1st Race of the season

The Motor City Triathlon.....this was the first tri ever on Belle Isle in Detroit. Thank you to my friend Janet who gave my cell number to my friend Matt, I now I have ride...not to mention someone to hang with. Great guy! Calm and cool...which kept me calm and cool. Good vibe!

Can you beleive I swam in the Detroit River?? What the......H E double hockey sticks. COLD! I chose not to wear the wetsuit...I can choke down that cold water for 500 meters..right? And choke it down I did. I got caught behind some slow swimmers and never got into my groove. Then the bouy we were to go around got caught in the current and we all turned before we got to it....what a mess! Wore my stupid sunglasses to the beach...no time to take them back to T1. Stupid! Thanks to my friend Dana who was there to cheer us on, I quickly handed them off to her, and she quickly handed them back in the chute to transition.

T1 was smooth sailing...that's one nice thing about no wetsuit...quick transitions. I had to stuff everything into a small bag because they will transport all our stuff to the finish/T2. I hate 2 transition areas. This race company loves to do that. I'm sure it has more to do with logistics, but I still hate it! Tested my blood sugar...256! Hows that for a short adrenealin rush/effort? Frustrating when you start a race at 110. I decided not to correct...I thought it would come down during the bike...we'll see.

I found legs!!! The bike was flat and fast. I took full advantage of having those legs and cranked it out. My average pace was 20mph. It all felt good so I tried to concentrate on my race and not to the people passing me. Great views of Detroit from the Island...but tried not to look to much...need to concentrate! Flew into T2 with Dana screaming I rode like Lance!:) Great cheerleader! At this point blood sugars came down slightly...210. Better, but......still did nothing. I figured the run was only going to be around 30 min., so by the time the insulin would catch up with me I would be done.

The run was tough. I haven't been running much because of injuries, so this was way slow for me. But only had a few women pass me, and a lot of men. Fell into a groove by the time I hit the trail section of the run. As I was approching the finish there was a women in front of me who was 35.(ages are marked on calf) NO WAY was she going to beat me to the finish! ABSOLUTELY no way!!! So I lit the fires and so did she...she tanked and I passed! She said "great finish" to me at the end...and I said"you're age motivated me"...and she smiled. Whatever works for ya, right? Blood sugars still 200 range. I ate pretzels and pb crackers and lots more water. Gave about half the amount of insulin for all of it.

We waited around for finish times...waited way too long. Matt had to get home, so I felt bad staying. They posted times and we quickly left. I've just checked online for results and here they are....please note where Nancy is! #2 agegroup!!!

2  194 Nancy Eastman  37                     S-13:51  Pace-2:47 
                                           T1-3:05   
                                           B-38:05  Pace-19.5 
                                           T2-1:38   
                                           R-32:54  Pace-10:08   Finish-1:29:32 

23rd/74 women

So that's that! I wish I could have had a better showing for the swim and run...but I'll take that 2nd agegroup finish! My best finish to date. Remember this is only the first race...we've got many more to come! Oh, and blood sugars came back down and have been low all day now. Bolusing less for each meal too. Going to lower my basal rate tonight. I'm getting hooked up to a continuous glucose monitor, to test it out, tomorrow. It would have been perfect for today! Hope they let me finance it, if I like it!

Race time!

The first race of the season is upon me this weekend. Fresh from my camp I'm ready to tackle the Motor City Triathlon...the first one on Belle Isle in Detroit. Just doing the sprint...don't want to mess up that ankle again...must take it easy. Those Olympic one's will come soon enough! My friend and inspiration, Tony, is my biggest cheerleader! He has a feeling about this one for me. I hope he's right. But I'm out there to have fun, and I will for sure have that! Stay tuned!

Final thoughts

I've had a lot of time to think about my "vacation".....and coming back to reality...is just that, reality. Was that the real world I was in for 5 glorious days? An altered sense of the real world maybe, but it was true, and it was honest. For those glorious 5 days I had a chance to meet some amazing people. All with a story. For as much as people say I inspire them, these new friends totally inspired me. Not just with the athletics, but with the kind of people they are. Dedicated, focused, caring and willing to share....which I admit I had a hard time with at first. Feeling...and still feeling...that I don't have "that" story that they all seem to have, I was hesitant to tell how I came to my diagnosis. Which seems like nothing. Just a little blip in my medically challenged world. Still everyone has some kind of tale to tell, don't they? I've never been to any kind of support group, but this was probably close to that. Like minded people, with all the same fears and experiences with diabetes.

