Since this running and training are related to and hopefully good medicine for my diabetes, I’ll write a bit here and there of my experiences dealing with the big “D”.

This Halloween will actually quiety mark a milestone of my 35th year since being diagnosed. The story goes back to a day in 1970, when for some reason I decided I wanted a day off from school. So I told my Mom I was not feeling well.

I did not know it, but for some time she had been noting some behaviors and symptoms- the thirst, stomach aches, irregular eating patterns, mood swings (though I always that that was normal at age 7), some bedwetting. So she rather surprised me, and ruined my plan, when she told me she was taking me to the doctor.

So off we went– I forget exactly what Dr Kramer did during his examination, but I ended up out on the hall, while he talked to Mom behind a closed door.

Then he called me in and started explaing that I had a serious condition and needed to spend some time in the hospital and… I did not even hear it, I busted out crying, confessing I had lied to get out of school, and I really was okay… They were not even caring, and seemed intent on this hospital thing.

So off I went, spenidng 10 days at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore. The memories are blurred, there was a frug nurse shoving the IC in my arm, ordering food from a menu (ordering was fun, but the portions small), watching TV, getting get well cards from my second grade school mates. The hard part was missing Halloween, and then finding out I had this thing that meant I should not each much candy ever again! I think there was some sort of Halloween party for the sick kids. Then there were some visits from nurses, and having me practice give injections to an orange.

Upon my release, my parents and I went to a few weeks of out-patietent education to learn how to take care of my new condition. There were the daily insulin injections that my Dad did, and having to test the sugar in my urine with a test kit (10 drops of water + 2 drops of urine + a “Clnitest” tablet and hope you get blue, not orange).

The thing that really changed it all for me was attending Camp Glyndon that summer– it was its first year as a summer camp just for diabetic kids. What a great thing it was not to be the only kid with this condition, but surrounded by 100 others! They stressed tremendously that even us little kids could learn to manage our diets, testing, and injections…. I think there was a tradition that they wouldnot raise the green and while camp flag until every kid in camp did their own shots.

From then on, my camp experience enabled me to handle all the diabetic care myself. There was a lot fo power in that.

Did you know... Walt Kelly, animator and Disney founder was diabetic (from Diabetes Health Magazine)
See more diabetic facts...

I’m on a roll. Yesterday I relaxed, and limited the morning activity to a walk with the dog. Today I piled it on, relatively.

First, I did my now sort of regular morning run around Chaparral Lake, another 1.8 miles. Feeling Good. In addition, I rode my bike to work. It turned this would be a good test of pushing my body.

It also served well since I had called Michelle at Team Diabetes this week, and got good information on joining this group to train for the half marathon. They provide running coaches and weekly training, in return for me promising to raise at least $1000 for the American Diabetes Assoication to further diabetes research. I felt that by joning a group, I would first be more accountable to stay training (and not find an easy excuse to stop), plus it sounded like a fun group. Michelle told me to stop by their tent as today the Rock n’ Roll marathin was having an event to promote the race, including a 4 mile run. I did not have time to do the run (my Mom was in town and we had some special dinner plans), but I thought I could tack this on my bike commute home (it was some extra miles to the west to get to Indian School and 56th Street).

So I got some trail miles on between work and the park, by taking some of the nice trails through Papago Park (some good single track). I met Michelle, got a packet, and deciide I was game to go.

So today was some miles biking and running. Whew!

I woke up early and got on the running wear… and did a loop I;ve done a number of times before, from my house to nearby Chapparal Lake, around the lake and the north end ball fields, and back home.

My newly purchased pedometer disappointed me– the signs at the park suggest the loop is about 1.5 miles, and the pedometer read out only 0.9! It was a few days later I realized I had the stride length settings wrong by about 1/2!

This is the week I really decided if I am going to do the half-marathon. I figure if I can do some running and mix it up with biking for cross-training, my body will tell me the answer.

Bicycling has always been something I enjoy and have done the most with in my life in terms of exercise. Starting in 1987, I’ve ridden at least 7 or 8 of the MS Society’s Best Dam Bike Rides (150 miles form Sun City to Parker Dam), and for 2-3 years I was an everyday bike commuter to work (11 miles each way from Scottsdale to my office in Tempe).

My riding has gotten more sporadic, but I’d been getting a few comutes in here and there. That’s a long winded way to say today I did my bike commute to work, felt great, and got my first bit of mileage under my belt, 22 miles of bike training.

And with this, I;ve rolled a new feature into my blog so I can enter my running and biking miles into a custom field, to generate the “Alanometer” you see on the right, which should do a daily display of my training miles.

I spent the weekend in Rocky Point or Puerto Peñasco, Mexico… not exactly doing the healthy thing (shrimp for every meal), but I was relaxing with friends. This morning,, I woke with the sun and walked the beach. maybe jogging half a mile, so little I am not counting it. I also got some good upper body work playing with the kayaks in the surf.

But more importantly, I firmly decided today I was really going to commit to running the half marathon. Now it is time to step up….

I hate running.

The farthest I’ve ever run is maybe 3 miles back in college… only because of a girl I was interested in. Once she was done with me, I was done with running.

But runners look so fit, and they always talk about it being pleasurable. I’ve been fairly active most my life, hikiing, backpacking, mountain biking…. but after 14+ years of an office job, I could stand to lose 20 pounds.

So I’ve decided to take on my hate as a challenge and run the Arizona Rock ‘n Roll Half Marathon on January 15, 2005.

And being Type 1 diabetic for 35 years, I decided to sign up with Team Diabetes:

TEAM DIABETES is the marathon-training program of the American Diabetes Association. TEAM-D is for everyone! Whether you are an experienced runner or walker, or a beginner, we will provide the training and support you need to complete a half or full marathon. You can help make a difference in the lives of more than 18 million Americans by raising critically needed funds for research, education and advocacy, while staying fit and accomplishing the goal of a lifetime.

This will serve two purposes- the team training will keep me motivated and supported to stay with a program, and I wil be doing my bit to raise some funds that can go towards research for a cure.

My goals are to (a) finish the 13 mile run; (b) lose 15 pounds while training; and (c) raise $1500 for my fund raising. Stay tuned to this blog for a journey as I prepare for the big run.

Look soon for some details on how to sponsor my effort; but to be honest, just reading this is enough!