# Run, run, wherever you may be...



## toffee (Mar 23, 2019)

...is the start of a somewhat menacing song to the verse of "Lord of the dance said he..." at a football ground not too far from my front door. It's also an edict I've stuck to for many years, whenever life has taken me to places outside of my usual haunts, one of the first things I like to do is get my trainers on and go for a run, not just to keep fit but to have a little nose about, get the feel of a place.

People tend to leave me alone as a runner, no one really bats an eyelid when a "jogger" meanders past them apparently oblivious to everything apart from their bleeping Garmin and cadence...little do the unsuspecting public know I'm actually taking it all in, whatever the "all" may be.

Running became important to me when I was 37 and a half, I know we should n't really count half years as adults but kids do it and they're far more intelligent in many respects than me so I'm sticking to it, and it is relevant as well, or I think it is and if you don't agree I'm telling my mum, and my dad can fight your dad etc.

Anyway, I absolutely love running, it's bloody hard but bloody rewarding too and no two runs are ever the same, ever.

I began my own running journey in the summer of 2007, deciding to venture out of my door in sunny Southport at the very top end of Merseyside, I planned on a little three mile sojourn along the coast road....I managed about 500 yards.
I'd not done any exercise for about a year, a previous OK footy player who'd lapsed into a regime of boozing at home after work, boozing at the weekend and thought nothing of having a few pints at the match every other week, suddenly thought I'd be able to run no problem.

That first attempted run was a real wake up call, if I was going to be able to complete the local 10K I'd decided to enter in a few weeks time the week before, I was going to have to really be disciplined, funny that, now I'm 49 and a bit, and type 1 diabetic all of a sudden, I have to be really disciplined again.

Running, it got me disciplined and I was OK at it, since 2007 I've ran all the Lakeland Trails, Marathons in our fabulous cities, Ultras in stunning locations to various Parkruns across the UK and I'm blessed to live near the coast, with stunning beaches that impel you get your knickers and vest on and see the soaring of the swallow, the beauty of the swan, the music of the turning earth and feel the wind upon your brow.

Before I was diagnosed last month, well, before I felt ill last year I ran...it did n't matter where, running made smile, running, it kind of made me.

So, now I am diabetic.
Diabetes, an ugly *** condition which has turned my world upside down, is dictating how and when I can run at the moment, at the moment...

Croxteth Hall Parkrun in less than 8 hours.

Run, run, wherever you may be...


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## Northerner (Mar 23, 2019)

Ah, we are pretty much in tune here!  I have been a runner for 36 years, and like you it has always helped me to discover my local geography, wherever I find myself  Roll forward to age 49 and I was due to fly off to Stockholm to run the marathon there when my world changed. 5 days of intense sickness, and ambulance and an 8 day stay in hospital the week I was due to fly out. Needless to say, I missed the race, although (laughably, I now see!) once I was put on insulin I felt so well that I still thought I might make the flight!  

It took me a little while to get back into the running, but I managed to run the Great South Run four months after diagnosis and have kept things ticking over with various GSRs and half marathons since then, now 11 years  Test, test, test to begin with to find out how it affects you, then things do become easier, I promise!  I was helped in the beginning by an excellent book, The Diabetic Athlete's Handbook - might be worth a look


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## Pigeon (Mar 23, 2019)

How did it go, @toffee ? Hope you enjoyed it. I got a PB today, best I've done in a long time!


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## toffee (Mar 23, 2019)

Perfect thanks Pigeon, started at the back, finished at the back 
Northener, I ordered that book...thanks.


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## Chris Hobson (Apr 27, 2019)

Back in the 1980s I used to do karate and used to go for little 2 or 3 mile runs when I was building my fitness level up for gradings or competitions. After I stopped the karate training in the early 1990s I kept fit by swimming and cycling but eventually lapsed and just drank beer. My diagnosis was nearly six years ago now and the first thing that I did was to start cycling again. It was the parkruns that got me running and, because I liked swimming and cycling too, the obvious thing to try was a triathlon. With the running I gradually stepped up the distances, 5 miles, 10k, 10 miles and then half and full marathons. Similarly with the triathlons, started with sprints and then in stages worked all the way up to full ironman distance.

I was originally diagnosed as type 1 but was later re- diagnosed as type 2. Doing plenty of exercise has definitely helped my condition and I would reccomend it to any diabetics who are able bodied enough. I am typing this in a Premier Inn near Greenwich as my wife and I are both running the London marathon tomorrow.


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## Ditto (Apr 27, 2019)

I am amazed that one of the contestants in the SAS programme is a Type 1...the tasks they are doing are unbelievable. I watch with bated breath. :O Very impressive.


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## Northerner (Apr 27, 2019)

Chris Hobson said:


> Back in the 1980s I used to do karate and used to go for little 2 or 3 mile runs when I was building my fitness level up for gradings or competitions. After I stopped the karate training in the early 1990s I kept fit by swimming and cycling but eventually lapsed and just drank beer. My diagnosis was nearly six years ago now and the first thing that I did was to start cycling again. It was the parkruns that got me running and, because I liked swimming and cycling too, the obvious thing to try was a triathlon. With the running I gradually stepped up the distances, 5 miles, 10k, 10 miles and then half and full marathons. Similarly with the triathlons, started with sprints and then in stages worked all the way up to full ironman distance.
> 
> I was originally diagnosed as type 1 but was later re- diagnosed as type 2. Doing plenty of exercise has definitely helped my condition and I would reccomend it to any diabetics who are able bodied enough. I am typing this in a Premier Inn near Greenwich as my wife and I are both running the London marathon tomorrow.


Wishing you and the missus the very best for tomorrow @Chris Hobson !  Hope you both have a terrific time!


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