Matt is no exception to this. He shared as much as the rest of us...and thank you for taking those 9 units of insulin so early in your career! Is that what makes him so dedicated? The sweating through a hospital bed with a low blood sugar? If that's what did it, then I'm glad you needed the $250 dollars for your rent!

I wonder how the coaching staff came to Stroke, Spin, Stride camp. Truly amazing wealths of knowledge. My head is still spinning with all I learned. My training will be over the top now! They surely didn't know what they were getting into. As one of the non-diabetic staff members...and no names here....we are not handicap! I'm sure that's really what some people think, but we all honestly got a huge laugh out of that comment! They got a crash course in diabetes biology, and the everyday ins and outs of exercising with the disease. Hopefully they all have a different view of the disease and the people with it.

I can't help but go back to how I came to the camp and how I left. Quite a surprise to me. I'm not sure if anyone else feels the same, but I'm changed. I hope it lasts. Everytime I feel it slip from my memory I will email my new friends and get some it back.

Going home already?!

Another L O N G drive home. This time worse....not much sleep this week, but all worth it! I'm going to sleep for 24 hrs. now, then I'll try to recap. Finding the words will be tough. I hate to fall back on "you had to be there", so I'll try hard!
Nighty night!

Final day

Today we got to pick what we wanted to work on. I chose to swim and have some transition practice. REALLY wanted to bike with Nicole, but they were going to be gone a few hours and I felt something was clicking with the swim and wanted to keep that going. That was a hard decision. The swim went great. Unfourtunatly I didn't have time to see the last video with it all put together, but it certainly felt a little more smooth and effortless.

Super duper mini tri...and mean VERY mini tri. One lap in the pool, one lap in parking lot, and out to a tree and back. Very fun, we all had our compeitive hats on. All out efforts. This turned out to be great transition practice. I learned to place things differently in my transition area. Try a better way. Seeing as I test my blood sugars at T1 and T2, time is only a small factor as that takes some time. But I guess you always look for ways to be faster. We did it 2 times with a rest in between of course. I think my fastest time was 3-4 min. My memory is failing from lack of sleep. But that gives you an idea on how short it was...or as I prefer how crazy fast I was! All the coaches went next. Incredible to watch them! Rick blew it away. No surprise to me. Nicole got a few penalties for wearing her bike shoes in the pool, and then running in them after the bike. Ok, really no penalties....but it was a hoot to watch. She is one funny chick! Everyone was laughing. I'll try to post some photos soon. I forgot my card reader at home.

Warm and fuzzy time! All the goodbyes and such. The last debrief of camp....we now call it the depantsing. I think I just made up that word...is it a real one? Everyone had a chance to talk about their time here. I was getting the sense that most of us loved the commoradory...which happened pretty quick. I attribute that to my new friend Mari with her very personal story at the beginning of camp. That gave us all license to open up. I mean if she could talk about her diabetes struggle and cancer...why can't we talk about our "stuff" too. Everyone has a story, with our without diabetes, and there are some huge, incredible ones among the 25 people here.

I came here thinking I would be getting some great training, an did. I came here thinking I would meet like minded people, and did. I came here for more diabetes knowledge, and did. What I didn't expect was the emotional aspect of it all. What was I thinking? Was I blind? Of course there would be emotions involved. 25 T1 diabetics in a room, with the passion for exercise and knowledge.....and don't forget motivation, and most of all spirit! Lot's of energy in that room this week, and I'm bringing it all back with me. Our little diabetes bubble may have burst today as we all leave, but we've created a bond at the inaugural Stroke, Spin, Stride camp. To all my T1 friends out there...sign up fast next year. It will be the time of your life!

Day 4...one more to go

Let's get right into it....wicked hot today! 90 degress!
We were suppose to have 1 1/2hr. run instruction, followed by 1 1/2hr. cycle. Well, we can never seem to leave on time....so you know what that means...they get shortened. We went to Lehigh Valley University campus to run and bike. The run was a bit frustrating because of the heat...and one macho guy got us lost on the cross country course. I had to stop for water and Gatorade. Luckily we had a medical staffer on a mountain bike following us...thanks Gary! We were to be gone 15 min...do drills and such...the 15 min. back. Ended up out for around 25-30 min. Now that small change in timing may not seem a lot to you non-diabetics...but we afflicted people make adjustments with insulin based on a ton of variables...including duration of exercise. So needless to say we were all dropping like flys....our blood sugars I mean. No worries though. Gary had our backs! I rested under a tree with my water while the others went and did something...drills I think. I needed the rest so I could bike. (By the way, ankle has been fine the whole time here! Yea!!!!)

