Swimming...

I

imalittlefishy

Well-Known Member
Messages
108
Hello everyone, I'm taking part in the Great East Swim in June, which is a mile long and outdoors. I've just got properly into my training, but I'm slightly concerned about keeping my blood sugar stable during the actual swim.

With some trial and error I've got pretty good at keeping in a reasonable range during and after training, but I'm doing all my training (at the moment anyway!) in a pool, so on the few occasions that I've felt my blood sugar dropping (and I do have pretty good warning signs) I can nip to my locker and grab a few winegums from my bag.

The problem though is that I won't be able to do that swimming around a lake with hundreds of others. Basically I need to find some way of keeping some form of sugar - doesn't really matter what - on me at all times during the swim. I'll be wearing a wetsuit and have yet to come up with a feasible idea...anyone?
 
F

Fallenstar

Well-Known Member
Messages
546
Hi ILF
A number of years back I did a few Triathalons ,for the swim I used to have a tube of Hypo Stop which is in a plastic waterproof tube . They have a top which is easy to just flip off with your thumb, so you can squirt them straight into your mouth...mid swim ,if ever needed.

You can get them on prescription from your GP, they really were good ,and the only thing I used for my swims. I used to keep them down the side of my cozzie next to my ribs, never interfered. I only ever did my swim part inside ,a bit of a wimp really :lol:

Anyway hope this helps some and all the very best for the swim :D
 
phoenix

phoenix

Expert
Messages
5,671
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Why not try a 'tri' number belt suitably tightened. You can either tuck gel/hypo stop sachets behind it or some of them come with little sections for gels.
Whatever you decide make sure you practice using it.

The other thing I'd take into account is that cold water may have a different effect on your glucose levels (again try to get some practice in)/ I swim daily from the time our unheated pool is bearable, that's at about 19-20C, but it rarely gets above 27-8C. Thhe cold water makes my glucose levels plummet in a way that doesn't happen when I swim in an indoor pool.

Good luck!
 
C

copepod

Well-Known Member
Messages
735
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Sports gels eg High 5 are used by many athletes, not just people with diabetes. Larger than gels specifically aimed at correcting hypoglycaemia, but generally taste better, and electrolyte content of sports gesl might be useful - you'll have to experiment.

I haven't done any long swims, but for a year I lived at Tynemouth and swam / body boarded in North Sea at least an evening or two a week from May to October - with a wetsuit, and gels shoved inside my swimsuit shoulder straps so I could retrieve if needed.

Definitely agree with Pheonix about importance of practicing swimming in open water to get used to how your body reacts to water colder than swimming pool. And Runsweet websire is excellent - both for explanation of underlying principles of physiology as well as practical accounts by real athletes with type 1 diabetes.

Just checked GES website, which says it's freshwater and wetsuits are complusory & hats are supplied (help a bit with warmth and keeping water out of ears) - so make sure you're familiar with swimming in wetsuit and have one that fits perfectly.
 
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