Many of you may know that I was in Disneyland last weekend for the Disneyland Half Marathon.  I had so much fun I feel kind of dopey writing about it—there is no chance all that fun can possibly come across on a computer screen!!

But I’ll try.

We got there on Thursday and picked up our bib numbers on Friday.  Fun already—the expo was in full swing when we went to pick everything up so I even got to shop!  Not only did I get to shop at the expo… but they were selling RUNNING STUFF to people who ENJOY RUNNING so I was hanging with my peeps.

So fun.

One shop had all kinds of fun shirts; I wanted to buy every single one they had but I held back and I think only got three.  Maybe four; I can’t remember—I was in the Zone. 

On Saturday we had to be at the start line by 6:15am.  Yikes.  No big deal; there were only 5,000 runners and it was a fun run so no one crowded too much.  Super fast, super fun course through both Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure.  Yay!!  The Disney runs take you all sorts of places you’ve seen and all through parts of the area you’ve never seen—those parts behind the “Cast Members Only” gates!

Sunday’s half marathon was a bit slower than the 5k (it’s much easier to maintain a faster pace for 25-30 minutes than 90-120 minutes!) but just as fun.  This run was monitored for pacing, so they started us out in waves, according to our predicted finish times.  It was a great way to start since we weren’t afraid of trampling a walker as those of us with less control over our excitement busted out of the gate.

You can see in the Garmin report where I stopped to check my blood sugar: mile 4, mile 6, and around 8.5-9 (my heart rate drops and my pace slows way down).  What you can’t see are my blood sugars: I started before the run around 180, which is a great spot for me to start a long run on a course I haven’t done before.  Excitement got to me and at mile 4 I was 304.  I was smart this time and remembered what happened last time I didn’t eat; this time I took insulin and ate anyway.  I would normally stop again at mile 8 but since I was high at mile 4 I didn’t want it to take that long before I checked again.  The check at 6 miles had me again at 304.  This was a fine result, since I knew I had insulin still on board that hadn’t it, but the sugar had already entered my blood stream.  Holding steady at that point was pretty great for my run.

I was down to 215 when I checked again for the last time.  I knew I still had a way to go so I ate another Gu (25 grams CHO) and kept running.  I did not bolus for that second Gu because I knew how my body would likely respond.  By the time I finished the half marathon I was 141.

Not a bad result.  I felt strong and relaxed during the run and while I would have preferred to keep my blood sugars under 200 for the entire run, that isn’t always possible for Event Day when the excitement is going full blast (did I mention I was BEHIND CAST-ONLY DOORS AT DISNEYLAND?!) and I’m not in control of the course.

I wonder how fast I could have run it if I didn’t stop for blood sugar checks and if I weren’t at 300 for a portion of the run.  I smile when I think about it—I feel like I am making a great showing in my runs and no one else probably knows how it feels to function with a blood sugar of 300. 

Much less set a personal record.

I had a dream my blood sugar was 1, 172.  I remember the screen had “11172” displayed, but in dreamland it was one thousand, one hundred and seventy-two. 

Wacky.

Because not only was I over a thousand (which I think has never happened in my real life) but I was in a weird blue bathroom and about to run a half marathon.  Since the half marathon was going to start whether I was ready or not, I just had to figure out what to do.  In my dream, I stood there a while and I don’t know what happened because I woke up then and said aloud “Weird!  I have to blog about that today!”

I rarely dream about my diabetes.  I rarely dream about much of anything from my close daily life, either, so it was weird to dream about my blood sugar.

I wonder if it has anything to do with my miserable run on Saturday.

I have to wake up for bootcamp every day at 5am.  This means I am reluctant to set an alarm on weekends.  Last year when I trained for my marathon I woke up one day of the weekend and did a long run before most people woke up.  This summer I haven’t been able to do it—I set the alarm, wake up, hang out in the bathroom staring at myself in the mirror, ask the dreaded 3-letter question one should never ask at that time of the day (“why?”), and head straight back to bed.

