Cycling Fans

[tobyp]

For any pro cycling fans out there, you may want to follow this team:

www.teamnovonordisk.com

All their riders are diabetic - they are likely to be in the Tour of Britain later in the year so are competing at the highest level.

 

[walterrichmand]

I love cycling. It is a great workout for the entire body, especially the lower body. People who want to develop great leg, hip, and glute muscle tone while trimming their waists can benefit greatly from cycling.

 

[hale710]

Awesome I'm going to look that site up. I love cycling, I used to take my dog out on trail rides with me a lot and it really works to tire him out and get some fresh air for me!

Since being diagnosed as T1 I'm more wary of what I'm doing with exercise etc. any cyclists got advice on how they cope?

 

[miriana]

I love cycling, for this I love every time after work, i go to some where!

 

[Bebo321]

Check out Team blood glucose - they are putting together a team of amateur cyclists who have type 1 or type 2 diabetes for this year's Mhealth tour, cycling from Brussels to Barcelona! You can sign up for individual stages, or the whole thing. TeamBG are all about raising awareness about diabetes, and encouraging everybody to lead healthier lives through exercise and sport. Awesome!

 

[davelofty77]

I have just got into cycling and will definitely be following Team Novonordisk for sure. I was very wary of doing any exercise once being diagnosed back in November 2012, which came totally out of the blue and had the doctors taken by surprise.

I have slowly started to get back into doing more and have got myself a MTB and also a road bike. I have found cycling to work is really helping a) reduce my BG and need for as much insulin and b) getting my weight and fitness back to where it should be. My route is 12 miles and takes around 45 - 50 mins so it's the perfect duration... for first thing in the morning and after a days work!

I would definitely recommend cycling to any diabetic after my short experience with T1 and the benefits from the regular exercise. PLUS it beats being bored rigid in the gym and gets you out in the fresh air.

 

[Chris_tim]

Awesome I'm going to look that site up. I love cycling, I used to take my dog out on trail rides with me a lot and it really works to tire him out and get some fresh air for me!

Since being diagnosed as T1 I'm more wary of what I'm doing with exercise etc. any cyclists got advice on how they cope?

Slow release carbs mixed with rapid release, it's a matter of working out what works for you though. For me when I do more than say 25 miles at an average speed of 16/17mph I'd have either a home made flapjack or two slices of toast, that would see me through for an hour or so to which I would top up with a power bar or gel. I use SIS sports drink tablets, they have some carbs in but no sugar so it's pretty good for taking regular swigs to ensure your levels stay level ish.

I ride quite regularly at speed for relatively long distances, cycling is one of the best forms of exercise for T1 diabetics in my opinion. With careful planning and trial & error it's possible to ride at a high level whilst keeping your levels in check and avoid hypo's.

Check your levels before you ride and if your 6 or under you'll need some slow release carbs, above that don't eat initially but bear in mind you will need to load up sooner in the ride. Drink plenty of water whilst riding, I personally found if I started to get de-hydrated my levels crashed. If you want any more advice drop me a message.

 

[Bebo321]

You're right that it really does need to be a case of 'what works for you'. I know of people who can fuel regularly on a cycle at 30g every half hour, and keep their BGs in check, others who for the first couple of hours their BG rises so much from their liver chucking out glucose ( and continues to do so after the ride) that they have to manage a safe BG with insulin. Really hard to catch the crash later on when the muscles and liver refuel.
There is a 10min film on the teambg website that talks through how the body reacts to cycling/exercise, and why it's safer to reduce your insulin dose during the cycle. Www.teambloodglucose.com
Would be great to trial CGM in order to monitor what bloods do over a period of exercise (really the only way to track properly)

 

[ElyDave]

depends very much what I'm doing. For a club ten mile TT I don't find I need anything if I start high enough beforehand.

A long club Sunday ride, or long ride out on my own is a different kettle of fish. Typically averaging 18-19mph on these I work with 15g carbs every 15 mins, or a 30g gel every half hour, keeps me right around 5.5-7. I stop and test every half hour or so.

The thing I really have to watch out for is the post ride BG drop, but a good dose of carbs in the first half hour after finishing helps there.

I also drop my basal and bolus before a long ride.

As for Team NovoNordisk, I have gotten hold of one of their jerseys, and wear it with pride :mrgreen:

Didn't know about team BG though, thanks.