Great River Ragnar Relay 2010

If you ever have a chance to do a Ragnar Relay, please do it.  You won’t regret it.

If you ever have a chance to do an Insulindependence event with Triabetes, Glucomotive, or one of their other groups, please do it.  It will change your life.

Last weekend I ran my second Ragnar Relay with Team Glucomotive at the Great River Ragnar Relay.  We finished the 192 mile race in 28:50:09 and finished 129th out of 286.  Our team was made up of 11 Type 1 diabetics and 1 Type 2.  We even had another Type 1 driver and a Type 3 driver (Type 3 = one who doesn’t have diabetes but is still a friend, family member, or supporter of someone… or an entire team with diabetes).  I’m sure that doing an event like this with a group of friends is fun, but doing an event like this with fellow diabetics is nearly indescribable.

I wrote this last year for Del Sol, but I wanted to describe how the relay works again -

• Each team has 12 runners
• Each runner runs 3 different legs
• There are a total of 36 legs
• Each team has 2 Vans with 6 runners in each van.
• Van 1 will start on the course with runner 1.
• Runner 1 will hand off to runner 2, 2 to 3, 3 to 4, and so on to runner 6.
• Runner 6 will hand off to runner 7 and then Van 2 is on the course.
• Van 1 will then drive to the next major exchange and wait for Van 2 to complete their legs of the journey
• Repeat

My journey started at 6:26 AM Thursday morning, which was 4 minutes before I had planned to leave for the airport.  I some how managed to turn off my alarm or something and nearly overslept.  Good start, but fortunately I made it out of the house quickly and had no problems catching my flight up to Minneapolis where I met up with the rest of the team.  We all had lunch at Ikea (yes, Ikea.  The meatballs are awesome), and then drove down to the Winona, MN where the race started.

We rented a house for the night in Winona and enjoyed a pasta dinner, graciously cooked by the girls, and spent time bonding as a group before getting up a 6 AM Friday morning to head to the start line.

Our start time was 9:00 AM and our “token” Type 2, Dave, started us off and away we went.  I was in Van 2, so we drove up to Exchange 6 in Modena, Wisconsin and waited for runner #6 to arrive.  Van 1 had 41 miles to cover before reaching us, so we got under way around 3:00 PM Friday.  My first leg (I was runner #8) started just before 4:00.  I had a hilly 5.2 miles with 636 ft of elevation gain and 572 ft of elevation loss.  I ran this in 48:58 for a 9:25 pace through the beautiful country side of Wisconsin.  I was really taken back by how green and lush everything was.  To quote John Moore, our sarcastic driver, “Breathtaking, really”.

Van 2 finished up at 7:30 PM in Stockholm, WS where we then enjoyed some local eats and even took a dip in the Mississippi – something I could never imagine doing being from the St. Louis area, but up here it was really nice.  After a little bit of rest we drove up to Exchange 18 in Prescott, WS and attempted to get some sleep.  I considered sleeping outside, but after a whole 30 seconds, the mosquitoes suggested that I go inside to the local high school and sleep there.

I set my alarm for midnight (one of the crazy things you have to do at a Ragnar Relay) and got ready to run my next leg.  We started up again around 1:00 AM.  My second leg was at 1:48 AM and included one major valley and running through the haze and fog of Wisconsin corn fields.  I covered the 5.38 miles in 47:58 with a 8:55 pace.  The big climb of this run was “only” 200 ft, but was straight up over 3/10th of a mile.

We made it to Exchange 24 in Stillwater, MN, much to Van 1′s dismay at 5:15 AM.  We hoped back in the van and drove to Exchange 30 in Woodbury, MN to try to get some more sleep.  This time we all slept in the van, which surprisingly worked out pretty well and we got some much needed rest.

Van 1 completed their final legs around 9:00 AM on Saturday and it was our job to get us to the finish line.  My final leg started at 9:30 AM.  This run was a total of 5.96 miles and started on city sidewalks, but ended running on a very nice trail heading back to Minneapolis.  I had a good run, turning in a 52:29 for a 8:49 pace.  One thing to note was how much better I felt after this run compared to my final leg at Del Sol.  Last year, I had only been running for 6 months, so I didn’t have much experience.  Since then I have done a ton of great events and I’m also in the middle of my 70.3 training.  Let’s just say, I’m pleased with my current fitness level. 

