# triathalon's!!!!!



## mikep1979

WOOO HOOOO i'm going on holiday soon and im competing in a local triathalon. first one i will have done in many years lol but been training and feel fit as a butchers dog!!!

anyone else into doing this type of sports??


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## Northerner

Hey, good for you Mike - hope it goes well! I'd never finish a triathlon - I'm a poor swimmer and I can't ride a bike! I remember the first time I heard about the Ironman - having run several marathons I couldn't believe that was what they tagged onto a 2 mile  swim and a 112 mile bike ride!


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## Freddie99

I wish I could do something like that Mike. The only trouble is that I swim like a brick! I'm sort of dangerous on a bike too lol!

I row at my school and I love that sort of thing. I'm really looking forward to carying on with it at uni if I can, that and my rugby.

Have you seen this website?

http://runsweet.com/

http://www.alwaysdali.co.uk/

The second is a website by a diabetic triathlete.

Tom H


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## mikep1979

well thats my goal northerner!!!! i want to run in the iron man they hold in maui each year. i feel at the min marathons just aint challenging me enough lol.

yeah i have been using runsweet tom and thanks for the other site to


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## mikep1979

ok folks!!!!!! triathalon completed!!!!!! WOOOOO HOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! total buzz!!!! finished in a very respectable time and didnt even have a any problems at all!!!!

now im gonna train for a couple more this year and possibly a ironman event in hawaii later on in the summer


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## Northerner

mikep1979 said:


> ok folks!!!!!! triathalon completed!!!!!! WOOOOO HOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! total buzz!!!! finished in a very respectable time and didnt even have a any problems at all!!!!
> 
> now im gonna train for a couple more this year and possibly a ironman event in hawaii later on in the summer



Brilliant Mike! Well done!!! Did you have to check your sugars much during the event? It would be great if you could give some idea of how you tackled it diabetes-wise.

Can I just add also that your posts are always so full of energy - always buzzing with life!  You're a great example of what people can achieve and an inspiration!


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## Steff

well done and congrats mike !! x


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## mikep1979

hi northerner,

it was really easy to be honest as i got the use of a cgm from bupa (bev's idea in another thread) as im a member of them with work and their consultant who i see on an yearly basis decided as he is interested in diabetes and sports and the effects it has on sugars etc he would loan me one. so i was armed with very very good equipment. i tested with my normal monitor 6 hours before start so i could load up on the carbs, then 2 hours later to see what the effect was on me and also to make sure the cgm calibrated correctly. i carried on with the 2 hours till race time and even did one on the start line!!! lol all were very good readings as i made sure i loaded up on lots of slow release carbs. tested at the transitions from water to bike and again from bike to run. again had very good readings. tested again at end and found that sugar levels had been consistent at 6-8. all this was backed up with cgm monitor which said the lowest reading i had was a 5.4 and the highest was 8.1. so im very happy with the results and will defo be doing more of these and also a ironman later on in the year.

steff thanks for the congrats 

and thanks for the praise northerner, but i dont feel like i do anything really special. just live life the way i want to and not let my diabetes get the better of me or get me down to often lol


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## Copepod

*adventure racing or mountain marathons?*

Congratulations Mike.

Perhaps I'll see you at Beaver triathlon, 23rd May 09, or an adventure race or mountain marathon sometime? I marshalled at iROC last weekend, which had the unusual bonus for marshals of free entry to 1 of the 6 races over the weekend, so I did the score orienteering.


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## mikep1979

thanks copepod, im not sure which ones im gonna run yet but i think i might be starting with a few closer to home at the min. never done much mountain running etc but would love to have a go. any sites you could recommend??


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## Northerner

Mike - terrific levels throughout the event, very impressed at how you managed your carb intake during what is a very demanding few hours!


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## mikep1979

lol it was very demanding!!! loved every minute of it though and i plan to run a few more this year. even got a couple of mates to start training with me for the ironman event in hawaii lol


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## Steff

I'm planning on going  swimming Friday with my son a lil less challenging then what you did Mike but i aint been since i was diagnosed , i've nothign to worry about have i anyone ?? x


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## mikep1979

not at all steff!!!! it will be great for you both. i love to take my two to splash around in the pool when ever i get the chance!!!!


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## Steff

excellent ty mike im so vidgilent now always thinking can i do this can i do that all the time lol x


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## mikep1979

even tho im diabetic i dont feel it can stop me from doing anything. and i think my time in the triathlon proved it as i beat a few good athletes too. i love all sorts of sports and encourage my kids to take part in as many as they can.


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## Steff

well mine has just started doing swmming with the school so i thought we would start going again i do like swimming and tennis but my lil boy aint so good with a racket yet x


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## mikep1979

how old is he steff?? i have a 5 year old boy (6 soon) and a 4 year old daughter (she was born with talapies aka club foot) and they both love to play tennis. swimming is a family thing and football also runs deep in our family lol. helps when dad is a sports nut hahaha


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## Steff

he is 7 soon to be 8 hun , yes like yourselves football is a major thing but thats more his dads side of it lol


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## mikep1979

lol usually is due to dads that kids love footy. have you tried him with a small racket?? my 2 have small ones and are ok with them.


