Howdy from Hotlanta (yes it is living up to its name)
A1C: 5.0! That is my personal best, and I am thrilled to death with it. How was it done? Slight adjustments, pushing the envelope, exercise, insulin, FreeStyle Navigator, Dex4 Glucose. I have had close to two years now of using the Navigator, and have learned how to use it to get better. I am not content with a blood sugar of 130 if it is there for more than 20 minutes. If I see 130, and then 131, then 132 I know I am trending up, and will give a slight correction with fast acting insulin. I would rather hover at 70, than at 130. Then again, if I saw 77, then 76, then 72 all in a 10 minute span I would pop some Dex4 tabs to try and bring it up. I use the tools that I have, and I may just be a little OCD about it. I am curious to know how many times a day I actually press the button that shows my blood sugar.
My guess would be about 125. Some days maybe more, some maybe less, but to get a blood sugar, and a trend 100+ times a day gives me a big edge in always being 1 step ahead of the curve. If I have insulin going in before I have a chance to get high, then I don't get high blood sugars. If sugar is going in before I have a chance to get low, then no hypos. I will say that the running has helped, eating well has helped. My schedule is never the same 2 days in a row. It is on a plane, in a car, on the phone, on the computer, so seeing the trend is invaluable to me.
Right now my 28 day average is 100, with 91% in target, 4 above, and 5 below. So I can still get better. I have had some hard times before. I spent Christmas when I was 9 years old in the hospital because of the flu, which turned into ketones. In 8th grade I went in a movie theatre with my mom to see Twister, and woke up in the hospital, but it is those life lessons that drive me to have the best control I can possibly have. When it comes down to it, this is The ONE thing in life I own 100%, the ONE thing I know I can control. My reward is getting to talk about, getting to try and help people.
So this past week I got a few special experiences. First was Camp Kudzu, which rocked. It is great to have a few days where I can talk to kids, talk to people with diabetes, dance, play, and get dirty. I had one young lady come up to me and make my week. She was 18 years old, and about to be a freshman in college, and is now a CIT at camp. She said, I just want you to know you inspired me to take control. She heard my talk 3 years ago at camp, and after that began to check 5-6 more times per day, exercise a bit more, and that her last 3 A1C's have all been 5.9. Awesome, eh? So I got to have a lot of these conversations, and then cap it off with a talk to the teenagers Tuesday night. Then it was the most painful part of the week in leaving camp. It really killed me that I had to leave. Next up was AADE, which I also love. I got to see 10 others on Team Type 1, and Team Type 2 (Nathan, Joe, Kyle, Laura, Saul, John, Jeff, Adam, Tom,) and connect with friends who are Educators, doctors, industry, and a lot of others with diabetes (TJ!!) It is really cool to see so many people who have a passion for making a difference. It was awesome to reconnect with so many who say they use us as an example to all their patients.
Now how about the running: Injured. This has been frustrating, as I was just starting to really feel good out there. Running finally felt natural, and I was getting stronger, getting faster, and enjoying it. I strained something, which I hope to get fixed tomorrow, but it has now been 7 days with no running. By the end of the week it got frustrating, so I decided yesterday to ride. I got 2 days of riding in, and have never felt so awkward on a bike... Recap on this, which I just have to laugh about: Ride lots, get injured, start to run, which is very awkward. Then get injured on run, get out and ride, which now feels very awkward. I feel like a ping pong... I hope to be back on my feet speeding away here soon.
I am still on track for NY Marathon Nov 1. I will do a half marathon in Munich to warm up for it on Oct 11. I have never been to Germany. This is part work, part vacation, and I can't wait. Last year was solo for most of it. This time I hope to hook up with friends while over there. I guess I have rambled on long enough, and would not like to ask a favor if you made it this far.
If you have gotten any help from this blog, any take aways that have helped you manage your diabetes better, or live a better life, then I ask to please pay it forward. Use your skills, and your knowledge to help somebody else do it better. It may be as simple as forwarding this on, as bold as talking to a local support group. Let's be the domino's that change the big D!
One last time, and then I will quit bragging: My A1C was 5.0. What is yours, and where do you want it to be? The past is the past, but the future you control.
Off to Santa Barbara Tuesday for some athlete days, and R+R.
Thanks for reading, and for all your support.
Have a great day.
Phil
Team Clothing is going fast: Get it while it's hot at TeamType1.org
follow me on twitter: @philsoutherland
Ciao!
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
The Diabetes Game: Time Zones...
Howdy from Tally,
Back to the original home for a few days. A lot has gone on since I last wrote, and I last wrote so long ago, cause lots has been going on.
I have been in a few different spots: Boise, Atlanta, Seattle, Atlanta, Tallahassee, and maybe some others too. Boise was AWESOME! Had a great time with Tim Schaub of Sanofi-Aventis, and then it was crit time. It was good to see the guys, the crew, and the fans.
