Nothing more calming than waves...........

Beach week with the family is going along. Being on the west coast, I don't get chill fam time often enough. Our annual fam vacation was to Ocean City, MD and we would always do the same things, it was nice to go to somewhere you felt you weren't a stranger. When we got older, less of us went to the beach and so my parents stopped going too. Now as adults, we've decided to make it happen again, except at Nags Head, NC (outer banks). So this week is very similar, yet different. We are trading dinner nights, drinking champagne in the jacuzzi, and living room filled with nephews running/crawling/stumbling around. Tonight we watched home videos and I def got in touch with my abdominal muscles. Its nice to be home. And the beach is great too.
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Kate--so glad to hear your keeping up with the running and it sounds like you're going further and further! Enjoying it also is so necessary, helps to have a running buddy. Do you crave diet soda with a high too? Oh there is nothing else better than carbonation to quench that crazy thirst! I'll look at your goals again when I get home to be sure, but it sounds like you're mostly on track! The diabetes sports and wellness thing sounds like so much fun--don't think we have as big of a group in SF. I've told Matt that I'm ready to stuff envelopes or do anything to help DTC thrive. Anne, from Triabetes, is spreading the word and organizing events. I also feel the need to get involved and into the social scene---so many people out there to connect with.
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Kat, your tri is around the corner! You've gotta text, email or post here to let us know how much ass you kicked! With a sprint tri, its so quick that if you run into BG/insulin issue, just try to make adjustments and then keep on keeping on...oh, I'm super excited for you! Are you enjoying spending more time with your kids these past couple weeks? It seems like you're keeping yourself busy too! Hopefully the diabetes program is still a potential! We're all such multi-taskers....
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I only have about two more weeks of hard training before the taper period...seems pretty crazy I've been following this program for almost a year already! I can def say I'm ready ready ready for the taper. Mark said the other day, "I'm ready to going back to running 30 minutes a day"...so agreed. When did a 2 hour workout not be considered a "long" workout? I've come so far, proven it to myself, and ready to challenge myself with another big goal! Haven't totally set my mind, but I'm sure it won't be long..................

DTC peeps unite in Seattle

I just got back from a night of hanging out with diabetics and I have a smile on my face. It's amazing how you can meet a diabetic for the first time and feel like you go way back with them, all in a matter of a few conversations in a few hours. I think there's a lot of bonding that takes place lamenting about the fact that our pancreases are slacking big time. Tonight was the first JDRF Diabetes Sports & Exercise Workshop in Seattle and it was great! I was lucky enough to hang out with three of the campers from DTC - Susannah, Greg, and Mike and it was really nice to catch up with them. I met a ton of new diabetics and I'm looking forward to building a strong support network in Seattle with the crew that was there tonight. There were probably about 40 people there - not a bad showing! We had a pretty informal talk with a local endocrinologist and a CDE/dietitian/exercise physiologist and just shared frustrations, strategies, and questions. I felt like I was still on a ridiculous high from DTC and wanted to share all I learned with everybody! Hopefully I wasn't talking too much - it's kinda my weak point when I get excited! I offered to take on the more social informal gatherings for the group and there was a lot of interest - more of the grab a beer and just chat type of crew. We'll see if that gets up and running! After the workshop, 4 of us went out to the bar and continued to get to know each other over a beer. I can't wait to see what comes of the JDRF Sports & Exercise group - it's a great start. The JDRF cycling group is having its annual party that I'm thinking of attending to get to know some of the riders and then Phil Southerland from Team Type 1 is coming to talk in a few weeks as well. Exciting stuff on the horizon - I can really feel the untapped potential!

Keep Rockin' it Ladies!

Kat, it's great to have you on here! It's been so fun hearing about your triathlons and I can't wait to hear to success story once you've completed your next one! What's your training schedule looking like these days? It sounds like you have some great ideas up your sleeves for type 1 support groups - I'd love to hear more about that as you get closer! I think that's the strongest thing about DTC - the support network that has developed out of it! Ok, and maybe the motivation to actually sign up for a race!

Holly - 20 miles girl, you rock! Too bad you didn't just carry your dad on your back - I think you have enough drive and dedication to have done that if you wanted it bad enough! Just kidding! I hope you are kicking back with your family and really just enjoying their company and relaxing like you deserve to relax. Have you been able to sleep better lately? What's the latest on Carrie's book? How did your endo appointment end up going last week? Keep driving forward - I can't wait for November 7th - you'll rock it!

I've been running a lot lately and continue to love it. I can't wait for my 10K in a few weeks and then I'm going to let myself sign up for the Seattle half-marathon the Sunday after Thanksgiving if all goes well. I'm not going to get too ahead of myself - one thing at a time! I've been running 4 days a week and won't let myself run on the weekends because I don't want to eat into our play time with friends and each other. We're always going up to the mountains on the weekends and I really want to seperate my "training" from my play time! Chaco and I went for a great run on Friday and he was pretty pooped at the end of it. He and I were waiting on the corner for the light to change and a nice man came up on his bike. Chaco scored a tennis ball from the man's bike jersey and the people in all of the cars had huge smiles on their faces, never expecting that to happen! It made Chaco's day! I came back from my run and sat down on the couch, only to realize my breath smelled really sweet. Nice - pump site wasn't working the whole run and I went from 100 to 280 with ketones. I was on the verge of throwing up but slammed a liter of Coke Zero in just enough time to flush the little buggers out of my system! Gotta love it! Friday night Erik and I went out to dinner and I realized my favorite store had balloons out front that said "I will never grow up!" I went inside and asked for a balloon and Erik tied it to my wrist. I walked around, acting like I was 5 and really enjoyed feeling like a total kid again. Can you picture this? My little neighbor Marcus was out in front of our house when we got home and I gave Marcus my balloon. I think it made his day and it definitely made mine! We had a great weekend at a YMCA camp work party doing great work projects for camp - it really felt wonderful to volunteer and make a special place a bit better.

