RunningAHEAD - Topic: Welcome to Diabetic Runners User Group

Intherunning

posted: 8/7/2006 at 6:10 PM
modified: 8/7/2006 at 9:17 PM

Welcome. I thought that with RunningAHEAD not being specifically a site for diabetics, it would be good to start (and at least try) this user group as long as we have the opportunity to do so. My own personal situation is such that I was diagnosed in the summer of '04 after my running fell apart starting in '02. The doctor thinks diabetes had developed about 5-8 years before as I already had the onset of neuropathy. Presently my control is with exercise and diet and my A1C's are about 5.5. Running is definitely a challenge for us. For anyone who is a type 1, it is even more of a challenge. Any type 1's out there might want to check out http://insulinfactor.com. Another place to explore and to ask questions is on http:diabetesandsports.com. Forrest, be sure to post your questions there as well. Let's hope word gets around. If we can get a few diabetic runners to join us, then we will be able to share the insights we have as we experience the sport and train. John

Discipline is never an end in itself, only a means to an end. (RF)

Bear_Poop

posted: 8/8/2006 at 12:49 PM

I was being treated for high blood pressure and acid reflux after having been hospitalized for what seemed a heart attack. Acid reflux can mimic one fairly well, and entering my 50s doc wanted to be sure. Then, my doctor up and moved to northern Indiana and I knew nothing about his partner, so I looked up my late father in law’s old doctor. He was kind and listened to pop and was on top of things for him. First thing this doctor did was change my BP medication and order a detailed blood panel. Several days later his nurse calls me and says I need another A1c test as this last one was a little high How high? 7.5 So I ask what that is in English as I had no idea what an A1c was. She says 185. OH!! Well I know 185 is not a little high. It IS high. On 23 Nov 04 the second A1c came back just like the first!! I got the call just 10 minutes before our Thanksgiving Pitch in at work!! She couldn’t wait an hour to call me? I grew up around diabetes: both parents, my mom’s mom and two great uncles, HER mom and two of her brothers! Four generations and 8 diabetics with me as #9 (found out later my brother was dx’d 6 weeks later) so make that 10 in 4 generations Well I was 285 lbs at 6’2” and not really active. The CDE said eat less and move more and that is what I started doing. She wanted me on meds straight off and I wanted to try diet and exercise. She relented and let me give it a go. My dad controlled his that way for 15 years. My limits are less than 100 FBG and 140 after my big meal. Currently I am at almost 94% of the time inside that range. I lost 77 lbs by limiting my diet to 2k cals and power walking. I walked at work twice a day for a total of 3.2 miles. Just 2 weeks before my dx, my doc was telling me that a realistic weight loss was around 10 lbs and later couldn’t believe I lost 77 lbs. So I was feeling much better and was watching the One America 500 Festival Mini Marathon and all the walkers and thought I could do that, and signed up for the 2006 mini. Then last summer my gallbladder gave up and I was out of the power walking too long, then I was promoted and breaks for walks are just a distant pleasant memory. But I walked the mini anyway and had a ball!!! Hurting like hell I signed up for 2007 the next day and this one to run not walk. But since then I have I gained back 32 lbs and re-lost about 10 (the goal is to get down to 190). I have must stop that yo-yo weight as that is harder on the body than just being fat all the time. As you can see by my log I don’t have many miles under my belt, but I can sure tell it is helping me. No BP meds at all now and my resting pulse rate has dropped from the mid 80s to the mid 50s with the lowest one at 51. I look foreword to my runs now. I hope to run everyday this week with a long run on Sunday. Then repeat weekly always adding miles each week. Slow but better than a blown knee at my age! On Sunday I starting using a heart monitor on my runs and attempting to keep my HR to between 60% and 80% of my max. It has slowed me down some as I bust the upper limit early on in the run. I know that will get better as my body improves. And keeping to those limits will help me get through the August heat too, yet it drives me nuts to slow down to a fast walk when I am training to run a 5k in 6 weeks.

To paraphrase an old poster: Today is the first day of the rest of your training. It doesn’t matter where you started or how far you’ve come. Today is the day. Your training didn’t start 6 weeks ago. Your training started the last time you hit the road. John “the Penguin” Bingham Life is not tried, it is merely survived if you're standing outside the fire

