Monday - Dog Run

Run: 3.3 Miles
Terrain: Very Hilly
Time: 00:27:44

Pre-Run Glucose: 129 mg/dL
Post-Run Glucose: 104 mg/dL
Intake: 10 oz. Choc. Silk (before Run), Sandwich and milk (post-run)
Run Pump Status: Suspend


   I had a family member walk the dog during part of this run (Es). I took "Riles" (thanks Mira) for the last mile. This helped me keep the time down to less than 30 mins. Easy run, no endurance, just short and pumpy. No problems as things were in line and I really didn't push hard.

Friday - Dog Run

Run: 3.3 Miles
Terrain: Very Hilly
Time: 00:33:14

Pre-Run Glucose: 189 mg/dL
Post-Run Glucose: 99 mg/dL
Intake: 8 oz. Gatorade
Run Pump Status: Suspend



   A simple leash lead run with Riley boy. Glucose came back to within range and was perfect. I felt good and this run wasn't anything great. Just a little bit of hill and this 3.3 mile section is gettting a bit easy now-a-days.

Sunday - Long Run

Run:_____16 Miles
Terrain: __Mostly flat and gentle hills
Time: ____02:40:33

Pre-Run Glucose: ___155 mg/dL (Had a glass of chocolate silk)
Post-Run Glucose: __162 mg/dL
Intake:__________2-4 oz Gel, 12 oz Gatorade, 4 Endurolite Caps
Run Pump Status: __Suspend


   This is the longest run I've done to date. I'll do an 18 and a 20 miler, and maybe a 22 miler, before the Mercedes Marathon in February. It wasn't an "ice on your face" day, but the wind did make it hard to stay warm sometimes, even wearing all black as I was. It didn't help that the three of us ran along the river.I have come to realize that I Must monitor the CGMS readings at every mile. It is extremely crucial for me to stay on top of that game, because it can go bad very quickly. I've also come to realise that there is a thin line between exhaustion and VERY high glucose readings. Just like with caffeine intake I really can't tell the difference. At about the last four miles of this run I noticeably stated feeling less energetic. I checked the CGMS reading "162" with one up arrow. OK, I took it off of suspend and kept running. It was gradual, but I was losing speed. I went from a best of about an 8.5 min mile to about an 12 min mile. The last four miles were taking too long. I checked the CGMS reading again at mile 14.5 and it said I was trending upward very sharply. When I forced my legs to run back to the car I did a finger stick glucose check and found it to be 162 mg/dL. At the same time the CGMS said I was 325+ mg/dL. "What's up with that! The CGMS site soon after kicked the bucket and I had to start a new one at home. That dang $30 site was only put in and started the day before the run. If that's what's going to happen every time I do a long run, then they(long runs) won't happen very often. I have to admit I'm depending A LOT on these CGMS sites to give fairly accurate trending data to me. I can't afford mistakes like that.

   Once all was tidied up it was recovery time. A good meal, lots of hydration, and a nice nap in the sun can do a lot for the aching legs. This wasn't too bad for the longest run so far. I look forward to seeing what happens next time...18 & 20 milers.

Saturday - Mild Long Run

Run: 10 Miles
Terrain: Hilly Road (5.5 miles), Wet Park Trail (4.5 miles
Time: 01:30:23

Pre-Run Glucose: 92 mg/dL (Had 1 pkg PB&J crackers, and a glass of milk)
Post-Run Glucose: 128 mg/dL
Intake: 1 Gel, 12 oz Gatorade,
Run Pump Status: Suspend


Not a bad run. I was much happier with the time on this run and how I felt afterward than I was with the 12 miler two weeks ago. A 9 minute/mile pace is good for now. Having a running partner along on the long hauls is a great thing. The weather was perfectly complacent. I had no real probs with glucose levels, they dropped a bit, but that was easily taken care of. The feet performed very well, thank goodness. I think I'll do another long run 12/19 it's supposed to be like 70 degrees. Perfect!

When to Run - Some Things From My Experiences

   This is when someone with Diabetes shouldn't run. Anything above 200mg/dL is (1) not going to feel very good for at least a little while and (2) if it's trending upwards will probably bring your system to a much worse place. You DON'T want to exercise heavily when your glucose level is this high. I indeed speak from experience. I made my first trail marathon attempt this year with a pre-race high glucose level. A pretty bad experience and avoidable at all costs.

This is a much, much more preferable glucose level. After

talking with a fellow athlete, the founder of TeamType1 - a Pro US Cycling team, I've come to realize the great necessity of having your sugar in a very specific range for endurance training. For someone with Type 1 Diabetes their glucose needs to be between 140-180 mg/dL. This does many things, but I think most importantly is that it creates a high and low end buffer zone. As long as one is not trending too quickly towards the high or low end of the buffer zone, you should be able to maintain decent glucose levels during heavy training, of course placing the insulin pump on "Suspend" for the duration of exercise under most circumstances.

   By maintaining your glucose withing this buffer zone, you actually place yourself in a peak performance zone also. I've noticed the tank running low on fuel during endurance training and it's because glucose levels were definitely dropping. Protein bars are great long-term sustainable energy in circs like this. A faster bump would also be a gel pack. Sometimes both are needed. Of course if you're headed out of the buffer zone on the top end, then a fraction of the normal amount of insulin you would take to drop from that glucose level is needed. Be EXTREMELY cautious taking insulin to re-align your high glucose during endurance training. A little goes a long way. There is something else I've learned about this kind of training. When I'm done with some endurance training, let's say my glucose is like 133 mg/dL, I almost always have to take a "Temporary Basel Rate" of like 120-135 % for usually about two hours. This is my recovery window. This happens regardless of my having some chocolate Silk for a recovery drink and or eating something.

These are some of the tricks I've learned to use in tweaking my performance and making life a bit easier...and safer. I am stating this about running, however I follow the same practices for cycling, and for bricks or double bricks (a "Brick" is bike/run/ick! and a "Double Brick" is run/bike/run, AKA a duathlon).

Sunday - In the Park Run

Run: 7.55

Terrain: Very Hilly

Time: 1:48:42

Pre-Run Glucose: 139 mg/dL

Post-Run Glucose: 142 mg/dL

Intake: Sinckers Energy Bar

Run Pump Status: Suspend

   Nice 28 degree clear winter day run. A very hilly run in "The Hideout". The breeze was a little bit of a kicker. No problems. I have solved a problem however. That ole plantar fascitis I had issues with, I've figured out what it was from. Running form would be key here. I tend to land on the heel of my left foot a little too heavily, and not transfer enough to the ball. I changed this for this run and stayed very contious of it. I also kept doing a new stretch which helped. No real issue the next morning with foot pain, so I' know I'm headed in the right direction.

Pics above are some of the views I get during the run, hence why I tend to like it so much.

Thursday - Dog Run

Run: 3.2 miles
Terrain: very hilly whoville
Time: 31 mins

Pre-Run Glucose: 142 mg/dL
Post-Run Glucose: 98 mg/dL
Intake: glass of chocolate Silk (revovery drink..mm,mm,mm!)
Run Pump Status: Suspend

   Just an average dog run in whoville. Run, run, run, stop so dog can pee, run, run, stop dog from pooing on someone else's lawn, run, run, stop so dog can pee, run...you get the idea. It was wet outside and I will not do a dog-run in wet and cold weather again. Not too good for the pooch. Pretty good run though.