Ironman Race Report

Some days Diabetes sucks but November 22, 2009 was not one of those days. That day was proof and celebration of what is possible for those with diabetes. On race morning I was surprisingly calm. I got up at 3 am to eat so that when the race started I would not have insulin on board remaining from breakfast. I went back to bed and got up for good at 4:00am. I gathered up my things and was out the door by 4:30am. I was really excited but also started to get a little nervous as we approached Tempe.
I got into transition at 5am. I had to get body marked with my race number, air up my tires and check in my remaining race bags for pick-up during at mid point of the bike and run. At 6:30 it was time to start heading to the water. I put my wetsuit on and took one last pre-race blood sugar check - 164, pretty good for a race start. My teammates, Casey and Kevin, and I started walking towards the swim start. On the way we ran into 3 more teammates, Sean, Denise and Heather. It was neat taking the final few steps with some of my teammates. We shared final thoughts, compared blood sugars, and gave the last well wishes before we jumped into the chilly waters of Tempe Town Lake. It was 62 degrees and definitely took my breath away but I quickly acclimated to the cold temperature. It was still dark at this time and was really surreal. 2800 other triathletes all in the water ready to begin a long tough day. The crowds gathered around the banks of the lake and on the Mill Avenue Bridge above us. I stopped for just a second to take it all in. It was hard to believe that I was about to start my first Ironman. I'd thought about it more times than I could count over the last year and now it was hear. The MC pumped up the crowd and got one last roar out of them after the national anthem, and then without a count down or any warning...BAM!!! The cannon went off. I expected it to be rougher than it was swimming in such a large group but I was able to settle in and not get punched or kicked too much. It was definitely full contact but nothing I hadn't experienced before and to be honest I have gotten beat up much more in other races. It was pretty congested until we hit the turnaround and then it was smooth sailing back to the swim finish. I was shocked when I looked at my watch after climbing up the stairs out of the water...1 hour 13 minutes!!! Holy *$%# that is the fastest I have ever swam that distance in open water by 6 minutes. It was a great way to start the race.

I grabbed my transition bag and entered the tent. Two things I did not expect were that it was dark inside the transition tent and the ground was wet and muddy with dry grass clippings all over it. I tried to change without getting my socks wet or debris filled. Then it was out of the tent and onto the bike. I have ridden many many miles and many many hours on the Ironman Arizona course and right away I knew the wind was going to be a factor. It was dead in my face and fairly strong when going up hill. The course is an out and back. The majority of the way out is a slow gradual climb up the Beeline Highway. I told myself, "No problem, you knew it would be windy, if it wasn't, THAT would be a surprise." The first two loops of the three loop course went pretty much as scheduled. As I turned around to start my 3rd lap a sharp pain shot up my low back. Oh crap! I have been battling a tailbone/glute/lowback issue for the last 3-4 weeks and I had hoped it would not become a problem during the race. I struggled for a couple miles with my back spasming every time I got into the aero position, causing me to have to stand up and stretch. At one point I actually stopped, got off my bike, stretched and rested a little hoping the spasms would go away. This is the point where negative thoughts started to enter into my head. "What if it gets so bad I can't finish the bike?" I had two hours to go. "How am I going to be able to run once I get of the bike?” I needed to get trough this so I continued to move forward, stretched when I needed, and tried to keep the positive self talk up. "You can make it. It might be slow but you can make it.", "You've ridden this course so many times, its just around this corner, just get to the top of this hill, just coast to the bottom, your almost there, all flat from here on out, just keep moving, it's gonna be so nice to get off this bike, etc. etc. etc." About a mile or two before transition my teammate Kevin passed me on the bike. He slowed down a little bit and talked to me. "How you feelin'?" he said. Trying to look cool and put on a front I said "Not bad, how 'bout you?" He was honest and said "I'm hurtin’" I replied "yeah I'm hurtin' pretty bad too..." Finally, after over 2 hours and 45 minutes for the last loop I made it back. I was so happy to be off that bike. Just being on my feet made things seem manageable. I couldn't help but smile when I handed the bike off to the volunteer.
I walked slowly through transition and grabbed my gear bag. I sat down in a chair outside the doorway to the tent. I didn't want to change in that dark muddy mess again. I was in absolutely no rush. Survival mode had begun. Any best case scenario time goal was out of reach at this point. My only goal now was to manage the pain, my nutrition, and my energy.

