Leaps and Bounds

I have made some great progress. I was able to run 6.7 miles Tuesday with little walking. When ever I walked it was because my muscles got sore but my recovery was quick. This is so encouraging, being able to do that now will make it easier to train for the marathon.
I checked my sugar before starting and was at 98 I consumed a total of 68 carbs during the run and after I ended with my sugar at 123. I consumed a little too much but better safe than sorry. Thursday I a going to do intervals training to help me to speed up my pace. I will also be seeing a dietitian in the next month or so to help me figure out a balance between my distance running and diabetes. I have read so many articles about running that tell me to eat more complex carbs but as a diabetic I have been told to cut carbs out as much as possible. I know carbs are what fuels runners but with my body not absorbing it as it should I need direction. Do I still need to consume as much? I have also contacted DESA, diabetes exercise and sports association, they are going to forward my questions to an athlete. I thought that was awesome that they emailed me and are going to ask an athlete on my behalf.
I do apologize for any typos and punctuation errors. I am writing from my iPhone while waiting for my car.

Prepairing to Train

I have been reading up on many different things when it comes to type 1 and distance running. Much of what I read was finding the right balance for you while you train to prepare you for the race. The best Article was from NHS choices "Diabetes and sport." Gary Blakie, now 23, was 12 when he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. It hasn’t stopped him from representing the UK in the World Triathlon Age Group Championships.Surely diabetes made it difficult to train for serious athletics?
"I got into triathlon through running. I did my first triathlon in 2001, and progressed from there.
"During training the main problem is managing your blood sugar levels around your regime. When I started, there wasn’t a lot of information available, so I did a lot of guessing. I experimented with insulin injections and foods at different times around exercise. I always aimed to keep my blood sugar level steady throughout a period of exercise.
"I learned a lot about how my body responds to different types of activity and different foods. One hour of swimming, for example, tended to lower my blood sugar level by about 3mmol/l. So if I began the swim with a level of around 5.6, I guessed that I'd need something to eat halfway through.
"As anyone with diabetes knows, if your blood sugar becomes too high you’ll feel tired and thirsty, and your heart rate will rise a lot. If it's too low you’ll have very little energy. Neither are any good if you want to run, swim or cycle as fast as possible."
While this might seem like a lot of work, would be worth it at the finish line. The bottom line is take care of your body and your body will take care of you.
P.S. 1 mmol/l = 18 mg/dl for those wondering what Gary Blakie's blood glucose was.

Inspiration with Progression

I must have been crazy to run yesterday. It was 3? degrees and wind gust up to 20 mph but I did it with my fastest 5K yet. 32'33" I was amazed on the last stretch what time I was at. I am happy to see the progress I have made on Nike+ website. I would have to say having that tool for tracking my runs is going to be great for training. It is a great inspiration to come home from a run and log it into Nike+

I have recently found a running group locally that I will run with Wednesday night. The local company Strictly Running puts on these group runs. I look forward to running with them I just hope I am not the slowest. I can't wait til I am back to my Marine Corp pace of 22 minutes for 3 miles.

Please Check out NHS Couch to 5K at http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/c25k/

Marine Corp MARATHON, Here I Come?

I cannot believe I am even thinking about this. I have barely ran a 5K and haven't run any kind of 5K race and Here I am thinking about running the Marine Corp Marathon October, 2011. I would have to say it is my wife's fault. She was looking at a magazine I recently bought which has the 2011 Marathon Guide. After reading the details of the race, not the distance, she thought it would be awesome to see me finish and have a 2nd Lieutenant drape a metal around my neck. I agree with her that would be amazing but incredibly hard. I have got my work and research cut out for me. I have got to find a balance with my diabetes and distance running. I am going to have to see a Nutritionist in the next couple of weeks to see what I can do to better improve my diet with my exercise.
Yesterday I was able to complete Week 3 Day 1 without any issues. I was tired after the run and wasn't smiling as much as I was during Week 2 but I am glad I skip Day 2 and 3 of Week 2. I have really enjoyed the couch to 5K podcast NHS has put on iTunes. Having someone to tell you when to jog and when to recover is really helpful and motivating. Now I need a 5K to Marathon plan to help me prepare for October 30, 2011. One foot in front of the other and one day at a time. I think sometime in January or February I will need to run my first race to get me on the right track for my Goal.

Things To Think About

I found some great tips for diabetics but some of these can apply to anyone that is going to start running. This was taken from http://www.joslin.org titled 8 Tips for Running with Diabetes

1. Get your doctor’s clearance. People with diabetes should consult their doctors if they want to go beyond purposeful walking, to make sure that they are not at risk from cardiovascular, orthopedic or other problems.

2. Walk before you run. Go from walking to running in a gradual process. Begin with purposeful walking (for half an hour or so), then combine walking and jogging, and then increase the jogging.

3. Wear the right footwear. Consult with an expert when you buy the shoes. Make sure that they fit well and are appropriate for running.

4. Dress appropriately. Dress in layers; wear absorbent materials close to skin to wick away perspiration and an outer layer to protect you from the wind and other elements. Wear a reflective vest if you’re out at night.

5. Find a partner or role model. Look in your community for running groups or clubs. Invite your neighbor or colleague to join together during lunch. If you’re interested in going the distance and even maybe running a marathon, pair up with someone who has done it.

6. Keep a goal in mind. You may want to set your sights on an event such as a five-kilometer road race for charity.

7. Have a plan for managing your diabetes. Measure your blood sugar before and after the activity (and during it, if needed). Carry juice, a sports drink, a piece of fruit or glucose tablets. Keep a training log, recording your miles and your blood glucose readings.

8. Listen to your body. Starting gradually and being consistent are the secrets to improving your health and fitness, avoiding injury and managing your blood sugar levels.

Day 2 A Great Run

Today I had my best run so far. As I mentioned earlier I started week 2 day 1 of the couch to 5k and it was a breeze. In fact I added 2 extra series of runs because I was not fatigued at the end. My 5K was 37'45" not that impressive but great for a start. I have been so "jacked up" the rest of the day. I just can't stop thinking about how great that run was. How it seemed so effortless for most of the run. I was glad I took Wednesday off to recover, but I am wishing I didn't have to recover .I am ready to do this again tomorrow. If anybody reads this and has been in my shoes please comment with advise or some words of wisdom.

Day 1

I was going to run this afternoon but after running 3.1 miles on Monday and 1.4 on Tuesday and with it 37 degrees outside. I think I'll stay in today and run tomorrow when it is above 40. I did, however, go by Hibbett Sports and saw some awesome Nike LunerEclipse+ running shoes. I would like a new pair of running shoes but before I invest that kind of money, I will need to see that this is not a phase. I am a Nike fan when it comes to running. I own a pair of Nike Zoom with the Nike+ sensor. I have been posting my runs to their website Nikerunning.com at that in itself has motivated me. My Wife has been the biggest motivator. I want to stay healthy so I can have a long full life with her.

Addme.com got me posted in all search engines.

A New Beginning

I was diagnosed with Diabetes Mid March 2010. I have been strong, but it has been a tough road full of twist and turns and hills that at first look like mountains. I have taken up running this past November but fell ill for 3 weeks which has put me back to square one. I have read on many websites that keeping a runner’s blog would help me keep site of my goals and aspirations. I am on the Couch to 5K program and about to start Week 2 Day 1 today. I won’t say much more on my first BLOG post other than I am excited about my new lifestyle and look forward to this New Beginning.