I Need a Buddy

My first Ironman Triathlon in Madison, Wisconsin last year was one of the most memorable moments of my life. And you know what? It had nothing to do with the race itself - it all had to do with crossing the finish line with my IronKiD.

IronKiDz was a program through Insulindependence that enabled a handful of children with Type I diabetes to participate in an adventure of a lifetime. It began about the time us athletes began training for the Ironman. An athlete was paired up with a child to serve as a mentor throughout the year. Then the week before the Ironman, the children were flown out to Wisconsin for a three day river canoe trip. The adventure ended at the Ironman where the IronKiDz got to cross the finish line with their Triabetes triathlete.

It was such a blast we're doing it again....Insulindependence has renamed the program but it's still going to be the same life changing experience, for the kids and the triathletes. This year, Triabuddies (our new name for the program) will take our younger counterparts on a 3-day sail- and kayaking journey to the Channel Islands off the California Coast. And once again, it will end at an Ironman Triathlon, this one in Arizona, where the kids will get the experience of crossing the finish line with their partner triathlete.

So I'm looking for a Triabuddy. Are you out there? If interested, click the following link for more information.


The Triabetes IronKiDz Project from Andiamo Productions on Vimeo.

All you need is love...

So I went to my first group run yesterday in the area, the Buffalo Marathon training group (and no, this is not a picture of Buffalo in January). I saw an advertisement flyer in the gym the other day, and since I've been struggling with my workout consistency, it was kind of a no-brainer to go.

What do you mean a no-brainer? You did the Ironman last year? Well sure, since the Ironman people have been throwing the praise at me about my dedication when it comes to working out. And on a scale of 1 to 10, maybe I am more deidacted then the average Joe. Maybe. But I had skipped plenty of workouts while training for the Ironman, probably even more since then. Last month's 1/2 marathon/marathon double at Walt Disney World was more based on talent then it was hard work, and that's not something I say proudly. Some of my consitency has turned to complaceny, with a new job and moving to a new city (where it snows like every freakin day), there are just more days where I'm not out being active.

Now don't get me wrong, I do work out. And yes, it's probably a lot more then AJ (aka the average joe). But it's by no means as much as it used to be. Most of that is becase of lifestyle changes, and none of us can change that. I wouldn't change the new job or where it is for the world (well, maybe if it snowed every other day instead of every day). Now the challenge is how to find ways to work out when I'm skipping.

Which brings me back to the Buffalo marathon training group. Training with others, is a great way to work out. It builds and maintains your fitness while at the same time fosters new relationships in your area. The support that you provide and receive to /from others with similar goals cannot be overstated. And it's easy to skip a workout when you're the only one, but the pressure to get there when you know others are counting on you can be heavy.

Yesterday was a perfect example....It was 12 degrees out yesterday with a wind chill below zero when I met the group. There is NO way i would have gotten dressed to run in that kind of weather by myself. But knowing others would be there, I pulled on the layerd running gear and met about 20 other crazies ready to run. And run we did. I got 10 miles in for the day!!!

And yes, I'm biased when it comes to running, but there are plenty of other groups out there. Swimming, cycling, even trips to the gym. You just have to look in your area for them. Try calling around to local gyms or fitness stores and ask about them. You can also look at active.com, which is a great site for those who want to know of activities in your area.

Happy training.

So i joined I gym this week...

I had been fighting the decision off for months, and boy, did I have excuses - tons of them. My job is too busy, I don't want to drive there. I don't want to be locked in to a commitment. I can always run outside,etc, etc. etc.

But in the back of my mind I knew it was the right thing to do. And maybe it was the trip to running in Florida and then comparing it with the 10 below 0 windchill, that changed my mind. Or maybe it was the fact that I've gained 9 pounds since the Ironman. In any case, I decided to sign up.

So would you want to join a gym? It's that time of year after all. If you're interested, here's a couple things to look for:

• Find a gym close to your home or office - the closer, the easier it is to fit into your schedule.
• Decide what you want before you go - yoga classes are great, but if you have no interest then it doesn't really matter.
• Ask for a weekly pass to try it out - try it before you buy it.
• Be comfortable with the staff, and the membership policies - don't feel pushed into anything, be sure to ask questions and find out how you may cancel the policy if you move, change jobs, etc.
  