After one *small* timing mishap, which left poor Anne waiting for us to meet her for about 20 minutes, our anchor Corinne, running in her first organized race, did a fantastic job and lead us as a team across the finish line just before 2:00 PM on Saturday.

We all spent the night in the Minneapolis area and had a terrific team dinner downtown before all heading home on Sunday.  I got back home at 10:00 AM just in time to help finish getting ready for my daughter’s 5th birthday party.  (It was a busy weekend).

This was my second opportunity to do a race with Insulindependence and Team Glucomotive.  Folks, this is a fantastic organization and changes lives.  This report is getting a bit long – it was a 192 mile race – so I’ll write more about Insulindependence later.

I’ve said this before, but the immediate bond that is formed between fellow diabetics is amazing.   This was such a great group of people and we had so much fun.  We shared many laughs and even a few tears (happy ones, of course) and I can’t wait to see them all again.

A HUGE thanks to everyone that supported me and made a donation to Insulindependence.  I am humbled by how generous everyone was.  I can’t thank you enough.

6 Weeks to Go to 70.3

It’s been a while since I’ve written and I have gone through some ups (2 very good races) and downs (1 very bad race) and I have 6 weeks to go until Branson 70.3.  Let’s get caught up…

On June 12, I did my local YMCA’s biathlon and had a great race.  This was a 3.5 run and a 17 mile bike.  I turned in a 1:20:40 and was very pleased.

On June 27, I ran the TriGreenville Olympic distance triathlon in Greenville, IL.  I came in with a disappointing 3:12:31.  I felt pretty good on the swim, but then struggled with high BGs and never felt right on the bike.  I tried to save myself for the run, but had nothing left and had to walk a majority of the run.  The course starts and ends on some hilly trails that just killed me.  The heat was also a huge issue.  I felt absolutely awful after this race, but it served as a wake up call.  I was nowhere near where I should’ve been physically.  My training needed to pick up or Branson was going to be a problem.

Yesterday was another race at Greenville and we decided to do the Sprint distance this time – The heat and humid is ridiculous and I needed a confidence builder.  This sprint was a .25 mile swim, a 13 mile bike and a 3 mile run.  I’ve found out that I’m not a sprint swimmer (see this).  I always start off too fast and then suffer.  The water temp was…  I don’t know…  300 degrees… give or take… and it was murky.  I felt like I couldn’t breath out and was forced to mix in some breath strokes.  I struggled through and still managed to turn in a decent time.  I was 16th out of 50 or so with a 7:30 ish swim time.  Out on the bike I hammered it pretty good, averaging 19.9 MPH and finishing in 40:40, putting me in 10th.  I felt good off the bike and hit the trails.  I dropped a few spots, but ran a 26:03 for the 3 miles and finished 15th overall.  My finish time was 1:17:32 and I feel MUCH better about my current conditioning.

EDIT- I just found out that this was good enough for 1st in my age group  (there were 3 of us, but whatever…)

Including this week, I have 6 weeks to go until Branson.  Up to this point I have done 2 50 mile rides and have finally gotten back to long runs in the double digits.  My run is getting back to where it should be, but I still need to make some improvements on the bike.  I’m consistently riding 25 miles, but need to make that jump to the next level to where 40-50 miles feels easy.  I’m getting there, but have some work to do, especially in the area of nutrition.  I need to nail down how to stay hydrated and have enough calories to feel ready to run 13.1 off the bike.

It’s crunch time and I’m going to get back to regular posts – I know you are all very excited.

Next up?  Ragnar Relay Great River with Team Glucomotive!  I can’t wait.  24+ hours, 200 miles, 12 diabetics.  Awesome.

Help Support and Inspire Folks with T1

This August I will be running in the Ragnar Relay Great River 24-hour race along with 11 other athletes with diabetes as a part of Team Glucomotive.

I am raising money for our sponsor, Insulindependence and I need your support by making a donation to this fantastic organization.  Insulindependence changes lives by helping individuals of all ages with diabetes overcome challenges and fears.  Children with Type 1 Diabetes have a special place in my heart and Insulindependence has a number of amazing programs that help mentor and inspire kids living with this terrible disease.

