Starting Serious Running Program

Healthy Living Physical Activity
1

Hi everyone,

I'm pretty new to this site, but have been living with Type 1 for about 15 years now. I'm hoping to start running and try to get dedicated and serious about it and was wondering if anyone has any good advice about being a diabetic runner. I'm hoping to get a CGMS soon, although I'm not optimistic about the insurance companies and feel like that should be a huge advantage, but was wondering what people do on longer runs and for stretching and taking care of feet and other things.

Thanks so much!

Noah G

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Hey Noah. Check out the group, Athletic Diabetics. Tons of advice from some spectacular athletes. http://www.tudiabetes.org/group/athleticdiabetics

I'm exclusively a recreational runner, but I'll offer the following:

As far as D goes, most recommend Colberg's The Diabetic Athlete. Great book with great ideas and a good primer on how diabetic physiology differs as it relates to exercise. That said, a lot is trial and error. In most respects, unless you wish to be on a low carb diet, the general idea is to follow basic recommendations for non-D runners and use your knowledge of insulin and diet to make those same recs work for you. You'll just have to put in more effort to work around the D. For example, I plan my runs for times when I'll have little bolus insulin on board -- either 3-4 hours after a meal/bolus or immediately after a meal without a bolus.

A CGM will be hugely beneficial. My MM helps me to stop lows before they stop me. It also helps to prevent highs if I cut basal insulin too much. Not 100%, but a great tool nonetheless. Definitely pursue it.

I read Chi Running and got a lot out of it. Most injuries are caused by poor form or poor footwear. This book solved the former for me. It takes a lot of the pressure off of the feet and joints, which are particularly important for D. It also has some joint loosening exercises for before and stretches for after. Good shoes and good running socks, talc powder before and lotion after, take pretty good care of my feet. Good luck!

3

pick a race that looks like fun and sign up. they are free generic training plans at halhigdon.com and runnersworld.com. definitely get some good running shoes and lubricate your toes/feet for your long runs to prevent blisters. always carry your phone and extra carbs. look around for training partners or running clubs they will make the runs more fun and keep you accountable. good luck and have fun!

4

I agree that picking a race is a good way to get motivated? I sort of did it backwards, as I signed up for a 5K and then started running but was already working out pretty regularly (Tae Kwon Do 5-6 nights/ week...) and was able to run 5K right off the bat, which made the race fun, except I had been told 'you should be able to run 3 miles in 24 minutes for the black belt test' which made it more challenging! Regardless of your ability, a 'goal' like that can help make you train more and get ready.

I got Galloway's Book of Running as a gift recommended by my aunt, who does ultramarathons (50+ miles, 24 hour runs,etc.) and it is pretty informative, with a lot of tips about form, not so much you can't remember but suggestions about where to put your hands, how to control your steps and pace and also suggesting very strongly to do walk/running, whatever distance you are going for, as it reduces your risk of injury? I picked up Chi Running @ the running store today (no, they did not have the lime green Gel Kayanos :-() but put it back on the shelf as, w/ xmas coming, who knows what Santa might bring? It looked very interesting too.

I totally recommend finding good shoes by going to a running store that has treadmills. If you put different shoes on each foot and run on the treadmill, it has been my experience that the most comfortable shoes will become apparent much more than walking up and down the aisles at a non-specialty store. I've done a few laps around Sports Authority too, which is ok, but I think you'll get the best fit for both size and running style at a running store.

Re diabetes, I have been running (mostly, w/ some biking and a brief stint of Kung Fu...) for about 3 years now and as my 'main' workout for about 1.5 years. I had a pump when I started, which makes it a lot easier and the CGM will really help. I think that when I regaled my doctor w/ stories about 'well, I was gonna go 8 miles and my BG was 39 about 3 miles into it so I had some Smarties and sprinted 3 blocks and, about 15 min later, BG was back up to 85...' it may have helped get the CGM? I didn't have any resistance from her but I never know what goes on between her and Blue Cross? Even suggesting "I am going to start running" would make a doctor conclude you should get one. When I start, or when I switch from running to biking (or vice versa?) I will get more BG bang for my buck than when I've been at it a while? 3 miles will go for maybe 20-40 minutes, depending on how fast you are, if you stop to test your BG (not a bad idea...) and probably count as 'moderate' exercise for the charts in Think Like a Pancreas or Using Insulin about cutting boluses? I enjoy running a lot more if I have 'cleared the decks' by running when the insulin on board is gone from my system? After training for a while, if you can run 4 or 5 times/ week, you should be able to turn your basal down, it might go even faster or slower, so I would plan to test a lot? Sometimes your BG can also go up although lately, on the 6-10 mile runs, I've been trying to cut back on the carbs to no more than 10/ hit, in the hopes of cutting the spikes out. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Unfortunately, I refuse to write anything down so I don't have precise data on that just yet? We'll see....

