Training begins

Truth be told, it's been going for a few weeks :) I have never run an organized "run" and have not swam since, oh maybe 5th grade. These two disciplines will be the focus of my winter training. I'm running about three times a week and got in a six-miler this morning. Weather was great in the low-50's at sunrise after reaching 5 below zero on Friday morning... just that time of year up at a little altitude. My BS (I've got to get a diabetes dictionary up for all the non-diabetics) spiked a bit post-run today thanks to a dumb mistake. I drove out to an unpaved trail and realized when I was throwing my Spi-Belt on that I brought a glucose meter with only one remaining test strip. I decided I'd check it at the start and guess from there on until I returned home. After an english muffin and glass of milk when I awoke (backing off bolus by 50%), I dialed my basal rate back to 60% of normal about 45 minutes before I began the run (I usually try to dial back basals 90 minutes before activity). At the start of the run, I was at 132. I scarfed a choc chip clifbar down to tide me over for the run and figured I'd be fine. I ran for about 45 minutes and other than some sore calves that have been bothering me, seemed to be fine. Not wanting to risk going low while driving home, I downed a pack of sport beans. That turned out to be a mistake as I tested when I got home and was at 242. Oh well, I bolused 1.5 units and by lunch time, I was at 101. With the help of DTC, I've gotten into a pretty good groove with exercise up to 3 hours. Even on the bike for 5+ hours I have managed to get pretty good with. I do have some concerns with the swim and how I'm going to balance all that out, but plenty to time to plan for that. I'm a Medtronic Minimed Paradigm pumper and will thus have to take it off when I'm in the water for 1+ hours next November. I'll also have to determine how running for 4 or so hours will be different than cycling. When I ride for many hours, I dial basals back to 65% of normal and eat about 30-45 carbs/hour. Not sure running will equate the same way, but again, much time to determine that. Have also noticed that I'm running a lot of lows while at the office during the week. I suspect that may be occurring due to the increased training and will probably dial down the basal rates some.

My first organized run will be the Carlsbad Half Marathon in SoCal in late January and I look forward to it. Sounds like we'll have a great crew down there for an entertaining weekend at the Insulindependence world HQ's. Insulindependence is a title charity at Carlsbad this year and we'll all be raising funds to promote the organization's mission of changing diabetic lives through fitness, educational outreach and web-based community support. A few of us will be raising funds for the 2009 IronKidz program as part of the Triabetes project (more on this great program later). If you've got some spare change or a few extra dollars, this is a life changing program for the kids who will participate...I encourage you to visit http://www.insulindependence.org/carlsbad.asp.

Wishing all a great and healthy week!