I was talking to Joe right before the race about the Blood sugar. 200 30 minutes prior, and 200 10 minutes, so a level trend. He was good to go, and the race proved it. All the guys (Ken, Aldo, Creed, Holt, and Joe) were super aggressive. It seemed like every lap we had a guy in a move, until the critical point. 8 laps to go, 2 guys had 20 seconds. 5 to go, they had 17, 4 to go 22, then TT1 went to the front. Creed got the gap down to 17 seconds in 1 lap, then Joe came through like a freight train for a 1 lap effort that got it down to 10 seconds. Dan brought it down to 5, and then the guys got jumped. Ken and Aldo just so happened to be fresh, and ready so jumped on, and proceeded to blow it out taking 1-2 by about 20 bike lengths. It was great to watch, and I was soooo pumped for everyone, Joe in particular. In all his years on the bike, this was by far the BEST I have ever witnessed him ride. It just goes to show that with hard work, sacrifice, and time, anything is possible. Sure to see him on the top step of the podium very soon.
So yeah, this running thing... Here is what I have learned as of late:
If I give any rapid acting insulin within 2.5 hours of a run, I will drop rapidly.
If no rapid acting insulin within 2.5-3.5 hours I stay steady.
Is this important info: For me, yes. I know if I do give insulin to close, then I need to prepare for the run by bringing extra food, and also taking blood sugar higher before the start. The extra food is only in case of the crash. If I timed the insulin right, it is all about the slow rise within 30 minutes before the start. Getting it up to 150-175, and then taking Dex4 tabs as needed. I have been getting longer runs in, and faster ones in. It is starting to get to the point where I can push myself, suffer, and for some reason or another I like that. Pain is good, pain is addicting. Last week on my tempo run I left at 165 trending up, finished at 208 with 6 Dex4 tabs in there. It was a 6 mile run, with 4 tempo miles, and I did one of em at a 5:40ish pace...
At this point my metabolism was FLYING. Not sure what the deal is, but I was doing less than 25 units and eating a good bit. 2 units covered 90 grams of carbs one morning.
This took some adjusting to, but I have it down now, kind of...
So about 1 month ago I made some crazy diabetes goals. I was looking at my 1,3,7,14,21, and 28 day averages on my Navigator and saw in the 110-125 range, and decided: I can be better, or at least have better numbers. I made it a goal to get all of my averages into the 90's, and do so without HYPO, which is no small feat. So it has taken work, in constantly looking at the number, and the trend. Always trying to be 1 step ahead of my blood sugar. Learning what food, and what the activity will do. Progress came. Bit by bit I have been able to get better. I have gotten to where my 21 day average is at 99, with 3% below 60, 95% between 60-170, and 2% above 170. I would like to compare with a non-diabetic and see where we stand. I think with these #'s I should be able to have an A1C less than 5.0. I have another 10 days until the A1C test, and I hope to have achieved the number with the 28 day avg by then.
I thought these were crazy at first, but now it is doable. My question to you: What is your diabetes goal? If it is an average of 155, that is great, if 130, that is great. Having a goal in mind in regard to the every day #'s gives purpose to diabetes. It makes you learn, adjust, and adapt.
Home for 1 more day. About to go run with my buddy Andy Roberts, and then a few days in Atlanta before 3 days at Camp Kudzu, and then AADE, then Cali, DC, Ireland, and who knows where...
Thanks for reading, and I hope that I can get back more soon. Lots of exciting things going for Team Type 1 and Team Type 2 for the future. Thanks for being a part of it!!
Phil
P.S. TJ: No, not cozy in the 60's. Anytime I get into the 60's I try to eat just a little so that I can bring it back to the 80's and 90's. Sometimes gotta push the envelope though...
Later!
Back to the original home for a few days. A lot has gone on since I last wrote, and I last wrote so long ago, cause lots has been going on.
I have been in a few different spots: Boise, Atlanta, Seattle, Atlanta, Tallahassee, and maybe some others too. Boise was AWESOME! Had a great time with Tim Schaub of Sanofi-Aventis, and then it was crit time. It was good to see the guys, the crew, and the fans.
I was talking to Joe right before the race about the Blood sugar. 200 30 minutes prior, and 200 10 minutes, so a level trend. He was good to go, and the race proved it. All the guys (Ken, Aldo, Creed, Holt, and Joe) were super aggressive. It seemed like every lap we had a guy in a move, until the critical point. 8 laps to go, 2 guys had 20 seconds. 5 to go, they had 17, 4 to go 22, then TT1 went to the front. Creed got the gap down to 17 seconds in 1 lap, then Joe came through like a freight train for a 1 lap effort that got it down to 10 seconds. Dan brought it down to 5, and then the guys got jumped. Ken and Aldo just so happened to be fresh, and ready so jumped on, and proceeded to blow it out taking 1-2 by about 20 bike lengths. It was great to watch, and I was soooo pumped for everyone, Joe in particular. In all his years on the bike, this was by far the BEST I have ever witnessed him ride. It just goes to show that with hard work, sacrifice, and time, anything is possible. Sure to see him on the top step of the podium very soon.
So yeah, this running thing... Here is what I have learned as of late:
If I give any rapid acting insulin within 2.5 hours of a run, I will drop rapidly.
If no rapid acting insulin within 2.5-3.5 hours I stay steady.
