Tri-ing with insulin

It's nearly here

2009-11-16T20:22:00.003-07:00

Holy smokes, the big show is nearly upon us. As training picked up over the past many months, blogging was dealt a blow... but so be it, not going to reflect on that.

To all of those who have provided support in this year-long journey toward the Ironman, words could not do justice to the appreciation felt. Now less than 48 hours from departing for the desert and under six days from stepping up to the beach to begin the day-long race, I am confident I've put in the hours of training needed. There will be a time or two when exhaustion will try and reign me in on Sunday, but I've prepared for those mental challenges by remembering those who have had it much tougher than me. As long as BG's hold, insulin pump malfunctions are avoided, hypoglycemic reactions are caught early, I'm going to complete the 140.6-mile race. This journey has taken me from Kona to Killington from Death Valley to Mt Elbert in the past year, over 100 miles on the bike in six different states, over 25 miles of running in seven different states. More than that, each trip has introduced me to remarkable stories from some remarkable people that have overcome the odds to accomplish so many different and varied goals. It's been the largest gift on how to live one's life that I could have ever hoped for.

This weekend is going to provide a tremendous celebration. I am eager to meet so many from the 2008 Triabetes team, so many of the 2008 Triabuddies, to catch up with my Triabetes teammates that I spent a remarkable week with in March 2009, to hear about my Triabuddy Parker's trip to the Channel Islands and how to live an active life with Type 1 diabetes, to meet all the peers he will be introduced into beginning tomorrow night, to see the premier of the Triabetes documentary on Saturday, to catch up with so many friends, family and supporters of this project AND to reach the starting line on Sunday morning. The work is now done, Sunday will be a celebration that will push my limits, but like I've done before, I'll find a way to reach the finish line. I WILL reach the finisher's chute with a smile on my face.

Thank you for adding so much to my life and looking forward to the years ahead!!

P.S. - I will have a blog entry summarizing as much as I can following raceday - by Thanksgiving weekend :)

30 days and counting!

2009-10-22T06:40:00.002-06:00

Well, in an hour and 20 minutes, it will be. Working on a blog entry, more to come tonight...

Start of summer

2009-06-07T20:19:00.003-06:00

Kona race pics came in few days ago... here, inhaling some Gu coming back from the Hawi aid station along the Pacific coastline.

Rode my Roubaix road bike up Lookout Mtn yesterday and that became an ordeal. Near the top, my rear tire pretty much exploded... something I've never had happen. I heard the rear tire suddenly making a rubbing sound and within a couple of seconds, it blew - sounding like a gunshot. It caught the attention of several other cyclists making the 2,000 foot climb that were in the area. The tire was completely shredded. That was all for the day and a trip to the bike shop was in store for the afternoon. It could have been worse, I was 80% of the way up the climb and had it happened on the way down the mountain at 40-45MPH, that could have been problematic.

Got out this morning to catch my Triabuddy, Parker Gregston, play a soccer match. Parker is a 12-year old from the Denver area who has a pretty good handle on managing his diabetes. He also has Celiac disease and I have a ton to learn from him - he's a terrific young man. He, his family and I are trying to find a 5K on the calendar this summer to run. As part of the Triabuddies program, he will participate in some exciting opportunities. Each of the Triabuddies will venture out to the Channel Islands this November the week before the Ironman and will set sail off the coast of Santa Barbara for a multiday outdoor adventure with guides and Insulindependence staff. They'll arrive in Tempe the day before Ironman and we'll all get the opportunity to meet up, celebrate the year's accomplishments and prepare for raceday on Nov 22. A few hundred yards from the finish line, I'll pick up Parker along the ropes and we'll cross the finish line together - should be an awesome experience! I think if it were up to Parker, he might want to join me for the last few miles - I wouldn't want to slow him up... lol. Parker is helping raising money for the Triabetes program and I encourage anyone to visit his fundraising site (First Giving). Having had the opportunity to speak with a few of the 2008 Triabuddy families over the course of the last six months, I can speak firsthand of the positive impact this program is having on families' lives.

It's great to be back in the drier air, Kona was so humid. Had some rough weather this afternoon in Denver, but it's set the stage for a nice cool evening. Plan to swim the next several mornings as I'll be forced out of the water for 3 weeks following my Wednesday PRK laser eye correction surgery. It's going to be different to lose the glasses I've had for 20+ years, but looking forward to being able to see on my own again - transition stations will be so much easier not worrying about finding the prescription shades.

Kona

2009-06-03T20:16:00.003-06:00

As friend Peter texted to me last week, "soak it up, you're in Mecca..." I had never been over to the Hawaiian islands, but I got the distinct impression that Kona is a bit different from other areas of our 50th state. From swimming the official IM swim course (see pic) several mornings to riding the Queen K Highway, it quickly became apparent that this is the center of the world for a triathlete. From the heights of Mauna Kea (13,800 feet high) to the depths of Kailua Bay and the dolphins swimming beneath us, it was an amazing experience. Saw snow fields on Mauna Kea and experienced the heat of running and riding thru the lava fields.