Keep rockin' it ladies! How are your goals coming along?? -Kate

Welcome KAT!!!

Hi KAT! I was hoping you'd posted something, so exciting that we're all doing it and staying in touch in style! :) You will be amazed at how fun the sprint tri is...you'll rock it out! The BG hopefully will be helping you out, either way, you'll have a great race!
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Kate, I like the phrase a lot. I think another diabetic tri group has fueled by insulin, what about powered by insulin to be different? Either way, think its a great idea for the another table top--hehe...I must say that was too cool.
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I did a 20 mile run today which is the longest I've run since my marathon a couple years ago. I had a pit stop at the beach house at mile 14 hoping to convince my dad (who also runs) to run the last 6 with me, but it was a no-go. So I got some more alone time and it ended up torentially downpouring for the last two miles (woulda only been 2 miles, but I got lost like typical Holly). Anyway, I feel very accomplished and think thats going to be my longest run till the real thing! I don't know about swimming in the Atlantic Ocean (I'm in the Outer Banks) the storms from Atlanta have brought in some pretty nasty waves....hopefully it will calm later in the week. Ahhhh family time ;) Good night, its tooooo late to be up!
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Peace out, Holly

Nice to be w/my buddies!!

I just finished reading all of the posts on the blog. It's great to see the successes everyone is experiencing! Kate, you can do it...pregnancy and all!! The rewards in the end are priceless, trust me! I look at my boys each day and am so thankful for the blessings in my life, even after SEVERAL years of really poor diabetes care.
I am one week away from my Sprint Tri @Santa Rosa Beach, Pensacola, FL. I am also getting nervous! I know that once the race gets underway I will be fine, but the nerves I'm feeling now is just crazy. After the sprint I will be moving on to a 15k in November...the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning in Tally. Then it will be a 1/2 Marathon in Jacksonville for Breast Cancer in February. That's as far out as I'm willing to plan right now.
I met with our local hospital this week to discuss a plan for a Non-Profit that will be geared towards a more personable approach to support Type I Diabetics. I shared my experiences at DTC as well as the struggles I've experienced in my training, etc. The buy in was AWESOME. I was meeting with the CEO, head of Admin, Pres of their Foundation and the head of their Diabetes Center. I am VERY excited to see this develop.
Keep up the hard work! Kat Owen

Ideas???

Hey Pepper - I'm thinking about making something...what is your take on "Athletic Diabetics - Fueled by insulin"? Or can you come up with something more creative? Leme know!

Sitting at Molly Moon's, eating ice cream

Today I did it, I finally got my A1c below 7% - 6.9% to be exact and it's the lowest it's been since probably 6 months before I was diagnosed with diabetes! The lowest in my diabetic life and I can't be any more happy. I went to my appointment early so that I could get my A1c done before I saw my doctor. Why? Because I really wanted to know! I'm working towards my goal of an A1c of less than 6.5% and I wanted to know if I was headed in the right direction. Sure, my averages were great and are getting better every week, but I had this sneaking suspicion that the A1c test would be totally inaccurate. They handed me the paperwork and I met Erik at my appointment and shared the news with him - I got a hug and a kiss and the feeling from him that he knows I can do it. Then I shared with him that I had this secret reward that I promised myself if my A1c was below 7% - salted carmel ice cream in a waffle cone at Molly Moon's! I could have easily driven myself to the ice cream shop any of these days but I decided my new reward for all of this hard work was an ice cream cone at Molly Moon's every 3 months after my appointment if I keep making headway towards my goal. Who the hell cares about one high blood sugar after ice cream every 3 months? It will be my "diabetes vacation". My appointment was great - my doc was very impressed with everything I've done since DTC. After camp I pretty much overhauled my pump, took my basal rates down to one rate and then built them back up, similar to taking a car into the mechanics shop. I've worked my ass of on basal test and carb ratio testing and from the looks of it - I'm there. She didn't recommend any changes but instead was interested in knowing how I got to where I am. I raved about DTC and my doc is actually interested in doing an internship with Dr. Matt at one of the future camps. She borrowed my book from camp and I can't wait for her to take a look at it. I feel like anyone who goes through DTC comes out with a different perspective and understands a lot more about the multifaceted challenges diabetes presents. Erik and I got the "green light" to head towards pregnancy although we've told ourselves that we are waiting until our Thailand trip in December and then at that point we'll see what happens. Today I feel great - I went on an amazing run with Chaco this morning and for the first time I feel like I really will be able to tackle pregnancy and know that it will be an adventure but that we can do it. The ice cream tasted great and knowing Erik had an ice cream cone at 5pm on a beautiful afternoon made me realize we are both in this together and together we can achieve more!