September 29, 2009
Mari

Like so many of the team, I did the long rehearsal this past Saturday. We did it in conjunction with the CWW tri club women training for the Arizona Ironman. This meant that Yoli and a few other coaches were there for support for the day. I had a race plan and executed it with flexibility and precision, which seems contradictory, but if you are a person with diabetes and an athlete, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

I realized while I was out there swimming 1.33 miles (it was a meter pool), biking 56 miles and running 10 miles, that I absolutely love this sport. Granted I knew that before I embarked for the day, but doing it, feeling it, suffering, and loving it all at once merged into this beautiful realization about why I love it.

It’s because of the continual learning that happens. It’s why I can hardly wait until next season to do it all again, there are so many lessons I’ve learned this season that I am excited to put into place next season. Here are a few of the things I realized and learned this past Saturday that are key for me to remember on race day. And like Ramona said in her blog, what we learn is highly personal. These are my learnings!

Do not take any supplements or vitamins race day (or the day before) I knew this from previous race days, but I forgot. As a result, my stomach hurt in part because of this. Small but important detail. This sport is ALL about the details!





Put body glide on all my seams under my arms and inside my socks. Chafing and blisters are a new thing for me and body glide really works. Thanks Coach Bree for having some available mid-way through the run! I plan to have a stick of the stuff at both our transitions.





I really love having the sensor on the day before and during the race.
With the help of the continuous glucose monitor (the sensor) I did a great job the day before the rehearsal of keeping my blood sugar above 80 mg/dl the full 24 hours before the event. As Marcey, our Sports Dietician, reminded us, it’s important for glycogen stores in the liver to be topped off and fully available on race day, which means any low blood sugars in the 24 hours before the event make a serious dent in those stores. The sensor is a great tool we have available to us.


I am not very social right before, during or immediately after the race. I really like and need to get into my own story, into my own head and body space. My interactions with team mates are best limited to very superficial and upbeat comments and words of encouragement. I tend to smile a lot, but no details. I don’t want to share what’s happening with my blood sugars or discuss my plan of action. And as important, I don’t want to hear the details of what your blood sugar is doing or how your plan is going, that’s your story and I get distracted by those details. And before and during the race the name of the game is FOCUS. Once I’m done and have gotten some food, then I love exchanging our stories.


Carrying two water bottles on the hot run is perfect. I have one water bottle in my fuel belt and one bottle with electrolytes that I carry in the back of my sports bra (thanks Coach Celeste for this hot tip!) With all this extra water available, I can spray myself down and stay cool. This was a key to staying focused during the heat on Saturday.




The coaches and fans on the route really make a difference! I love the cheering and the support and the blast of energy and encouragement that comes as they yell and smile and jump up and down. I can feel it pull me to the finish line! And crossing that finish line is what it’s all about. As Sally Edwards says, “the woman who starts the race is not the same woman who finishes.” I’m excited to see what women we’ll all be at the finish of the Longhorn.

September 28, 2009
Ramona

Ok – I know it’s not a miracle, but it almost feels like one. On my big rehearsal yesterday, my blood sugars stayed between 88 and 168. The rehearsal (1.2 mi swim, 56 mi bike, 13 mi run) took me 8 hours and 45 minutes, and the WHOLE time by blood sugars stayed within that range! During my previous rehearsals, I’ve struggled to keep my blood sugars below 300, particularly on the bike. But check out yesterday’s numbers!

My experience yesterday convinces me that practice is invaluable. For each previous rehearsal, I’ve painstakingly planned and recorded my insulin, carbohydrates, and blood sugars. Finally, all the data paid off! I’ve learned that I have to be very aggressive when I get out of the water. Yesterday, I took 100% of my missed basal, 100% correction, and 150% (!) bolus for a goo. Even more unbelievable, I left my basal rate at 100% almost the entire rehearsal! Without practice, I never would have had the guts to be so aggressive. But gradually I’ve learned what I need. I understand that it is different from what many other women need, and I feel empowered to know that I have been able to identify what, I think, are my unique needs.