Last year I ran the Ragnar Relay Del Sol with Team Glucomotive (read about it here).  It was my first chance to be around a group of active people living with Type 1 Diabetes.  It was an incredible learning experience and has provided me with friendships and a life-long support group.  By supporting me, you will also provide the opportunity for others to have this same experience and to live life to its fullest despite living with diabetes.

Please consider making a small tax-deductible donation to help support me and Insulindependence.  My teammates and I are each required to raise $750, so any thing you can give would be tremendously appreciated.

To make a donation, visit my donation page here.

Thanks for reading.

http://www.glucomotive.org/index.php/events/team-relays/great-river-24-hour

Gateway Triathlon 2010

I finished my first Olympic Distance Triathlon this past weekend at the Gateway Triathlon in Carlyle, IL.  The Olympic Distance includes a 1500 meter swim, 40K bike, and a 10K run.  I managed to swim 1500 meters and bike 40K, but the 10K didn’t involve much running.

This would be my first big open water swim and I was dreading it.  I was comfortable with the distance, but getting out there without that black line at the bottom to follow and the issue of dealing with a bunch of other swimmers can be a bit overwhelming.  The water temp was “cool” at 70 degrees, but by no means was it cold especially since I would be wearing a wetsuit.  Surprisingly, I really enjoyed the swim.  First of all, swimming in a wetsuit feels a little like swimming on a surf board.  It is crazy.  You’re legs just float along and you just FLY.  Love it.  I took it pretty easy, had no problems sighting at all, and actually had fun out there.  I turned in a 28:33 1500 meter swim.  Couldn’t be happier with this time.

My 1st transition time was 3:40.  This is not terrible considering I had to climb a huge hill to get up to the transition area from the lake, get out of my suit, test, get ready to ride, all while feeling quite dizzy coming out of the water.

I finished the 24 mile bike ride in 1:17:47.  The ride was an out-and-back course and naturally the “back” was dead into the wind.  The course is mostly flat, but did include a couple short hills in the middle.  The ride back to transition was tough.  With the head-wind, I probably only averaged 15 MPH.  This was a perfect setup for a bad run.

Transition 2 time was 1:43.  Lighting fast… for me!

Here’s where it gets ugly.  This race started at 9, which put me out for my run around 11:00 am.  Did I mention that it was 90 degrees?

I was done as soon as I left transition.  I had nothing left and had 6 miles to go.  It took me 1:11:43 to cover the 10K distance, which is by far my slowest 10K.  I HATE walking in these races, but felt it was much smarter to play it safe in the heat and not get myself into to trouble.  It was some consolation to notice that nearly every single person was walking at some point.  It takes time to acclimate to running in the heat and here in the St. Louis area, we just haven’t had to deal with it yet.  So, with a mixture of walking and running, I finished with a 3:03:24.

My BG numbers were very good all day.  One of my concerns was how to handle the time just before the race.  Normally at triathlons there is a period of time before the start that the transition area closes and everybody is called in for a pre-race meeting.  For this race, the transition area closed at 8:40 for the 9:00 start.  So, I waited until they announced that it was closing before disconnecting my pump and leaving it in my bike shoes.  At this point I tested at 172 and was coming down just a little, but I figured I may have some nerves to deal with, so I felt like I was in pretty good shape.  Usually before I start any exercise I will eat 20-30 grams of carbs, but since I would be disconnected from my pump for 20 minutes before the start, I decided to forgo the snack.  I tucked a GU into my wetsuit just in case and off I went…  Post swim BG?  152.  NICE!

Post race BG?  147.  Sweet!

Diabetes Snapshots

Day 6 of Diabetes Blog Week – Diabetes Snapshots

While I normally control my BG pretty well while exercising, these 2 guys got me safely home after testing a 75 about 12 miles from home out on my bike the other day.

Diet Coke.  I can’t believe I neglected you for 28 years.

It’s called a satchel.  Indiana Jones had one.

After a 100, a 123 is my favorite.

Using every last drop.

And 2 reasons why it all matters.

Let’s Get Moving

Day 5 of Diabetes Blog Week – Let’s Get Moving

Having Type 1 Diabetes is not a good excuse for not exercising.

