For cyclist Sean Di Paola, the idea of self locomotion, covering long distances by one’s own power, will “forever be intoxicating.”

Combine it with the allure of breathtaking views as you move through the countryside… You couldn’t keep Sean off the bike if you tried.

He says cycling is his true muse, and loves fellowshipping with other Wichitan cyclists, who he calls an “incredible community” and a “gang of gritty guys and gals from all walks of life who absolutely shred gravel.”

So awesome, Sean said. He’s obsessed.

“The symbiosis of self-induced suffering, camaraderie, fresh air and forever being able to buy new bikes and parts is unparalleled.”

He’s an Oregon transplant, and grew up in the foothills of Mt. Hood. (A short drive from the Great Pacific Ocean, he noted. We’re jealous.)

“I have always had such a romantic view of the outdoors,” Sean said. “I grew up snowboarding, cycling, hiking and running— somewhat obsessed with the fusion of strenuous physical activity in as scenic a location as possible.”

Before moving to Kansas in 2015 to pursue his career in medicine— he earned a Master’s degree at WSU and joined the trauma center at Wesley— Sean managed a surf, skate and snowboard shop. 

“Had long hair, drank lots of PBR, made any excuse to hitch a ride to the mountain,” he said. “At the same time, I was one of the primary cadaver lab Teaching Assistants at the University of Oregon.”

No matter what state (or hairstyle) Sean found himself in, he pushed hard to achieve his goals. Maybe, sometimes, too hard— more on that later. 

But his persistence is also why he’s our Athlete of the Month, and why, when we asked for his advice to others, he said,

“Be relentless. Life is movement, when you stop— life (and your quality of life) quickly follow.”

Sean spent a season as a guide runner for a blind cross country athlete.

Staying fit, keeping his body in shape, has been a driving motivator for Sean his whole life. 

“I want to be continent, walker free, and independent in all activities of daily living for as long as I can,” he said. “I also want to be fitter than my kids, forever.”

Did we mention? Sean recently began “the greatest undertaking of my life— fatherhood.” 

(You guys loved that photo we shared last month of Sean’s kiddo hanging out with Dr. Clayton during a session, just about as much as we loved seeing it!)

One other thing Sean noted in his responses: “I married a partner way out of my league.” 

It’s motivators like these— gorgeous family, long-lasting health, the great outdoors—that push Sean towards “lofty” fitness goals like the IronMan, a brutal triathlon spanning 2 miles of reservoir swimming and 112 miles of cycling across rough terrain, concluding with a full marathon on foot.

The man doesn’t know the meaning of the word "quit."

 

As part of this interview, we asked him to name his least favorite fitness activity. 

In the past, other folks have said things like, “running on the treadmill,” or “burpees.”

Sean Di Paola said “the inevitable need to back off, slow down, re-approach and rehabilitate.”

“You can't redline all the time.”

“But only because I'm impatient.”

Even his top bucket list item— scuba diving—will be a big boundary stretcher. “I’m scared of sharks,” he said.

A little while ago, though, his knee started to give out on him (long before his determination did.)

So, he came to us for some support. 

Dr. Clayton helped him recognize that the biggest barrier to achieving his fitness goals, “both physically and mentally,” Sean said, was actually his own drive to succeed. 

 

He pushed too hard sometimes, didn’t rest enough, and didn’t always listen to his pain signals. Pursuing that endless dragon— the next goal, the next time to beat, the next mile— that I’m sure a lot of us recognize. 

Now, Sean’s learned the secret to bullet proofing not just his affected knee, but also his mindset.

He adapted, reframed, and found new approaches to his fitness goals so they don’t feel so far off every time that familiar twinge pops up in his knee. (Though there’s fewer and fewer of those nowadays, we’ll note.)

Team Natural Wellness can’t take credit for all of it— though we like to think we played a part. 

Sean should be proud of himself today because he rediscovered the secret we ALL need to remember: When you’re trying to do something hard, lean on the people around you. 

He tries to be that person for others, too. He once spent a season running as a guide for a blind high school cross country runner, an experience he described as “incredibly inspiring, humbling and motivating.”

In his work as a physician’s assistant at the Wesley Emergency Department and Trauma Service, Sean sees things that could probably make a person pretty pessimistic over time.

But instead, he told us about the “incredible” people he works with—

“People who, day in and day out, sit with and care for the sick, the homeless, the marginalized, the abused, the abuser, and the dying, all with incredible grace and skill,” he said.

“We all recognize the cumulative impact this quietly has on one another - we know it's ok to not be ok - and we are the first to come to the aid of one of our own when needed.”

That’s the kind of world we like to live in, too, Sean. 

Thank you for sharing your incredible determination with us, and for letting us be one of your pillars. We can’t wait to see you conquer the Ironman someday.