Diabetes Game: Racin Baby!!

Howdy From Santa Barbara,

How goes it? Life is good here. Now 4 days away from the beginning of the Tour of California, AKA: “The hardest race I have ever done!” I am extremely excited, nervous, and curious about the venture. But leading up to it, I feel good.

I feel fully recovered from a 3 week block of tough training. 23 hours before camp with a lot of intensity, 15 hrs,+ a million photo/video shoots (more tiring than training) and then a 26 hour week with the rock stars of Team Type 1! At the end, I was both physically, and mentally wiped out. The stay in Buellton after camp was good for me, and some weather forced rest had me feeling perky going into the crit on Sunday. This was it for me, the test. If I sucked, I was pulling out of ToC, but if I felt good, and could go, then I was going. So I woke up, ate breakfast, and blood sugar would not come down. I was a bit peeved, so decided instead of giving 3 extra shots, that I would go ride. I went out in San Diego, and felt good. Climbed a bunch of hills, and after getting lost, rode hard for a while to get back in time to go to the race. Also, blood sugar was 85 at the end of the ride, so that problem was solved.

Got to the race 4.5 hrs early. Got registered, dressed, and set off with Cajonez (Chris Jones) Matt Wilson, Joe, and Willem for a warm up. This consisted of 2.5 hours through the hills of Northern San Diego. Felt pretty good, and HR stayed a bit high. Then 1.5 hrs before the race grabbed an espresso, and went to relax. Checked BS, and it was 58. So I ate 2.4 scones, and a turkey Sandwich for about 90gms of carbs. Checked at the car, and was 220! Perfect! Then rode to the store to grab a Gatorade, and on the way back, went through a yellow light, and BAM! Hit by a car. The guy making a left turn was in a hurry and smashed me. Miraculously, and don’t ask me how, I got my body out of the way, and left unscathed. The only issue was a out of true Shimano wheel, and some paint chipage on my Orbea Opal. I felt real, real, real (to the 10th power) lucky to get out so easy. Crit Time…
Vassili’s orders for me were to sit in for the first half. The crit was going full throttle, and the team looked good. Matti, Willem, and Chris were covering lots of moves. Matti was in just about every move, and Willem was doing a hell of a job. And I just sat in the top half spinning around as we cruised at 30mph. Tough crit with a little hill on it. Then halfway through, Chris comes up and says
“How you feel”
I say “good”
He says, “you want to race then”
I say “Sure, at the halfway point”
He says “It is halfway, let’s race.

So I go to the front, and start covering moves. Not a whole lot of em, but I was able to get in moves, go real hard, and then recover, and do it again. Was finally getting some race confidence back, and doing this at fairly fast race. Covered Crane a few times, and hurt a bit. None the less, doing the crit to finish up a 5 hour day on the bike, and feeling good, was a nice sign. During the race, I had 2 bags of Jelly Belly Sport beans, and a cliff shot. Also had 4 Dex 4 tabs right before the start. My Hat goes off to Matti and Jones for a solid ride, and Willem for a hell of a ride. Blood sugar finished at 223, and did 7 units of Apidra for about 70gms of carbs. 1 hr later, was at 263. Did another 6 units and then had a burrito, and 2 units later was back at 100 before bed. Increased to 17u of Lantus, and still went high. Went to bed at 80, woke up at 12:30 at 255. Did 3u Apidra, and woke up at 104.

Last night, after a rest day (Email, massage, physical therapy, and very little food) went up to 18u, and woke up at 2am at 94, drank some Muscle Milk Protein drink and woke up at 134.

Coffee, Oatmeal, and 4u Apidra, and set off for a 3.5 hr ride with some intervals. Had my new Orthodics in from Bill Peterson (wedofeet.com) and felt better on the bike than when I took off the training wheels. Big thanks to Bill for the final touches of straightening me out, which has been the culmination of 3 years of work on that body project that some 25 specialist (outside of diabetes) have helped seen me in the process.

Started today at 220, ate Sport beans 50 minutes into the ride, and then it was interval time. Took a minute to get the HR up and then sat in the zone for 15 minutes. Took a nice recovery period, ate ½ cliff bar, then another bag of sport beans, then 3x2 minute all out efforts up mtn! These hurt real good. Ate the other ½ of the cliff bar, then another 15 minute effort. Ate a snickers, and set off on the hour ride home. Nice day, felt good, and finished the ride with a BG of 113. Took care of some email, and spent some time reading “What is the What” by David Edgers. I am really enjoying this one, and it makes any pain that we go through on a daily basis seem small and insignificant relative to what this man went through. I thought I knew hunger, but now know better.

Post ride was 7 units Apidra, with 40gm carb, 30gm protein from Choc Milk and Protein mix. Then another 90gm carb 9gm Protein from Oatmeal. Metabolism is moving now. I think I am gonna roll with 18u of Lantus again tonight, and another shake right before sleep. Tomorrow is an easy 2 hr ride, followed by travel to Sacramento for the Tour. After the ride, it is pack the bags, and hit the road.

Wed it will be 3 more days, and I am more and more excited the closer it gets. I really appreciate all of your support, and will need it during the Tour. I will try to update as often as possible, and give my personal play by play throughout the race.

Thanks for reading, and have a great Day!!!

Phil