This on its own is not a problem.  On Saturday, however, it was a problem because when I woke up at 8am for my planned 16 mile run I ran out of cereal and turned on the TV.

Of course, I’ve been trying to bolus 10 minutes before I eat, so when I got to the bowl my insulin was already delivered.  Yikes when I opened the box and saw a literal tablespoon of granola at the bottom of the bag.  (I’d love to have shouted “who did this?!” but I’m the only one who eats that cereal.  All me.)  This meant I had to fudge it a little with some raisins and a gulp of Gatorade.

But the real culprit was Mike Holmes.  Now, in hindsight I know it was an hour-long show that was only part one of two.  At the time, though, I thought he would have built a beautiful home within an hour and I’d be able to see his magnificent work. 

So I kept continuing my reduced temporary basal and watching the show.

Which all meant I was 3 miles into my run and checked my blood sugar: 372.  Whoops.  Dang.  Small bolus, keep going.  Checked again 5 miles in, 330.  Looking better.  Keep going.  Checked again, 7.5 miles in, 220.  Phew. 

I was having a completely miserable run, though.

It wasn’t until I had returned home after forcing myself through the 16 that I started to wonder why it was so terrible.   (I finished with a blood sugar of 105 for those of you who are interested.)

Now it seems so obvious, but it wasn’t that obvious when I was out there!

Usually, at that 3 mile spot I have something to eat.  And usually, I’ve had an entire bowl of ceral.  And usually, I eat again after 9-10 miles.  But on Saturday I didn’t eat at all because I kept checking and seeing numbers that started with 3s and 2s. 

This isn’t how I normally run, and I haven’t seen a 300 in a while.  I’m glad, because I don’t like to see them when I’m out running.  Just like that 1,172 in my dream, I’m not always sure what to do when they are so high mid-run—my gut reaction is “insulin!” but when I’m running I know I need to moderate my gut response with something that makes better sense for my current situation.

Let me tell you, though, on Saturday I was one UNHAPPY camper.  I haven’t run that plainly unhappy in a number of years—and I’m glad I haven’t.  It sucked.

It brought to mind a comment Jerry Armstrong said once about running and nutrition: he said you know who did it right if they cross the marathon finish line and ask where the sign-up is for the next marathon.  If someone crosses the finish line and says they’ll never do that again, they haven’t taken care of their nutrition for the long distance.

That Jerry is a smart guy.

So the next time Mike Holmes builds a house for a sweet 63 year old lady with 5 grandchildren whose house was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, if I decide to watch that instead of going out on my run when I planned to go, I’ll remember to eat on the run—even if I’m high—because if I don’t fuel my body, how can I expect it to perform?!

Joslin Diabetes Center lists their 8 Tips For Running with Diabetes below.  I kind of think they are good tips for people without diabetes, too.  Not everyone who has a cardiovascular, orthopedic, or other problem has diabetes… so just be smart about your body and your physical conditions before you go out and try to win that gold.

Now, I want to repeat that I don’t think running is for everyone.  Some people simply hate running.  If you hate running, I don’t want you to spend time crafting your running skills—you’d hate the time and you’d hate me.  No need for that.  Only invest in learning what you need to keep yourself running, safe, and happy if you enjoy a few minutes of the run.  Those minutes will grow and grow as you keep at it.  (I know you won’t believe me when you’re out there, but it’s true.)

When I started running outside and no longer on a treadmill, I had been run/walking for about a year.  I never kept a log of my running and blood glucose readings—although I frequently checked while running.  I kept a log in my head, though, and one doctor asked me why I would think I could do it that way (meaning, I think, that he wanted me to write the numbers down so he could see them too).  Probably because I was stubborn.  (ya think?!  Still am.)  He made a good point, though: no need to make a point if making that point complicates your life.  Keep track so that you learn what your body does.  That knowledge will help you in all areas of your life with diabetes.