Saturday's race performance provided decent improvement from my first tri out at Wildflower 3 weeks earlier. The swim provided 200m visibility to the ocean floor and I was out in 58 minutes. The ride was a rolling one across the Queen K and I managed those 56 miles in about 3.5 hrs. The run was rough... hot, humid, blisters developed early on my heel and ran out of salt tablets too early. To call it a run might be a bit of a stretch, more walking than running. I was out on the run course an hour longer than I should have, but it's always good to get to that finish line. Stuck with my overnight Levimir injection the night before to keep some insulin on board during the swim and reconnected my Medtronic insulin pump coming into T1 after I had exited the water. Turned basal to 65% of normal and consumed about 60g of carbs an hour and tried to consume around 60 oz of water an hour. I held that regimin fairly well thru the ride and felt pretty strong coming into T2. The run quickly deteriorated in the first two miles as I felt increasing discomfort on my heels. I should have stopped a medic and taken a minute or two to bandage them up, but got into the mindset that I didn't have a minute to spare - lesson learned. I should have worn socks I had practiced in rather than buying a new pair a few days before the race. BG's were 97 out of the water, 146 at the midway point on the bike and got up to 210 early in the walk/run before coming down in the 140 range on a few additional checks late in the race. All in all, I think I've got the diabetes management dialed in pretty well for race-day's. I may need to increase the basal rates and consume a little more on the carb side, especially on the run. My nutrition on the run is not where I think it should be - think I'm going too light.

The trip out also provided another opportunity to reach out to the diabetic community. To the Oregon State student I met on Saturday, keep up the good work and stay active... it makes all the difference in the world. Before entering the water on race morning, I had an internist identify himself and ask me about the catheters plugged into my abdomen. When I told him I was a T1 diabetic and I'd connect my insulin pump when I exited the water, he asked me some good questions about how I deal with insulin on race day. Yet another opportunity to educate...

A huge thanks to the entire Carlson clan for the week out there... you all are awesome!! I will not forget making the last turn on the golf course and seeing you run to the ropes to get a high-five coming down the home stretch. Diabetes' marriage with triathlon started out there with Billy 26 years ago and look how far it has come - a remarkable legacy! Bill, let's both get back out there for Kona in October in the years to come! In the meantime, we'll work on getting the Insulindependence Kona office established - we ought to be able to do it for $175 :)

Musings

2009-05-18T20:31:00.004-06:00

The past week has been an exciting learning experience. The new Kestrel Airfoil Pro SL Special Edition arrived about a week ago and I got it put together. What a sweet looking ride it is! After one ride on it, it was pretty clear I had entered a new dimension in cycling. I described it as scary fast to a family member last week. I thought I had a pretty nice road bike, but this Kestrel is like being on a rocket ship. It handles differently from a road bike (not nearly as nimble), which I had been forewarned about. I had the opportunity to get up to Ft. Collins on Saturday evening and get a custom fit done with Steve Owens of Colorado Premier Training. I've been working with Steve, Rick Crawford and Nancy Eastman to establish a training program and they've been terrific from the start. It's a unique opportunity for an amateur like myself to gain the experience of some real professionals. Steve's worked with the likes of Apolo Ohno, Christian Van de Velde and David Zabriskie, among many others. In our Saturday session, he really brought to me an appreciation of the impact of aerodynamics on the time trial positioning. We worked on the set up of the aerobars, the seat, positioning of loose cabling and the hydration system that will go on the bike, head positioning and a few other pointers. Anything that will help slice thru the wind more efficiently will obviously save energy and improve time. Got my first test post-fit on Sunday for a series of brick workouts down near Waterton Canyon. It was quite an eye opener. I rode up through Deer Creek Canyon, which is a very popular cycling trek outside of Denver and was not passed by a single road bike in two hours of riding... and there were plenty out there who were better cyclists than myself. After my first ride on the aerobars the previous week and some pretty intense discomfort, I felt pretty good down on the aerobars on Sunday. The Kestrel is SO much faster and really easier to power thru pedal strokes than my road bike. Also realized it works on some different muscle groups than the roadie does. I'm now eager to see how well I can keep my positioning on the aerobars out in Kona in a few weeks. Jumping on the bike fresh (like I did on Sunday) is quite different than jumping on the bike after a 1.2 mile swim. We'll see how it goes soon.

Earlier on Saturday, had the opportunity to get out for a DESA meeting for the local Denver chapter. Thanks to Mark Haywood for getting that set up. I continue to meet some remarkable people at such outings. John Moore and I had the opportunity to meet a young nine year-old (recently diagnosed) and her father and it's so encouraging to see someone like that battling through the up's and down's daily management of this disease can bring. Awesome to see the smiles on young kid's faces who deal with this. Also had the opportunity to meet the parent of a Type 1 and witness the toll it can take on a parent - something I've tried to understand better but that I don't have the real world experience to draw on. It was a reaffirmation of everything Insulindependence, Triabetes and other similar groups are doing.

Stay well!

Wildflower

2009-05-06T20:12:00.002-06:00

After catching up on work and sleep the past several days, wanted to catch up on the Wildflower experience this past weekend. My first triathlon was pretty demanding as I felt like I was climbing the hills of Monterey County, California, 99% of the day. Although my swimming has loads of improvement ahead, I did make it out of the water! It was quite a different experience than swimming laps in the pool with all those bodies in the water - dodging arms and kicks :) I stayed patient and got through it though. BG's were spot on out of the water at 125. During the ride, the BG's stayed pretty level and under 200. "Nasty Hill," at mile 43 took its victims and brought a few participants to tears from what I saw. It was a beast of a grade at that stage of the race and I think took a lot of my legs with it for the run. At mile 50, I developed a flat at a place that had no shoulder to give me room to change it. Thanks to the CHP officer for providing me some cover on that rather blind hill. My coach had instructed me to walk the first few miles of the run back in March when we discussed strategies for Wildflower - knowing this would be my first tri. Like I could of run, anyway :) I was pretty gassed at the start of the run and some rising BG's (260 about a half hour in), I think, started to impact my endurance and performance. Bolusing was something I didn't want to do, so I took an alternative approach and basically stopped fueling for an hour, going with just water. By the half way point of the run, BG's were coming back down to where I wanted them and the nasty hills on the run/walk were behind me. That was about the juncture where we ran through the campgrounds that held 20K or 30K people, and that has a way of motivating you to step it up. Continual cheering from the crowd definitely helped. I was able to run the last 2-3 miles straight thru as I regained some energy. Finished up with a BG of 130, as the pic shows here. I realized following the race that I had some gas left in the tank and have felt really good this week so far. As I wasn't concerned about time at all, it gives me some confidence heading out to Kona in a couple of weeks. I don't think I'll be racing a more challenging course than Wildflower. It does feel good to have a 70.3 under my belt, though.