The group that was riding came back from climbing and are now doing an individual time trial. 3 loops...short course...slight hill going out...downhill coming back. Now our group was up....time was short so we didn't get the climbing lesson, but got to do the time trial twice....NICE! Those cornering skills are coming into play now! I can't even remember my times, but at one point I was going 26mph...downhill of course. Great feeling...down in the aeros and drops. Most like pushing in a tri for me. The first time I went out too fast. I think that competitive nature began to take over. The 2nd time was better. I really tried to focus on the skills. I was not as fast but everything felt better. Solid cornering for me. My corners usually look like jello...all over and wobolly. So this is a BIG improvment for me.

Now dinner and the obligatory talk. This time all about advancments in diabetes care and managment. Continuous glucose monitoring, new pumps, new technology in clinical trials...do ya'll want to be bored again? Ok, I won't mention it again...but I want all the new gadgets I can get my hands on! Very cool stuff on the horizon.

Thanks to the great testing team, we all got our actual results of our Vo2 max testing. They even calcualted how many carbs each of us burn per min. of exercise. That will help us all be able to calculate how to replenish those during and after training. Must replenish..if you don't replace those glycogen stores, you are in trouble of not recovering...which leads to poor performance. We can't have that! This testing would have cost me tons of $$$! I think they are doing it for their benefit as well as ours. One women is working on her thesis. All diabetes/athlete stuff.
They singled out a few people with some incredible stats. Rob, who is 60ish, had the highest Vo2 max out of any of us...including the young 18 year old from Isreal. Although he has like 1% body fat which he got the award for. But Nancy...yes me....got the one of the highest Vo2 max among the women. Apparently 50 is more impressive then I thought. Actually with a tiny conversion because this was on the bike and not the treadmill....it seems to be more like 55. That made me very happy! All my work is paying off. Now my training zones will be more accurate. As if I don't have enough numbers to obsess about!

Tomorrow is the mini tri...very mini! All the staff will be participating...at least they say they are...we'll see.

Nighty night all!

Day 3

I'm in the same place a last night....it's late and I'm in bed...wheels turning.

I will work my way backwards today. A huge group of us.....campers and coaches.....went to a
TGI Fridays for drinks after our "debriefing" of the days activities. I think they all sensed that we needed a little down time. It was great to spend time with everyone. All super great people with amazing stories. We all know our exact dates of diagnosis(2nd week Sept. 1999...thank you!) and wear it like a medal....kinda like how Lance has his 10/2...why can't we celebrate ours??!! (thank you Mari!) A bunch of us are wondering what is going to happen when we leave our bubble. Will we be the same people we were when we arrived? I bet not!! The training has been more then I could have imagined, but I didn't expect all the emotions. Nancy gets emotional?? Who knew!

Ok, enough gushy...
Swimming today was more of the same. Linking all the drills that have been drilled into us into an actual stroke. More underwater video which we will analyze tomorrow. I have a love hate relationship with this camera. It does do the trick though! Love Celeste the swim coach....she joined us on our run yesterday and the cycling today. Very well rounded athlete. VERY patient. Good to have in a coach for sure!

Now pay attention cycling friends!
Do you think you are a good bike handler...not rider, but handler? I was humbled today! I have learned I am SO not a bike handler. Give me a bike and I can ride, but tell me to do some of these drills and geeezzzz....kind of depressing. I tried not to get down on myself too much as I haven't had any formal cycling training. Nicole the coach, has a wit and an incredible knowlege of cycling. (2oo2 Olympian,to mention one thing on here resume) Broke everything down into pieces and rode us hard. The hardest I've had since I've been here. Loved it!! I can now say I can corner like there's no tomorrow! (compared to how I came in) The rest I'll have to practice in an empty parking lot....good place for drill work.
We were near the coolest velodrome...apparently one of the best nationally. Unfortunatly we did not get time on that. But what we were on was a paved path in a park across the street. It looked like it was bike/rollerblade specific. (For my people back in Michigan...think Indian Springs Metro park, but WAY wider, bigger, and better)
Pacelining! Work a paceline...a triathlete? This was the most awesome experience! After a few laps in a large group, she broke us into 2 groups and now it was a team time trial! (now I can be in the tour for sure...right) In my regular group rides we always take turns in the front and kind of stagger and chat along the way. This is NOT what we did. This was real time trialing. I think every thought and emotion went through my mind. So much concentration is needed. So great! I only got dropped a few times by the big boys in my group...even held on until the last lap. I pushed way hard to keep up, but had lots of encouagment from our undesignated leader Andy...wicked cyclist. Even tonight he was still encouraging me.....probably because I kept apologizing for not being there. Does it remind ya'll of any story at the Tour a few years back?