As I sat there changing my shoes, hat, and sunglasses I started going through my game plan in my head. At first I thought “Maybe I should walk the first mile just to get my legs underneath me and make sure my back wasn’t going to spasm.” But then I had a second thought…"There are a couple hundred or maybe even a thousand people waiting on the other side of this tent. You don't want to walk out of transition; I'll just run/jog until I'm out of site." The fans strung out much longer along the sidewalk than I had expected, but that was ok. My next thought was "ok, your already running, just keep going to the first aid station and you can walk there." My plan going in the race was to walk the aid stations and run the rest. My new plan was to walk the aid stations and the two bigger hills on the first lap to stay conservative. I made it to the first aid station, fueled up and headed back off on the run. I was so happy to be running, I couldn't help but have a good time. I was surprised at what a good time I was having. I continued that strategy throughout the first lap and things were going well. Then came one last challenge...the dreaded BS...my blood sugar was going too low. Off the bike my blood sugar was 83 (Normal 80-120). At that time I thought perfect, right where I need to be. I followed my normal strategy of 1 gel every 30 minutes and thought I'd be fine. But about an hour into my run I checked again - 74. I turned my insulin pump down to 50% and started amping up the nutrition. I took a gel and Gatorade and sometimes a half piece of banana every mile at the aid stations. The second lap was going well and right around the 10 mile mark I checked my blood sugar again - 65. Oh well, no more insulin today. I unplugged my pump and amped up the nutrition even more. At every aid station from then on out it went Gatorade, water, coke, water, gel, water and then a piece of banana or pretzels. I was getting so tired of eating and my stomach was so full. I didn't think I could take anything else in but I knew I needed to keep my blood sugar up. In my special needs bag at mile 13, the halfway point, I had stashed a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Boy did that come in handy. Finally at mile 18 I tested -104. I was over 100 for the first time since getting off the bike. At this point I was feeling great. Blood sugar was where it needed to be. My legs were tired but my spirits were high and my energy felt good too. As I approached the turn towards the finishing shoot I got choked up a little bit thinking about the long journey of the day and the challenges I had been able to overcome. In some ways it was a microcosm of the whole year leading up to today and all of the obstacles that come with training for something like this. I was quickly filled with joy as I turned the corner and ran into the finishers shoot. The energy and enthusiasm by the spectators was something I had never experienced before. At last, at 8:05pm, 13:05 race time I crossed the finish line and became an IRONMAN!

Highlights of Team Triabetes at Ironman AZ

30 Things About My Diabetes You May Not Know

1. The illness I live with is: Type 1 Diabetes

2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: 2005

3. But I had symptoms since: 6 months prior to diagnoses

4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: thinking about every single thing I put in my mouth.

5. Most people assume: that I can’t eat dessert or drink beer.

6. The hardest part about morning is: waking up. (has nothing to do to with my diabetes)

7. My favorite medical TV show is: Scrubs

8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: my glucose meter. I also learned a few months ago when my pump broke that although I can live without it, it’s a pain in the ass.

9. The hardest part about nights is: getting to bed on time. It seems to make that morning thing a little better. (see #6)

10. Each day I take: insulin and vitamins.

11. Regarding alternative treatments I: don’t think there are any alternative treatments for Type 1 Diabetes.

12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: invisible, but not because I want to hide it, because I don’t want to be defined by it.

13. Regarding working and career: working in the health care industry I hear a lot of scary misconceptions about diabetes. Examples – Nurse: “make sure you manage your type 1 diabetes or it will turn into type 2.”
When discussing Ironman – Cardiologist: “I wish I could test my blood sugar during the Ironman. It’s almost like you have an advantage.”

14. People would be surprised to know: that I can eat anything they can; I just have to proactively manage my blood sugar.

15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: I can’t be quite a spontaneous as I would like to be when it comes to food and exercise.

16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: train for an Ironman (and hopefully complete one in 15 days!)

17. The commercials about my illness: usually target type 2 diabetes, not type1.

18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: eating at will.

19. It was really hard to have to give up: I haven’t completely given anything up. BUT it has been hard to cut back on the sweets.

20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: Testing my blood sugar.