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You'll have to let me know if Santa was good to you. It sounds like your form is pretty good; mine was terrible. I was making almost all of the common mistakes and always wondered why my legs couldn't keep up with my heart, it should be the other way around right? I might be pushing Chi Running too hard, but I wish that I had read it a lot sooner than I did!

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Hey Everyone!

Thanks so much! This has all been really helpful and insightful. I ended up picking up the Colberg Diabetic Athlete Handbook and will start reading through that soon. I’m actually heading off to my doctor this afternoon to get started on a CGM, which is really exciting.

So, hopefully will be up and running soon!

Where’s everyone from?

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That’s awesome about the CGM!! I have the Colberg book and found it interesting but the main conclusion I got was one I sort of already had which was YMMV and test a lot! It’s hard to beat a CGM for testing a lot!

I’m from the Chicago suburbs, not a bad place to run if you don’t mind snow and ice! I am torn between the Chicago Marathon (hometown, familiar w/ course geography but a freaking zoo w/ 40K people plus the start/ finish bit is likely to be complex too…!) and Milwaukee (much smaller crowds, nice setup at start with a high school available for 3-5000 runners, drawbacks would be additional time to get there. But, apparently, they have free beer @ the end?). I am gonna do a 1/2 in April. I have been hitting 10 miles pretty regularly on the weekends so I think I’m a shade ahead of where I would need to be for races in October.

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Santa was very good as my aunt the Ironwoman/Ultramarathoner got me in the ‘gift exchange’ so she got me Icebug cleats, Born to Run, smartwool socks and some jelly beans. She also volunteered to run a marathon with me which will 1) be vey helpful and 2) help my mom and dad relax about it?

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so jealous have fun w/ the CGM. i’m outside of philly

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I forgot that I was inspired to get Chi Running by Born to Run, plus a quick flip through at the store and then trying the ‘forward lean’ part out running the dog around the neighborhood. I tried it more substantively yesterday and had a nice run! The hardest part for me seems to be getting my shins parallel to the ground. I think that the martial arts training I had made some of the other balance and feeling things interesting. I like moving my hips/ spine too as it seems to stretch things out very pleasantly.

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Sounds like a good deal to me. I’m out in the Boston area so don’t know Milwaukee that well, but might be nice to go after a race somewhere different. You get to spend time in that location and see the sights so if you can afford the travel, I would totally do that. Plus, free beer is always a good deal

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Congrats on the CGM. You’re going to love it! I’m out in Boston as well. I don’t do any races, but I go out on the riverway on my runs from work and head down to Jamaica pond. I haven’t been out for a run since the snow storm because I’ve been down with a cold, but it’s been pretty nice and not too windy for most of the route. Hopefully I’ll be back out next week to see how clear it is, otherwise I might need to find a new route!

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Sweet! I should probably just sign up for a marathon and use that to drive me through the training. I have a friend that does marine corps almost every year, so that is probably the one that I’d do.

I’m glad you’re liking it so far. It does feel nice when you’re into it, though I still have to concentrate a fair amount to keep it going even 1 year into it. There were some things he said that weren’t entirely clear until I played around with them while running. Eventually I’d hit it right and have that AH-HA moment and realize what he was talking about!

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I think if you run 15 miles regularly, or even once every couple of months, a marathon isn’t that much of a stretch? The Marine Marathon is supposed to be fun I think? Unfortunately, if you are in Boston, your hometown race is a bit complicated?

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Hey Noah,



Welcome to the running club. You’ve already got some great advice so I won’t repeat it all. But I might add a few tips for beginners.



I also started running seriously after I was diagnosed. Now a day without running is like a day without sunshine for me, and I live in southern California! I definitely recommend Sherri Colberg’s book, but there’s no need to look into Chi Running until you’ve been running for a while. IMHO its too much information for a new runner and will probably just confuse you.



Terry’s 15 Beginner Tips for New Runners Who are also Diabetic:


  1. Always carry a BG meter. Test before and every 20-30 minutes.
  2. There’s no shame in taking walk breaks.
  3. No need for speed.
  4. Buy good socks (i.e., NOT cotton) as well as good shoes.
  5. Always carry a BG meter.
  6. Always carry carbs (running gels and glucose tabs are good)
  7. Get a Spibelt
  8. Always carry a BG Meter (the OneTouch Mini is ideal)
  9. Always tell someone when and where you’ll be running.
  10. If your BG is 100 or less before your run - take some carbs
  11. Carry some I.D.
  12. Give cars the right of way, even when they don’t deserve it.
  13. Always carry a BG Meter
  14. Bring water or liquid if running over 45 minutes.
  15. Have two (2) sets of running clothes, at least. NOT cotton.