Lake San Antonio is an awesome spot to hold such a storied event and I'm fortunate to have been able to participate. Thanks to teammate Anne, friends Shannon, James, Jill and Tomas for their experience in guiding me through a memorable Wildflower weekend and hearing so many funny stories. Great to catch up with Erin and Tony on Saturday night as well! It was awesome to catch up with many of our Triabetes sponsors, including Polar, FLUID and TriSports. The folks from FLUID put a tent up with a crowd at about mile 6 of the run and were rowdy enough to keep me going for several additional miles... thanks gang! We've got the greatest group of sponsors. For those of you who know Wildflower and have asked about the nude aid station, I think the kids from Cal Poly SLO have done away with that. Rather, they now streak the campground at about 7PM on Saturday evening as everyone is grilling out after the race :)

Huge props to Anne for legging out the cycling leg with a relay team... only three months following her horrific crit crash. Awesome job, Anne!!

Out for a run now and seeing what I can do to improve performance at Kona.

Race prep

2009-04-21T21:01:00.004-06:00

So, I'm ten days out from pitching a tent for Wildflower and getting all my gear set up. I work with a few folks who've raced 70.3's in the past and have spoken with a few other friends who apparently have dealt with pre-race jitters and nerves. I was asked the question over the weekend, "Are you getting nervous?" I answered it honestly... absolutely not. I don't know why, but I've never been one to get nervous... maybe it has to do with having diabetes, but people have often told me I'm able to keep things in perspective. I've always perceived nervousness to be wasted energy. I've got too many other things to spend time on with my daily diabetes management to let nerves get in the way. I'll always feel like I could do more to be race ready, but I know others have done far less, too. And in a way, aren't all our life experiences preparing us for the trials we'll encounter throughout life, whether it be triathlon stresses or other challenges in life we'll face? I'll be happy to be out there on the competitive playing field.

Got to e-mailing a friend about what I plan to do with the swim and my Medtronic pump, which is not waterproof. Thought it might be worthwhile to share what I've been working on with our team doctor, Dr. Matt, if disconnecting an insulin pump during the swim is a concern for others. He and I got to discussing this during Diabetes Training Camp down in Tucson. He started me on a dose of Levimir that I typically inject around 11PM at night. I stop my basal when I inject the Levimir. I've found that the Levimir which I dose at half what an daily dose would be typically will be good for about 10 hours before it begins to lose its potency. This permits me to have a manageable amount of insulin on board when I swim in the early mornings. I've not seen significant fluxes during my swims and if my pump is hooked back up by 9AM the following morning, my BG's have been quite good. My overnight BG's have also behaved quite well. For those of you that might not have waterproof pumps, it might be worth discussing with your doctor.

Before I sign off for the night, I want to give a shout out to teammate Brian Foster for his outstanding finish in Boston on Monday... way to go Brian!

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T11:04:00.005-06:00

I've been delinquent on posts, but certainly wanted to wish all a Happy Easter.

Phew, yesterday was indeed a struggle. I'm certain there will be many more of those. I got in a good ride on Friday afternoon of over 50 miles with about 2,500 feet of elevation gain. I've never felt better on the climb up Lookout Mountain outside of Golden. Diabetes, to me, is a constant balancing act and I guess those good feelings from Friday had to equal out. My swims yesterday and today have been a struggle and the run yesterday afternoon was a real effort. Weather is garbage out here today, so I'm hoping to get a few hours of nice easy riding on the trainer and loosen up the legs a bit.

So often, I've seen athletes, teammates, friends, acquaintances beating themselves up over perceived failures to perform to their own or other's expectations. I, for one, know I've been guilty of that in the past. There is a quote I've found an important reminder when I've begun to "beat myself up" for not meeting my own expectations. I also saw this on a 2008 Triabetes YouTube video and it could not be a more relevant motto for me. Teddy Roosevelt once said the following, "It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat." Well said, Teddy. Training will continue to present challenges, but they will be overcome with a mental toughness that shapes all who compete in triathlons.

I was in to see my endo for my regular six month check a week ago and all signs were good. HbA1C was 6.5, blood pressure was 120/59 - 21 years into this disease. I don't think I've ever been more fit or healthier. Just a reminder that it can be done no matter the circumstances.

Happy Easter!

Moab

2009-03-24T20:24:00.002-06:00

Ran the Canyonlands Half Marathon last Saturday. Whenever I talk about Moab, I really feel as though I'm missing out if I don't share pics, but I inadvertently left the camera behind last weekend. Ran the race with my sister, her boyfriend and his father. They are all multiple year vets of the race, but it was my first. It turned out to be a hot one... good preview for Tempe in November. It reached close to 80 on Saturday as it apparently did in Denver all weekend too. The race organizers bus the 5,000 runners 11 miles up the narrow canyon along the Colorado River and we run down along the river and a couple of miles through the town of Moab. Don't think Moab is officially one of the seven wonders of the world, but it could well be... beautiful red rock formations planted in the middle of the high desert with the snow-capped LaSal Mountains just to the east. Three national parks surround the area. If you've never been there, you owe it to yourself to get there at least once in life.