21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: Fortunately, diabetes has become pretty normal for me at this point. I guess I would go have a bit blowout meal and not think about it.

22. My illness has taught me: anything is possible.

23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: Only one? Here’s a couple: #1: “Should you be eating that?” #2: “My uncle had diabetes and lost his leg!” #3: In response to telling someone I have diabetes “Oh really, sometimes I get hypoglycemic.”

24. But I love it when people: ask because they are interested, instead of assuming.

25. My favorite motto, scripture, or quote that gets me through tough times is: I can get through this!

26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: Don’t let diabetes stop you from doing anything.

27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: just when you think you have it all figured out there is something new to learn. I have also been surprised about the opportunities it has given me and the great people I have met.

28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: got me some sugar at 2am when I was having a low.

29. The reason I am filling out this questionnaire is: I saw it on my teammate Jerry’s blog and though it was cool. (Modified from invisible illness week)

30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: somewhat surprised but grateful. Thank you for your support!

The 3 Day Ironman

The height of Ironman training comes at about five weeks before the big day. This past weekend was just that… the pinnacle of my Ironman training. I am currently 5 week out from the race and I have been worried and dreading this weekend since April. I completed, what my wife likes call, the 3-day Ironman.

It all started Saturday morning with a 2.4 mile open water swim (OWS). My swim training has been very minimal over the past month but I was able to match the same time I completed my last 2.4 OWS one month before. For that I give myself an A-. And to top off my A- swim I won a new Xterra wetsuit in the post race raffle. Because of this I am going to bump my grade up to an A+!

Eat…
Sleep..

I rose bright an early Sunday morning for a 112 mile bike ride follow by a five mile run.
The ride felt good and no flats. It was on the actual Ironman course. I was pleased with my time, which I’ll keep to myself for now. And my new bike fit felt great, a few more tweaks to perfection. Then it was off the bike and directly to the 5-mile run. This was where things got a bit tough. I was hot, I was tired, and I kind of just wanted to be done! But it was only one loop around Tempe Town Lake with and aid station half way, which seemed like hours to reach. I managed to finish this workout which I think earns a B. Can’t think of a way to bump this score up, shucks.

Eat…
Sleep…
Work…

Now it is Monday night and it is time for the 20-mile run. And let me tell you I did not think this was going to be pretty. BUT, after the first three miles my body and legs seemed to loosen up and just got into the grove. A “quick” 3 hours and 15 minutes later I was back at my driveway feeling like a million bucks. OK, maybe not a million bucks but at least ten bucks! I’m giving myself a grade of B for the run. It was a good, steady long run.

For my 3-day Ironman I am giving myself the final grade of B. I passed, I felt pretty good (most of the time), it was a solid performance, and I now have the confidence I had been looking for to complete the real deal in 5 weeks.

Extra Credit: Brilliant Idea! Let’s get up and swim Tuesday morning and then….DO BIKRAM YOGA on Tuesday night. I really wanted that A . After 90 minutes of lying flat on my back in a pool of sweat and managing only 30% of the poses, my yoga grade can not be much better than a D. But I am going to bump my grade up to a C because it took all the strength I had to stop myself from screaming at the instructor to “TURN THIS #$^)(@$ HEAT DOWN, I’M DYING OVER HERE!!!” In some ways this workout was a failure but as far as mental toughness training it was a success!

31 DAYS to go…

Parched!

Oh Mr. Water Machine, why, oh why have you forsaken me!!! You have been there for me time and time again. When I was thirsty...you gave me drink. When I needed a rinse or cooling off, you gave me H2O. I have told so many about you. I've sung your praises and recommended you to every triathlete/biker I know. I've told them that you are located all over the valley at most gas stations and convenient stores and even freestanding at times. I've raved about how for just 1 quarter you graciously give my fresh, cold water on the hottest of days...OK it is not always cold, but I've forgiven you for that. But today you have gone to far. You turned your back on me when I needed you most! You showed up 2 hours into my 4 hour ride like a gift from above only to taunt and laugh at me. You knew it was hot. It was well over 100 degrees already at 8am and yet you decided to charge me 30 cents instead of 25. At first I think no problem because I brought 2 quarters. Yet when I put the second quarter in you kept spitting it out. OK, I know, I know, it was a quarter from my trip to Bermuda last year but COME ON! It has to be worth 5 cents! Not only would you not accept my quarter, but you would not give back my first one so I could take it elsewhere, what's up with that?! I could see the grin on your face as I dug around hoping, just hoping that I had some change on me somewhere else hidden in my spandex. You just sat there smugly with your water spout saying dispense water here...Oh, there would be no dispensing today. And you left me penniless for my 2 hour ride home. I could hear you chuckle as I rode away. Well, you got me today Mr. Water Dispenser Machine, but I won't be so quick to whup you up to all my friends anymore. In fact I might just tell them how your friend Mr. Sprinkler helped me out down the road (granted it was an hour and 45 minutes later) and gave me water for free! Out of the kindness of his own heart. Your a good man Mr. Sprinkler, I shall repay you someday.

