what was special about that shoe?

Brett 7:05

Uh was it under 100 grams?

Joshie 7:08

Well, let's see how we go. Was the weight of each shoe? Oh, okay. We you've narrowed it down.

Brett 7:13

Alright, yeah, I forgot it was my little Joyce books. I just jumped in.

Joshie 7:17

You did. That's all right. Uh 87, 97, or 107 grams per shoe? Uh 97. It was indeed. Oh, phew. Isn't that phenomenal? The thing is, uh, the weight of the predecessor, the Evo 2, I think was 137 grams, which at the time was phenomenal. And so to take another, what's that, 40% of weight off the shoe?

Brett 7:40

Yeah. I don't know. I I suppose it makes a difference at the elite level, at their sort of amateur hack level, where we where we are, um, I really think it makes no difference at all. Not even 0.1%.

Joshie 7:56

Yeah, I don't know. It hasn't stopped the the amateurs uh buying them. I mean they're retailing for what 500 US a shoe or something, you know, they sold out instantaneously. I know, yeah. Um, but look, yeah, who knows? Maybe there's a there's a bit of a placebo, a bit of a psychological effect, but surely carrying less weight on the feed's going to make a difference.

Brett 8:14

It would make a difference if it's like um, you know, a kilo versus half a kilo or 500 grams versus 200 grams, but yeah, when you're getting down to that sort of level, I don't think it I think uh I think training and nutrition and that sort of stuff makes a much, much bigger difference.

Joshie 8:32

Yeah, I suppose j you know genetics as well. But if you've got good genetics and you're running um what Sebastian Saraway was doing 240 K's a week or something, that's gotta make a difference as well.

Brett 8:42

Yeah, incredible. Just incredible. Yeah.

Joshie 8:44

You know, you're gonna love this last one. The highest rate of female participation was in which uh age category? Was it 20 to 24 years old? Yeah. 30 to 34 or 40 to 44.

Brett 9:01

Okay, well be an educated guess.

Joshie 9:06

Mm-hmm.

Brett 9:07

Uh I'm gonna go 40 to 44.

Joshie 9:12

It was actually 20 to 24.

Brett 9:14

Oh, okay. All right. Yeah, what that's in that is incredible. Yeah. I I just picked older people taking it up. But yeah, I suppose there's a huge, huge wave of young people taking it up these days too now. So yeah, yeah.

Joshie 9:29

Yeah. It is great to see. Um the female participation um is basically increasing as the age cohorts get younger. And so um I think we're getting very close to um 50-50 representation in marathons, at least at some age, uh at some events, which is fantastic to see. Absolutely. Um I hope you had fun with that, Brett. And if you've been playing along at home, please do let us know.

Brett 9:55

Oh, one from three.

Guest Spotlight: Adrian Flor

Joshie 9:57

Oh, that's not too bad. That's probably about the average. Um, certainly, listeners, if you've been playing along, let us know. And if there's a particular quiz topic you'd like to feature, hit us up. Today's guest was told he might live to age 30. He's now 42, lives with chronic health conditions, yet has somehow managed to run multiple marathons, all whilst raising a family and being a very active member of the running community. How has he done it? Let's find out. Can we please welcome Adrian Floor? Welcome, Adrian.

Adrian 10:26

Uh uh, thank you, and thanks for that fantastic introduction.

Joshie 10:31

It's all true. Um, look, um Adrian, can you take us back to that moment when you were in primary school? And I think you overheard your parents speaking with doctors um about your life expectancy.

Adrian 10:46

Yeah, um, well, um, it was a doctor's appointment when I was a child and I was in attendance with my mother, and um I I do have a chronic condition, um, which I'm sure we'll talk about later on in the interview. But um uh, you know, we weren't given very high prospects of life. Uh when I was born, the average prospect was about 20, but you know, that wasn't something that was actively discussed back then. But basically I was told, wow, you're in really good health for somebody with your condition. If you keep this up, you could live until you're 30. When and and as a child, I knew that, well, 30 isn't a long time. Well, it was quite confronting for a child to be told that.

Joshie 11:33

So what what was the condition that you were diagnosed with? Or weren't you weren't you diagnosed at the time?

Adrian 11:39

Yeah, no, um, so uh I was born with cystic fibrosis, and um I was diagnosed with that at six weeks old. Um, and uh I also ended up developing uh cystic fibrosis-related diabetes when I was 11. So I've got two conditions basically.

Joshie 11:59

So how early on in your life did your parents tell you about the condition that you had?

Adrian 12:07

Um well I uh as as young as I can remember, I I had it because obviously if you have a condition like cystic fibrosis, uh, you know, it's a condition that you've lived with. Um you obviously do different things things differently to other children. Um so just for everybody listening, um, cystic fibrosis is a condition that basically is an overproduction of mucus, which ends up affecting your lungs, your digestive system, your immune system, um uh reproductive systems, everything. And um, you know, but but mainly like the two big ones that that are are quite you know dangerous for people with living cyclicosis are your lungs and um yeah, and your digestive system. So um as a child, you have to treat that and you have to take medications, you have to do sort of like physical exercises to get help clear the lungs of mucus that's that's in there. So I mean, there's no getting around it. Anybody who who is born and raised with cystic fibrosis knows they're different to other children, but um yeah, it's it's just something you end up, you know, it's something you live with, so you you don't know anything different.