I had planned to run the miles close to a 9-minute pace and I held that up fairly well. I finished in 2:00:58, which I think was a 9:17 pace. I felt really good through the first 10 miles and struggled a bit with some quad and calf cramps as well as dehydration through the last 3 miles. That being said, I recovered pretty quickly and did get out to ride 50 miles on Sunday around Grand Junction, Colorado. That helped loosen me up a bit too. BG's held up pretty well. I dialed my basal rates back to 60% of normal 1.5 hours prior to the start and set that temp basal for 3.5 hours (which would take me through the end of the race). I downed about 70g of carbs about 20-30 minutes before the start of the race when my BG came in at 114. Aid stations were spaced out about every two miles and I downed a 3/4 cup of water at each station (perhaps not enough). I tested my BG between miles 6 and 7 and it came in at 81. That's lower than I wanted, so I downed a couple of Gu packs immediately (50g total carbs). In opening one of those Gu packs, I naturally got it all over my hands which made their way into my glucose meter. For those not familiar with what that means, I basically killed the accuracy for the rest of the race of my glucose monitor until I could get all the hardened Gu washed off my monitor. What did I learn from Saturday? Well, I'm not yet trained to run a marathon, but it would have been an uphill climb to finish the second half if I had to. I think I need to drink more water. My electrolytes were pretty depleted as well. When I watched the IM Arizona last November, I noticed a lot of the runners were downing salt tablets. I'm going to look into that further... may help ward off the dehydration or even stave off the loss of electrolytes.

What's on tap this weekend? Another 700 mile round trip to Moab. Pete and John are racing a 24-hour race out there this weekend and while I won't be doing anything like that, I look forward to getting out for maybe 10 miles and pacing the two of them. Weather should be much cooler with highs in the low 60's. Another opportunity to get out on the bike in desert conditions too. Will be great to get out there with two of the people who are largely responsible for making this whole Triabetes thing possible.

St. Patty's Day

2009-03-17T05:56:00.003-06:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day! For an Irish Catholic kid, this always ranks near the top of my favorite annual holidays. Found out over the weekend that my high school, the Fighting Irish of Cathedral, now get this as a school holiday... my, how times have changed. Enjoy the day and keep it a safe one.

After a full weekend of training, I've been fighting off a bug for the past 12 or so hours. A bit of a scratchy throat had me cancel last night's run to make sure I didn't make matters worse, but feeling better this morning. Got in a good 10-mile run on Saturday and felt really good afterwards, which was very encouraging. That gave me the confidence that the shoes have corrected my pronation issue. No flare-up's of knee, so I'm crossing my fingers that all that continues. I'll know more this weekend after I complete the Canyonlands Half Marathon in Moab. Weather looks to be great for the coming weekend out in the high desert (low to mid-70's) and very much looking forward to see how I hold up.

I swam Saturday and Sunday and the swim stroke is beginning to take shape. I'm getting in better distances without the effort of a month ago. Contacted a local coach who teaches the total immersion technique and will be following up on that in the coming days. On Sunday, I got in a two hour ride and was pleased to keep a pace of around 18 miles/hour for the two hour ride. I hear that once we get the new Kestrel's, the aerobars may add a couple of miles an hour to the ride. If that's the case, I'd like to shoot to break six hours on the cycling leg in November. Don't know if that is overly optimistic or not, but time will tell. I'd love to finish the IMAZ in under 12 hours, but that may be biting off more than I can chew... again, training will help determine whether that'll work.

Because of a noticeable difference in insulin sensitivities as training ramps up, I reduced basal rates on Sunday night (from 0.8 units per hour to 0.7 units per hour to start with). Over the first two days, it seems to be working better. I'll have to tweak it a little more, but my BG's don't seem to be dropping constantly like they had before. I had gotten so used to just popping carbs constantly without bolusing that I'm needing to break that habit once again... a good thing. It'll all come together.

For those heading out this afternoon/evening, enjoy a Guinness for me this evening.

Off-Day

2009-03-12T18:03:00.002-06:00

Today's my off-day, one that's probably sorely needed. I've gotten in about 10 miles of running since getting back to Denver and have been swimming close to 500m a day (swimming's coming along since DTC). I'll be getting in about 10 miles on Saturday as next weekend is the Canyonlands Half Marathon in Moab. Since getting back from Tucson, I've not really unpacked yet. UPS'd several boxes back including my bike, so time to get that reassembled, get organized and get a chance to walk a clean line thru my home. Before I get to that, a quick trip to REI is needed... dividend checks arrived last week! I didn't realize how much I spent there last year, but they made out on me - doing my best to help the economy recover :). I will say that the TriSports store in Tucson may have become my new favorite retail buying experience over REI (I've never shopped in my life, when I go out to a retail store, I go in to buy - don't know how some people go out and shop :)) My dividend check is healthy enough to purchase a cycling trainer, which is probably a bit late to be buying that with daylight savings now on us, but I figure I'll need it in the fall in Oct and Nov as we lose daylight hours. It'll be nice to hop on that for a few hours later in the evenings. Anyone out there have a Kurt Kinetic Road Machine trainer? If so, let me know your thoughts.