I tend to say that I run despite having Type 1 Diabetes, but I just recently read a quote from somebody (I wish I could remember who) that said they run, BECAUSE they have Type 1 Diabetes.  That is simply awesome.

With some determination and trial and error, you can workout just like everybody else.  There are days when I fall on the “error” side (like yesterday afternoon’s bike ride), but for the most part I know how my body is going to react.  The absolute most important thing to consider is Insulin on Board (the amount of active insulin in your body).

This morning I ran 6 miles and managed my BG perfectly.  118 when I woke up this morning, took the kids to daycare, ran 6 miles and finished up by testing at 122.  Here’s what I did this morning and what I do for every morning run:

• 2 hours before starting my run, I lowered my basal by approx 50%.
• About 5 minutes before my run I ate a package of peanut butter crackers (23 carbs)
• Ran (didn’t eat anything during my run)
• Let my basal go back to normal half way through my run to help prevent a spike after

So, here’s the thing – you do NOT have to let your BG go sky high before exercising.  By controlling your Insulin on Board and eating a few carbs before going out, you can make it with normal BG levels.

A few more important things to consider:

• TEST.  Before, after and for longer activities, during.  I found on longer runs, every 4-5 miles works good for me.
• Watch out for lows 6-8 hours following an activity.  During this time, your body is recovering and using up glucose.  After a morning workout, I will lower my basal by 60% for 2 – 3 hours later in the afternoon.
• Extremely hard efforts can actually raise your BG.  I have noticed after hard effort swims that my BG will skyrocket.  I have to give myself an extra bolus after wards to prevent a big spike.
• Never go out with some sort of carbs with you.  I prefer GU.
• GET A ROAD ID!!!!  I have an Elite and I never take it off
• Different activities require different plans.  For running and cycling, I use the same plan.  For swimming, that is all out the window.  I am now down to only lowering my basal by 50% 1 hour (MAX) before, eating 20-30 carbs pre-swim, and then giving a bolus to cover any missed basal asap following my swim.

Don’t let me fool you, working out and dealing with T1 is an enormous challenge, but the benefits far outweigh the challenges.

If you are interested in more information, here are some previous posts that go into more detail…

• Chicago Marathon Training Week 13
• Chicago Marathon

I need your support!  Make a donation and support me at the Great River Ragnar Relay.  Click here for more info.

To Carb or Not To Carb

Day 4 of Diabetes Blog Week – To Carb or Not To Carb.

First off, let’s be clear about one thing:  they are Carbs not “Carbos”.  You “Carb Load”.  You most definitely do not “Carbo Load”.

Ok, pet peeve out of the way.

I believe strongly in living life to its fullest despite having Type 1 Diabetes.  I have run a marathon, I have done triathlons and I’m training for a Half-Ironman, and I have done an 8-hour Adventure Race.  I also believe strongly in eating whatever I want despite having Type 1 Diabetes.

This may not be the best approach, but I don’t let this disease keep me from doing anything.

I do wish that my eating habits where better and that I ate less junk, but I’m pretty good at bolusing for anything I want.  I have to utilized the Super Bolus technique some times to prevent a big spike followed by a low.  I use a dual-wave to cover pizza.  I am a world champion carb guesstimator for pasta and have no problems with Chinese food…  wait, no… I ALWAYS have problems with Chinese food, but I digress…

Aside from being very careful what I eat before and after running/biking/swimming, I eat what I want.

My Biggest Supporter

Day 3 of Diabetes Blog Week –  My Biggest Supporter.

My biggest supporter is my wife.  We had been dating for just over a year when I was diagnosed, so considering the fact that I was “damaged goods” and a complete goof ball, it’s a miracle that we are married today.

The way she supports me may be a little different than you would think.  While I do get the occasional “did you test?” her support is trusting me that I am doing what I need to do to control my diabetes and stay healthy.  I really don’t need or want somebody to constantly nag me about every little thing.  She trusts me and I can’t thank her enough.

She’s also understanding when I have to play the “diabetic card”.  There are times when I get smacked by a low and I just need a minute.  She understands that lows completely suck and while I do my best to prevent them, they happen and I need a break to fix it.

Thank you Mindy for being my biggest supporter.  I can’t imagine anyone being better at being the wife of a Type 1 Diabetic.