One Hot Workout!

I started taking Bikram Yoga classes about 6 years ago when I lived in Boulder, Colorado. Since moving to Arizona my participation has dwindled. Seriously, who wants to take 90 minutes of yoga in a room heated to 105°F or higher with a humidity of at least 40% when it's 115°F outside? And once my training for Ironman really got rolling I just could not find a way to fit it into the already busy training schedule full of swims, bikes, and runs. Then this past week I came across an article in the East Valley Tribune about how athletes are using Bikram Yoga to help avoid injuries. Bikram expands lung capacity, increases flexibility, and improves your core and stabilizer muscle strength, leading to a less likelihood of overuse injuries in the long run. In addition to your body, Bikram is great for endurance athletes because it teaches you to remain calm in challenging, stressful situations by improving focus, determination, and endurance. In the article they spoke with professional triathlete David Glove. He spoke about how last year when he was training for Ironman he factored Bikram into his training schedule. He believed it was every bit as important as his long runs and 100-mile bike rides. This got me thinking about the nagging back and hip pain I have been suffering from (I have already tried medication, physical therapy, and chiropractic care). Maybe it is time for me to roll my yoga mat back out and start factoring Bikram back into my training schedule.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/141880

MountainMan Highlights

MountainMan Half-Ironman Race Report

It felt like the race started immediately. The alarm had been going off for 15 minutes but I didn’t hear it. I got up at 4:30 and my swim wave was starting at 6:17. I’m usually a little anxious on race day with normal pre-race jitters and I always feel rushed to make sure I have everything I need, get to the race site, and get set up in the transition area before the race starts. This just set it into high gear. After parking, I was topping off the air in my tires and pssssssssst….flat tire, right out of the car. A quick change and I’m off to the transition area for set-up. I hoped that I was getting my flat for the day out of the way early.

Swim - The swim went well with no issues. 1.2 mile swim = 44:57

Bike - On the Bike I really wanted to take it easy because I knew the altitude would be a factor since I live at sea level. We started at 6400 feet and topped out at 7500 ft. Six weeks ago at DueceMan I really felt like I went too hard on the bike and suffered on the run because of it, so I wanted to avoid that as well. My strategy Sunday was to keep my cadence (pedal strokes per minute) at around 90, keep my heart rate below 145, and not to hammer the downhills in order to recover for the climbing. The bike went well. I was able to test out a new blood sugar meter mount on my bike which I’ll describe in a later post. Not my best half-iron bike at 3:14 but I felt pretty good. I did have a slight “blunder” coming into the second transition. At DeuceMan my transitions were slooooow so I was determined to quicken them up and gain some time. I was trying a new dismount where you kind of jump off your bike on the fly by swinging your leg over and hopping off. Having only practiced this a couple times I probably should not have attempted it in the race but hindsight is 20/20 right? So as I came into the transition I’m all pumped up and probably already going a little to fast and the entrance to transition is on a down hill. I swing my right leg over and I’m riding on the left pedal and start to loose control. I’m veering off to the left and not slowing down fast enough. The volunteer in front of me starts to panic…TO FAST! TO FAST! My left foot slips off the pedal and since the bottom of bike shoes are plastic my feet slip on the pavement. I avoided a major crash and stay on my feet, but I was unable to stop fast enough to avoid running into the transition entrance. The whole entrance falls down, a large metal pipe falls to the pavement…CLANK, CLANK, CLANK! drawing more attention to myself....oops. Luckily nothing was hurt except my ego, just a little embarrassing. I don’t even think I lost any time.