Something I've noticed since last week is my insulin sensitivity is changing rapidly. Last week, involved multiple daily training sessions - which is not something I have the opportunity to do during working hours. We had some great sessions with Dr. Matt on this topic and it's time for some basal adjustments. I've been waking up in the mornings with BG's in the 50's, something that always gives me a little pause due to some past issues I've had with severe hypoglycemic reactions in the mornings. As I continue to increase my base training, I imagine I'll need to continue to adjust the basal rates on my Medtronic pump. I've been addressing the past two weeks by eating more, but it's still not always working. I've never eaten this much in my life. Beginning to work on a plan for how to deal with insulin during my swimming competitions (training hasn't involved being disconnected from my pump for more than a half hour). The Medtronic pump is not water-proof, but I've found out the Animus pump is. I hate to disconnect my pump for maybe 2 hours or more as we wait for the start, then swim before the first transition station. I can probably throw the Medtronic in an AquaPak and tuck it under my wetsuit for Wildflower, Boulder and Ironman Arizona, but I won't have the wetsuit for the warm waters of Hawaii in May and there lies my issue. May explore what it would take to get an Animus pump - please help us out Medtronic! Going to talk to Dr. Matt tomorrow on whether experimenting with a Lantus injection the night before is doable - just don't like that option without considerable testing and I kind of hate to start trying that out... part of the whole reason I converted to a pump a few years ago. If that's needed, I'll figure it out, though.

I'm super-psyched to have the opportunity to be able to train with the coaching services of Colorado Premier Training (http://www.coloradopremiertraining.com/) leading up to Ironman. Huge thanks to Dr. Matt and Rick Crawford for getting this set up for the Triabetes team. It's even better for me since some of their facilities and coaches are right on the Front Range here in Colorado. Look forward to getting rolling with that and setting up a formal training plan.

All for now, off to REI.

Tucson

2009-03-11T21:42:00.003-06:00

Ever feel like an idiot when you miss something obvious? For the past few nights, I've been trying to figure out what my password is to get signed back into my own blog (oh, the numerous passwords to access anything anymore... ridiculous). Obviously, I overcame the issues and got in.

My first week of March was spent in Tucson and it was one of the great weeks of my life. For those of you who are diabetic, I encourage you to make a commitment to get to a Diabetes Training Camp (www.diabetestrainingcamp.com). For those of you who are not, well, you've got all the benefits of living without this disease :) I had the good fortune to make it to my second camp, this time around with my Triabetes teammates. Words don't do the experience down there justice, you've got to be there to grasp it. I could go on and on about everything that went on down there, but I'll try and summarize a few of the highlights. Sometimes I've got to ask myself if I ever believed I'd have the opportunity to get coaching from a few former members of the Olympic team, a former coach of Lance Armstrong (see his article at http://www.velonews.com/article/89008/training-with-type-1-diabetic-athletes-has-taught-coach) and so many other influential mentors. They were all so down to earth and an absolute joy to spend time with. DTC is the dream of Dr. Matt Corcoran - a doctor, a friend, someone we need more of our population to be like. As a friend of mine once indicated, he's the first doctor who didn't speak at him - Dr. Matt spoke with him. I believe medicine needs to be a collaborative effort between the patient and the doctor and nobody embodies that better than Dr. Matt. He's a pioneer in actively charting a new course in the treatment of diabetes by promoting a healthy lifestyle upfront to ward off the complications. The Triabetes team is privileged to have him as our team physician.

Days typically started at 6AM and ended close to 10PM, so between training sessions, lectures on nutrition, sports psychology and diabetes management, one-on-one consults with coaches and staff of DTC on anything and everything, it was a ton packed into a short week. One of my favorite sessions was the cycle skills session where we worked our way from picking up water bottles off the road to pushing/pulling a teammate to effectively a roller derby on our bikes. As coach Nicole Freedman said, we're going to have to get used to being bumped and elbowed in these races. With the competitive instinct of a group of triathletes, it got pretty intense. Somehow, I always had Reid, the former rugby player, coming at me! I won a few and lost a few :)

We also had the opportunity to get over to the U of A for VO2 testing. This is where they hook you up to heart monitors and a breathing tube while cycling to measure max heart rate and your max oxygen uptake. The results of my test confirmed for me that I've got little athletic DNA :)

We're fortunate to have a great team of sponsors, many of whom we had the opportunity to meet with throughout the course of the week. The great team at TriSports, who put on the TriFest Expo over the weekend was awesome, the team from Fluid, Thorlo, Spibelt, Kestrel, and Polar that we met with were first class and terrific ambassadors for the message our team is aiming to spread.

Last but certainly not least, a special shout out to Denise, Kevin and Grant who labored up the 6,000 feet and the wind and the cold to the summit of Mt. Lemon last Friday. You're all rock stars!

9 months and counting...

2009-02-22T20:23:00.003-07:00

Yes, indeed, only nine months of training left. To some it may seem like a ton of time, to others not much. Learning quickly all the planning that needs to go into this venture. Travel, logistics, insulin, test strips, backup insulin, backup test strips, adjusting basal rates, tri equipment challenges, diabetic equipment challenges, etc, etc, it can all add up without the right attitude. But hey, I wouldn't have started this journey if I didn't know I could finish it.

Planning right now for a week in Tucson where the Triabetes captains will be gathering in early March for a week of training, medical testing and working with friends at TriSports (www.trisports.com). On the immediate calendar in terms of preparation are the Canyonlands Half Marathon on Mar 21 (Moab), Wildflower Triathlon on May 2 (central California) and the HonuHalf Ironman on May 30 (Kona, HI). I've also recently registered for the JDRF Ride to Cure Diabetes in Killington, VT in August and the Tour de Cure here in Colorado also in August. Many other events on the calendar or under consideration, so hope to see many out there as the next year rolls on.

Any young diabetics out there?

2009-02-10T20:05:00.004-07:00

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 their adventure to help their training buddy cross the finish line. Together, they’ll continue to make history as a part of the Triabetes project.

