# Long runs



## Lizzzie (May 15, 2018)

you are about to run for an hour or two.

Your diabetes is ‘right’ at the moment.  It is breakfast time.

What do you do (diabetes wise)?

I realise the answer is different for everyone, just interested to see the range of answers!

Thanks


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## Northerner (May 16, 2018)

Hi @Lizzzie  I always inject and eat about an hour before setting off for a run so that I have both insulin circulating and food digesting as I run. I don't have a lot of food, usually just a slice of toast. For me, this will generally 'last' me for about 7-8 miles, beyond that I will test and top up with either a gel or some jelly babies (I find the gel easier as there is no chewing involved!), every 2-3 miles  

Although a different sport, it might be worth having a browse of @Matt Cycle's 'Cycling' thread - endurance cycling and pretty good regime of testing and taking on carbs :

https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/cycling.55014/


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## everydayupsanddowns (May 16, 2018)

I would reduce breakfast bolus to 70% or 80% of 'normal' and set a Temporary Basal Rate of something like 25-50% of my normal pattern. 

I would probably have some fast-acting carbs after about 30 minutes, and then again after another 30 minutes.

Ideally I would be wearing a Libre (or other sensor) so that I could watch and time carb intake and/or reduce TBR to zero basal in response to what my BGs were doing.


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## Northerner (May 16, 2018)

Benny G said:


> @Lizzzie, how much running do you do already? It's better to start off doing shorter distances and lower intensity, see how that affects you, then ramp from there.
> It's a few years since I have run long distance, I only jog for 10 minutes after lunch most days now.


This is pretty much how I approached things after diagnosis, when I was still getting used to the insulin etc. Prior to diagnosis I had been ready to run a marathon, so it was very frustrating to have to go right back to basics. Something to bear in mind is that your need for supplementary glucose and/or insulin can change as you become more trained, as your body can (usually!) handle an increasing amount of effort for longer, up to a point. As I mentioned, this is about 7-8 miles for me i.e. 1-1.5 hours of running.  Of course, with diabetes, you might be very different - I've read many accounts of people who are! One guy I read about needs no insulin at all to be circulating during a marathon


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## HOBIE (May 16, 2018)

Turn my pump down. So adjustable. Nothings perfect but its one of the best ways to sort. I have been in a NHS office all day today with high ish BG. A couple of pushes of buttons (extra insulin)


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## Lizzzie (Jun 15, 2018)

Thanks Benny.  Somewhere between five and ten miles is normal for me.  A few stop-to-walks because there are lots of hills round here.....!   Short runs go fine, it’s the longer ones......


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## Lizzzie (Jun 15, 2018)

Thanks Northerner.

Do you reduce the ratio for the toast?



QUOTE="Northerner, post: 824083, member: 62"]Hi @Lizzzie  I always inject and eat about an hour before setting off for a run so that I have both insulin circulating and food digesting as I run. I don't have a lot of food, usually just a slice of toast. For me, this will generally 'last' me for about 7-8 miles, beyond that I will test and top up with either a gel or some jelly babies (I find the gel easier as there is no chewing involved!), every 2-3 miles 

Although a different sport, it might be worth having a browse of @Matt Cycle's 'Cycling' thread - endurance cycling and pretty good regime of testing and taking on carbs :

https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/cycling.55014/[/QUOTE]


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## Lizzzie (Jun 15, 2018)

HOBIE said:


> Turn my pump down. So adjustable. Nothings perfect but its one of the best ways to sort. I have been in a NHS office all day today with high ish BG. A couple of pushes of buttons (extra insulin)



Let me get this straight.....   background down, but correct any existing high level?


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## HOBIE (Jun 16, 2018)

Basal down (back ground long term insulin). It depends on you personally & how your pump is set up to you.  Good luck Lizzie


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