‘I want CF to be a part of my story, but I don't want to be defined by CF’: Adam’s London Marathon story

Growing up with CF

I was rushed into hospital with breathing and bowel issues when I was six months old. The doctors ran test to find out why I was so unwell, and then they discovered that I had cystic fibrosis (CF). It was a complete shock to my parents because no one else in my family has CF. I have two brothers and I’m the middle child. 

I found it challenging to manage my CF when I was younger. I remember being in secondary school and not wanting to take Creon in front of my classmates at lunchtime. I didn’t want to explain my CF to everyone, but I never got bullied because people were very understanding.

There were a couple of times when I had to be admitted to hospital. It was hard because I didn’t always want to do my physio, I just wanted to be a teenager and go out and have fun with my friends. Thankfully, my mum has always been very persistent and motivated me do the right things to keep well.

I’m still learning to live with it every day. I'm on the new medicine Alyftrek, I’ve been taking it for a few months, and it has been working well for me. I haven’t experienced any side effects, and I’ve seen really good results from it. 

I’m currently studying Psychology at the University of Birmingham, and my biggest challenge is keeping up with the daily physio when I have deadlines and other priorities to manage at the same time. 

What inspired you to run the London Marathon?

I've always wanted to do a fundraising event for the Trust, and running the London Marathon was on my bucket list. I enjoy running and it was also something I wanted to do because my cardio is quite good. I want to challenge myself and give it a try. This will be my first marathon and I’m not going to let my CF hold me back at all.

I just hope that the money I raise can help the Trust and people that might need it more than me, because, unfortunately, not everyone with CF is able to run a marathon. 

My siblings, family and friends are excited and very supportive, they’re all going to be there on the day to cheer me on. 

How’s your training going?

It's going well and it's really ramping up now. I’m trying to do four runs a week, to get the training in. As I haven’t run a marathon before, I’m going to do a half marathon to build myself up. 

The training hasn’t been easy, especially when the weather is bad, so I’ve be running on the treadmill because it's easier. But as the weather gets better, I want to go back to running outside. 

If I don't train enough and I'm not happy with the result, the only person I can blame really is myself. So, I think that's what keeps me motivated. It's just the fact that no one else can run the marathon for me!

Advice for anyone thinking of taking on a marathon

I would say, just do it. There might be a mental barrier that you have to overcome, it could be the thought of people watching you, or that you can't run fast, but every day is a chance to build, and you just have to adjust your training to your own body. I don't think there's enough time in our lives to spend waiting to do anything that we’re passionate about or really want to do.

I'd like to encourage other young people with CF and let them know the sky is the limit and don't ever lose hope. Instead of allowing it to hold me back, I use it as a springboard to elevate me to become an amazing person regardless of CF. I want CF to be a part of my story, but I don't want to be defined by CF.

What’s next for you?

I’m in my first year at university, so I’m planning on finishing my degree. I enjoy playing football and keeping fit, but another passion of mine is writing music and singing, and that’s something I'm going to keep doing. If I enjoy running the marathon, then I might sign up to do some more runs in the future! 

Find out how you can take on a challenge and raise money for Cystic Fibrosis Trust.