Joshie 13:26

So can you remember what your state of mind was like being told in primary school that you know um you you may not live past the age of 30?

Adrian 13:38

Well, you know, I've I've been confronted with my own mortality a few different times in my life. Um, I've there were a couple of times after that that that were actually that affected me more, were that were actually quite serious. Um but that then um in when I was a child, um I think it was more defiance more than anything. I was just like, you know, no, that's not right. I'm I'm I'm I'm certainly gonna not, you know, I'm gonna live beyond 30. So I think as a child, it's like no, like it's it it was more like, you know, how could they say that? Yeah, right. I'll I'll prove them wrong. And and I have, painfully.

Joshie 14:19

Absolutely. You know, um, Adrian, growing up from what you told me, sport wasn't exactly your your strength for understandable reasons. And is it true that the health advice at the time was about um putting on weight?

Adrian 14:33

Yeah, it was. So um cystic fibrosis, uh back in when I was born in the 80s, uh, it was you know, uh a lot of the proportion of of people with cystic fibrosis did pass away in their teen teen years, especially. And so the focus and it was because because of, you know, uh cystic fibrosis, uh people with cystic fibrosis are generally malnourished. Uh they can't uh absorb all the food that they're eating. That's why they need, you know, medication to help digest food. It's it's really uh like it is a really horrible illness. Um it affects people differently, but a lot of a lot of people in the 80s, yeah, they were very, very much affected. And so the aim of doctors was simply to make sure we retained weight. They weren't concerned with long-term health, uh, you know, you know, what what effect this would have long term on these children. They were just thinking, we're just gonna make you live through your teenage years. And, you know, their solution was to just, you know, get us to maintain weight and and and in doing so, you know, increasing weight through unhealthy means. Like whatever we could eat, we just ate. Um and and that was the medical advice at the time.

Joshie 15:58

So let's fast forward a bit to age uh 18. Um, I think you said that you were really sick at the end of school, and that was when you started to realize that perhaps this condition was something that was going to adversely uh affect you.

Adrian 16:15

Yeah. Um, so I mean, growing up as a child, I I unlike other people with cystic fibrosis, I actually retained the weight. Um, and so I ate very very unhealthily. I I I ate whatever there was, and um and and yeah, my my my body responded like any other body would. Um as a result, I was very overweight. I was uh clinically obese for a child, you know, my age. And um, but you know, that still and as a result, generally, you know, I didn't catch too many, well no, I that's a lie. I did catch some things, but um what really affected me when I was 18, I um threw myself into my studies. I just, you know, worked really long hours, you know, studying and doing all of that. And um as a result, my health suffered greatly. And I was diagnosed at 18 with a lung bug that you're not supposed to catch. So basically, when like I was told growing up that if you catch this particular bug, it means it's the beginning of the end. Like you know, you have like a couple of years to go, you know? And um, yeah, it was now that was super confronting. When I I ended up I was I was actually asleep and and I woke up and my mother was crying, and um I was like, uh oh, something's happened, what's what's going on? And that's and she told me, and you know, the doctor had just phoned her up and said, Adrian has this, and she thought it was it was the end. That was it. And um, you know, I yeah, that that threw me that like to say the least. Um, you know, for for a good month or two, I was just really um it was il yeah, I was really depressed, and but it ended up being sort of a turning point as well in my life. Um before before then I hadn't exercised or anything, so it really shifted the course of my life there.

Brett 18:28

Okay. How did you end up getting over that that particular illness?

Adrian 18:34

Um, so we we were told that this lung bug stays in your lungs for for things like it's really, really hard to get rid of. Um I you know, I've I've had tests later which doesn't show it being there anymore. Um which I mean whether it's there or not, it doesn't seem to be affecting me uh at the moment. Like um, but uh yeah, it was just something that, you know, I just went, okay, well, if I have to live with this, so be it. But that's when I started that's when I started exercising. And ironically, when I got this terrible lung bug, I just went, well, I think again with that spirit of defiance, I was just going, well, I'm not gonna put up with that. Like I'm gonna uh, you know, I'm gonna go lift weights, I'm gonna go to the gym, um, I will, I will possibly get a girlfriend out of this. I was really fighting, you know, so so yeah, it it it it really just put me on a different path.

Joshie 19:35

Brilliant. And so did you find that uh by throwing yourself all into your studies and your exercise that you became, I guess, less conscious of your condition?

Adrian 19:47

Yeah, like I I I guess to set me apart, like to to sort of put the context in, um, as I said, like I gained weight when most people with cystic fibrosis wouldn't have gained weight. Um, so that already set me apart from anybody else with this condition, which you know, we aren't anybody like we're not all alike. People with cystic fibrosis, it affects people differently. Obviously, with me, there are still ways it affects me. I still need to take medication when when I eat. I still have to adapt the way I run and the way I exercise based off cystic fibrosis and diabetes, which I'm having to talk about at a you know later. But um I also my immune system uh still, if I work myself too hard, I can really pay for that. I really just can get really run down. So um yeah, it's it's um oh sorry, Josh, what was the original question? I'm babbling.

Joshie 20:46

Uh what I was asking is yeah, you by applying yourself to your studies and weights, did you find that that was a way of helping to better manage the condition?

