It’s Thursday, happy run day Thursday. Last night was the Team-D kick off event, where a room full of folks at the Turquoise room at Scottsdale Community College came to show their desire to join Team D and do something crazy like run a marathon. It was great to see a bunch of folks back from last year, and quuite a few of them looked very fit like they’ve been running since the end of the last Rock and Roll marathon- good for them!
But afterwards, I had another late night of work publishing a bunch of web content for my organizations online conference happening this week- that was up til 1:30, and solid sleep until 5:30 when it was time to feed the doggies, and put on the running shoes.
It feels good to get my 40 minutes in, easy and steady as it was, running the canal south to Camelback and Scottsdale rd and back again to Chaparral Park. I was impressed by the number of wiry old men who ran past me like they were teens. “Slow and easy, run your own pace..” I need to stay in my gear, and ease into a comfortable running form.
One of the things I loathe about ramping up the exercise is the increased frequency of bottoming out on blood sugars. It interrupts what you are doing, and darn makes it hard to try and lose weight when several times a day you have to ingest sugar.
I’m doing more this year to pre- and post-test my blood sugars on morning runs. Actually, for this ones less than an hour, I have been disconnecting my pump, as even without it, I am dropping 40-60 mg/dL, like from 125 to 59 (today), 135 to 86 (last week), etc. This si telling me I need a bit of energy food before I go, and during. In the lat 2 years I have had only a handful of low bonks while running, but you can never get too lax.
This morning’s podcast listen was (not even all of it, a long show)
Technometria: The Myths of Innovation with Scott Berkun (mp3)
See you Saturday at the first Team-D training!
name: Alan Levine
Reading about your lows I’m wondering if you’ve looked into getting a CGMS. I got the MiniLink Starter Kit, and used up the 10 sensors that came with it, but haven’t gone through the hassle yet to get more sensors.
I think it was great for me, and I do intend to use the system more. I just haven’t been in a hurry to order more supplies, partly because MiniMed is making new sensors that don’t need to be refridgerated, and they’ve gotten mixed reviews, and partly because they’ve been on back order anyway, and partly because the technology is really maturing wuickly right now.
What is your insulin strategy for runs? I turn my basal down to 60% about an hour before starting a run. I try not to have a meal bolus closer than two hours before. Those are things that could help you prevent lows if you’re not doing them already.
Disconnecting your pump right before running for less than an hour doesn’t help much during the run, and leaves you insulin-depleted after.
I hope this advice doesn’t seem too arrogant.
I know you’ve been doing this for a while.
Jerry
Thanks Jerry- advice is not arrogant at all and I would bnever consider that I have tis routine perfected!
I was just experimenting. Yes, I turn my basal down, maybe from 1.95 to 1.0, but not as early as you have suggested. I am not doing any boluses before a run; I go early in the morning, and have a small snack before hand.
I’ve not had too many lows during runs, it’s just I’ve been cutting back a bit on diet to try and get some weight down, so I am already starting out a bit lower in the AM.