A winner in every race

Phoenix's Mark McClusky has dealt with plenty of adversity in his 16 years, including a daily battle with Cystic Fibrosis and the loss of his mother six years ago

By KRIS HENRY
Mail Tribune

Mark McClusky won't be favored Saturday at the Class 3A state cross country meet in Eugene.

In fact, it will be a mild upset if the Phoenix junior even toes the startling line.

As the Pirates' No. 8 runner, McClusky will only be called to duty should one of his teammates fall ill or sustain an injury.

But in the 16-year-old world of McClusky, none of that matters.

Truth be told, he didn't compete in a varsity race this season and never crossed the finish line first in any of his junior varsity competitions.

And yet the laid-back teen has been a winner in every race.

"In a way, Mark's the leader of our team because he shows us that no matter how bad things are, you can always get through if you're determined," says Nathan May, a junior at Phoenix and the Pirates' No. 1 runner.

McClusky's determination is one factor that goes unquestioned among those at Phoenix, and for good reason. You could say he's a "one-in-a-million"-type kid and not be too far off.

McClusky is actually one of approximately 30,000 children and adults in the United States affected by Cystic Fibrosis, a chronic, progressive and frequently fatal genetic disease of the body's mucus glands.

"It's not the prettiest thing to have," says McClusky. "You probably don't want to see my trash can. It has years of dried up stuff on the side."

Mucus in CF patients is very thick and accumulates in the lungs and intestines, resulting in malnutrition, breathing difficulties and, eventually, permanent lung damage.

To combat this, McClusky uses an inhaler each night that turns his medication into a mist form that loosens the mucus in his lungs and makes it so he has to cough.

As if that weren't enough, he then uses a flutter, which has him blowing into a device to make an internal metal ball vibrate. The vibrations, in turn, further loosen up mucus so it can be coughed up.

Not very glamorous, but it is effective in slowing the effects of a disease that, on average, shortens a patient's life span to approximately 30 years.

"Anyone who has CF can still do day-to-day things, they just need to work harder," says McClusky, adding that he's heard of CF patients living into their 50s. "You can't really sit around day after day and never exercise."

That's where cross country running enters the picture for McClusky, whose life was forever altered six years ago in Puyallup, Wash., when his mother succumbed to breast cancer.

Taken in, along with his older brother, Tysan, by their aunt and uncle, Sandy and Jon Unruh, Mark McClusky was thrust into an environment begging to be explored.

"My uncle and aunt have done everything for me and my brother," says Mark McClusky. "My lifestyle living with my mom in the city and the one with them are two totally different things. When I lived in Washington, I sat around all day. Here, I like to get out and go for hikes in the woods."

That turn to nature brought about an interest in cross country running as a seventh-grader, which was embraced by the Unruhs.

"The doctors told him he was never going to be as fast as everyone else," recalls Sandy Unruh. "He just doesn't have the lungs to be No. 1, but what he's doing is great for his health."

That's where McClusky has to do some explaining to teammates and coaches alike who only know of CF as a problem with his lungs.

"It's not like asthma," says McClusky. "Nothing is going to suddenly happen to me. You're not going to go to bed healthy one night and die. Nothing's going to change that fast. It's not going to hurt my lungs to run, it's just going to help them."

It's proven when McClusky undergoes checkups every six months or so at his doctor's office.

"When I come in during cross country season, that's when they're really blown away," he says of his test results.

Similarly, his teammates are amazed when it comes to his efforts on the 5,000-meter course.

"Mark McClusky is probably the hardest worker on our team," says May, the reigning district champion. "He never misses a practice, and the fact that he has Cystic Fibrosis and can still make it to state shows a lot about his determination."

McClusky's willingness to give his all has also been an inspiration to the Pirates.

"If Mark, with his disease, can run as good as he does," says May, "it gives us a lot of hope and determination to do everything we can out there."

Phoenix cross country coach Bruce Timmerman agrees, adding that McClusky's sheer presence "does cut down on complaints" by other runners.

"Obviously, he's doing as much as he can with a limited air supply," says Timmerman. "It's very inspirational."

For his part, McClusky doesn't see what he does as inspirational. It's just a part of the sport he loves. He says there's a certain pride factor in pushing your body to its limit.

"I think running cross country takes a lot of guts," he says, adding that he shouldn't be singled out for supposed "extra efforts."

"The rest of the guys work hard at it, too," he says. "I can guarantee they get tired. They might be more tired than I am even though I run my hardest. They're going as far as their body can take, too. That takes guts."

That willingness to take a back seat is another admirable trait of McClusky, who broke the 20-minute mark for the first and only time earlier this year.

"The best thing about Mark is he always has a positive attitude on things," says May. "He has a pretty amazing attitude considering what he goes through every day."

And that's what makes McClusky a favorite - Saturday and every day - well beyond the field of athletics.

Reach reporter Kris Henry at 776-4488, or e-mail khenry@mailtribune.com 

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