Training for a mini-triathlon

Healthy Living Physical Activity
1

Hi,

Has anyone here (ideally, type 1) trained for a mini-triathlon? I’ve made a personal goal to do one within the next two years or so.

Ideally, I’d do one next summer.

I’ve been type 1 for years, wear an insulin pump, and haven’t exercised as a hard-core athlete in more than a year (just had a baby and I didn’t do much at the gym before or during pregnancy.)

Where do I start? Does anyone have tips about how much they reduce a basal rate while training? Does it make a difference whether you’re running, biking or swimming? When you’re actually competing, how often do/did you check your blood sugar? And what did you eat to keep your sugars high enough during training/the actual event without crashing?

What are the best ways to train? Doing laps for the swim portion? Spin classes for the biking part? Treadmill or outdoors for the running part (particularly for someone for whom running is the hardest part?)

I would love to hear any insight!

Thanks,
Lyrehca

2

I would do the schedule for training for a 1/2 marathon. http://www.halhigdon.com/halfmarathon/novice.htm I ran the Cleveland 1/2 marathon in the spring. My training was going great but in April my ankle started to bother me. I got a shot so I could still train and run the race. I sugars went nuts during the race and jumped to 400 at the 9th mile mark. I gave myself insulin and finished the race. There was no way I was going to stop after doing all that training. I was running just under 10min miles but from the 9th mile on I was running at 11 min miles. Good luck. I would do better if I had the cgms. I hope to get one this month.

3

I did a sprint tri last spring. It was a lot of fun. :slight_smile:

Does anyone have tips about how much they reduce a basal rate while training? Generally speaking, I remove my pump for exercise, except for very long workouts, but for a sprint tri, you can get by without working out more than an hour… Other people experiment with reduced basal rates.

Does it make a difference whether you’re running, biking or swimming? Yes, running has the most dramatic effect on blood sugar… but again, sprint tri’s aren’t that far.

When you’re actually competing, how often do/did you check your blood sugar? I checked just before the start of the race and after the bike… Since a sprint tri swim will only take you about ten minutes, there’s really no need to check yourself then. In my case, I started the tri around 200, took a gel 2/3 of the way through the bike and finished the bike at 150… going into a 3 mile run, I didn’t need additional sugar.

And what did you eat to keep your sugars high enough during training/the actual event without crashing? Basically, I take 40g of carbs in the hour before I train and compete… this will keep me going for the first hour. After that, I take 20-40g. per hour. As always, your mileage may vary. :slight_smile:

What are the best ways to train? Doing laps for the swim portion? Spin classes for the biking part? Treadmill or outdoors for the running part (particularly for someone for whom running is the hardest part?)

The trick for a tri is finding a way to train for everything… that being said, be reasonable… the swim in mine was only 500 meters… less than ten minutes… so I only trained in the pool twice a week for the month prior.

A great idea: But the book The Diabetic Athlete – it’s not perfect, because we’re all different, but it explains how to go about a lot of this.

4

not a pumper so can’t comment on the basal rates sorry but trial and error usually works because everyone and every workout is different.

where do you start? pick a race then pick a plan to get you there - some generic plans are available at trinewbies.com, beginnertriathlete.com, trifuel.com and slowtwitch.com but the first 3 are friendlier places

I check my sugars before and after workouts rarely during unless I feel low. if i;m low before I may cancel/postpone the workout. i take along either a gu/gel or hard candy to prevent lows. for really long workouts (1hr+) I bring a long bars like cliff bars w/ a little protien to avoid spiking too bad or sport jelly beans (for real!) but don’t eat the whole bag or eat 1-2 every 15 minutes

for now start w/ lap pool when you get closer to the event then try to get some practice in open water swims.
indoor bike is fine for fall/winter but hit the real world bike in the spring
I run outside year round but that’s just me
later in year try a BRICK Bike Run ICK - bike ride followed immediately by a run - much harder than it sounds.

good luck and have fun!