Adrian 20:57

Yes, no, thank you. Thank you for putting me back on track. Um you know what? I I simply it's because as I said, it's something that I just knew my whole life, basically I just got on with it. Um I ended up just going, all right, I have this illness, yeah, it's temporarily, you know, affected me. Um, but you know, while I was at uni, I, you know, I was I was going through university. I ended up performing in theater as a way of distracting me from from getting too into my studies, which is what I did in college, in high school, hence why I got sick. So it was a way of managing and saying pulling back and going, no, don't throw yourself into one thing, become an all rounder. Um, and and then of course I had my exercise, which I casually I uh through throughout my 20s, I I casually lifted weights. And um, that was my main form of exercise. Um you know, obviously to to increase cardiovascular. Health and make myself more healthy. But also as a dying my twenties, it was for vanity reasons too.

Joshie 22:14

Yeah. Well it sounds like um you managed to find a way to live with cystic fibrosis throughout your 20s and early 30s, but then we get to 2017. Was it you get hit by a car and your life completely changed?

Adrian 22:30

Yeah. Um a lot of different events, right? Um I'll try not to break out the tiny violin. Don't worry.

Brett 22:40

Um the fact that you can sit the fact that you can sit here and laugh about it and tell the stories means that it all worked out well in the end.

Adrian 22:47

So it did. It did. Um so basically, yeah, I I was, you know, fine in my exercise routine. Um I had uh a young family. Um, so my my eldest son was uh I think about a year old at that stage. Okay. And um, yeah, I just parked my car at the local mall. And um, yeah, I I uh turned around and there was this car heading straight towards me, and I was like, oh great, here we go. And so it just smashed into me. Um he got my left knee and my my thigh and just pinned me between you know it and my own car. And you know, all the people around, all the pedestrians, all the witnesses there were just going, you know, reverse, reverse. And the guy panicked and he accelerated. And so the car, my own car, went up onto the curb with me, pinned between them. And then, you know, once somebody managed, I think somebody had to reach into the car and actually changed the gear stick to reverse. He reversed, and then I just fell onto the ground and I ended up injuring my back because of that fall, too. So it was like all of these things, which to this day, I mean, those injuries have affected me. Uh, the way I, you know, run, uh, the way, you know, um, you know, my back has has fortunately uh calmed down, but I was told by a surgeon that, well, yeah, that these two discs are slightly misaligned now. So you just have to be careful. Um, for example, right, one exercise I do not do at the gym are deadlifts anymore because I can't afford to do that. Um otherwise, um, bad form, and boom, those discs are gone. So um, yeah, I've had to really adapt. And so, so yeah, that was 2017. And um and yes, uh, I ended up after that. Uh uh, I so I guess I should take take it as a step back. So I was, you know, I had to after that, I had to do a lot of uh aqua uh aerobics, uh rehab. I had crutches, I was on crutches for like a month or two, um, all of this stuff. And um a boss, a former boss of mine had said, oh, you should try parkrun. You should, you know, I I'm he was a parkrun director. He was an you know, you know, he he gone to all these different countries on parkrun. And I basically said, uh yeah, yeah, whatever. He with no intention of going to parkrun. Um and and this is where I should take it a step back. So being an overweight kid, uh, I was forced to do PE. I was forced to do cross country. I came last every time we did it. It was a humiliating experience. It was, you know, that was like childhood trauma right there. Um, you know, just an overweight kid with a health condition, yeah, you're not gonna don't force me to run with everybody else. But so going fast forwarding like 20 years or or whatever, um, I still carried those traumatic memories with me. And so when my boss at the time said, Oh, you should do park run, I was like, Oh, I'm not gonna enter a race where I have to like race other people and and you know they're gonna judge me again. And um it actually set me on a uh such a different path because well, yeah, I I at the time because I couldn't lift the weights, I couldn't do that. Um my lung function declined by like 20%. Like it said, yeah, your your lungs are are deteriorating, you've got to do something.

Joshie 26:37

Yep.

Adrian 26:38

And I said, all right, well, I'll I'll start walking around the neighborhood. I'll just like walk, walk at night, do all of that. And then, you know, my boss said, Oh, you should do parkrun. And so I was like, uh no. But then I was really, I was curious because like a lot of people were starting to do parkrun back then in in 2017, 2018. And so I ended up um, you know, I uh I ignored him for a couple of years. I didn't go, then whatever. But then eventually I said, all right, well, I've been walking around the neighborhood neighborhood. Um, maybe I'll start jogging. And um my wife at the time had a a treadmill. So like I used that. Um and you know, I I ended up um because I didn't want to come last in parkrun. That was the thing. Like I just did not want to come last like I did in my childhood. So I had to make sure that I could at least jog 5k without stopping. So I had to train for a few months to attend my first parkrun. Um so to ensure, because I didn't know what parkrun really was, I just assumed it was a bunch of people who like ran together. And I I didn't want to hold up the group, I didn't want to be last. So I like trained really hard to attend my first parkrun. And um, and yeah, I got I got there. It was a Dungalan parkrun. That was my first one. And um I was running around the lake, you know, the the course runs around a lake. And um during in the last kilometer, I was like huffing and puffing. And like even now with my cystic fibrosis, I I'm a loud breather. Like when I run, um, even despite, you know, I can be faster now, um, it's still um, yeah, I I breathed really heavily. And um, so I was breathing, I was huffing and puffing along, and this guy easily overtook me, but he was just going, come on, you can do it. Like he just goes, You're you're doing well, and blah, blah. And then he sped off. And I was just like, Aww. And and and and that was my first parkrun. And that's when I kind of just went, No, um, parkrun is a community event. Everybody is so supportive, and and that's what won me over, like my first parkrun. And I've been a nut ever since. And of course, that led to more running.