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## Steff

tbh he is not to keen only time he plays tennis is on the wii


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## mikep1979

lol well the wii is a great way to stay fit to be honest!!!


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## Steff

aint it just i just bought coleen nolans fitness cd for it so better of been worth it lol


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## mikep1979

lol i love the wii when i get a chance to play on it. we all usually have a go on the bowling and golf when we have a family night on it. also great when we have bbq's and it goes cold later on as we come inside and mess on it then lol bunch of adults playin it half baked


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## Steff

lolol thats what happened in my house on friday just gone 2 mates of mine where playing bowling while i was sitting on the sofa reading the ingredients to a  packet  of hula hoops pmsl diabetes huh


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## mikep1979

lol well my mum is type 2 and when we have a bbq its always me and her who end up playin the longest on the bowling!!! (apart from the kids that is) lol


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## Steff

yes i must admit i am a pro in bowling and tennis and my boy gets ever so bothered that he cant become a pro as well , i end up coming off because he sulks terribly


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## mikep1979

lol im a good bowler but absolutly shameful at the tennis. golf is good tho hahaha


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## Steff

noooooooooooooo cant get to grips with that or boxing i think i played boxing twice maybe since we got the wii at xmas


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## mikep1979

aawwwww yeah love the boxing to!!!! hates me tho as it kills me lol. tend to go for about 5-6 matches and then have to hand over to my little lad who then takes it on for about 6 lol


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## Steff

drives mine bonkers he thinkshe has knocked  the opponent out and up again he gets for aother round haha 

anyways ty mike for the 1 on 1 lol im away to bed now 
night x


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## mikep1979

lol no probs huni 

night night


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## Copepod

*adventure racing / ultra running / orienteering / mountain marathons etc*

To answer Mike's post #10 - a few websites to get your started:
adventure racing: www.sleepmonsters.co.uk
ultra running: www.runfurther.com
orienteering permanent courses: http://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/event/poc.php
orienteering events / races: http://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/event/findevent.php
mountain marathons: http://home.casema.nl/jody.borgers/links.html
and http://www.yorkalpineclub.org.uk/activities/other-activities/index.htm

Feel free to PM for specific recommendations, depending on your location, navigation / off road cycling / canoeing / kayaking etc skills.


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## mikep1979

ta for the sites copepod and im really interested in the orienteering stuff too. had a mate who liked to do it, but has been diagnosed with brittle bone and cant now go up and down hills etc.


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## Copepod

*orienteering*

Mike - For those who can't run up / down hills / through woods etc, like your friend with brittle bones, there's trail-O see http://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/newto/disciplines.php

MEROC (Merseyside Orienteering Club) is probably the most convenient for Liverpool - see www.meroc.co.uk


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## Deano

Hi mike i was just wondering when you did your triathlon did you use any energy gels at all. I hope to train for the marathon again next year the first since diagnosis and i just wondered what energy gels if any are best for diabetics. I have heard that the sis go gels are very good as they dont cause your levels to spike but didnt know if you have any experience of using them.
Cheers
Dean


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## mikep1979

hi dean, i dont use any of the gluco gel things. all i tend to do is stock my body up on slow releasing carbs a couple of hours before i do any heavy exercise then it releases the carbs all through my exercise so i have no need for these gluco products. i know some runners who are non diabetic who use forms of them but couldnt say which make they are. my advice to anyone thinking of triathlons and marathons is to use a very very high carb intake either the meal before you start or a couple of hours before, but make sure your carbs are slow releasing. this is great for you as it gives you the constant energy you need instead of reducing the insulin level as it will hamper performance. i am very lucky with some of the friends i have as they have been sports persons who have played a very high levels of sport and have some really great advice. i also used to do a lot of research regarding diabetics and sport and found steve redgrave was a type 2 diabetic who used the high carb intake method and as he is a very very competent athlete i decided to ask some of my diabetes team about it and they were in agreement it is the best way to train and participate in heavy activity if you can get it right for you.


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## Deano

Hi Mike,

I just wondered with your triathlon training i am guessing that you must train more than once a day i just wondered how you get on with this being a diabetic, I was just wondering when i get into the marathon training again if it woluld be possible to run twice a day or run / cycle to up the mileage a bit. 

Cheers

Dean


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## mikep1979

hi dean,

it is possible as long as you are comfortable with your control and also with the way you go about you insulin to training. do you like to cycle?? i hadnt ever done a triathlon before this year but was an acomplished runner and also had a very good cycle time on me. all i needed was the swimming element really. now im not a great swimmer but have gotten better in time.

now it is very possible to train more than once a day so long as you keep a close eye on your levels and still have hypo awareness to.

if i can help you any more with anything specific please let me know 

mike


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## mikep1979

well folks it is 4 weeks till im off to hawaii to do my build up for the triathlon and im so looking forward to it!!!! another 3 weeks out there then it is go time!!!!!

well training is going well. i am now splitting it up through the day and seeing how it works to be out running in the hotest part of the day for a while but seems to be going well for now.

anyway i just thought id update you all with how it is going


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## runner

That is impressive!  I wish you the very best of luck and hope you really enjoy the experience!


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## mikep1979

runner said:


> That is impressive!  I wish you the very best of luck and hope you really enjoy the experience!



thanks for the encouragement


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