In Austin, it would not surprise me if the exact same strategy I used yesterday totally fails me when I try it again. But that’s ok. What’s important to me at this stage is that once – just ONCE – my blood sugars were about as perfect as I ever hoped they’d be during 8+ hours of exercise. It gives me confidence that it can happen again, even if it doesn’t in Austin. And I hope for those of you still waiting for your perfectly “in-range” rehearsal, it gives you hope that it can happen to you too!

September 27, 2009
Karen L.

This being my first triathlon season, there’s all kind of stuff to learn. I know what T1 and T2 are now. I know about putting stretch laces in my running shoes so I don’t have to spend time tying them in transition. I’ve learned to rub Body Glide on my ankles and wrists to ease wetsuit removal.

We’ve all got to answer a lot of questions in preparing for race day. What will I eat, and when? Where will I place myself in the wave start in the water? How will I set up my transition area?

Those of us with diabetes have some other things to learn and think about during our training and events. When will I eat before the event, and how much insulin will I take for it? What emergency snacks will I have on me in the water, and how? What will I do with my non-waterproof insulin pump during the swim? How often will I test my blood sugar during the bike ride? How will I test it? Where will I carry my fuel and blood sugar meter on the run?

I’ve been working a little on the testing-while-biking aspect of the whole equation. Here’s a closeup of the front of my bike, showing the aero bars. It’s nice that the ultra mini is such small meter:

September 25, 2009
Karyn B.

I’m Karyn and I’m new to the Team! So, I’m new to Team WILD but not new to team diabetes - I have had Type I diabetes since 04/10/1990. Yeah, most people probably don’t remember the EXACT date of diagnosis but it was my 15th birthday … I’m also new to being an athlete with diabetes. At the beginning of the summer I had set my sights on 100km on my bicycle and fundraising for Tour de Cure which benefits the American Diabetes Association. I did it – I had a tire blow out and had FUN!
I was sitting for the picture of all the Red Riders – people with diabetes who rode the ride, no matter what length…. 100 miles, 100km, etc. There is this very lively woman next to me who asks “Do you run?”. No, I answer (that’s a whole other story of why I don’t run). She then asks “Do you swim?”. Again, no. I HATE fish and don’t want to be in the water with them – again, LONG story. She says “Remind me to give you a card – would you ride your bicycle in a half-marathon on a relay team?”. I don’t even hesitate and answer YES. OH BOY! That is how I met Mari.
At the beginning of this summer I had commited to 62 miles… I weighed 190 lbs and my A1C was 7.6% when I did this. My first ‘long ride’ was 12 miles. WOW. 12 miles is a normal, short lunch ride now. Well, 5 months later I weigh 155lbs and my last A1C was 5.9%! If I had met Mari a year ago I would have ‘hemmed and hawed’ about a half-triathlon team. No way I could EVER do that. And yet, 2 weeks later I had a bike case rented and plane tickets purchased. I’m not even registered for the race yet but even if that doesn’t materialize I will be there to cheer these ladies on.
I have been out of the state (Colorado) and away from my bicycle for a week now. I have been on a stationary bicycle once this week. I will be home in a few days and the very first thing that I will do is get on my bicycle and ride until I remember how happy it makes me and since I will only be 10 feet from my front door I’ll go ahead and ride a few more miles (like 10 or 20). My bicycle makes me happy and the opportunity to show the world what athletes with diabetes can do makes me even happier. (There, I said it, ATHLETE – nope, I have never said that about myself before).
See ya in TEXAS ladies!

September 25, 2009
Sarah W.

I’ve learned in life, and throughout this past year in training that you kinda have to just go with the flow….
Things happen that you don’t predict and although timing might be bad, you have to move forward and work with what you can.
I had a gastroparesis attack a few weeks ago that has set me back in training. I get these attacks about once or twice a year and of course it had to come a month and half before our race! But I am slowly recovering and will be back to training hopefully this week!
I also have hurt my hip (another frustrating thing so close to the race!) and will probably not be able to do the run. At first I was extremely upset. I thought I have put so much hard work in this past year, and now I can’t even do the whole race! But again, I realized you gotta go with the flow. There is nothing I can do about it now, so I will go to Austin and have the best swim and bike of my life!