Run - As I headed out on the run the sun was coming out from the clouds where it had been hiding behind all morning. The first 3 miles of the run would be the toughest and I knew that going in. The 2 and 3rd miles were an uphill switchback that insured my legs were nice and spent before going into the rest of the run. The temperature rose to between 90-95 and I was also really feeling the elevation. I hadn’t really noticed it much before this point. What I did notice was what I thought was a pebble in my shoe of the arch of my left foot. I figured I could ignore it but it just became too much of a nuisance. I stopped around mile 7 and took my shoe off, look inside, shook it out…huh?, nothin’. Oh well, I put my shoe back on and continued, except I could still feel it. Another mile or two passes and I decided to check it out again only this time when I took my shoe off I actually look at my foot. OUCH! It wasn’t a pebble it was a blister. Nothing I could do at that point. I put my shoe back on and shuffled my way to the finish. My run split was 2:23:47, it was my slowest Half-Ironman to date at 6:26:46. The heat and altitude made it a tough day. In my mind, everything this season is practice/training for my overall goal of completing Ironman Arizona in November. This weekend I gained valuable race experience and mental toughness that I will need.

DeuceMan Half Ironman Highlights

It was a rough race.  One flat, lost BG meter on bike, and a low BS (68) at mile 10 on the run. Some days are better than others!

Check out the highlights

Tempe International Triathlon...Part 1

Sunday was my first race of the season. My intention was to get my feet wet, literally and figuratively, and get the bugs out. I think I successfully did that. The Tempe International is an Olympic distance race: a 1500 meter swim, 40K bike, and 10k run. It was required that we check our bikes in on Saturday so I got it all set up Friday evening. Races wheels on, tires aired up, bottle cages tightened and adjusted, blood sugar meter secured and attached, test strips filled, bike computer mounted, gel packs taped to the frame for easy access. Saturday morning I did one last check and took it around the block for a final test drive...why is it so noisy? Why won't it shift into the big ring in front? Ugh...bug number one. At most races one of the local bike shops has complimentary mechanics on site so I load it into the car and hope that is going to be the case today. Sure enough, I check in, get my race number, bike number and swim cap. I head up towards the transition area and Landis Cyclery is set up right next to the entrance, Ryan from Landis adjusts the front derailer (shifter) and says was getting stuck on the big ring and it is most likely from the cables stretching as the bike breaks in. I take it for a spin and it seems good to go. My bike is hung on the rack to sleep for the night and wait for me to return in the morning.

Race Morning

My alarm goes off at 4am. Even though I went to bed around 10 I didn't fall asleep until at least 12:00. Pre-race jitters I guess. PLUS, I had a low blood sugar of 67 around 2:30 or 3:00. Is that another bug? I think it is...bug #2. My age group is set to go off at 7:09. I like to eat 3 hours before a long workout or race because I have to take insulin when I eat. Humolog (the insulin that I use) peaks around 2 hours and stays in my system 3-4 hours. Since exercise lowers blood sugar, if I still have to much insulin on board when I start the affects will be multiplied and I would be risking having my blood sugar plummet really low. The result could be as simple as nausea, jitters, disorientation etc. or could be as bad as passing out, or seizure. Add that to the fact that the first 40 minutes of the race I will be in the water and well, I think you get the idea. That's why I like to eat and take insulin 3-4 hours before, I want the insulin cleared. It eliminates the variables. So back to breakfast...I ate 2 power bars and had two cups of coffee. I like to eat things that I know will be consistent from race to race and workout to workout. I want to know EXACTLY how many carbohydrates are in my breakfast. Again, eliminating the variables. Fueled up and off to Tempe for the race.

Tempe International Triathlon Highlights

Check out the highlights from todays race!

MONEY!

