Managing type 1 before a marathon with brian hoadley
Introduction
Paul Coker here from 1BloodyDrop.com and today I’m here just outside of Buckingham Palace and I’m joined by Brian Hoadley. In our previous video, Brian was talking about what inspired him to start running and he’s going from running … From being a non-runner to running the London marathon in a year. So we’re just a few metres away from where he’s going to cross the finish line on the 22nd of April. Brian, thanks for joining us today.
Brian, What is Your Plan for Managing Your Blood Glucose Levels During the London Marathon?
I just want to ask you, how do you manage your blood glucose levels before you go for a long training run? What’s your plan for managing them on the day of the London marathon?
Well before a long training run I always sort of know what day of the week I’m going to be doing that on. So the day before I sort of try and consider what I’m eating more, the day before make sure that I’ve had a decent amount of carbohydrates so that I have got enough fuel within my body for the next day sort of activity. Training runs generally start early in the mornings at sort of eight o’clock, so I set a six o’clock alarm so I can put a temporary basal rate on my pump. For me, it won’t be the same for everybody, but for me, I can reduce my basal by 90% so I’m only running a tiny trickle of insulin in during the run. Then that’s it pretty much, sort of chill out indoors, have a coffee before I go out and then 15 minutes before I start running I sort of always keep an eye on my blood sugar levels using Dexcom. I sort of use CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitor) to keep an eye on that.
I’ll have 15-20 grammes of carbohydrates before I start running, and that will hold my blood sugars where they are. They won’t spike in any way, ’cause once you start running the exercise tends to keep me level. Then every 40 minutes that I’m running I need at least another 15 grammes of carbohydrate. I use Gluco-tabs or energy gels, which is energy in it’s purest form that I can get so the glucose gets absorbed quickly and this keeps my body fueled. It doesn’t spike me in any way, it holds my blood sugars level by doing that.
Do You Eat Breakfast on the morning of a Long Run?
No, I generally I would on a long run, I try to have absolutely no active bonus insulin on board. So I generally always run my long runs in a fasted state. I find more or less on any distance run if I’ve had a meal in the last two, three hours and I’ve taken my insulin against that meal like I would have done, I will hypo whilst I’m running. Taking on carbohydrate whilst I’m running won’t prevent that hypo, I will still drop.
All of the other runners I know have a big meal an hour and a half before they run, things like loads porridge, I like the idea of having porridge before I go out for a run but it just doesn’t work for me. Every time I eat like that it ends with a hypo.
Are you Fundraising?
Yeah, I mean with the fundraising I wanted to run for something that sort of I’ve got a passion for and I care about. It’s basically running for the RNIB, it’s sort of Diabetic Retinography is something that most people with Type One are going to experience a degree of at some point in their lives. My biggest diabetes fear is losing my eyesight. I met some runners a couple of weeks ago in training, these guys are actually blind and running with a guide runner. They’re going to be running the marathon in three hours, which is crazy fast. It’s just so inspiring being in a room with these guys all day training with them. It just puts everything into perspective really, it’s a good cause to run for.
The Next Video
In the next video, Brian will share his strategies for managing his blood glucose during the Virgin London Marathon.