I admire the folks on Team Novo Nordisk; and in fact, they\’re quite an inspiration. The members of Team Novo Nordisk — which includes pro cyclists; triathletes; and runners — all have Type I diabetes. Managing this condition takes a lot of hard work to begin with; and imagine juggling it with pro-level athletic training!

Athlete’s Guide to Diabetes

People who have diabetes must keep close watch on their glucose levels; and they constantly walk the line between hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia. They have to learn how to judge when they need to eat; what and how much they need to eat; and it sounds like insulin dependence further complicates matters.

That\’s a hard balancing act to begin with; and I\’m sure it\’s even more difficult for people with diabetes who are physically very active. As I understand it, physical activity can have varying effects on blood sugar levels, depending on its duration and intensity. Anaerobic efforts, for example, cause the body to draw on its glycogen stores; and this drives up blood glucose.

Glycogen and Me

I\’m lucky that all I need to worry about — so far! — is not getting too hungry on the bike. Before my weekly long ride, I cut two or three protein bars into bite-sized pieces; and put the pieces in small plastic bags. One bite every 15 minutes seems to work well; and I usually have a GU or two along the way. This fends off the bonk; and it\’s also valuable gut training!

However, I\’m working to keep prediabetes at bay; and it isn\’t easy, especially since I had to return to working on site. I take my lunch and snacks with me most days; but all too often what I do take isn\’t enough. I wind up eating junk food so I won\’t get too hungry and bonk; and then I feel guilty for overshooting my carb count!

If it\’s so hard for me, just imagine how much harder it is for anybody who actually has diabetes; and in particular Type I. As the aforementioned book discusses, there are many factors that a person with diabetes must consider before; during; and after physical activity.

But Team Novo Nordisk shows that it can be done. Come to think of it, those people are trailblazers!

Back at It

Today I was back at it, putting in 40+ miles. It was great to do it, after last Sunday\’s curtailed ride. I found myself thinking of Team Novo Nordisk, too.

How do they plan their ride food? I check the calorie and carb content of whatever I plan to eat on the bike; but I suppose people who have diabetes must be extra careful. They don\’t want their blood sugar levels to go to high; but at the same time, they have to be careful that those same levels don\’t drop too much.

Today I took along a Gatorade bar, and a One bar; and I ended up eating two GU-Gels. Calorie intake, 763; and a whopping 106 grams of carbs. That sounds like a lot; but my bicycle computer\’s ride summary said I burned 1151 calories. The exercise probably burned off a lot of those carbs, too.

There was an East wind; and it reached 12 mph before I got back home — riding against a headwind, of course. Still, I averaged 12.66 mph; and that\’s not too bad.

I got started two hours later than usual, because I had to wait for the plumber. On the way out, I started to feel almost too warm, thanks to a tailwind. But I knew it would be cooler coming back with the wind against me!

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