See this site for more info and a video presentation for a preview of this outstanding experience...

www.triabetes.org/triabuddies.php

Weekend update

2009-02-08T20:30:00.002-07:00

Noticed a few weeks ago, that my IM ticker fell under 300 days, Nov 22 will be here before I know it!

Good weekend had here. I awoke Saturday morning and got in an 8-mile run on a beautiful 50-degree morning... pain free for the first time in months. I had gotten in a short run of 2.5 miles earlier in the week which was my first since Carlsbad as my knees had been bothering me for several days. I've got to give a shout out to my local shoe store, Active Imprints, in Boulder. I run in the Newton's (http://www.newtonrunning.com/) and had been experiencing worsening pain in my knees, like somebody was stabbing me with a knife between the patella and the fibula. It would kick in after about 4 miles and get worse as my runs wore on. For the 24 hours following runs, it could be pretty painful. Teammate Bill Carlson diagnosed a few issues while I was down in San Diego for Carlsbad (thanks to Pete for the photo along the PCH in Carlsbad here) and one thing I needed was more support due to some pronation problems. I took my Newton Gravity's back to Active Imprints last week to explain my issues and they simply swapped out my Gravity's for a new pair of Newton Motion's... and my Gravity's had about 150 miles on them. Honestly, I was planning to just buy a new pair. Thanks for earning a lifelong customer! After running on the Motion's, I've felt great and completely pain free. Thanks to Bill and the new shoes, I'm now looking forward to building my base miles to the 26.2 miles I'll need for IM. Next run event on the calendar is the Canyonlands Half Marathon in Moab in mid-March.

Also need to give a shout out to Sarah for getting me up to Red Rocks (the 8th wonder of the world - google U2's 1983 Sunday Bloody Sunday video if you've not seen it before) last weekend. It's a great local training venue, along with the world's best concert site. There's an 80-year old guy who trains a group a couple of times a month up there. He puts together a 1-hr interval training workout running the steps, some core work, etc... and does it himself too! This 80-year old kicked my butt, quite an inspiring guy!

Spent a few hours this past week getting measurements taken for the new Kestrel Air Foil Pro SL Special Edition TT bikes our team is being outfitted with. Never imagined I'd be seated on an $8K plus bike. Special thanks to Tri Sports, Kestrel and Steve over at Wheat Ridge Cyclery for taking care of my fitting needs and taking an interest in the Triabetes program. Amazing the good people I've had the good fortune of coming across thus far. Last night, had the opportunity to get up to Breckenridge to see an old friend from the Diabetes Training Camp last September. She was up there with a bunch of Animas reps and had the opportunity to hang out with the group for the evening and this morning (after trying to hide my Medtronic pump all night :)) Ran into all kinds of folks as we name dropped Triabetes teammate names they knew and discussed the Triabetes program, which they all knew well. Great to hear all the good wishes they passed on - thanks to any of you up there who read this!

I'll be blogging again soon (probably tomorrow) about the Triabuddies program, formerly the Ironkidz program. It deserves its own segment, and program details are now out. See http://www.triabetes.org/triabuddies.php for a preview and details. This experience is going to be awesome!!

Carlsbad

2009-01-28T20:59:00.002-07:00

After a negligent month of January blogging, time to get back on the horse. What a terrific weekend I enjoyed down in San Diego at the Insulindependence world HQ (aka Nate and Pete"s house). 30+ ID supporters and friends showed up in sunny San Diego to run the Carlsbad Marathon and Half. I ran my first ever organized run in the Half. Weather was terrific to run in, the course along Pacific Coast Highway was so much different than those corn fields of Indiana I grew up in and I finished in 2:06, 6 minutes off my desired pace. My 9:37 pace should prove adequate for Ironman in November if I can keep that up. I plan to improve it. Other than some recurring knee pain that began to worsen around mile 10, my wind was very good. I feel as though I could have run the marathon if not for the leg problems. Got some great advice from "Dr." Bill Carlson that I hope to institute and avoid some of these knee issues I have been experiencing. That IT band is a pain... in more ways than one :) In the training leading up to Carlsbad, I had only gotten up to 8 miles and a couple of miles of that was walking due to the knees. So, I was pretty pleased to finish off the Half... no doubt in my mind what the training at altitude does. In training, I will typically stop every 45 minutes to test blood sugars. I abandoned that practice and just kept running on Sunday. I was a bit concerned as my pre-race BG was 96, too low for me as I always drop precipitously in the first hour. I reduced my basals an hour and half before the 7:30 start to 55% of normal. With the 96, i downed a Clif Bar and 2 bags of Sport Beans about 10 minutes before the start. The course was an out and back down PCH. At the halfway point, I felt pretty good and decided to just keep running, had to enjoy the waves crashing along the coast next to me. I gulped down water at every other Aid Station (each mile). Around mile 10, I definitely started to weaken as we ran up a hill. I began to feel like BG might be dropping, so popped a Gu gel in and grabbed a couple of orange slices at an Aid Station. As I climbed this hill, the knees began to bother me so I began walking for a bit. Somewhere around mile 11, I hear a "Hey McKendry" and get a tap on the shoulder from behind. Nero is passing me with the 3:30 pace group from the marathon... way to go Pete on the PR! That gave me enough to get back into stride and run the last 2+ miles in. Upon crossing the finish line, BG was spot on at 103. For my first serious long run, it came off pretty well. Monday and Tuesday were a struggle to walk around, but Wednesday has brought back some flexibility and I should be ready to get back on the trail by the weekend.

The run was of course surrounded by some good times at IDHQ. I was priveleged to meet folks from Boston to Minnesota to Tampa to San Diego, Steve Parker from the 2008 Triabetes team, Ryan Maloney and his family from the IronKidz program and some awesome and genuine good company. Got out Sat morning with the surfers and enjoyed an hour or two on the beach, enjoyed some time at the ID booth at the expo on Sat afternoon, and had some great food and a drinks Sat and Sun.