I went on a 3 1/2 hour (54 mile) ride the other day and tried a new nutrition strategy. One of the things I learned at Diabetes Training Camp is how important it is to have insulin on board when exercising. One of which is that you need it in order to get enough nutrition to sustain the longer distances. I have not been using even close to enough insulin while I exercise, particularly greater than an hour. I have been turning my basal* rate down to about 10-20% of my normal day to day amount while exercising. Dr. Corcoran suggested that I should never go below 50%. I asked one of my Triabetes teamates, Casey how he manages it. He is a veteran Ironman and is planning on qualifying for Kona this year. He recommended 2 bottles of Perpetuem (an endurance nutrition drink made by Hammer Nutrition), starting with 4 scoops in each and working my way up to 6 scoops in each by Ironman. In addition, take 1 gel per hour. I left my basal* rate at 100% and took a combo bolus** on my Animus pump to cover the carbohydrates in the Perpetuem, but not the gels. Combo meaning I took 15% of the insulin up front with the remaining stretched out over 4 hours. Long story short...IT WAS MONEY. I don't know if it was beginners luck or what but check out the Blood sugars below!  I'm going to try it out in my first race this weekend.

53.72 Miles

3 hours 23 minutes

Average Heart Rate 131

Starting BG: 130 (11:50am)

12:27 107

1:26 109

2:24 87

Rolled in the driveway at 107 (3:28pm)

*In the treatment of diabetes the term basal rate simply means the low rate of insulin supply needed to cover the basal metabolic functions of daily living (i.e. breathing, heart rate, and other metabolic processes of the body). That is, what insulin is needed to maintain good blood sugar control without taking into account eating any food (food is covered with a "bolus" of insulin).

**Bolus = a single dose of insulin. Bolus insulin can be given by injection (shots) or through an insulin pump.

Bolus insulin is given for two reasons:
1. Whenever food is eaten that may raise blood sugar (especially in the case of carbohydrates); and/or
2. Whenever blood sugars are too high and need to be corrected (made lower).

Bike Rollers

Check my first ride on my new Bike Rollers!

Public Service Announcement

Bullying gives no Peace, no happiness. Don't Bully.

Know Peace, know happiness!

*Brought to you by the Kindergarten Class at Frye Elementary School

Catching Up - Skirt Chaser

I’ve been so busy I really haven’t had a chance to report on one of the races I did about a month ago. On Valentines Day Erica and I ran in the "Skirt Chaser 5k" in Tempe AZ. The premise of the race is this...the females get a 3 minute head start on the males. Hence..the skirt chaser. What better way to celebrate Valentines Day than a friendly battle of the sexes right! 3 Minutes is a lot to make up in a 5k (3.1 miles), but I was up for the challenge. I really didn’t expect to make it up. My strategy was to just run as hard as I could and hold on for as long as I could. It didn’t take long for me to start passing some of the women but they were the slow ones and Erica is not slow. I knew I would be running harder than her but I started to think that even if I run hard enough to catch her, she would have more left in the tank to kick it in than I would. Needless to say it was never an issue. I was able to make up 2 minutes but still finished a minute behind her. Single runners were encouraged to wear a sticker to mark their singleness during the run and at the after party. The men may have been handicapped in the run by starting 3 minutes behind but they were given the advantage at the after party of 2 free beers AND 2 free glasses of wine given to all runners. This may have helped out the dateless males of the group. Oh by the way, one guy did pass Erica right at the finish line. He was wearing a skirt…I’m not sure he understood the rules.

Happy Birthday Dad!

Today is my Dad’s Birthday. It got me thinking about how my parents influenced me early on that incorporating exercise into your life is important. Growing up my Dad was a “runner”, most likely a child of the running boom in the late 70’s and early 80’s. I always remember him coming back from his runs in the morning as I was getting up and getting ready for school. Saucony Jazz was his running shoe of choice. For years he wore a Busch light (or maybe Natural Light) running jacket and a white Olympic hat during the cold months in Michigan He owned a valuer jogging suite replica of those worn by the USA in the 1984 Olympics. I vaguely recall one time running about a half block with him while my Mom waited at the driveway so that I could turn around and run back to her. I was not an endurance athlete as a kid. I enjoyed team sports, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer and a little football. As a result I viewed running as a way to get in shape for those sports. We had a large block around our house that was about a mile. I would run that and that was it. It wasn’t until I met Erica that I realized that running can be “fun”. My Mom was a phenomenal tennis player, one of the best in the state of Michigan as a kid. There is also a legend that she scored all 48(?) points for her team in a basketball game in high school. I remember going to the racquet club with her and playing in the daycare center while she had her weekly tennis games. She even used to “Jazzercise” when that was hot in the 80’s. I believe she might even have been an instructor. Maybe that’s why I have an affinity for wearing fuzzy leg warmers when I’m working out. It is through their example that I was exposed to fitness. I guess you can truly say it is in my blood.