Brett 29:07

It's uh it's a wonderful parkrun, that one too, isn't it? The Gangalan one. Oh it really, it's so scenic running around there.

Joshie 29:14

It's a beautiful course. Well, what can you tell us about that first park run experience? What do you remember about it? What was your time out of interest? I mean, not many people trained for their very first park run, so I'm quite curious.

Adrian 29:26

It I think it was 2545 or whatever. That was my beating, you know. I I trained so hard to to get there. And um yeah, it was just like it was it was intimidating. It was intimidating, like, you know, even with the the first briefing, and then we're all lining up. Um, I didn't know what to I was just having that thought of going, please just don't walk, don't walk, just like keep on going. And and you know, I really pushed myself to the nth degree back then with the fitness I had at the time. And um, yeah, it it was cold as well, because it was Canberra, just freezing cold. But um, but no, it ended up being such an amazing experience. And even that just just that one gentleman spurring me on that ended up, you know, uh changing the course of, you know, I well, I guess without sounding overly dramatic, it it changed the course of my life because running is such an important part of my life now. So um, yeah, it was amazing. But you know, even in that first year at Parkrun, I was very casual. I think I only attended maybe five or six parkruns that that first year. Um, it wasn't until later that I started getting into it even more.

Joshie 30:40

Well, well what we'll do in a moment, Adrian, is explore your active involvement in the parkrun community. But before we do, I want to get back to something you said a bit earlier about um, I think you called it cystic fibrosis induced diabetes. Um you'll have to explain that a little bit more. I mean, is that a common, if I can call it like companion condition to with to cystic fibrosis?

Adrian 31:04

It is. It's it's specifically called cystic fibrosis related diabetes. Okay. And basically, yeah, um, the cystic fibrosis causes di the diabetes. Um it's it effectively acts like insulin-dependent diabetes, but basically, um my body still produces insulin technically, but it's blocked with the mucus that's in there, that's in there somewhere. And so the dust that I don't know, however insulin is released, it's just all blocked. So I have to artificially now sort of you know inject um insulin and uh, you know, it it if I'm effectively an insulin-dependent diabetic. Um which, you know, from an exercise perspective, that's the thing that really affects me. Um more so really than the cystic fibrosis, because while while I've had to train, you know, even my lungs and get the cardio up, um, it's such a balancing exercise, um, balancing insulin levels with you know, because as well, um some people out there may not know this, but the the um the type of run you do, the type of exercise and the type of run, they affect your insulin levels differently. So, you know, I mean your blood sugar levels, I should say, your blood sugar levels differently. So with an easy run, the blood sugar just gradually goes down. It just goes down, whatever, and you know, I have to refuel to get it back up. But for say something like Park Run, um, you know, energy stores are released while because they say you're running too hard, you are gonna collapse. So we need to release, you know, I don't know, adrenaline, whatever, whatever it does. And my blood sugar just spikes right up. So it'll you like you're supposed to ideally be between, you know, four and ten. Um, but then after a park run, I can go up to twenty. And that's without eating anything, because it just spikes up to because it's saying, no, you know, we it's obvious you need the energy, so we're just gonna release it. So it it it really affects what you do. And um, you know, and even when I lift weights, it's something I have to account for as well. Because how is this going to affect my blood sugar? So that is something I I mean, I've had diabetes now for more than 30 years, and um I still have not mastered that. That is that's quite yeah.

Joshie 33:33

So so what um I guess technology do you carry with you so you can monitor this? I mean, uh, presumably it's something you have to be able to very actively uh monitor and manage.