Need to find Nate a wetsuit... surfing in 55 degree water in swim trunks for an hour is not natural, dude :) I am still cold after watching that!

Looking forward to the next event on the schedule, the Canyonlands Half Marathon in mid-March. Until then, I need to start spending many more hours in the water. I am like dropping a rock in the water right now, but I will get that fixed!

Looking back, forward

2008-12-29T21:27:00.004-07:00

As 2008 winds down, I had the opportunity to get up and snowshoe this past weekend in the Colorado high country. Many challenges and triumphs can be recalled from the past year. Physical, mental, emotional challenges and triumphs were all present... each provided an opportunity to grow, because by overcoming each and every one, a life experience was gained. Isn't that what this game of life is all about? 2009 will undoubtedly provide further opportunities to challenge certainly what my body and mind are capable of enduring. The more and more I train, the more my beliefs are confirmed that exercise is the key to so much in life... it clears the mind of stress, allows the mind to focus and assists in maintaining a healthy attitude - I have a saying that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. Almost 11 years to the day, I packed up a Penske truck in Cincinnati and drove half way across the country to establish a new home in Colorado. From time to time, some friends ask what drove me out here. There is one thing that drove me to Colorado and one thing only - diabetes. To live out my dreams, I became convinced it was going to be critical to maintain a healthy life and I had the good fortune to listen to a voice that was telling me the West needed to be my home. Over the past 11 years, there are so many events that have confirmed those thoughts. It's not a place for everyone, but it's been the right place for me at the right time. As a result of moving to a new place, it opened my eyes to new ways of accomplishing things. I've explored new places (47 of the 50 states, western Europe, Thailand, Nepal), I've camped out in remote mountains explored by Lewis & Clark, slept in the back of the car in the Utah desert, ridden public transit through rural Thailand, walked the streets of Kathmandu, seen the depths of Death Valley to the heights of Mt. Everest and come to appreciate life's challenges with renewed enthusiasm. It just goes to prove that diabetes can't really stop you from doing anything. Without diabetes, who knows what I would have ever pushed myself to see and experience.

In 2009, I will begin a new chapter by competing in the Ironman. I haven't had the opportunity to say much about this Triabetes project, but the weekend down in Arizona in November was such a remarkable experience. Our Triabetes team represents, to me, so many of the positive qualities that we sometimes take for granted in a world that can too often become cynical. There are some truly remarkable backgrounds from which my teammates come and we have some terrific resources (from medical staff to world class coaches to equipment) from which to draw throughout the year as we train, as we fall down, as we pick ourselves up, as we lean on each other, and as each of us compete and cross that finish line next November. As we broke bread in November as a team, we joked at one point about what our weakest discipline was... I think it was Seb who blurted out all of them. It was perfect and could not have summarized my feelings any better. I've never run or swam regularly and I just manage on a bike. I've never been a big New Year's reveler or goal setter - but, I have never looked so eagerly at the beginning of a new year.

Happy New Year and don't let anything stop you from pursuing your dreams (not even a bad BG)!

Weekend

2008-12-22T21:41:00.002-07:00

Snowshoed up in the mountains west of Denver on Saturday and the pic here is the result of 30 minutes of snowhoeing after reducing my basal rate to 55% of normal 45 minutes before we started and downing a ClifBar on the drive up to our starting point. John and I tested about the same time and we didn't reach a combined BS of 70. He tells me he and Steve Ahn couldn't reach a combined 60 during a training run last year, so that record still stands. Looking back, I usually like to reduce my basal rate 90 minutes before I start something so lesson learned for me! Found a good snowshoeing trek where snow was decent, but still a little thin for this point in the year. The mountains are getting dumped on tonight and tomorrow, so should have great snow the rest of the season. I fixed the low BS by downing a couple of bags of SportBeans (50 total carbs) and downed a sandwhich (45 carbs) a bit later. I overdid it a bit as my BS spiked up to 280 in the car heading home. After 2.0 units of bolus, the afternoon ran between 90-110. Planning to head up on Christmas morning with my siblings and their significant others... I'll make sure to reduce basals a little earlier.

I visited my opthamologist late last week for a LASIK eval to determine if that might be an option. When I was down in Arizona in November, Triabetic teammate Bill Carlson talked me into getting it done. Unfortunately, my cornea is too thin and LASIK is not an option. However, PRK (which is the original eye laser surgery) is available and I'm contemplating whether to pursue that. Recovery is a bit longer on it and vision is now always fully corrected in 24 hours like it is with LASIK, but it does have many Pro's to weigh. I'd have to be out of the water for 3 weeks (to avoid any infection) and debating on whether that is a good option with next year's schedule... something to research further and consider over the holidays.

I'm also pretty psyched about getting started on a CGMS. My insurance plan fortunately does cover it and while I likely wouldn't wear it full time, I plan to wear it periodically during training and during competitions. I tried one out up at the DTC in September and the trending on them was a real eye-opener. Maybe I can avoid those 31's :)

I sat thru the Broncos collapse yesterday and think I've just thawed out in the past couple hours :) Boy, was it cold! Go Broncos and Jay Cutler, beat the Chargers this Sunday!

Before I sign off, I want to wish all a Merry Christmas! Hope all have the opportunity to spend it with family and/or friends!

Brrrr!

