Wow, really great post. Lots of very good information. This is a great starting point for people with T1 who want to run. As you said, this works for you, other people could start with that and adjust as needed to fit their needs.

You mention that you have the CGM. How difficult would it be if you didn’t have that? Have you ever run a marathon without it? How different was it?

Again, very nice post. Thank you for sharing.

Thanks Rachel.

I have only had my CGM for a few months, so I’ve actually been running longer without it. For me it’s a great tool, but it doesn’t completely replace normal testing. Without a CGM, you would want to have a BG meter with you on longer runs and stop and check every so often to see how you are trending. I have a few posts on my blog about how I carry my meter.

My first 10 mile race was without and CGM. During my second 10 mile race, my CGM stopped working. Doh! So, I would say that it’s not necessarily easier with a CGM, but it is certainly a great tool… when it’s working properly.

This was a good explanation of your routine, thanks. I enjoy reading about others’ experiences with Type 1, but I sometimes wonder if I’m the only Type 1 who isn’t on a pump. It seems like every blog or message board I read everyone is on a pump.

To answer I went with the cosmo pump which unfortunatly has been discontiued as of 3/25 this year. I don’t know why they are doing this, but they are going to still support the pump for it’s waranty period. I liked the features of this pump. Especially they hypo manager that tells me exactly how many carbs I need to get back on track. No more over treating. It’s water proof so I can go swimming with it. I can program multiple basal rates and temporary rates. I like to joke that’s it’s my bionic pancreas. I am trying to get pregnant and before the pump my A1C was 9.8, now it’s 7.8 just before going on the pump. I need to dump some weight and I think that numbers will drop more. My dad had diabeties and was dead at 51 of heart disease. I want to be healthier than he ever was. So that means taking more responsibility and working out ect.

Thanks for the great post. Don’t know why I didn’t look at these blog sites earlier. I’m preparing to do the Tokyo Marathon on Sunday. Just did my last training run and tested for the first time while running! I promised my husband and doctor that I will test twice during the run. I am a SLOW runner and my goal is to finish, so I am looking at probably over 5 hrs of running! I plan to set up a basal setting just for marathon day, probably starting at 30% about an hour before the start and going back to my usual (exercise day) rate after 4 hrs of running. Hopefully that will prevent the post-ex high, but I will have to test at 5 hrs if I have much further to go. I always have a lower basal rate for exercise days +24hrs. If I go over 24h without exercise, my rate has to go back up. How do you runners carry everything? Pump, meter, strips, lancer, cell phone, and enough gels/bars to get me through! Someone wanted to know if I was going to take a camera!!

Renee,

Good luck on your marathon! Take it easy and have fun!

First off I would encourage you to test more during the race. I tested about every 5 miles during my marathon and found that was a good distance between tests. After each test, I could make decisions on what to do (correction, eat GU, drink gatorade at the next stop, etc).

As far as carrying supplies, you can’t beat a SpiBelt. You can read about how I set mine up here – http://runningwitht1.wordpress.com/2009/09/14/spibelt-diabelt/

During my marathon I was able to carry 4-5 GUs and my UltraMini meter in the pouch. I also taped an extra, emergency, GU to the belt.

Good luck!

good read – thanks for that. The more I read about CGMS the more I’m keen to try one to at least get a sense of situational trends: sleeping, running, recovery. It’s just that maintaining the peripherals is so expensive.
I’ve heard advice from a few diabetic distance runners and what I do if running for more than 2 hours is disconnect my pump about 2 to 3 hours beforehand and take a small dose of Levemir (basal), like about 2-3 units. Then take in about 20-40g of carb in the 20 min before heading out and try to average about a gel every 9km or so after that, with sports drinks from stations at races or carrying in a Nathan vest if trail running or training alone. Spibelt also make a pretty handy zip-up arm band that can handle 5 gels but also fits a glucose meter, strips, finger-stabber and insulin pen. Really handy on ultras, because you can pretty much forget about it but still have all you need to self-monitor, and also in case an injury stops your run and sugars go way up as you have to either sit still or limp a long way home.
The tricky thing without monitoring is when you’re sweaty from running and it’s either a hot or windy day and you’re seriously unable to sort out which sensations are your skin and sweat reacting to your environment and which are an oncoming hypo. Definitely a juggling act, but it beats lawn bowls, eh?

Hi Tony – I think this must be the post that you referenced to me about running during the podcast interview. Fascinating read. I’m about to go off for a run myself in half an hour, so very useful to see how other’s manage their diabetes for running. Thanks Tony and Gary!

Unfortunately, while it is summer here in New Zealand, it has been very stormy today, so won’t be the most comfortable run. BUT consistency is the key when it comes to exercising with diabetes.

Brendon