Anyway...tired again...wheels still turning, but keeping this blog gets it out of my head.
Talk to you tomorrow!

Day 2

Where do I begin today? It's late...about 11pm. Very busy today. I think all my postings will be late or early in the AM.

Started with the usual breakfast then to analyze my swim stroke....and surprise, it was an underwater taping! This can be good and bad. I did find out I wasn't all that bad. I stay pretty flat in the water. No backside sinking. Nice!

Michelle, a real upbeat diabetic trainer, led the whole group in a 20 min. "warm-up" for the day. Sit-ups, plyometric stuff,etc. Pretty cool to see all the pumps jumping around. Have I mentioned I'm with my cronies?

Celeste, the Total Immersion swim coach is great. After going over a video on how to do the drills right, we were in the pool for an hour. Learned a lot. (I think I'm going to say that a lot the rest of the week!) This is a completly a new way of swimming for me, but I totally felt the difference. You glide through the water in the "fishlike" way. I might not apply all of what I've learned this race season, but will work hard to incorporate the full technique for next. It has been a challenge for sure, but there is a sweet spot, kind of like in a golf swing I guess. Once you feel it, you know!

Carrie is our sports psych coach. As you can imagine...very enthusiastic women. We worked on goal setting. I thought I had goals until this session. Helped me set some that are realistic, and how to set the "little" goals that will make me succed. When I signed up for camp and saw that there would be a psych coach here I wasn't sure what I would get out of it....but have learned quite a bit about my training.......and for anyone that knows me well.....I also have some tools to work on my control freak nature. Just so you all know...most T1's are type A....so it's not just me! Believe me!

Josh was the run coach, along with Kim who I mentioned before. We were introduced to the Pose running meathod. I have heard about it, but have ever seen it in action. Felt weird at first, but could be good with practice. Again, probably won't incorporate this until next season. I've got some great new stretches that Kim showed us! Running specific. I always get bored doing the same stuff....loved these!

Now there's Kris...she is the senior scientist at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute....WOW! She gave a talk on hydration. Very technical, so I won't bore all of you. But it didn't bore me! Tomorrow's will be on sweat rates...don't ya'll want to know about my sweat rate??!!

Now we come to the great stuff....if the rest wasn't already! Rick...who has trained the likes of Levi Leipheimer.....Jamie Whitmore(Xterra triathlete)...just to name two. (and yes..to Jim and Shannon....we did talk a little cycling trash, I'll have to fill you in on who he knows and who he predicts for the Tour this year!) Amazing talk on periodization. I could leave today with what I got from him. Simple equation really....just need to apply it! Base phase-zone 2, transition phase-zone 3, build phase-zone4-5 which is the lactic theshold stage. I know I've read, and B my "Yoda" probably already has me following it , but he put it in a way that was easier to understand.

The night finally ended with Dr. Matt. Great guy. Inspired by his neice who is a T1 diabetic...I think it was an emotional night for him. Maybe for all of us. Great presentation on hypoglycemia.....biology etc. Great stuff. Won't bore all you non-diabetic friends, but my T1 friends might be interested in it. I'll check in with ya'll later about it!

Must sleep! Early start again tomorrow. Are there spelling errors? Did I mention I need to sleep now?

1st Day!

The 3% of my brain is swimming already! That's in a good way. The first day and I have learned so much already. Mostly about the diabetes with the training and what biological effects it has on the body.

I had my Vo2 max test...I'm a 50...which they say is good. Put it this way Lance is probably in the 100's and up. (ok, that's just a guess, might be an exaggeration, but you get my point)So I'm certainly not elite, but a little better then average. Basically that tells me where my training zones should be. Great info for my "Yoda" coach! Are you listening B?