Adrian 33:44

Yeah, it is. I mean, I um I'm not sure if you can like uh I'm not sure if you've been hearing beeps in the background or whatever, but um basically like my diabetic gizmos are beeping at me now. So I guess so I'll I'll just explain to you what I have to to do. Um technology is amazing these days um with with the management of diabetes. So at the moment, I'm wearing uh continuous blood blood sugar monitor there. So it's just something that goes onto your skin. Oh, yep. And I'm also wearing an insulin pump uh on my lower back, and um it monitors everything. You don't need to do finger prick testing anymore with diabetes. Okay. You know, all of the gadgets speak to each other. Um, yeah, see, my Garmin just alerted me about my blood sugar level right now. Um, you know, it's uh, you know, all of the technology is there to kind of make, you know, get you get you aware of where you are and what you need to do to get it back to a to a good level. All I need to do to inject insulin is put it, put my my current, you know, it's it says what my blood sugar is there. I just put in the amount of carbs that I'm eating, it calculates it, and it injects me with the amount of insulin I need. And there are no cables or anything like in the old days with insulin pumps. There used to be cables involved. All of it is just, you know, my insulin pump is like this, but like a little bigger, and that's it's just there. So um, you know, it makes it so easy. Uh yeah, I mean, it may, you know, it it it it makes it so portable, but with me, I still have difficulty managing the blood sugar levels. Um, and and also that's something that I have to account for, especially when I run, to kind of say, all right, I need to, you know, make sure my my blood sugar levels don't drop too low. Otherwise, I, you know, I'll be in the middle of a run and I just start feeling so heavy. You can't move, like it's just so heavy to move around. Um, and then other diabetics, if you go too high, that also affects your ability to maintain pace while you're running because you're too high, you need to drink tons of water, it just affects you. So um whether you're too high or too low, yeah, it'll affect your running performance. And so you have to be really mindful of that on course. Say, for example, I'm running a marathon. Um, I have to take things for both my cystic fibrosis and my diabetes. The diabetes are, you know, the carbs, making sure that my carb levels are fine. Uh with my cystic fibrosis, I have to make sure that I take salt tablets because uh one of the uh symptoms of cystic fibrosis is you lose an immense amount of salt. Um so oh sorry, my Alexa's just speaking. Shusha Alexa. Um so it's just something that as a person running with cystic fibrosis and diabetes, I have to to do things that you know people without those conditions uh don't have to do. So I have to manage that at the same time as you know, trying to maintain a fast pace. Like I have a I have a little interesting story. I was running the Gold Coast Marathon ha uh last year, and I was doing a really uh a really hard pace for me, like to keep on sustaining that pace. And I was going at a kilometer 15. I felt this thing dragging on my arm, and I looked down and my insulin pump was half out of my skin. Oh no. I was just like, dare it, yeah, okay. It was like, oh, kilometer 15, I can't slow down, and so I just like ripped this insulin pump out of my skin, ran it to the nearest bin, chucked it in the bin because they're disposable, right? I had like two more in my hotel room. Yeah, and then I just had to join the group again and just run. And I just went, whatever my insulin levels are, I don't care. I just want to finish this race now. So it's just these things. How did it go? How did that marathon go in the end? Um, that half marathon went really well. I I thought a PB and that, and um And you recovered you recovered again. Yeah, I maintained the pace. Like I I I um um well, I don't want to feed you. I I basically I I maintained 430 pace for the for the marathon. Oh, that's right. Because of the time of 135. So that's quick. Yeah. Oh yeah, and that was in the mid and that was with me at kilometer 15 having to like do a little beat for check up in the bin. Like I I was in the zone. I could not be interrupted by diabetes at that time.

Brett 38:28

As long as you had a chance to recover at the other end, that's good. Yeah.

Adrian 38:32

Yeah, no, it it I i it was good. It was really good. I um so basically when I got back to my hotel room, I put the next insulin pump in and just went, all right, now now I can, you know, now I can get back to normal. But it's it is something because like even the insulin pump, see, the makers of that insulin pump, it's a fantastic pump, but the makers of that one have particularly made it for physical exercise. And they say, All right, you can it'll it'll stay on your skin while you're physically exercising. But I mean, obviously, you know, they haven't tested it out on somebody running a half marathon or whatever, like at kilometer 15, it just lost it. And so I was just going, okay. Um since then, I haven't run with the insulin, like run a marathon or anything like that with an insulin pump attached. Because it also, when you start doing that, because it's it's a it has this little plastic filament that goes underneath your skin. And so when you're bouncing up and down and whatever, it starts to hurt. And so you just go, why am I I'm hurting enough as it is running this half marathon? Why do I need to hurt in a different way with a with a pump in? So I just went, no. Uh for for when when I am doing an event like that, I just leave the insulin pump off.

Joshie 39:49

Yeah.

Adrian 39:50

And I'll I'll deal with that later. Because the the thing with me is with marathons, because it's not it's not a parkrun, you're not, you know, needing the endorphins and adrenaline, like your body won't release it. It's that steady decline, and then you have a carb gel or whatever, and then it brings it back up again. So you're not going super high, at least I don't when I'm running a marathon. It's more a case of if you don't have your gels, you're gonna go low. So you so you can balance that.

Joshie 40:18

Now, I wouldn't mind uh returning to your involvement with uh Parkrun. Uh you started in 2021, I think it was. Um at some point you decided to become a lot more involved. Um I think you're currently a run director at Dolly Point, is it Parkrun? At Dolls Point, Parkrun, yeah. Yeah. What was it that drew you to the non-running sort of like the community side of Parkrun?

Adrian 40:45

Yeah, no, well, I I'm a big believer in giving back, um, you know, giving back to the community. Like I've gotten so much out of Parkrun. Like it's it's an amazing community endeavor. Um, and I, you know, I just, you know, sort of signed up to, you know, be a marshal, do this. Like, there's so many different uh jobs you can do. And um, and yeah, and it's also a great way to just, you know, meet people, meet the other volunteers, also just be social and just say hi to everybody. And, you know, as a marshal, I always make sure that I cheer everybody on and my kids do as well, because my kids come with me to parkrun sometimes. And um, you know, it it it was for that community involvement in giving back. And um, and then I took it up another level when I was asked by one of the the run directors uh at Parkrun if I wanted to join the run directing team. And um, yeah, and I I I thought it was it was an amazing opportunity. And you know, being a run director doesn't mean just giving the speech at the beginning and and letting people go in their way. Like it's actually a pretty involved endeavor. Like, you know, you have to take the equipment home, you have to wash the vests, you have to prepare the rosters, do all of that. So it's a it's a it's a big undertaking, but but but I love doing it. Like I love just helping out like that and just and and when I'm not being a run director, I'm still volunteering in different capacities as well. It's not like I'm running every week. So um, but then I still try to maintain the running too, and you know, I get in a now and then.

