Gary Blakie, maintaining 23, was 12 when he was diagnosed with diabetes of the type 1. It did not stop it representing RU in the championships of category of age of Triathlon of the world.
How did you react when you were diagnosed with diabetes of the type 1?
I was diagnosed when I was 12 years old, of the holidays of family towards the USA. I had felt terrible and stays gone with the toilet much, but I did not know that something was seriously wrong.
It was a shock, although in days first I did not know anything about the diabetes or what the diagnosis meant.
Did it change your attitude into sport and physical-activity?
Not really. I just wanted to continue to do what I did front. I was implied in no serious sport at this time, but my dad and uncles always made the triathlon and my mom is a therapeutist of sports, thus the sport was always part of my life.
When I was 13 years old I started to run with my dad. I had only
recently informed how to order my sugar of blood, and now me had to try to maintain my levels regular while I was exerted (the physical-activity can make fall from the rates of sugar in so low blood or rise too high). As one could expect it, I obtained it false much at the beginning. But I learned each time.
Surely did the diabetes make it difficult to be exerted for the serious athletics?
I entered the triathlon by operation. I made my first triathlon in 2001, and progressed from there.
During the formation of the principal problem controls your rates of sugar in blood around your mode. When I started, there was not many information available, thus I did much estimate. I tested with injections and foods of insulin at various hours around the exercise. I always aimed at maintaining my rate of sugar in regular blood throughout one period of exercise.
I got information much about the way in which my body answers various types of activity and various foods. One hour of swimming, for example, tended to lower my rate of sugar in blood by approximately 3mmol/l. Thus if I began the bath with a level approximately of 5.6, I guessed that need for I 'of D something to eat halfway through.
Because no matter who with diabetes knows, if your sugar of blood becomes too high you will feel tired and faded, and your heart rate will go up much. If it 's so low will have you very small energy. Neither one nor the other are any goods if you want to as quickly run, swim or make a cycle as possible.
Do you early have problems during the races?
Yes. During my first triathlon, I stopped with intervals and measured my rates of sugar in blood. Obviously it is not ideal: 30 seconds in a triathlon can cost you five places.
That took three years to me to find that a mode which was exact for me and the didn 't imply to stop for the tests or insulin during the race.
For example, in the triathlon of sprint I swim 400 meters, then make a turn of bicycle of 13 miles, then a race of trois-mille.�At the beginning of the race my sugar of blood would be approximately 5.6, which is large, but towards the end it was 19 or 20.
Ainsi I decided to take less insulin length-acting and to take in the place an amount insulin of short duration in front of the race, to stop my rising sugar levels so much high. But in addition I starting having hypos as a my sugar of blood fell so low.
Now you have a mode which works?
Yes, 2005 was the year when I finally obtained my line of insulin mode. In this year I made approximately eight races, and the nail packed for the BRITISH team with the championships of the world in Hawaii. It was a great feeling.
My mode is different according to the race. For the triathlon of sprint I will take with my normal 15 units of insulin length-acting the front night. The morning I will take from the 15 to 20 additional units of insulin length-acting two hours in front of the race, because basic insulin takes two hours with the operation of beginning. In this way, if I start with a rate of sugar in the blood of 5.6, then me will finish with a level approximately of 6.4. Nowadays, I know that I can count on that.
I strongly do not eat in front of the race. Consumption is and often good. I will carry usually a snack bar and to eat a little every 30 minutes during the race to preserve my glucose bubble upwards.
But of other people with diabetes will have to find what functions for them personally. The important thing is that this 'sport possible of play of S with diabetes. And there are advantages beyond sport. Once you know your body answers the activity and food, it helps you to control your diabetes throughout the day.
How other people with diabetes can discover what functions for them?
My method was conjecture. But nowadays there are good information sources outside there which can help. Throw a glance with the Web site of RunSweet (see the useful bonds), where there are a good number of short cuts and ends on the way in which to control the diabetes during all kinds of physical-activity.
Which is one day typical of formation now?
I will seek 30 early a bath minute with 6.30am. I do not eat in advance, and I will examine my sugar of blood before the bath in order to see whether I will have to halfway eat food by the session.
After work I go for a 90 minutes race. Still, I will examine my sugar of blood in advance and will adjust me what I eat consequently. I always bring food with me when I run, if my sugar of blood would fall really low. In the best of the cases, you would also bring your insulin kit with you, but I have enough experiment to know that my gained levels 't become really high, thus I do not need the kit more.
Do you have to stick to a special diet?
Not really. I put 't eats hamburgers and chips or welds them. I eat rather healthily, but I do not have a special diet. With diabetes, you just must realize of the consequences of what you eat. You can have a piece of chocolate from time to time, but if you eat too you know that your sugar level will go up too high.
Which is your message with the other sportspeople with diabetes?
I am a proof that people with diabetes can carry out with the peak of their physical capacity in the sport with elevated level. You simply must discover which mode functions for you and then go for him.