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Not exercised yet but have challenge approaching

enamor

Active Member
Messages
25
Location
Reading
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Hi, This is my 4th week on the pump and just beginning to understand how it all works and my levels are stabalising as well as reducing.

When I was taking injections I knew exactly what to do when exercising, I train at the gym and run long distance. However, since being on the pump I've been to scared to do anything as I don't know what will happen, I actually feel real fear and anxiety about it. At the end of August I have The Nuts Challenge to complete, a 14km assault course, can anyone advise what I should do?

I'm thinking I should disconnect for the challenge as some of it involves water obstacles and as its physical my levels won't increase, carry my gels and testing machine with me incase I drop too low and have my injections with supporters as back up.

Does this sound like the right thing to do?
 
How are you going to manage the water obstacles with a tester? That's one of the reason's I've not attempted any of these kinds of things yet.

I can keep it relatively dry on the run or bike with a plastic bag, but that won't survive immersion.
 
Looking at the website for the challenge (http://www.thenutschallenge.co.uk/faq/), they say you can leave things at the "refuel station". Maybe you could take your pump off, do the 7km first lap, test at the "refuel station" (and top-up on either energy or insulin) then do the second 7km lap? That would seem like a reasonable approach to me.

I find it much easier to manage BGs during exercise on the pump than I did on MDI. It takes a bit of trial and error, but if you start off using a temporary basal rate lower than you need (e.g. -50%) then you can always adjust it up. I find most exercise only needs maybe -10% to -30% for me, but that just tends to be hiking or (relatively tame) cycling.
 
ElyDave said:
How are you going to manage the water obstacles with a tester? That's one of the reason's I've not attempted any of these kinds of things yet.

I can keep it relatively dry on the run or bike with a plastic bag, but that won't survive immersion.
Click to expand...

Hi, I have a waterproof pouch designed for underwater camera work, (bought from Ebay) I use that rolled over and tucked into my spibelt. Not had the guts to actually test it at depth yet but have used it on many a run in a downpour.
 

Thank you, thats what I've been thinking about removing it completely and adjusting with what I know, injections and gels, just didn't know if this was the right approach.

I feel I'm only just getting to grips with adjustment to basal rates. I really need to kick this fear.
 
That sounds ideal really, having a 7km pit stop.

What you need to do is to practice that part of the race, same as anything else. Typically I test every 5km when running (comes at about 25-30 mins depending on event and training session), so you would be going slightly longer than that with the obstacles as well.

I really don't think you'll need any more insulin, but you'll need to test that as well. I did 98km on the bike on Sunday on just 1U injected basal.

As a starting point you may need to go a bit high on the line, but try to keep it in the 10-12 range rather than any higher (poor performance), and be ready for a drop. Carry gels with you as these are easily absorbed, work out your hourly intake and go off that. I'd leave a couple more at the rest stop with your meter and perhaps a Novorapid pen, just in case.

I've got the same challenge in September, where I have a fast HM and I'm thinking about testing every 7km instead of 5, to cut out one test during the race.

And watch out for that post race hypo
 
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