Now get out there!

“Walking is for everyone and provides tremendous health benefits,” says Michael See, M.S., R.C.E.P., a clinical exercise physiologist at Joslin. “Jogging is a great form of exercise for individuals who prefer to participate in a more vigorous exercise program.” Here are his tips to get the benefits of a healthy running program:

1. Get your doctor’s clearance. People with diabetes should consult their doctors if they want to go beyond purposeful walking, to make sure that they are not at risk from cardiovascular, orthopedic or other problems.

2. Walk before you run. Go from walking to running in a gradual process. Begin with purposeful walking (for half an hour or so), then combine walking and jogging, and then increase the jogging.

3. Wear the right footwear. Consult with an expert when you buy the shoes. Make sure that they fit well and are appropriate for running.

4. Dress appropriately. Dress in layers; wear absorbent materials close to skin to wick away perspiration and an outer layer to protect you from the wind and other elements. Wear a reflective vest if you’re out at night.

5. Find a partner or role model. Look in your community for running groups or clubs. Invite your neighbor or colleague to join together during lunch. If you’re interested in going the distance and even maybe running a marathon, pair up with someone who has done it.

6. Keep a goal in mind. You may want to set your sights on an event such as a five-kilometer road race for charity.

7. Have a plan for managing your diabetes. Measure your blood sugar before and after the activity (and during it, if needed). Carry juice, a sports drink, a piece of fruit or glucose tablets. Keep a training log, recording your miles and your blood glucose readings.

8. Listen to your body. Starting gradually and being consistent are the secrets to improving your health and fitness, avoiding injury and managing your blood sugar levels.

I was brought up in a family of planners.  We planned everything.  I can’t tell you anything that happened that wasn’t planned.  We talked about plans before they were plans, we planned out when to plan, we discussed the current plan, we anticipated what the next plan would be, and we thought about what the plan was for tomorrow’s plan.  And we had a tentative plan for next week, too.  And the plan for next week included plans for the following week.

The Plan Ruled in my family.

Which probably explains why I married a guy whose family never planned.  If you showed up on time, good job!  It’ll just be a few more minutes before I’m ready; where are we going again?

This is incredibly entertaining to me, incredibly frustrating, and always fascinating.  Either the plan or the non-plan; I’m often amazed anyone can make it through the day.

I was thinking about this because I was reading a Runner’s World magazine from last year (I’m working my way through them, I swear) and saw a blurb about a man who has run every day since December 20, 1964. 

Yeah, you read that right: he has run more than 16,000 days in a row.

They had a photo of him sitting with his seventeen running log books spread before him.  It’s pretty impressive.  I thought about one of my bootcampers, who reports that her dad has a journal that chronicles every workout he’s done for the past four decades.

Wow.

I think that would be so cool to have for myself.  I just know it isn’t going to happen.  At least, not without my undergoing a massive personality shift.

It’s hard to see any log book and not think of blood sugar log books.  (I asked for a copy of my printouts the other day from my doctor, so now I at least have something to look at!)  How crazy would that be, if I had blood sugar records from every check I ever did??  Can you even imagine that?  22 years, 4-14 checks a day, with insulin and activity records?  For more than twenty-two years?

Not that I’m competitive or anything, but I bet I’d fill up waaay more than seventeen books.

A plan involves both looking ahead and looking back.  Plans can either complicate or simplify life; it depends I think on the planner involved. 

I’m sure I’d make more changes to my insulin if I had record books and could look at patterns on paper.  I’m just not sure if more frequent changes would be better for me.  I’ve been considering writing my numbers down again, just to see if I feel better doing it than not doing it.  I’m sure I’ll tell you how it’s going if I decide to start.

I will say this: I started logging my workouts in an online workout calendar this past year and I like it.  I like knowing what the past month looks like in terms of my days running and doing weights and yoga.  I look at that to help me decide what would be good for me to do next. 

I guess I learned something from growing up in a Planning Family.