    These are all things I wish I’d known when I first started.



    Oh. In case I neglected to mention it - always carry a BG meter.



    Terry
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Ya, I’m not too likely to qualify for Boston!!! You’re right, I don’t think it would be a huge deal, but I am a chronic over-preparer…

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Never say never, look what happened to the Red Sox!

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Hey everyone!

I’ve been up and running pretty regularly for about a month now and am planning on running my first 5K on March 13th so am very excited about that. All of your advice has come in handy and I’ve been working my way through the Colberg book which has really just made me think about things in a different way, and has been helpful. The new CGM has been tremendously helpful, especially in exercising. All of the good things outweigh all of the annoying things about it.

I’m just starting to get up to “longer” runs over 3 miles and feel that this is the point where I need to start thinking about blood sugars even more. Do you guys use the jelly beans? or just glucose tabs? and any recommendations? Of course it will be different for each person, but might be nice to have a good starting point.

Also, a couple of you have mentioned using talc on your feet before running and oil or lotion after. Is this just for blister prevention and overall foot health? or is there another reason?

And lastly, the local running shop is having a decent sale on winter running gear. Any recommendations on base layer running tights? And have any of you heard of this new Celliant technology that Saucony is putting out in their Pro Amp tights? Seems interesting and they claim their biggest target group is diabetics since they claim it promotes blood circulation.

Thanks all!
Noah G

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Good job on the running and have a great race! Thanks for the update too, a lot of threads sort of drop off and you wonder what happened?

I use jelly beans because they are easy to manage and carry. I got a stack of little zip loc baggies for .99 @ hobby lobby and they work very nicely, I can take several if I need them, easy to eat, etc. I am not a big fan of glucose tabs for running as the little tubes don’t stay shut well after a while, although a lot of mine are 15 years old and have been refilled a lot? Maybe I should just get a new one?

I like tights for running in winter. If you turn head on into a 20 mph wind, you don’t want baggy, sail pants billowing in the wind!! I think I have UnderArmor ones that have some kind of light, fleece lining that are pretty cozy. I think the longest/ coldest run I did in them was 7 miles when it was 7 one day, I sort of got going and was like “I should do this”. This winter, I’ve gone in the 20s a few times but the snow has sucked. The first big one, people shoeveled but we had a warm snap that froze and made the sidewalks nasty. More recently, we’ve had about 2’ in 2 days and it’s still a mess. The park district plows the nice river trail by my house but the people who’s houses lead to the river trail don’t shovel so there’s not a good way to get there. Spring will be in the air soon though!! Yee Ha!

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Awesome! It’s such a good feeling isn’t it?

For lows, I like glucose gels. They are EXPENSIVE (even compared to tablets) but at this point I don’t use them often enough to be a big deal $wise. I used glucose tabs for a while but they’re too dry to get down easily when it’s hot out. And I can’t have jelly beans around my house because they will almost surely not make it until my run:) I tend to snack during the middle of the night and I’ll eat anything within arms reach…but that’s more my ‘issue’ and jelly beans are probably better/cheaper for most.

I use powder before my run to keep my feet dry, it helps prevent athletes foot (I usually use the one with tolfunate or whatever the antifungal is). I use lotion, especially during winter, to keep them moist during the night. The bottoms of my feet get a tad dry and it can be uncomfortable when they ‘stick’ to blankets. I don’t think there’s a specific reason for it other than comfort. I’ll only occasionally get blisters, I think good shoes/socks are most important there.

If the deals are good enough at the running store then I’d take advantage now. But I buy all of my running tops at Target (or Wal-mart) lol. Like $10-15 each for the long-sleeved shirts. It can be somewhat hit or miss on what thickness/colors/sizes they have, but Target has the better selection. I usually have both thinner and thicker tops depending on the temp. By no means top-of-the-line but they work.

I also prefer tights, they’re warm and usually comfortable. I have some underarmour gear (gifts), and I’ll second that as a good brand. But for tights, most of my stuff is also el cheapo. I can’t remember if I bought what I have now at Target or Kohls or somewhere else. I guess I don’t know what I’m missing if I don’t use the good stuff.

Kohls used to sell fleece hats and head bands, but they may be out at this time. One of them even had a drop down face mask for really windy days. My windbreaker is a Wal-mart $8 special as well. It’s actually pretty good. haha, shoes are the only thing I’ll drop money on unless I’m in a free-wheeling mood!

Last winter was much better for running outdoors. Cold but a lot less snow. Right now most of my running route is clear, but I hurt my heel over thanksgiving doing some trail running. It really started to catch up up to me in January, right around the first big snow storm, so I’ve taken a few weeks off…not the worst time it could have happened!