HypoActive

18th July 2010 - Run Melbourne - 10K 

John Thompson Shares His Day

John joined the HypoActive team for the Run Melbourne event - his first event with the HypoActive crew.  He completed the 10km course and beat the time he was aiming for by four minutes.  While this is a great feat in itself, it makes it all the more remarkable when you discover the running demons he was facing just by being on the start line.  He has kindly shared his background and experiences of the day with us.
 
My Run Melbourne

John (centre) with fellow HypoActive 10k-ers Greg and Stuart

Sunday morning I got up around 6.00am with a reading of 10.4, which was a little higher than I would have liked.  I put in a temp. basel of 50% for 3.5 hours.  This was my first fun run for around 5 years & I wasn't too sure how it would turn out.  I didn't want a hypo on my first run back!
 
My last run, which I thought was my last - was my 15th Melbourne Marathon where I ended up in hospital on a drip for most of the day!  My sugar's were OK at the time, but I was very badly dehydrated & vomiting. They ended up giving me about 6 bags of saline. It was a pretty hot day & I wasn't the only one by a long way.

This was the second time in hospital after a marathon and a few - not just one of the nurses/doctors - said maybe running marathons was not for me, especially with having diabetes. Also, being 45 it might be time to slow down a bit!  My diabetes specialist also kept giving me strange looks, as if I should have more brains running so much etc, etc.  My wife also had a major influence.  She was concerned about my health and yet again ending up in hospital. There was also a few other very bad days when I generally went over 30K in training. Basically, I decided to consider myself in retirement. 
 
For the last 2 & 1/2 years my wife has been unfortunately pretty unwell & my priorities were obviously not running.  After I stopped running I started playing squash when I could, so I wasn't doing any exercise at all.

Recently my wife's health has marginally improved & I thought it was maybe time to get a little fitter and maybe do an odd slow 10K - but definitely no Marathons. I was also highly influenced by the HypoActive on line newsletter in regard to the Run For The Kids & other activities.
 
So, after a shower & breakfast, I headed off to find a car park at the Arts Centre. As I arrived I saw some of the runners starting off on their half marathon - it was still quite dark!  I headed to Federation Square to look for fellow HypoActive runners. Having only met everybody for the first time the night before, I wasn't too sure how successful I was going to be.  Fortunately, my HypoActive shirt gave me away & Monique spotted me quite quickly - although it was still rather cool at 8.00am.  I was just so glad it wasn't raining!
 
I checked my sugars again, 13.2 @ 7.55am.  Again, I felt this was a little high.
 
After that a few other HypoActive members arrived and we wandered off to find the start.  I hoped to finish in about an hour & I was very fortunate to run along side another fellow HypoActive runner Erin & her friend for the first few K's.

Erin and John at the start line
 
It was quite crowded & in some places quite narrow - which probably stopped me from going off to fast.  It was still quite cool, although there were a couple of hills and a bit of a head wind occasionally.
 
I finished up in 55.58mins, 4 Min's inside the plan!  I was more than happy with that, considering how little training I had done prior to the run!
 
A few of us met up at the finish line & we all went for coffee in Federation Square where HypoActive had a recovery table booked.  It was really good to know that I wasn't out there on my own.
 
I checked my sugars again: 17.7 just an hour after the run. Still too high - maybe the temp. basal was on for too long??? 

But this was good information: it was my first fun run with the pump.  I have been on the pump since October '09. My HBA1c is now 7.2 as opposed to in the 8's & higher.  I am also having far fewer hypo's, which is a definite bonus. I was very anti-pump since day 1.  I guess I didn't like the idea of being connected to a machine 24/7, even though I hate needles like you could not possibly believe (just ask my wife on this one)!
 
However, now being on the pump, I've realised I should have done it years ago. I am more in control, I can upload & review the stats etc - my readings are better & I only have to have a needle twice a week as opposed to 5 needles a day!  I can even snack without having to think I need another jab - what was I thinking for all those years?!   
 
I was still 12.0 @ 2.00pm, but then dropped to 2.3 @ 5.00pm.  I didn't see that one coming that's for sure!  So, I went for another temp basal: 35% for 4.5 hrs, followed by a few others where by I ended up with 14.4 at breakfast on the Monday.  At that point I thought my readings would then settle down, but no, I dropped to 3.2 @ 6.00pm!  That one I should have seen coming like a steam train - as this is my general pattern after exercise.  But even with the hypo's I am glad that I have hopefully got back into some regular running!
 
I am now planning to have a crack at the 1/2 Marathon on the 10/10/10 as part of The Melbourne Marathon festival, although some serious effort has to be put in, or I will have to settle for a second 10K run.
 
Kind regards
 
John Thompson