Reflection

I just returned home tonight from an incredible 10 days training and learning about diabetes management and performance at the Diabetes Training Camp in Tucson AZ with the Triabetes Team captains. I had no plans of posting this evening. I opened my e-mail to start catching up after being away only to find it filled with thoughts and reflections from my teammates on last weeks events. Diabetes, particularly type 1 (Insulin Dependant), is like a fraternity. There is an instant bond as a result of knowing that they "get it". They understand. I hope to update what I learned and more on how the camp went in the next week or so. We had the fantastic privilege of working with Rick Crawford from Colorado Premier Training. (more on that in future posts) Rick also writes for Velo News. Below is a link to his article this week about his experiences at the Diabetes Training Camp. I read it tonight and just had to share.

http://www.velonews.com/article/89008/

Bike Fit

The other day we received Great News! Thanks to one of our GENEROUS sponsors, TriSports, and the help of Kestrel Bikes the whole team is being supplied with top of the line Tri Bikes for the 2009 season. I am so excited! I feel incredibly lucky. What more could I ask for? So today I had to get my measurements so that our bikes would be ready and waiting for us when we get to Diabetes Training Camp in March. This is where the story goes sour. I went to one of the local Tri/Bike shops with a cheat sheet of the parameters they needed. First, he told me that my top of the line bike was CRAP! :-0 Secondly, he told me that he invented the bike fitting system that 80% of the bike shops in the U.S. and continued on to tell me that the measurements they were asking for were ridiculous and that it was a rip of of the system HE created. Lastly, He tried to convince me that He was going to be at the Diabetes Training Camp in March. I told him he was not diabetic so he can't come (not really but I was thinking that). Who does he think he is? TriSports and Kestrel have been kind enough to supply our team with Awesome bikes, what kind of fool would not be happy with that? We may have diabetes but we're not stupid. In the end I got the measurements I needed, he got $20 for the shop beer fund and I told him to watch out for me in November on my lightning fast bike at Ironman Arizona! Thanks TriSports and Kestrel! Check it out!

Calling all Youth Diabetics.

Are you a Type 1 Diabetic between the age of 9 and 11 or do you know one. If so you have a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Back by popular demand are the most adventurous kids on the planet: Triabuddies (formerly known as the Insulindependence IronKiDz) Fifteen lucky kids (ages 9-12) will be selected to travel to the American Southwest this November for a trip that will surely change their lives. Under the guidance of certified wilderness guides and experienced diabetes mentors, the Triabuddies will embark on a 3-day sail- and kayaking journey to the Channel Islands off the California Coast. They’ll work as a team to prove to themselves that they have what it takes to overcome diabetes in the face of adversity.
On November 19, the Triabuddies will reach Santa Barbara, then voyage to Phoenix to meet their designated training buddy from the Triabetes team. Each of the Triabuddies will have worked with one of athletes over the course of the summer as they trained for the 2009 Arizona Ironman.
On Sunday, the day of the Ironman, the Triabuddies will use the diabetes management skills they obtained on the river to help their training buddy cross the finish line. Together, they’ll continue to make history as a part of the Triabetes project. For further information and to apply follow the link below.

http://triabetes.org/triabuddies.php

Back in the Saddle

I've been trying to get back in the saddle this week after a month of sporadic workouts, excessive eating and drinking and high blood sugars. It has been tough but I'm getting there.

Happy New Year!

9:00 am New Years Day. Last night Erica and I threw a New Years Party/Wedding Party for our friends and family in Michigan. It seems (from what I could tell) like a great time was had by all. My wife Erica ran in college. Her crazy teamates have started a tradition after weddings and large parties to run a 5K (approximately) the morning after. They have named it the "Glory Days" Run, hoping to relive what was. So back to this morning. Everyone met including many party guests who wanted to/were talked in to it at 9:00am. All participants had hydrated properly the night before with their adult beverage of choice and got the 3-5 hours of sleep that most experts recommend before a big race. At such "Glory Days" events, costumes are encouraged and clothes from the night before are worn with pride. All in all it was good fun and surely the best cure for a hangover. I set a PR of around 15 to 20 minutes for roughly 1 and a half to 2 miles...but who was counting.