Hands up? Give me hope and tell me how you balance insulin/carbs in long course racing…
Long story short- I’m not too bad in sprints- I find blood sugar doesn’t factor too much and I can ride out a moderately elevated blood sugar during these races because they are only an hour or so. I don’t need to worry about nutrition either. I usually get to about 12mmols max (that’s 200 for you mg/dl folk) by the time I’m done and I check my blood sugar (small post exercise bump in there)
Long course is killing me though. I have trained for specific 70.3’s and every time I mess it up with the big ‘D’. I can handle failing due to poor pacing or fitness, but this is tiring.
A quick example, I always struggle with highs during a race so before a 70.3 swim I observed the usual blood sugar rise to 11mmols. I injected a unit. I should have left it as is but the numbers didn’t drop. I took 2 more units. Crash. Right before my swim wave I went from 11mmols to 3.1 in about 8 minutes. I rushed a gel and cramped my way through an entire 70.3 race right from the swim start. I had to down 2 more gels mid swim as I was feeling lethargic and doughy- I managed 49/120 in my age group by the end of it all and it pisses me off coz I’m faster than that. This is the first time I have had to deal with lows during a race, it’s always highs and associated dehydration and more cramps.
During the offseason I will probably be getting a pump as I’m also sick of jabbing myself during the bike leg so I can eat (the insulin eventually wears off even with a basal on board).
So give me hope my
Pancreatically challenged brethren - are u mixing it in long course successfully? Do you battle highs like crazy?
I started doing tri’s when I was 19~ and began swimming when I was 18.
You just “learn” how to listen to your body, when you get downs or highs.
The first few times I did a HIM I got mostly hipos during the run part of the race. I measure my BG during transitions and make correction based on those two readings. My nutrition is the same as when I train, so I know I wont (normally) need any insulin during my ride. Stress, sun and other factors do have effect on my BG during races. I carry the BGM with me on the run part, just in case.
Short version: Learn how your body reacts and break the race in “shorter” intervals. As you said, when your race is 1h or less long you dont have any problems. Maybe break it in swim-t1-km45-t2-10km-finish and measure your BG in between each part!
Hope you get your sweetspot!
Ps: I don’t know what “fast” means to you, but I have had a 4:30 HIM, sub17 5k, 1min 100m swim and there are many other T1D who are faster than 4:20 HIM.
I’m not fast, but T1D. I try to start the race between 150-200 with no active bolus insulin. I’ll take in an EFS/Carbopro drink shortly before the swim (1 scoop of each in a 22 or 24oz bottle.) Through trial and error, I’ve found I need one of bottle every 45 minutes during the bike and every half hour during the run. I started out with more carbopro in the mix and titrated down based on my response to training.
Kudos to you guys. I was misdiagnosed as T1D for 13 years, and I let the perceived challenge of managing BGs during a tri keep me from doing one. Six months back got correctly diagnosed with a monogenetic diabetes variant, off insulin and within a few days my endogenous insulin rebounded, my A1cs are actually slightly lower off insulin now! Did my first Olympic tri six weeks later, second recently, HIM up next. Have deep respect for those pushing their athletic limits while on a full basal/bolus insulin regimen.
I’m also on mdi. I’ve had some highs/lows that I need to manage with insulin but I’ve found trough trial and error what I need to eat during each part of the race!
Btw, I’ve just done 2 HIM with no (bolus) insulin, other times I’ve had to use some during Transitions. But that have worked for me!
Try to mimic your race efforts during training to get a feel of how your body reacts. Train to suffer and race to enjoy. That’s kind of my motto!
Hi, I’ve done two IMs since being diagnosed T1 - Wales and Roth. The thing is, everyone’s different. Insulin and carbs will hit different people in different ways at different times. I read a lot of advice on ST post diagnosis. Some was useful, some not. The trick is to experiment and see what works for you.
However, as a rule of thumb I take less bolus insulin the morning of a race and aim to be about 12 mmol pre swim. I’ll not take any insulin all day. I’d rather go high than hypo. The constant physical effort is enough to keep me from going too high. Just got to keep the nutrition going in to prevent me from going too low.
How how do you let your blood sugar get to? At what point do you find it interferes with cramps/dehydration etc? Would you do a half at 12mmols for example or do you find that too high?
Also look up my buddy Bill Carlson. His youtube on WW of S is when as a kid he was the first person with type 1 to be an Ironman. He just qualified for Kona again, and he still looks like a kid even though he’s ancient (my age )
How how do you let your blood sugar get to? At what point do you find it interferes with cramps/dehydration etc? Would you do a half at 12mmols for example or do you find that too high?
Not a long course triathlete, but I’ve had a fair amount of success with long road races and stage races. I find high sugars don’t affect performance too badly. I can get to 16 without too much trouble, but obviously I don’t try to get there. Frankly, I usually have the other problem. Without the right amount of food, I get low.
I could see successfully racing 70.3s, but having long term success at IM distance races seems outside of my capabilities, thought I’ve never really tried events longer than 6 hours. What I can say is a continuous glucose monitor will be your friend.
you can go racing for 6 hours at 16mmols? wow! obviously it doesn’t stay at 16 otherwise you wouldn’t be able to eat. 6 hours is a long race on the bike, nice work! I did have a trial of a dexcom G4 last year. The educator put the transmitter in my upper butt, and it wasn’t accurate at all. Waste of time really. Was getting readings of 11mmols when I was 3. Trending data going the other way too. I have since learned that the spot may have been an issue, I should try it again. Some people say they work too slowly for racing though?
I can race quite high. Have done halfs at 20 plus and gone 4.30ish. Whilst it’s not ideal it can be done. Once came off bike after riding 5.18 was 20 or so, injected and went low. Keep trying to get good levels but don’t fret too much if a bit high. 12 is good as gives a margin for hypos. And hypos can be race ending. Highs are not.
I’ve been diabetic for 23 years and done sports ever since. Like others have said try stuff and see what works
shitballs that’s high! I have hovered at 15 on a bike leg of a half and the thing wouldn’t come down. Didn’t have insulin on me. Ate a total of 4 jellybeans that whole 2.5hr ride. Cramped, thirsty. Kudos to how you can race in the 20’s as well as take on food!
you can go racing for 6 hours at 16mmols? wow! obviously it doesn’t stay at 16 otherwise you wouldn’t be able to eat. 6 hours is a long race on the bike, nice work! I did have a trial of a dexcom G4 last year. The educator put the transmitter in my upper butt, and it wasn’t accurate at all. Waste of time really. Was getting readings of 11mmols when I was 3. Trending data going the other way too. I have since learned that the spot may have been an issue, I should try it again. Some people say they work too slowly for racing though?
Yeah, 16+ definitely isn’t ideal, but possible. Usually what happens to get that high is I overestimate how much food I need or underestimate intensity and it climbs up. Not usually that high over an entire long workout/race. Which is the reason I have more luck with shorter races, you can control your sugar much easier leading up to the start, then it just floats for the duration. The longer the race, the more fluctuation I see.
I’ve had similar issues with Medtronic CGMs and it comes down to getting a good site on your body and properly calibrating it. Unfortunately they’re not perfect, but once you get down the art of wearing one they’ll be very helpful, especially for really long workouts.
Reach out to the guys at Infinit. They supply Novo Nordisk and have been working with diabetic athletes for years. They are great people to work with too.
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