Oh, and thanks for having a purse and carrying my meter for me.  You’re the best!

Making the low go

Day 2 of Diabetes Blog Week – Making the low go

My hypo-fixer of choice is a package of fruit snacks.  At times it seems like fruit snacks are literally keeping me alive.  I have the little bags stashed everywhere.  The handiest place is in the front pouch of my OneTouch meter.  Since it’s always with me, I always have snacks with me.

Lately, I’ve been hitting the Pop-Tarts pretty hard.  Some days, especially after a tough morning workout followed by yard work or other activities in the afternoon, I put away a few too many Pop-Tarts.  As a side note:  I finally kicked my self in the rear and lower my basals by .5 across the board.  WAY too many lows lately.  8+ hours of triathlon training a week will do that to ya.

During training I prefer GU.  I never (read:  NEVER… EVER!!) head out for a ride or run without GU.  GU is a fast-acting energy gel that has 100 calories and 25 grams of carbs.  The perfect amount.  They can be a bit of an acquired taste, but I really like them.  Vanilla Bean and TriBerry are my favorites, but I do also like the Chocolate Outrage (tastes just like frosting) and for the holiday season they make a Chocolate Mint.  Yum.

There ya have it – life sustaining fruit snacks, Pop-Tarts and GU!!

I need your support!  Make a donation and support me at the Great River Ragnar Relay.  Click here for more info.

A day in the life . . . with diabetes

Day 1 of Diabetes Blog Week – A day in the life… with diabetes

How about yesterday…

On days that I’m running, cycling, or swimming, my “day” typically begins right before I go to bed the night before.  Yesterday morning, prior to having everybody over for Mother’s Day, I had a brick workout planned.  A brick is a combination of one or more of the triathlon disciplines.  Yesterday morning I did a 24 mile bike followed by a 3 mile run.  In order to prepare for this I needed to lower my basal 2 hours before starting my ride.  So, at around 11 PM Saturday night, I planned out what time I would start – 8:30 AM and edited a basal pattern that would lower my basal by approx. 50% starting at 6:30 AM and would stay like that until returning to normal at 10:00 AM  (planned for a 1:25 ride and a 25 minute run).

Strap in… it was a busy day and I tested a LOT.

I woke up (child assisted) at 7:00 AM and tested at 128.  Good deal.

Just before my ride, I tested again at 102 and ate a package of peanut butter crackers (no bolus here).  During my ride I ate one GU and tested at 139 before heading back out for a run and then tested at 154 right after my run (10:51 AM).  Good numbers.

Now here’s where it was going to get tricky.  For the next few hours, I needed to do some yard work and finish cleaning up the house before everyone started arriving at our house at 2.  My goal for the rest of the day was no debilitating lows.  Time for a temp basal…  oh, and 2 donuts without a bolus. 

12:44 PM – 87.  Doing good…  oh, and I might’ve had another donut.  Hey, I burned a ton of calories earlier!

1:57 PM – 77.  Is it time to eat yet?

2:45 PM – Lunch time.  I made it!!  Not a typical meal today for Mother’s Day, so considering that and the exercising earlier, I guesstimated and bolused for 45g of carbs.  Way lower than what I actually ate.

4:25 PM – 89.  Yeah!  Desert time.  Chocolate cake time (did I mention that I rode and ran earlier?).  Another big guesstimation and bolused for 60g of carbs.

5:48 PM – 68.  Whoops, blew the cake and lunch guesstimations.

6:41 PM – 71.  Heading out to do day 3 of the Couch to 5K with my wife.  I do the timing, give support AND push 2 kids in the jogging stroller.  Downed 30 or so grams of carbs and off we went with 2 tired and crabby kids.

7:24 PM – 134.  Hmmm… heading up a bit.

8:38 PM – 114.  Hmmmm!?!…. heading down a bit.  Had a small bag of popcorn (no bolus).

9:38 PM – 225.  K, now that’s odd.  The popcorn did not do that.  2.0u of correction.

1:23 AM (monday) – 266.  What in the world?  2..7u of correction.

6:30 AM (monday) – 227.  WTF?  Ok, bad site.  Changed the site and went on my merry way.

It’s crazy, but this really is a typical day in the life.

ps. – I was back down to 155 before lunch today.