“I began to find myself searchin'- Searchin' for shelter again and again- Against the wind.”
-Bob Seger
Thanks to the CF Lifestyle Foundation, I’ve been given the awesome opportunity to participate in the San Diego Triathlon, the Malibu Half Marathon, and the upcoming LA Marathon.
It’s been an amazing experience thus far! The triathlon gave me a great base level of conditioning. I’ve been training hard with weekly runs at above my race pace to push myself to new personal records. All the training in the world, however, couldn’t have prepared me for the wild conditions at the Malibu Half Marathon.
“Runners ready!
3…
2…
1…
GO!”
The race began and a switch was flipped within me. I had fears, anxiety, and doubts about the race. At times like this I never forget the challenges I’ve faced with Cystic Fibrosis. My football days ended with a bowel obstruction and stomach surgery as a result of dehydration. A recent half marathon ended with some untimely vomiting and a night in the hospital. After the first few miles all those negative thoughts were blown away and all I had to do was keep moving one step at a time.
The mass of 1,000 runners soon rounded a large cliff and gazed towards miles of Malibu coastline. Our gaze was short lived, however, as ruthless gusts of windlaunched sand and gravel in a relentless onslaught. The most courageous runners tried to cover their eyes and avoid being blown into each other. Others walked backwards to avoid the sandy gusts.
An hour and a half of running provides quality thinking time. With my face covered in sand and salt, I thought about wind as a metaphor for life’s challenges. We had a goal of running all 69,168 feet of this race, but the wind of life sometimes blows...hard.
First we dealt with the mental battle. With each step my desire to pull over to the curb, order a pizza for delivery, and dine on the beach grew exponentially. Similarly however, I also heard that little voice in my head that said, “You can do this. You’ve been through much worse!”
I also dealt with typical Cystic Fibrosis related challenges. Would the sand bother my lungs? Would I take in enough salt and water to avoid cramps? On numerous occasions I’ve failed at this, causing full body cramps that made me walk like Frankenstein in search of a banana and a gatorade.
Then there was the unknown, the harsh winds that wreaked havoc on the course and the participants. My girlfriend Anna, who also participated in the race, saw an unfortunate participant stumble and crack open her head on the asphalt after a huge gust of wind.
An hour into the race I had really settled into a rhythm. The wind simply fueled the adrenaline and provided a sorely needed boost at mile 9. With three miles to go I knew I was on pace to reach my goal. My watch provided the good news that I’d hoped for and I was well on my way to crushing my personal record. I cruised in at 1:35:01, which marked a personal best by over 15 minutes. More excitingly, I felt great! Despite the unknown challenges, the Malibu Half Marathon provided me a ton of confidence going into the LA Marathon. Not only did I learn that I can train hard and hydrate well, but I’ve learned to always expect the unexpected.
The wind will always be an unknown, just as being a CF patient will be filled with unknowns. How will I improve my lung function? Is Kalydeco going to work for me? Can I eat this whole pizza on one enzyme?
Sometimes running into the wind isn’t so bad. It helps you appreciate the calm days. The wind blows away the clouds and the trouble, revealing life’s beauty and providing a sense of gratitude that’s easy to take for granted.
We’ll always be running against the wind, but I don’t think I’d have it any other way.
Wes Parsel is a 2014 CFLF Grant Recipient. He is 27 and was diganosed with CF at birth. He was immediately placed in surgery for a meconium ileus (stomach blockage) and was in the hospital for 17 weeks! Despite the rocky start, he quickly developed into the terrible monster of a child that he is today. He is currently working in marketing for a transportation consultancy. Please feel free to reach out to him at: wparsel@gmail.com or www.westonparsel.com
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