Joshie 42:22

Well, that's what I was just about to ask. I mean, how do you go about there's a lot you haven't spoken about. I mean, aside from the chronic health conditions that you're managing, you work full-time, you're a single dad, you train at stupid hours of the day. I mean some of the things I see on Instagram, it's like 12.53 a.m., just about to get into a session. How on earth do you go about finding a balance with all of those things in your life?

Adrian 42:46

That's it, right? You you you know, I've always had the thing that, you know, if if if it's a priority for you, you you make the time. Yeah. And so with me, um, you know, number one, my number one priority is my kids. That's it, hands down. Um, but then of course, for me to be there for my kids and to be a good dad, I need to make sure that my health is is the best it can be. And so um, you know, I I you know, you mentioned that I am a single dad, and so um my children are with me one week on, one week off. And um, so as a result, I have to um adapt my schedule to that and and my exercise schedule, you know. So when they are with me, um I exercise at lunchtime. Um, you know, I uh yeah, in that, you know, last summer it meant that I was just running in ridiculous heat because I had to run at lunchtime when they were at school. Um, but then I will run on the treadmill before um before school if necessary. And then, you know, I can lift weights at night when I'm not causing too much noise in my apartment building. Um, so I just have to adapt and and then, but then of course, when they're not with me, then yeah, anything goes. I can, you know, be out running at 11 o'clock at night. Um what is that?

Brett 44:08

I don't I don't I I I don't I can't relate to that late night stuff. How do you make that work for you in terms of getting a little sleep?

Adrian 44:16

Oh my god. Like I'm I'm actually a night owl. I can like stay up. Like if I didn't have work, I would be up until like 4 a.m. Like you know work actually puts structure into my life. So that's why, you know, I have no problem in kind of like lifting weights at midnight and going, all right, but are you still getting enough sleep though by doing that?

Brett 44:37

No.

Joshie 44:38

You can't fit all those things in and get eight hours of sleep, that's for sure. That is bad.

Adrian 44:45

So I guess I'm not the pinnacle here, and you know, I I admire it.

Brett 44:50

I because I need a I need a lot of sleep, so I I admire the fact that you can get away with that. That's amazing.

Joshie 44:56

Oh Adrian provided you provided me with one of the most amusing moments that I've experienced this year. Like you're so committed to your exercise, even when you've got the kids. Like you say, your kids are your number one priority, but you posted something on Instagram, I think, a month or two ago, and it showed that you your um exercise time, I think, was um three hours, but the elapsed time was six hours or something crazy like that.

Adrian 45:21

That's okay. Um because yeah, I had to get the run in, but then you know, I had my kids with me, so it was interrupted because I know that we we watched an episode of Peppa Pig. Yeah, I think we played Uno in the middle of it, but I uh but I had to pause my activity because I said I'll have to get back to this. But yeah, it ended up taking six hours. And then what? We also did like a trumpet, a trumpet practice session with my other son in the middle of it. But yeah, you kind of just like try and fit everything in. I mean it it's it is tiring.

Joshie 45:53

It is it is um but you know you have to you love it though, like it sounds like you really choose to completely immerse yourself in everything you do. Um this is something we didn't speak about a few weeks ago, by the way. So I'm um putting you on the spot here. You're gonna have to tell me about this mad 24-hour celebration that you did for your son's birthday.

Adrian 46:14

Oh, that was just, you know, we we ended up so basically it was it was a it was a big birthday for him, and so we ended up uh like a little tradition of ours is that we we go to a certain hotel chain um and they do buffet breakfast, and my son, both of my sons love it. And so I ended up going to uh you know booking, booking a nice holiday, uh booking a nice overnight stay at a hotel. But um, you know, I made sure I looked at the nearest park run as well, because it was a Saturday, Saturday night. So we ended up doing a new park run. It was specifically uh Macquarie University park run uh up in like you know north north Sydney around there. And so we did that, and then we rode the metro because they love trains, then we ice skated, and then we finished it off with a nice stay-at-a-hotel and the buffet breakfast to finish it off. So I mean, it was I mean, this is this is what it's about, right? It's about making memories and and especially with your children. And um, no, that's something that's you know that that means more to me than than than running or anything. That's just that's just yeah. Anyway, uh before I get too sobby. I just thought it was a really beautiful like. This is a running podcast.

Joshie 47:38

Well, on the topic of running, I mean, obviously things really accelerated for you between I think 2022 and 2024. And I think was it Sydney Marathon? Was that your first one in 2024? Uh 23. 23. So um I've got to ask. So 2023, and this is only two years after you started Parkrun, by the way. Now, you're gonna have to bear with me. I'm gonna provide a bit of context to this. You're born with cystic fibrosis, you're told that you would be would be lucky to live past the age of 30. You also have cystic fibrosis-related diabetes. You get hit by a car at the age of 21, was it? 18 months of rehab. And uh actually, you're in your 30s, weren't you, when you got hit by a car? Yeah, yeah.

Adrian 48:29

Well, I I got hit by my car and my broken dirty. Yeah.

Joshie 48:31

So 18 months of rehab, no doubt, broken bones, whatever, and um, I think you had to.