I found one within 5 miles of where I live called the Buffalo Athletic Club with several locations in Buffalo, and in Rochester. And after the two week trial they offered, I signed up for three months to see how it works. If it fits, (or if it doesn't) you'll hear about it.

You don't need a medal to know you're goofy

They say this is the place that dreams come true. Boy, i don't think Walt was planning this one when he came up with Disney years ago but he was right.

This weekend participants of the first Team CWD participated in The Walt Disney Marathon Weekend. I went as one of the race coordinators, but truth be told I did little in terms of coaching. The group that signed up were already dedicated athletes who knew what they were in for, so other then a little advice here and there I worked on my own training (which after spending my first winter in Buffalo was a challenge in itself).

The weekend races went in this fashion: Friday was the 5k and kids races, Saturday was the 1/2 marathon, and Sunday was the full marathon. We had TeamCWD participants all three events. I had originally planned to run just the full on Sunday, my wife was also signed up so we talked about the idea of running together. But at the last minute I also jumped into the 1/2 marathon to run along with my sister-in-law who was running her first race (Gulp!)

I know that sounds crazy, but would you beleive they actually have an event where you run both? It's called the Goofy challenge (how appropriate) where if you complete both you recieve a third medal to signify it. And as crazy as that sounds, that are was actually filled up!!! So although i was going to do both, i would not receive that third medal (which as i found out after, has major bragging rights).

Heather (my sister) and I had to be up by 3am (3am, are you kidding me!!!) in order to get there for the 6am start. And other then the 3am start to the day, the run that we had was absolutely wonderful. I can't never have a 'first' 1/2 marathon or marathon again, but it was special to share a first one with someone, even better since we are family. I ran to get her water, bananas, etc. during the run and gave encouragement along the way. Heather actually worked for Disney before she became a teacher, so I got to hear some inside stories about the parks which was pretty cool. The emotions of course are the best part of all, we both got teary at the end as we crossed holding hands.

The run with my wife was just as memorable. We had never run a marathon together, and I was so excited about the idea it was hard to contain it (which is good because she's never been a morning person, so I had enough excitement in the beginning for the both of us). Getting to run through the parks at twilight when no one was there was pretty cool, defintely a reason to get up at 3am. And although the early start wasn't something i wanted to repeat, the run through the finish holding hands with family was.

This race got me thinking, two years from now will be my 30th anniversary with diabetes. I spoke with my wife about it (see, I am getting this marriage thing down) and we're going back in two years to celebrate my anniverary. I'm going to do the goofy for real, and it's going to be great.

It always is.

Happy New (cough) Year!

The new year started off with a bang (or rather, a sneeze). Tricia and I brought my niece along with us to the CWD Best Practices Conference in Marco Island FL. I was still feeling under the weather, but had been looking forward to this conference for almost a year. I had written earlier that my wife and I were going to be presenting together at the conference on how to integrate nutrition and activity into diabetes management, a 'marriage' of sorts.

So we got in on New Year’s Eve, but rather then joining in the festivities we went right up to bed (I guess that should have been a sign of what was to come). I had one day where I felt ok, and in retrospect it was a great day. I was able to go for a long run on the beach and really enjoy running somewhere new. That evening the conference began and I had a great time, meeting old friend and making new ones.

But (there’s always a but) that was about it for me. The next day I was so sick I could hardly walk. I slashed most of my presentations with the kids in an effort not to get them sick, and spent that day (and the following one in bed). It was a horrible feeling..... Here I was at this beautiful destination and I couldn't enjoy it. The beach was pristine, the view from our hotel deck was spectacular, and I was shivering and convulsing with aches, pains, and a fever.

My BGs were all over the place too (isn't that mandatory when you're sick?) I did a few temp basals to try and get them down, it always amazes me how much insulin I need when I’m sick. I took more insulin then I do on a daily basis – but I didn’t eat. And my boluses usually account for about 55% of my daily insulin.

Although I spent most of the time in bed, the conference did have a few highlights. The fever did subside for a bit, and I did present with my wife, and although it was a bit hazy with the fever I really enjoyed it. And I also presented to the parents on extreme athletics with Joe Eldridge from Team Type 1, and anytime I get to do that with one of the TT1 boys it’s a thrill.

I’m headed back to Buffalo now, and hoping that my cold clears up by next week. I’m flying back down here to run in Walt Disney’s marathon as part of Team CWD. Here’s hoping I’m able to pull through.