[dodo]

I ran the Mississauga Half Marathon in 2007.
I haven't run since last year (I had depression) but I'm starting again this week. I actually went running both Saturday and Sunday and even though it was painful I felt proud!

[miscreant]

Not exactly in the same scope of things, but...

June 24th, 173.0lbs 13.4% BF
September 11th, 188.5lbs 11.3% BF

[Nifr]

I started the Couch to 5k running program back in July. I made it to week 4 then went on vacation and got sick after getting back from vacation. I started up again with week 3 about 2 weeks ago and just started the week 5 routine today. This is the longest I've stuck with any exercise program EVER. This morning my workout included 16 minutes of running mixed with about 5 minutes of walking. By week 9 I should be running 30 minutes. I'm actually enjoying it quite a bit more than expected. Just not sure what happens when winter weather arrives.

Great job to everyone on their accomplishments.

[SCC]

I go to the gym almost every day and do a mix of cardio and strength and flexibility. Makes me feel great. I need a "big goal" like some of you guys!

[Bull]

Bench Press 1 rep max 525lbs!
I work out with 300lb for 3 Sets (15, 10,& 8Reps), 2 times a week on the bench.
My Dead lift is 620Lbs and my squat is 650.

now I'm Jogging a bit more too!

[JJM335]

First full marathon in 1979: 3h 39 min - not a bad time under the circumstances. (One shot per day of mixed Lente + Ultralente. Strict 2200 calorie exchange diet - limited to 250 g carbs. No Bg meters -only means to test was urine dip tape.)

Joel

[lark 27]

Originally Posted by JJM335

First full marathon in 1979: 3h 39 min - not a bad time under the circumstances. (One shot per day of mixed Lente + Ultralente. Strict 2200 calorie exchange diet - limited to 250 g carbs. No Bg meters -only means to test was urine dip tape.)

Joel

That is awesome! If you could do it on one shot per day with no BG meter, then I need to stop whining! I mean I've got a pump, with a CGMS, and a small-quick meter that I can take with me. I'm at 10 minute pace right now for up to 8 miles, so a long way to go, but thanks for the inspiration Joel.

[Bull]

Yeah i wish I could run more.
I built like a Bull dog so I powerlift LOL

[lark 27]

Originally Posted by Bull

Yeah i wish I could run more.
I built like a Bull dog so I powerlift LOL

Good for you for all the lifting! those are amazing weights. On my run today, it was still pretty dark (prior to 6a.m.) and I decided to run on a trail through a wooded park. Someone else was also running, but it sure scared me as it caught me off guard rounding a corner in the dark woods and someone was running straight at me. I can only imagine how startled I would have been if the person had been built like you running right at me! LOL Keep up the good work!

[JJM335]

Originally Posted by lark 27

If you could do it on one shot per day with no BG meter....

In retrospect the whole thing appears to be completely nuts, but at the time, I didn't know any better, and I was driven to do it as much by sheer bloody-mindedness as anything else. Nobody could tell me if an insulin-dependent diabetic had ever attempted a marathon, or even if it was possible to do so, so I was bound and determined to run one.

At the time, the biggest problem seemed to be not my Bg levels, but my diet. My clinic had me on what now would be regarded as a highly restrictive 2200 calorie diet with 220 g carbs, and I was not supposed to change either my food intake or alter my insulin dose from day to day (taking more insulin to cover extra food was regarded as the worst possible sin for a diabetic). Since I was running up to 60 miles/week in training, plus was involved in other energetic activities, such as dinghy sailing, I felt hungry a lot of the time.

In 1980, I was invited to be a subject in a scientific study of insulin dependent marathon runners. I was not the first T1 to run a marathon, but the numbers were probably very small (perhaps as few as 20). As part of the study, I had to run on a treadmill for 90 mins at 70% VO2-max. Blood was taken for testing from a vein in my arm every 15 mins. When the results came back, it turned out that my Bg had dropped to around 55 within 30 mins of the start, but had remained stable for the remaining hour. I was surprised by these numbers. When home Bg monitoring came in, I found that I would often drop to around 50, but remain stable at that point, without being aware that I was mildly hypo.

Joel

[lark 27]

Originally Posted by JJM335

As part of the study, I had to run on a treadmill for 90 mins at 70% VO2-max. Blood was taken for testing from a vein in my arm every 15 mins. When the results came back, it turned out that my Bg had dropped to around 55 within 30 mins of the start, but had remained stable for the remaining hour. I was surprised by these numbers. When home Bg monitoring came in, I found that I would often drop to around 50, but remain stable at that point, without being aware that I was mildly hypo.