Forrest

posted: 8/8/2006 at 1:34 PM
modified: 8/8/2006 at 1:36 PM

Hi Starflight You sound like you are in the same situation as I am now. I just started switching from power walking to running as well. I found that I had to spend too much time walking to have any effect on my fitness. Congratulations on the weight loss! I know what dedication it takes. I used to be a runner 5 years ago and you will find your pulse reducing dramatically as you increase distance and speed. I was shocked one day when is was in marathon shape - my resting pulse was 39. I thought I was dead. lol Running will also make your weight loss goal easily obtainable. The thing you have to be careful with is not to increase your distance or speed too quickly. The rule of thumb is no more than 10 % a week. That's not hard to live with in the beginning but it is very tempting as you get closer to a goal or a race to go over the 10% rule. This makes you very vunerable to foot ankle leg and knee injuries. Believe me, I know from experience. I'm not even at your level yet. I'm riding my bike with an old running freind who is training for a half marathon. He runs for 10 minutes at a good pace and then walks 1 or two minutes so now I ride the 10 minutes as he runs and then he rides the 2 minutes while I run (or jog to be honest) We continue this for about 20k or whatever distance he wnnts and on the week end I do my long run. I've only been doing this for about 2 weeks and my longest run is only 2k( but you have to start somewhere) It does make your runs easier if you can find somebody to do them with. Well it sounds like you are off to a great start and you are probably concerned about running now that you too are diagnosed with diabetes. I am hoping we can educate ourselves and attract other runners to this forum. PS: John, I think you mentioned one of your sons is running. Can you convince him to go with you? I will have to try the ginger snaps when running; Are they low carb/low sugar?

WHO FARTLEK"D ?

Intherunning

posted: 8/8/2006 at 6:46 PM

Hey Forrest and Starflight. I never thought to introduce you to each other. Starflight we started talking over at the ADA site and Forrest, we started talking on the Diatbetes Daily site. Anyway, Starflight meet Forrest, Forrest meet Starflight. There is another diabetic runner on the ADA site who I've invited to join us. If you get a chance go to the ADA site and invite Teki to join us in the conversation. http://community.diabetes.org/n/pfx/forum.aspx?nav=messages&webtag=adahealth&listMode=0

Discipline is never an end in itself, only a means to an end. (RF)

Intherunning

posted: 8/11/2006 at 4:23 PM
modified: 8/12/2006 at 1:10 AM

Greetings to Runner Girl!!!! It's good to have you on board. There are no limits to our running conversations here. So anything you would like to add or anything you would like to bring up as a new topic, you are more than welcome to do so! John PS to the other members. There is someone else in the forum (but not this user group) by the name of Running Girl. Just keep that in mind as you post and reply.

Discipline is never an end in itself, only a means to an end. (RF)

Intherunning

posted: 8/12/2006 at 12:26 AM

Hey, two new forum members in one day! Excellent! Welcome aboard, Teki. John

Discipline is never an end in itself, only a means to an end. (RF)

Intherunning

posted: 8/14/2006 at 4:51 PM

Welcome to the boards, Joe! Chime right in when you get the urge. John

Discipline is never an end in itself, only a means to an end. (RF)

Intherunning

posted: 8/22/2006 at 11:03 AM

It seems we have a new member to the group. Welcome aboard mkl, hope to hear from you soon! John

Discipline is never an end in itself, only a means to an end. (RF)

Intherunning

posted: 8/23/2006 at 9:25 PM
modified: 8/29/2006 at 8:48 PM

Welcom to the boards Stacie aka VTHokie99. Hope to hear a lot from you here! John

Discipline is never an end in itself, only a means to an end. (RF)

Intherunning

posted: 8/25/2006 at 11:31 AM

I think another Joe has joined the group. Welcome joe_h to the group. John

Discipline is never an end in itself, only a means to an end. (RF)

Spideog

posted: 8/27/2006 at 3:48 PM

I was diagnosed with type 1 back in '97 and I've just recently decided to get back into running again after far too many years being relatively idle, but I used to do quite a lot of running and cycling until about 7 years ago when I just got lazy for some reason and spent more time in the pub instead. I've done a few marathons, pre '97, with the last in London in '96 and if I can manage to keep going with the running I'd like to try and do another one next year, probably the Dublin one as Londons too hard to get into. I'm only starting from scratch again though really so I still have a lot to discover about my body again and how it likes this physical exersise stuff, but it's not complained too much so far.

Intherunning

posted: 8/27/2006 at 3:55 PM

Spideog, Welcome to the group! We are just a bunch of runners who share our common experience so feel free any time to post comments and ask questions. John

Discipline is never an end in itself, only a means to an end. (RF)

Intherunning

posted: 8/29/2006 at 12:35 PM

gizmot, Welcome to our diabetic runners's forum. Jump in anytime with comments or questions. Recent members are encouraged to look over some of the old threads as there may be something that could be added to those conversations. John

Discipline is never an end in itself, only a means to an end. (RF)

Intherunning

posted: 8/29/2006 at 8:43 PM

Hey, we're getting big enough to have a reunion some day! Welcome to the forum Northcoastal. Don't stay quiet like some of the other newbies have been. Shyness is not allowed here. John

Discipline is never an end in itself, only a means to an end. (RF)

mkl

posted: 8/30/2006 at 4:17 PM

Quote from Intherunning on 8/22/2006 at 11:03 AM:

It seems we have a new member to the group. Welcome aboard mkl, hope to hear from you soon! John

Hi, After havehaving had the influenza in December 2003, I lost 10 kilos and in January 2004 I have ete diagnosed T1 diabetic. I run the marathon in 3h05 in Paris 2006 and practical the triathlon since 1990 Michaël France

Diabetic Runners

Welcome to Diabetic Runners User Group (Read 562 times)