Running advice please

[Sa13rah]

Hi, I'm type 1 diagnosed 13months ago. We are unsure if I'm still in the 'honeymoon period' or just a weird genetic type that only needs minimal amounts of insulin (between 1-6units short acting & 4 units long acting)
I'm training for a half marathon, I normally exercise on an empty stomach, doing longer runs now soon as I start with jelly babies / sports drinks (8-10 miles in) my stomach starts to churn & I have to abandon my run to get to a toilet!
What are people's thoughts on no food so no insulin? Just water to keep me hydrated.
Or can anyone offer any other advice?
Cheers

 

[noblehead]

I'm not a runner but I wouldn't like to do a long run on a empty stomach, but in the absence of any replies have a look at Runsweet, the website is for people like yourself who are type 1 and enjoy sports:

http://www.runsweet.com/

 

[Sa13rah]

Cheers. Everything I've read & been advised by diabetic team says eat constantly. Just wondered what the worst case scenario is with no food / insulin!

 

[Erin85]

Hi Sa13rah! I had been running for a few months when I was diagnosed, and 3months in, I've only just started running again! I am honeymooning, with no insulin with breakfast, 2units at lunch 4-6 at dinner and 4 units long acting, so quite similar to yourself. For me, I don't inject when exercising at lunch, and reduced dose around dinner time and have some lucozade before I start. I have only built up to 30mins exercise but plan on increasing that slowly and keeping an eye on any patterns. I would always eat before exercise (but I guess everyone is different), but if you're honeymooning you might be like me and produce more of your own insulin / become more sensitive to your own insulin when exercising. If I were you, I would try different things until you find something that works for you without unsettling your stomach. So maybe one of your runs, try eating first (maybe with reduced dose and can correct at next mealtime if necessary?), another try a glucose tablet every x number of miles, another try taking your glucose at the start of your run. And test throughout to see how your blood sugar reacts. I don't know if that's helpful at all, but I hope you find a solution, and good luck with your marathon

 

[Sa13rah]

Nice to know I'm not the only one on small doses of insulin! Yeah think it's just a case of trial & error for me. I seem to maintain good sugar levels, it's just my guts I'm not in control of! Do you have family history of diabetes or was it out of the blue?

 

[Erin85]

Not at all! And there's a woman I used to work with who has been t1 for 19 years with very similar insulin needs too! Maybe if you had breakfast first, let your guts do their thing then go running? Just a thought There's no history of diabetes in my family at all, completely out of the blue. What about you?

 

[Sa13rah]

I've tried all sorts, I think it's in my head now! My mum is type 1 but thought once I had gone past 18 I has escaped the 'junior onset' - it got me a week before my 27th birthday!

 

[Baruney]

Nice to know I'm not the only one on small doses of insulin! Yeah think it's just a case of trial & error for me. I seem to maintain good sugar levels, it's just my guts I'm not in control of! Do you have family history of diabetes or was it out of the blue?

Hola

Good luck with the experimenting and I hope you find what works for you. I am t2 and do not now enough about t1 to give you any valid, specific advice but I am sure others will be along soon.

What I can say though is that sports drinks can upset you so whereas one may make you go with the flow a different one may make you hot too trot. I've settled with high5 zero tabs as they suit my needs so maybe worth trying out a few.

And in the meantime map a route that passes a few lavs!

 

[phoenix]

It's a problem that many runners suffer from. So much it's quite common for people to take immodium before running longer races .I think that you do have to experiment and find out what works for you. (google runners trots for lots of advice from various sources)

I just use water when running but most of the time take dextrose tablets for low glucose levels .I tend to drip feed them with one every so often.
95% of the time I've had no problems with runner's but it is unpleasant when it happens .

I have experimented with various drinks including making my own with diluted orange juice and a bit of salt. They didn't really make any difference to how I ran and I hated the taste compared with water so just stuck to that . I'm not fast or competitive though and that may make a big difference to your needs.

Even when I was doing marathons I stuck to water for hydration. I did find some lower GI bars that I would eat half of before the run and half later . You get a little tired of glucose tablets.