Joel

That is fascinating because back in college I was the typical ignorant, indestructable kid that didn't really think about potential negative outcomes, and I got into running then too. Made it up to 1/2 marathon distance on a training run and then had a knee injury. But my contol was so very limited in comparison to what I"m doing now. I would just head out the door and run 10 miles without carrying a meter or emergency carbs with me. There were a couple times where I felt a low and ran back to the dorm or into a store to carb up. I would imagine there were plenty of other times where my body was similar to yours with dropping low and then the liver kicking in to keep me from going extremely low. Of course, knowing what I know now I would never try this method of exercising. Instead of hoping my body keeps me safe, I go with the theory that prior planning, rigorous monitoring, and ongoing adjustments will alllow me to keep my body safe. There's actually plenty that I look back on and wonder how in the world I didn't have adverse outcomes. I'm glad this forum is here for myself and others so we can all learn from one another and hopefully avoid some potentially dangerous mistakes.

[Scratch]

Originally Posted by JJM335

In 1980, I was invited to be a subject in a scientific study of insulin dependent marathon runners. I was not the first T1 to run a marathon, but the numbers were probably very small (perhaps as few as 20). As part of the study, I had to run on a treadmill for 90 mins at 70% VO2-max. Blood was taken for testing from a vein in my arm every 15 mins. When the results came back, it turned out that my Bg had dropped to around 55 within 30 mins of the start, but had remained stable for the remaining hour. I was surprised by these numbers. When home Bg monitoring came in, I found that I would often drop to around 50, but remain stable at that point, without being aware that I was mildly hypo.

Joel

This is very interesting to read. I'm working on getting enough miles to run the marathon in Philly in November, which will be my first. I've previously done the half-marathon distance there the last 2 years.

If there's one thing I've found in the training done the last 2.5 years, it's that my blood sugars can remain very stable. My biggest problem has been spiking high in short intense races like 5Ks. The only times I've ever gotten down into hypo range have been when I've had too much bolus insulin in my system. But then if you were running with the old style of insulin dosing, you were in effect running with bolus insulin in your system. But you didn't crash while out there. Of course, there would have eventually come a point where if you had kept running, it seems probable that you would deplete your glycogen stores enough that there could have been a bad hypo crash.

I'm curious if you ate anything in your marathon.

[JJM335]

Originally Posted by Scratch

I'm curious if you ate anything in your marathon.

I used to carry a bag of dried fruit, raisins, apricots, whatever. I used to eat a handful every hour. I did this on the training runs as well as on the actual race. This was basically guesswork, as my first couple of marathons were before the days of blood glucose testing (colour match strips, and a primitive meter were available for my last two).

I still run regularly, but haven't done a marathon since the '80's and my maximum training distance these days is about 6 miles (at the same pace that I used to be able to run 26!). My Bg's are nowhere near as stable as they were 25 years ago and even with a pump, I struggle with hypos in the few hours after a run. I have a suspicion that years of forcing my body to run with low Bg's and too much insulin on board, hasn't exactly improved my ability to counter-regulate. I can easily drop down to 1.6 (28) whereas until 10 years ago, I almost never saw a Bg of < 2.8 (50). I also don't tend to rebound from a low Bg any more.

Still on the whole, I believe that keeping fit has had many more positive benefits on my overall health than negatives.

Good luck with your marathon.

Joel

[Scratch]

Originally Posted by JJM335

I used to carry a bag of dried fruit, raisins, apricots, whatever. I used to eat a handful every hour. I did this on the training runs as well as on the actual race. This was basically guesswork, as my first couple of marathons were before the days of blood glucose testing (colour match strips, and a primitive meter were available for my last two).

I still run regularly, but haven't done a marathon since the '80's and my maximum training distance these days is about 6 miles (at the same pace that I used to be able to run 26!). My Bg's are nowhere near as stable as they were 25 years ago and even with a pump, I struggle with hypos in the few hours after a run. I have a suspicion that years of forcing my body to run with low Bg's and too much insulin on board, hasn't exactly improved my ability to counter-regulate. I can easily drop down to 1.6 (28) whereas until 10 years ago, I almost never saw a Bg of < 2.8 (50). I also don't tend to rebound from a low Bg any more.

Still on the whole, I believe that keeping fit has had many more positive benefits on my overall health than negatives.

Good luck with your marathon.

Joel

Yeah, I remember the days of guesswork and flying by the seat of the pants too, although you had a much longer period of that than I did. I think you're right though about how over time there is deterioriation of the counter-regulatory system and that's what makes this condition a whole lotta fun sometimes.

I very much agree with you about the benefits of keeping fit. Not just physiological either, I've found it very beneficial to my overall state of mood these last few years since I started working on getting stronger and in better shape.

I gotta say that your achievement back then was quite an accomplishment. Marathon running hadn't nearly the popularity it has these days and you didn't have nearly the tools available to acquire meaningful data about what was going on for you.

[issysmommy]

Just finished my first Half Marathon (walking) last weekend at 216 minutes (3:36) but it was in the 90s and hot, hot, hot.

That is about a 16.5 min/mile pace.