I have been a type 1 diabetic (currently novo rapid&lantus insulin dependent) since the age of two.
My fitness and interest in sport all originated from Sir.Steve Redgrave, a 5X gold winning Olympic rower. I started rowing at my local club aged 12, more specificity coxing as time went on because I was small. I carried rowing and coxing on through till aged 16, going from local competitions to national level races, coming in 5th in a number of national finals and also trailing for GB France (An entry race into the international world of rowing).
At the age of 16 I stopped rowing for my A-levels and started to become heavily interested in personal fitness and health. I joined my local gym and have been training, on average 5 times a week, for the past year and a half. I started out weighing 53kg, with poor fitness and strength. I am now 68kg; stronger and healthier than I have ever been (roughly 14kg muscle gain), from barely being able to deadlift the bar (bar that wieghts are loaded on) to deadlifting 140kg.
I am still training, and in my final year of A-levels. I would have thought that something like this would never be possible. But, thanks to figures such as Redgrave, and two amazing rowing coaches, I have come to learn that there are no limitations with diabetes.
Anything is possible, we are like any other person, but better, with more reasons and more determinism to do better. I suppose the moral of the story is don't let your diabetes get you down, if you put your mind to it, you can do anything.
My fitness and interest in sport all originated from Sir.Steve Redgrave, a 5X gold winning Olympic rower. I started rowing at my local club aged 12, more specificity coxing as time went on because I was small. I carried rowing and coxing on through till aged 16, going from local competitions to national level races, coming in 5th in a number of national finals and also trailing for GB France (An entry race into the international world of rowing).
At the age of 16 I stopped rowing for my A-levels and started to become heavily interested in personal fitness and health. I joined my local gym and have been training, on average 5 times a week, for the past year and a half. I started out weighing 53kg, with poor fitness and strength. I am now 68kg; stronger and healthier than I have ever been (roughly 14kg muscle gain), from barely being able to deadlift the bar (bar that wieghts are loaded on) to deadlifting 140kg.
I am still training, and in my final year of A-levels. I would have thought that something like this would never be possible. But, thanks to figures such as Redgrave, and two amazing rowing coaches, I have come to learn that there are no limitations with diabetes.
Anything is possible, we are like any other person, but better, with more reasons and more determinism to do better. I suppose the moral of the story is don't let your diabetes get you down, if you put your mind to it, you can do anything.
