I am excited to be entering my sixth season as an
endurance athlete. I compete in all distances of running
and triathlon events ranging from Ironman , marathon and
half marathon distance races.
I was diagnosed with
Type 1 Diabetes in 2006 at 34 years old, with a blood
sugar level of 560 and A1C of 18. This news came as a
total shock as we do not have a family history of
Diabetes. However, this diagnosis helped explain many
of the symptoms I had experienced throughout the
previous year, including extreme fatigue and weight
loss, lingering sports injuries, energy crashes (aka:
bonking) and slower race times. Upon starting insulin
therapy, I noticed immediate improvements and was able
to lower my blood sugar levels dramatically.
I have completed six
Ironman races, shaving off over 3 hours since my
diagnosis. There are twenty Ironman races held
around the world each year, and growing. Approximately
48,000 athletes compete for one of the 1,600 qualifying
spots for the Ironman world championships in Hawaii. My
athletic goal is to be one of those 1600 this year.
Ironman is a sport of planning, nutrition,
determination, focus and execution. During Ironman,
I typically check my blood sugar level as often as 10 to
20 times, all while not losing valuable seconds to my
competitors. I consume nearly 4,000 calories per race
and adjust my insulin as needed, using my Animas insulin
pump. It is an incredible feat just to get to the
starting line of an Ironman. It's an even greater
challenge to finish in the top percentile and qualify
for the World Championships with diabetes. This is my
goal for 2010 - 2011.
My experience living with diabetes has
inspired me to become more involved by connecting with
other diabetics, to help them lead healthy, active
lifestyles.
I have teamed up with elite diabetic athletes from
around the world to form Diabetes
Performance. The Diabetes Performance team will
promote endurance sports and set a positive example for
people living with diabetes. Through our racing and
speaking engagements, we will prove that with proper
planning, care and determination, diabetes doesn't have
to stop you....but it CAN turn you into the person
you've always wanted to be!