Adrian 48:37

Actually, I'll correct you there. No broken bones. You know why? Yeah, this the the doctor who examined me said, and and I'm I'm telling you this because it's kind of a humble brag, but he said to me, the angle that that car hit you, you could have easily broken bones, but he goes, but have you been working out? I just went, Well, he goes, You're and he said to me, he said to me with my with my thigh all banged up, he goes, your quads are are are really big and and you have really good quads. Thank you, my man. So it's a nice it's a nice boost to my vegan, give it a line in the hospital bed, and he's saying that I have great quads. Oh my oh my god. But no, I mean, that made me so grateful that I had been working on my legs before that. Because imagine that, right? He could have easily got the the bone, but he just goes, but you the the the muscle mass surrounding the bone actually really helped. So it was good for something in the end.

Joshie 49:35

You had what, yeah, so you had other injuries, no doubt though. Slip disc, I think you mentioned before.

Adrian 49:39

And I think you said you actually lost additional lung function from the accident, like which temporarily, temporarily, because I couldn't exercise, so my lung function was dipping and I needed to get it back.

Joshie 49:51

So standing there on the start line with all you've been through, was there a moment when you just paused and went, How the fuck am I even here?

Adrian 50:00

Um, yeah, like the marathon was was very emotional. And um I uh uh I'll I'll take it a step back. Like I to 2021, I did some casual park runs. 2022, I moved to Sydney and I, you know, I was not running, I was really not running anything. And and and it and I I did my first city to surf because that was such a Sydney thing to do. And then it wasn't until 2023 that I joined a running of a 10Ker and I started running outside of parkrun. Like I didn't run by my, I didn't run anything by myself. I hadn't gone out and done a done a run, um, aside from you know that first time when I was like training for my first parkrun. Since then I got I got lazy and I said, well, I'll just run a park run. But it wasn't until 2023 that I actually started getting a little bit more serious. And I wasn't going to join my first marathon so quickly. Um, but it wasn't um I entered a competition and um and I won the runner-up, one of the runner-up prizes, which was if you do your first marathon, you know, you get some ASICs merchandise. I was like, why not? And um uh I I saw it as like I just went, well, I didn't plan on this, but okay, I'm gonna do it. And it's gonna be in the last month of my 30s. So why don't I, you know, it's you know, it's a great thing to mark you entering your 40s, doing a marathon, and and for me, it wasn't so much um, you know, where you know, look where I where I am now. The emotions that were running through me were um, you know, my boys, my sons, thinking of them. Um, like my bib uh for that marathon, I actually had it framed, it says, for my sons, like you know, thingy, like that was what I got printed on my bib because that's beautiful. It was for two things. It was for two reasons. Like one, um, I wanted to show my sons that, well, you know, if you work hard to think it was I'm I'm so okay, I'm I'm a geek dad. You can tell. I'm such a geeky dad, but but I was you know, it was just basically showing them that if you want something, you work hard for it. And look, you may not even get you may not even get it, right? But at least, you know, it's in the working of it that you know the self-improvement comes. Just, you know, you've gotten yourself into these habits. And so I really wanted to show them their dad working towards something. And two, I wanted to show them that as a parent, you still have to have those passions for yourself, right? You have to show them that you're still living your life and you know your own passions don't die because you have children or whatever. Like you still have to maintain, you know, have those things that you're passionate about. And um, so yeah, those were really the emotions that were going through me on that start line. It wasn't, you know, yeah, I have cystic fibroidis, I've uh related CF related diabetes, I got hit by a car, all of that. Like that didn't matter to me. I was just going, no, this is for my boys. And you know, you know, yeah. Anyway, that was that those were the emotions that were going through me, at least on the start line, you know, through the marathon, it was just like, God, I'm dying. Reality hits then. Uh what about when you're exactly right? I can't be all philosopher in the middle of a marathon anymore.

Joshie 53:26

What about crossing the finish line? Can can you remember how you felt?

Adrian 53:30

Oh, that was that was amazing, right? Because that's like, you know, it's in front of the opera house. It was it 2023 Sydney Marathon was brutal. Uh the conditions were were really, really bad. Um, they had a later starting time, so um, you know, they've since brought it brought it earlier. But that meant that all of the marathon donors were really experiencing it. Like I was running and I saw pacers dropping out, and I was going, God, this is getting intense. And um, and then come, I think the last 10 kilometers, you know, the the big the big part of the marathon. Um, yeah, there was there was this gauntlet of people on either side of the road, either throwing up or stretching their legs. And then, you know, um, there's a photo, one of the photos of me at the Sydney Marathon. Um, there's like a an ambulance behind me. I didn't realize it, but they were like slowly behind me, waiting to get to somebody. And so that marathon, I I read in an article like the day after, I think like 60 people got hospitalized. Like it was really bad. You know, and it was it, yeah, it was intense. It was you so hot. And so I got to the finish line, I I finished, and and um, you know, obviously I I you know, because you go into these things, and and with me, it wasn't I did I had a sneaky like time goal. It wasn't even just finishing it, it was like I hold myself to too high a standard sometimes, and I didn't meet it at all, but I didn't care because I was just like going, geez, like I I survived this thing, absolutely I managed to even just finish it. Um, so yeah, that was that was such an experience. What a way to usher in your 40s, right? It was so much fun though, like despite being in so much pain, it was just such an experience, and the crowds were just amazing. So yeah, I loved it.