Then a little free time....swam about 30 min. Went to eat lunch...that was ok. There were a few items on that were veggie friendly. Went back to the pool and got filmed swimming. No underwater camera like I thought....so we are going over the tape this AM.

Now I finally had some down time before the evening talks and dinner. So I went back to the hotel and showered and went through the big folder of info and agenda they gave us. I also got hooked up to a continuous glucose monitor (CGMS) to wear for the remainder of camp if I want. I'm going to love looking at the trends of what all the exercise does to my numbers!

I drove a nice guy, Rob from Colorado, back to dinner. He has a brother that lives in Clarkston...imagine that...the world keeps getting smaller!
AMAZING talks last night! A few cheesy ice breakers, but the one that stood out was the women, Mari, that had quite a story. She is a camper not a coach. I wish I could say it all, but VERY inspirational! We are a diabetes band of brothers! And we're sticking together!

I'll try to write more later....VERY busy...must fly to breakfast.

The very L O N G day

Made it here fine. About 10 hrs. with lot's of breaks to stretch the legs and of course......pee. Speed limit was 65 most of the time...and for all of you who know I have a lead foot....I did go the speed limit...or a tad above. Thanks to the book on my iPod the time went by fine!
Just as I was pulling into the hotel parking lot I noticed a guy with 2 tricked out tri bikes on top of his car.....New York plate. We introduced ourselves and he happens to be one of the coaches. He asked me a few questions. What distance tri do I do. I thought I saw a "look" when I told him sprint and Olympic. I could be reading into it. Then he asked how long....3rd season. I called myself a newbie, and he just smiled. I think I may be in over my head....we'll see.

I went over and over my list of things to bring, and forgot to bring towels. How can anal me forget something with all the lists and going over them....oh I guess 1000 times? So off to the store. Good thing I have my computer with me...mapquest is my friend!

It's not going to be an early morning tomorrow. My VO2 max test is at 9AM. Then it looks like a free day as they check everyone else in. I will probably swim. Depends on the ankle...I'd love to run!!!

Counting the days

3 days and counting! Getting all my gear in order. Good thing I'm driving...I just know I'll over pack. I got the maps I need for the drive, and good books to listen to while doing it! Thanks to my friend....you know who you are......for inviting me to see "Wicked" this past Sunday. I have now found the book and will have 19hrs. of audio to plow through. I hope it will make the time go by.

Two side notes....doing the Tour de Cure tomorrow morning at Island Lake Metro Park. I am wearing my Type1Rider (type1rider.com) team kit for the first time at an event. This will be great motivation for sure. I'm hoping to field a lot of questions...we'll get ya goin Tony!!! It should be a nice easy 30 miler.

Ankle is feeling real good today! The wonder patch the physical therapist put on must have worked it's magic. Can't wait to get another one on!

Went to the "real doctor" today. Ankle is...and I'm quoting him....."very stable". So that's good news. When I twisted my foot I pulled muscle for sure, but I also yanked on a tendon, and now that is inflammed. So that's the pain. Tendonitis. I pleaded my case for running at camp. He was great! Totally understood. He then sent me to the physical therapist across the hall for some TLC. She gave me strengh exercises...most of which I knew....but then the meds came.....in the form of electrodes. Better living through science! I'm going in 2 more times before I leave. Hopefully the swelling in the tendon eases up. Still not sure if I should run at all....but I'm on the mend for the rest of the season.

Injuries, injuries, injuries

Just when you think you've healed from one another pops up. I run that 5 mile loop in my sleep...gravel and all. Why now....3 weeks before camp.....do I wipe out on a paved section...ok a paved section with some gravel on it? I know, I know...maybe that ankle was weak from the stress fracture I have been healing for 3 months. Still doesn't make me feel any better. It's a week until camp and I'm trying to keep my glass is half full attitude. I see the ortho doc tomorrow AM, thanks to a rockin brother-in-law with friends in places I don't even want to know about! The picture is just proof to all my cronies that I really am keeping it wrapped...and the running shoe is not for running...except for running from my pup Cooper!

Type 1 diabetic, triathlete

This is my blog to chronicle my vacation to triathlon camp....Stroke, Spin, Stride....all for Type 1 diabetics. Stay tuned for more!!!