2008-12-14T19:15:00.002-07:00

What a difference a day makes. Enjoyed a training run in shorts and t-shirt yesterday afternoon as we reached the 60's. This morning, John Moore and I got in a 5-mile run in temps near zero. Still was a great day to be out and getting in some training. I'm battling some soreness under my knees in the 24 hours following runs and have consequently not been getting in quite as much running as I'd like. A few have suggested it may be I-T Band Syndrome, but a few others who are familiar with these sorts of injuries are leaning against that. If it continues, may be time to talk to the doc.

Training schedule picked up a few additions this week. I was pleased to receive my confirmation today for the Canyonlands Half Marathon in Moab in March... made it through the lottery! It's a beautiful run through canyon country on the Colorado River into Moab. Both of my sisters have run it on multiple occasions. I'm also psyched to be heading to the Avia Wildflower Tri (Long Course) in May near the central California coast. I've read only great things about it... from what I can tell and what I've heard, it's near nothing but brings in 30K spectators. Nearest hotels are about 45 minutes away, so we'll be camping out with the competitors for that one. Should be a blast with a few other Triabetes teammates. They call it the Woodstock of tri's, so should provide some great preparation and entertainment. Supposed to be a pretty rough course with quite a few hills, so look forward to getting in a good test for the Honu Half Ironman, which will be four weeks later in Kona. On Jan 3, it looks like I'm going to enter the Turquoise Lake 20 mile snowshoe run up in Leadville. The time limit on that is 7 hours, so stay tuned in early January for results :) Of course, also looking forward to the Carlsbad Half Marathon in San Diego in late January as well.

Another trial balloon I've sent out is to get the Medtronic CGM. Spoke to the rep last week and awaiting a call back once they get doctor's approval, check w/insurance, etc. I tested one out for several days in September at the DTC I attended and think it will be incredibly beneficial for training and races. The precision on them struggles from time to time, but the trends they show were really valuable as I cycled or ran. It allowed me to treat hypo's and hyper's before they became real issues.

All for now,
Sean

Training begins

2008-12-07T22:17:00.002-07:00

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!

Kick-off

2008-12-01T21:27:00.003-07:00

It's hard to believe I'm blogging as I've never really followed a blog, but let's "play ball!"

Three months ago, I would not have envisioned myself setting up a blog. Three months ago, I toyed with the idea of entering a triathlon, but certainly not an Ironman. Where did this process begin? I would say it dates back to a hot summer day this past July or August. Early on a weekend morning, I waited outside the REI on the Platte River trail in Denver for the rest of my training group to arrive for our JDRF Ride to Cure Diabetes weekly ride. It would again take place in scenic Whitefish, MT this year. As I waited for a few familiar faces, a guy rides up, notices my JDRF jersey and asks if I'm Steve, who happens to be our JDRF ride coach. It's not unusual to see a new face, so I introduce myself to John Moore. John tells me he's recently moved to Denver following completion of an MBA and we get to talking. Through the course of our morning ride of 50-60 miles, John tells me his story of life with diabetes and how he'll be competing in the Ironman Wisconsin with a team that calls themselves Triabetes ( a pretty amazing feat from the sounds of it). When John tells me he got his MBA from App State, my eyes immediately light up and I tell him I'm happy that his school shocked the world by beating Michigan in football last year. John immediately tells me about his roots to Ohio State and how can two Buckeyes not bond. John and I begin to discuss Diabetes Training Camp at one point which was a couple of months away at that point for me and he goes on to explain that his wife will be working the camp. I'll expand on DTC later, but it was such a confirmation for the exact reason that I packed up my belongings 11 years ago and moved out West. An active lifestyle was essential to maintaining a quality of life that I desired to manage my diabetes. At the end of the ride, John and I agree that we'll connect at DTC up in Snowmass once he has completed the Ironman Wisconsin.

Upon returning home, I look up this Triabetes deal on the internet and track updates on it in the months that follow. After a week of training in the scenic high altitude enclave of Snowmass at DTC, a light clicked on for me and I decided that Triabetes was something I could not pass up. It was as simple as I woke up and while at breakfast on the last morning, that light bulb clicked on. From that moment, I have been fortunate to receive a number of subtle confirmations that this was absolutely the right decision. For the past few years, I've reflected on my own struggles managing diabetes and have come to realize that in many ways, I represent a new paradigm. When I was diagnosed as a 15-year old in 1988, I was never aware of anyone out there 20+ years into living successfully with Type 1. Sure, there were a few out there, but not many who were living complication free. Technology and insulins have advanced to the point where there are more and more of us out there. Each and everyone of us who walks this planet is obviously unique in our own way. I was not blessed with any extraordinary abilities, but I recognize that I do many things above average. Managing diabetes to me, is in many ways a balancing act. Too much or too little of anything has never been good. I think that translates into so much of who we Type 1's become as people. As the years go by, that just seems to become more and more apparent in my eyes. In recent years, I've searched for a way to encourage others to grab diabetes by the horns and beat it. Like so many others, it is my goal to leave this earth a better place than the one I inherited. The Triabetes project is a perfect fit for so much of what I hope to make this world a better place. I don't yet know exactly how I'm going to complete an Ironman with diabetes (I've cycled 112 miles, but never run even a 5K or swam 2.4 miles), but isn't that story of this cycle of life we all experience? I look at the stories of John Moore, Dave Shack, Steve Ahn, Anne Findlay, Bill Carlson, Steve Chop, Larry Smith, Steve Parker, Joe Brady, Aaron Perry, Brian Foster and Peter Nerothin of the Triabetes 2008 team and am truly inspired by what they accomplished. If I can do half of what they have done, a remarkable difference can be made in the lives of so many as we spread this message. I am committed to continuing the selfless message that this team has started. I truly believe this Triabetes project embodies a powerful message and will change the way diabetes is approached in so many positive ways.