Joshie 55:18

So uh Adrian, given everything that you've been through, the health challenges, um, multiple setbacks, and your journey as a um as a as a parent, what do you want people to take away from your story? Oh gosh.

Adrian 55:38

Uh well, I mean, I could speak uh speak to that question on two levels. Uh first of all, I mean, I in terms of people with cystic fibrosis, um, and that's the reason why I created uh I have a running Instagram, and that was the reason why I I created it, to connect with other people with cystic fibrosis to say, look, I know we're all different, I know we're capable, a different day what you know, our levels of uh you know, ability are different, like what you can actually physically do as a person with cystic fibrosis. But if there is anything that you can get from my journey as a person with cystic fibrosis, um, you know, uh please just take whatever you can and use it. Uh hopefully, hopefully it helps. You know, and so uh that's what I in terms of speaking to people who have cystic fibrosis, it's sort of just saying, well, you know, we can learn from each other and and see what works for us. Um in terms of people without cystic fibrosis, I mean, uh I guess you know, one thing that I would think about, and this is something we spoke about before, is I mean, as a person who balances so many different things and there are so many different aspects to my life, um, you know, it's just you know, uh making sure you go for what you want and and and you know, it is a priority. So you you know, you end up being passionate and you do you end up doing what you can. And and the thing is, right, it's uh obviously at the the the rate I may achieve things may be different to somebody else, as in, you know, I may not be able to focus all of my energies on one thing and therefore achieve like magnificent things so quickly, but um but uh you know it'll be worth the wait, you know. It's sort of like it's it sort of spurs you on. And it's like, you know how they say that you know, it's not so much the goal as it is the habits you form on the way to achieving whatever. Like you may not get that goal, but um it's in you know doing these things, forming these habits that um you end up becoming uh you know, a stronger, you know, whatever, like you end up increasing, you know, you end up becoming, for lack of a better word, a better version of yourself because you you've put these things in place. So I guess for anybody out there, it's just you know, form those habits that will and it'll end up paying dividends down the track and and and doing whatever you can to try and fit it into a busy schedule. So because you have no choice. Like you you either do that or you just laze about and and just not do anything. So you just have to adapt.

Joshie 58:22

And Adrian, are you happy for people to connect with you um on Instagram?

Adrian 58:27

Yeah, definitely. Um so my Instagram handle is uh C F. So C for cat, F for fish, underscore runner.

Joshie 58:37

Yeah, we'll make sure we put those details in the show notes. Um before we before we finish up, um running wise, what lies ahead for you?

Adrian 58:46

Yeah, oh okay. So um for those of you out there yeah who don't know, yeah, I I injured myself uh in the lead up to the Canberra marathon. I ended up and that's my own fault. I didn't um I I was putting in some pretty big weeks and I wasn't recovering properly, I wasn't eating properly. Like I was running, I I ran like eight straight weeks of 70 plus kilometers, and like I think I think four of those weeks were 80 plus and um it it it was massive and and I while my cardiovascular was amazing, like it was really showing me the improvements, um my body just couldn't keep up, like my legs, my yeah, all of that. So um as a result, I got injured. Um I still ran the Canva Marathon, um ran being a loose, you know, using that word loosely. Um running a marathon's running a marathon, it doesn't matter what the time is, you do it. Yeah, right. I mean you you completed it, and yeah, there's no shame to anybody, however you do it, right? That's a really good point.

Joshie 59:55

Yeah, don't don't don't tell Nike that. Yeah, right.

Adrian 1:00:02

Um but you know, I so I finished it, and then um now I have got the Gold Coast full marathon coming up. And so I uh the the day after the Canberra Marathon, I saw a physio and trying to strengthen up my legs. I'm doing a lot of S and C at the moment. Um upper body, but also but but especially a lower body to like try and work, you know, fix up the knee, build up the quads and glutes. Um and to be honest, I don't know how the Gold Coast is going to be. Um but I'm keeping the option open to drop down to the half. Um so I'm assessing my options when it comes to that.

Joshie 1:00:48

Yeah.

Adrian 1:00:49

And then and then after that, like the only thing I've got signed up for is um City to Surf, just as a fun, fun, you know, fun run, as they call it. The biggest fun run in the in the world or whatever they call it. But um, no, uh so much fun, so much fun ahead for this year.

Joshie 1:01:05

Oh, I love it. Um it'd be nice to to meet you face to face, um Adrian. I'll be I'll be at the Gold Coast uh in July, so we'll have to make some time to um to to meet up. I'm I'm only up there for the weekend though, so we need to squeak something in. Yeah, that's that's all right. Um I'll I'll be on course anyhow, so I'll try and um we'll try and keep up with you for a kilometer or two while still there. Um no, I'm only uh I'm only signed up to do the the 10k at this stage, but um my um my wife and a number of my friends are running the the full, so I'm gonna try and um uh do a few kilometres on course until I eventually get kicked off, which is a bit what usually happens to people. Um so yeah, we'll have to um yeah, we'll have to we'll have to um think up when you when you're here. Now look um Adrian, words really can't describe how inspirational you are. Consider the best of luck with the next stages in your life, uh, and of course the best of luck with your health. Thanks so much for chatting with us today.

Adrian 1:01:59

No, thank you. Thank you for having me. Yeah, it's been fantastic and we talked to both you and Brad. So thank you both so much.