I haven't used them for running (and they could be a bit messy) but when hill walking, I've found that Decathlon fruit energy gels are pleasant and perhaps have fewer ingredients that might cause problems (they're apple puree with some glucose , raspberry juice, a bit of starch and some vitamin B)

 

[copepod]

Personally, I find most sports gels are too sweet, too big packs, and as you tear them open, you're left with a sticky open pack of goo to carry. So, I prefer to carry fruit puree sachets, marketed to parents of toddlers, when running longer distances. These sachets are cheap, especially when on offer eg 5 for £4, have screw tops and don't taste too sweet. You can select suitable CHO content - generally higher in banana / mango containing sachets, lower in berry based sachets. Some contain yogurt and / or rice, which can help if your gut is upset by running. I keep one in my bumbag for short runs eg orienteering, 5km parkrun or up to 10km. For longer mountain running / navigation challenges, I carry 3 to 4 per day, depending on length of course.

 

[zicksi101]

Would you hit the wall (i.e. go hypo) with no food? The point of the sports gels/drinks/jelly babies is to avoid that outcome, so if it's not an issue I can see the logic in not feeding the insulin.

However I wouldn't advise going for a run on a high BG (higher than 12 mmol/l) with no insulin on board, running higher than 12 mmol/l affects performance.

I'd try experimenting with fuel that has less sugar content (gels for example) in case that's what's upsetting your stomach..

If none of that works you could try doing the long run in laps. For my longer runs during half marathon training I'd run back to the house at 6 miles to refill on lucozade and do my business if required before heading back out. There was only a few minutes break at most between laps, and this was fine because I was running at a well organised half marathon event where toilets could be found at the half way point.

 

[PaulXC]

You need to have some insulin in the body for your complete system to work so I always inject my morning dose before runs and races.I have tried lower doses than normal but seem to get to the start line with silly high blood sugars so reverted back to standard. as you take such a low dose it is probable you have some "natural" background insulin so this maybe OK. For a half marathon standard person you can get round with no added "energy foods". As a Type 1 running a half with a good starting blood test of 7-8, i need 25g of gel (yes they are too sweet) and a similar amount of jeely babies. I find it helps to eat a mixture of foods - all the same thing makes me feel awful. Unfortunately you will have to experiment - I like jelly babies but hated dextrose / glucose tablets that i first used. I use gels less often, mainly for the convenient package. the other option is mix it yourself drink powders like PSP22 which I think has changed name to GO Energy from SIS. If you don't like the sweetness and you can manage a solid food, then give "Cliff bars" a try. Very tasty, no synthetics and actually nice to eat but you might want a drink as well. I use these for off road marathons with drinking stops at fuel stations.

 

[Sa13rah]

My fasting blood was 6.9, had 2x weetabix for breakfast -no insulin (and 2 Imodium!) Was 8.5 before run. Just had sugar free vimto squash to keep me hydrated, took a kiddy 'banana brekkie' (mashed up banana & baby rice) just incase but didn't feel like I needed it. Done 10mi but the very last, home straight my tummy started. Very close call.. Bloods were 5.2 after. Really happy that I'm in control of blood sugars; which is the most important. Just frustrated about my guts. Don't know what else to try..

 

[noblehead]

My fasting blood was 6.9, had 2x weetabix for breakfast -no insulin (and 2 Imodium!) Was 8.5 before run. Just had sugar free vimto squash to keep me hydrated, took a kiddy 'banana brekkie' (mashed up banana & baby rice) just incase but didn't feel like I needed it. Done 10mi but the very last, home straight my tummy started. Very close call.. Bloods were 5.2 after. Really happy that I'm in control of blood sugars; which is the most important. Just frustrated about my guts. Don't know what else to try..

Impressive results, did you not find any suggestions on Runsweet?

 

[sharonchatten]

hi i am type one for 18yrs and running for about 3, i have just recently extended my distance up to 5 miles and I'm now finding i need to eat something or drink something on the move! otherwise i cash just before i finish, i see some people are starting there runs with bloods starting at 7,8 mmol? i would be to nervous to start that low? i have a Nuclear Rush race (6k 50 obstacles in mud) and I'm really nervous how this will effect my sugars? and also as its in mud i can't take my monitor with me? shell i just take gels and down a few on the way, and start out high?

 

[Sa13rah]

If you're going low whilst running can you afford to reduce your insulin or 'carb load' before to compensate the exercise?
This weekend I've done the pretty muddy race for life and a half marathon. The race for life was 5k with obstacles. I'm fine with the distance & know I don't need extra supplies but I wasn't sure what the obstacles would do to my blood sugars, I had a secret stash of jelly babies in a sandwich bag in my sports bra, just in case.. There is no escape from the mud!
With both events I reduced my long acting insulin & had no short acting with my breakfast (weetabix & a brew). I also made sure I had something to eat straight after.