Running with Diabetes

Greetings,

I have decided to start a blog on running, OK, you think to yourself, "Oh no not another running blog". Well follow along, my adventures as I gear up for two big runs over the next year.

First up, the Bluenose full marathon here in Halifax. This marathon is on May 20, 2007 and covers a Halifax loop, then across the bridge to Dartmouth. Its a hill course so I am not expecting to break any land speed records.

Second, I will be registering for Team Diabetes. My goal is to run the Goofy at Disney in Orlando. What makes the Goofy special is it is a back to back Half marathon on Saturday Jan 5, 2008, followed by a full marathon on Sunday Jan 6, 2008.

First a bit of history about me, I am a Type Two Diabetic, and was diagnosed in May 2005. My doctor basically told me to shape up and change my lifestyle or suffer the consequences of unchecked blood sugar. So I shaped up, started a diet and bought a pair of running shoes.

I went from 300lbs. 46" waist, to 205lbs 36" waist in 18 months. My thoughts on exercise went from getting up from my computer walking to the fridge and back, to running my first 1/2 marathon in October 2006 in PEI. What a blast, it hurt a bit but was worth every step.

Why is running good for me(yes and you too):

1. Lowers blood glucose levels on the average (more below)
2. Permits muscles to take up glucose without insulin
3. Improves the body's ability to make use of insulin
4. Decreases the total amount of insulin your body puts out in a day(this is actually a good thing - as a Type II diabetic, you're workingyour beta cells to death - literally. That's why Type IIs tend toprogress to needing insulin).
5. Improves emotional outlook (being a diabetic sucks).
6. Improves cardiovascular fitness (guess what the #1 killer of Type II Diabetic's is?).

To finish off today's first post I will talk about the first principle of running. "You are running for your life.". As a Type II diabetic, the only way to live, is to lead a healthy lifestyle. A balance of healthy eating and exercise. Not everyone can be a runner, but there are alternatives that have less impact on the body. So apply your favorite activity to this principle. Please see your doctor and other health proffessional for advice on the type of exercise you may be suited for. Don't forget to make sure you have your doctor's approval for any exercise you may wish to start.

Make sure as a running diabetic you take extra care to avoid even the smallest of injuries. So take your time increasing your activity for running I generally take more time to build my base Kilometers up. Also make sure you spend time picking out the right shoes and socks. Go to a running store, I recommend the Running Room. There folks have great knowlege on shoes and it is the most important purchase of any runner.

As a Diabetic I recommend the double layered socks to prevent blisters. They are available at the Running Room as well. We have to take extra special care of our feet in order to prevent problems later on.

How much money you want to spend after the shoes and socks is up to you. There are a lot of gadgets and technical clothes to spend your money on. Are they worth the coin, in my opinion yes. But to start off I recommend a pair of running shoes look to spend at least 150$ and socks 14$ for a pair. Then any old sweats and shorts will do to start your program.

Remember you are Running for your life, so take care of the one you have, you only get one shot at it and nobody gets out alive.

The Diabetic Runner
Harry Jacobs