Running

[Jeff smith 57]

I am 57 and have had type one diabetes for nearly 40 years. I started running around four months ago and really love it. I want to run a marathon but the thought of doing one is daunting. I’m hoping that through thisI can get some advice from people who have already run a marathon. Thank you

 

[jackymax]

Hi and welcome 🙂

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @Jeff smith 57

Former admin @Northerner is an experienced runner, with many miles under his belt. In fact I think he was due to run a marathon overseas when he was diagnosed!

My limited experience only extends to a half marathon - but my sense was that as long as I kept a steady pace and didn’t try to push too hard it was just a matter of keeping going. By the time I got to be able to run 5km fairly comfortably it was relatively easy to up that to 10km… and from there the half marathon distance was easy to build up to.

Have you got a training schedule you are working with? That was a very helpful guide once I had an event to work towards.

A friend of mine is building up for a marathon right now as it happens.

Good luck with it, and enjoy those endorphins!

 

[Jeff smith 57]

It’s not the actual running that feels daunting it’s managing my blood sugars What time prior to long runs should I inject? How much insulin to use what to eat etc etc!!

 

[trophywench]

@Jeff smith 57 - nobody here can give a definitive answer to you for the very simple reason that nobody other than you, has your body - every person ever was/is/will be different - so we each have to find out by experimenting with this that and the other to see exactly what happens to work for them.

Personal Clinical Trials using our own bodies as Crash Test Dummies. Just ensure that the 'Dummy' has a soft bouncy mattress to land on, and test test test (with a BG meter and/or Libre etc) whilst arming yourself with sufficient hypo remedies to cover the longest worst scenario in your imagination whilst you're doing it.

Oh - and you can defo dial 999 for an ambulance if the scenario worsens and you've run out of quicker possibilities. Perfectly legitimate to do that - it's a Class 1 emergency as it could literally be life threatening!

 

[iharding]

Hi @Jeff smith 57 I started running in my early 40's, at the time about 15 years after my T1 diagnosis. Built up from a 5km park run in 2015 to a 60km ultra and 120km (15x8km laps) in a 24 hour endurance event last year. The big step for me was half to full marathon because I couldn't manage the extra distance without taking on food during the event, which meant not only learning what sort of food I could stomach and still be able to run, but how much insulin to inject for it.

I can only echo the advice from @trophywench - test test test!
It's an experiment, so don't change anything dramatically, only change one variable at a time, and keep detailed records. Err on the side of caution.

 

[Jeff smith 57]

Thanks everyone for replying I kinda thought that it would be a case of trial and error, so here goes

 

[Rob Oldfield]

Thanks everyone for replying I kinda thought that it would be a case of trial and error, so here goes

Hi Jeff,

There are a few web sites out there that were set up to provide advice, but sadly it looks like they've largely fallen into disuse. In general it does seem that the consensus is that each of us needs to find out what works for us but might be worth you having a look through this thread which has some ideas and links.

https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/sugar-levels-plummeting-post-exercise.100227/#post-1172463

 

[Spathiphyllum]

Hi Jeff, and all-- my first post here! I'm in my 50s and was just diagnosed T1D a few weeks ago ... My way of dealing with the overwhelmingness of it is to do a lot of searching the internet! Especially for good academic articles.

I've never run a marathon but have always done a lot of brisk walking, and took up gentle jogging via 'Couch to 5k' a year and a half ago. After diagnosis, and starting to find out about managing T1D, it soon became clear that even this level of exercise had to be taken into account.

Then I came across this: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7702152/pdf/PEDI-21-1375.pdf . "Glucose management for exercise using continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and intermittently scanned CGM (isCGM) systems in type 1 diabetes: position statement of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) and of the International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD) endorsed by JDRF and supported by the American Diabetes Association (ADA)"-- sounds daunting, but very helpful tables!

For the purpose of these tables, you would probably count as "Ex 2", "intensively exercising". Assuming you have a Libre or other 'flash monitor' or CGM, Table 1 tells you what to do just before exercise, depending on what your monitor is saying; Table 2 tells you what to do during exercise, depending on what your monitor is saying; and Table 3 tells you what to do post-exercise, including overnight if you were exercising in the late afternoon or evening.

It looks like you would want to start any long run with glucose around 10, maybe even higher, and set your low-glucose alarm at around 7. Then, if/when your alarm goes off: if the trend arrow is up, fine; if it's level, take 10g carbs; if it's angled down, 15g; if it's straight down, 20g.

No doubt there will still be trial and error on top! I love the way trophywench puts it, "Personal Clinical Trials using our own bodies as Crash Test Dummies." But at least the EASD guidelines give a good solid research-based starting point.

I haven't tested 'em yet myself-- lost so much weight before diagnosis that BMI went from 18.5 to 16, feeling pretty washed out/up, so taking it easy until I get some weight back-- but would be very keen to hear others' experiences!

Finally, about insulin: muscles have an insulin-independent pathway for using blood glucose. So, prior to a long run, you would want to inject less insulin. (See for example http://www.runsweet.com/diabetes-and-sport/ )

Good luck, and let us know how you get on!