HypoActive

Very early on Sunday 11th October 2009, a team of HypoActive riders gathered in the sponsorship enclosure at the head of 9½ thousand cyclists for the annual 100km ride from city to coast. They were only three in number, but their insulin injected engines (with jerseys to prove it) cut a handsome wedge in the privileged peloton and they soon set off down the Busway like diabetics on fire.   read more

 
Many cyclists these days have that carbon-framed dream-machine they sorely craved for. Expensive bikes are the norm. But it wasn’t one of the Pinarellos, Cervelos, Colnagos, Nachos, Norcos or any other tasty looking top-end bikes on show that drew the ‘I wish’ eyes that morning. It was type 1 diabetic Alexander’s steel-framed quasi-celeste-coloured Repco Tourer. It’s a vintage classic with shiny chrome handlebars that was found on council rubbish day and serves him like the fastest and noblest of steeds.

Murray and Gavin were back in the team and welcomed newcomer Alexander, a diabetic of fourteen years injecting. Alex already knows the value of exercise for type 1 diabetics – he’s primarily a runner and does a 60km ride every weekend, but he wasn’t sure how he would handle a ride of this length. Although they belted off out of the park by the Brisbane River, spurred on by the frenzy of other riders on the Busway – a clear, fast 16km cement exit from the city – the team managed a good, but not exhausting pace this year through the cane-fields of south-east Queensland. The narrower roads and bridges over the Gold Coast’s extensive waterways naturally slowed down all cyclists along the last leg of the ride and all three HypoActive riders reached the park at Southport feeling elated after an exhilarating journey.
Run by Bicycle Queensland, part of everyone’s entry fee for the B2GC Challenge goes to Diabetes Australia Queensland and the Heart Foundation. Many people also raise more money for these charities before the ride and it’s become DAQ’s largest annual fundraiser. This makes it an important regional diabetic event and it was great to see HypoActive claiming a place in the cycling limelight.
The first day’s rain for SEQ for six weeks came, of course, on the morning of the big ride to drench many thousands of cyclists. The HA team arrived at the first rest stop soaked to their cycling socks. With nothing to dry their hands, Murray, Alexander and Gavin all tested and came up four-point-something. They all suspected dilution as a factor and fuelled appropriately. The second rest stop had dry riders showing a bgl range between five and seven. Slightly higher readings at Southport (Gavin had a 10.8) were followed by at least one nosedive (2.9 after he cycled home) and frequent testing for the rest of the day.

Sue Preston, who ensured HypoActive’s place up with the sponsors at the start, gave a very warm welcome at the DAQ tent in the busy park at the end of the ride. Michelle Trute, CEO of DAQ, was also present and showed a very sincere and insightful interest in HypoActive and the team.
DAQ are planning on having a fairly large team of their own next year, but they do seem keen to foster the relationship with HypoActive and send type 1 cyclists our way for advice, practice rides and an even bigger presence in next year’s Brisbane to the Gold Coast Challenge.
If you are a type 1 with a bike – and you think you can manage 100km on a Sunday morning – you don’t have to be fast, just get in touch and check it out.
It’s not a difficult ride, with nothing more than meek undulation. But it’s Queensland’s biggest cycling event and a huge day for diabetes awareness and support in Queensland, so it’s great to know that HypoActive are right in there and right at the front.
 
Gavin Wright
October 2009 

If you are interested in joining HypoActive for the 2010 edition, be sure you contact us here.