Is this important info: For me, yes. I know if I do give insulin to close, then I need to prepare for the run by bringing extra food, and also taking blood sugar higher before the start. The extra food is only in case of the crash. If I timed the insulin right, it is all about the slow rise within 30 minutes before the start. Getting it up to 150-175, and then taking Dex4 tabs as needed. I have been getting longer runs in, and faster ones in. It is starting to get to the point where I can push myself, suffer, and for some reason or another I like that. Pain is good, pain is addicting. Last week on my tempo run I left at 165 trending up, finished at 208 with 6 Dex4 tabs in there. It was a 6 mile run, with 4 tempo miles, and I did one of em at a 5:40ish pace...
At this point my metabolism was FLYING. Not sure what the deal is, but I was doing less than 25 units and eating a good bit. 2 units covered 90 grams of carbs one morning.
This took some adjusting to, but I have it down now, kind of...
So about 1 month ago I made some crazy diabetes goals. I was looking at my 1,3,7,14,21, and 28 day averages on my Navigator and saw in the 110-125 range, and decided: I can be better, or at least have better numbers. I made it a goal to get all of my averages into the 90's, and do so without HYPO, which is no small feat. So it has taken work, in constantly looking at the number, and the trend. Always trying to be 1 step ahead of my blood sugar. Learning what food, and what the activity will do. Progress came. Bit by bit I have been able to get better. I have gotten to where my 21 day average is at 99, with 3% below 60, 95% between 60-170, and 2% above 170. I would like to compare with a non-diabetic and see where we stand. I think with these #'s I should be able to have an A1C less than 5.0. I have another 10 days until the A1C test, and I hope to have achieved the number with the 28 day avg by then.
I thought these were crazy at first, but now it is doable. My question to you: What is your diabetes goal? If it is an average of 155, that is great, if 130, that is great. Having a goal in mind in regard to the every day #'s gives purpose to diabetes. It makes you learn, adjust, and adapt.
Home for 1 more day. About to go run with my buddy Andy Roberts, and then a few days in Atlanta before 3 days at Camp Kudzu, and then AADE, then Cali, DC, Ireland, and who knows where...
Thanks for reading, and I hope that I can get back more soon. Lots of exciting things going for Team Type 1 and Team Type 2 for the future. Thanks for being a part of it!!
Phil
P.S. TJ: No, not cozy in the 60's. Anytime I get into the 60's I try to eat just a little so that I can bring it back to the 80's and 90's. Sometimes gotta push the envelope though...
Later!
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Diabetes Game: Hypo Trails
Howdy from Hotlanta,
How goes it? This has been a really great week!! Lots of work done at home on Mon-Tues, then headed down to Orlando for the CWD conference. This thing really rocks! This was my 4th year there, and it may have been the best. Got to see a lot of old friends, and make some new ones. Morgan, Simon, Fabio, and I were in the sanofi-aventis where we thought we had a never ending supply of Calendars and Posters to sign and give out for the kids. But the posters went like hot-cakes. Joe and Kyle were at Omni-Pod, and Matt Brooks and Tom Kingery were rocking at the Abbott Booth. Our goal there was to get the kids excited about good control, and let the parents know that their kids can achieve dreams, and using the best tools will help them do it. My new buddy Frank is going to get a car from dad if he gets his A1C to 6.5. I was glad to help broker that deal...
Big thanks to Jeff and Laura for all the hard work to put it on. It really was top notch.
Then Sat it was back home, and to the Quenton Colby art show. Colby has now begun to do cycling paintings, and they really were sharp. I was lucky enough to win the raffle, and now have my 3rd Q.C painting in my house. Pumped on that one.
So I had gotten a system down for running. It seemed to get to the point where I don't need a whole lot of food for runs, if any, so long as I start at the right level. I think the caveat here is not giving insulin within 2.5 hours of the run. Today was my longest run to date, an 11 mile jaunt. My massage therapist Collette told me I needed to run on trails, as I was starting to turn my body different ways from the roads. So I hit up the trails in Chattahoochee. I woke up at 90, had a slight trend up to 141, where I gave 2units of rapid acting insulin, waited 30 minutes until I was trending down slightly, then ate 50gms of carbs from oatmeal. I began to trend back up, and was 175 when I hit the trail. My Nike mile counter thing was not working, so I had to guess the mileage. I did not want to go short, so I figured 9 minute miles or 100 minutes. I took the usual tube of Dex 4 tabs, which gives me 40gms of carbs. I had planned to get back to the car for a refill if needed.
Low and behold, I get lost. I am in the woods, cruising away, and then BS begins to drop. I see 165 on the Navigator which is a 10 pt drop. So I take in 2 tabs, then see 154, to take 3 more. Then the arrow is going down. Most of the time, when I stop running, my BS rises. I decided I would trick my blood sugar into going up, and stop and stretch. I took my time hoping to get the arrow to flatten out, but after a few minutes I began to run again. Up, down, left, right until I really have no idea where I am, or where to go. Also, the maps were not the best, so it was just guess time. At one point I was on the creek bed wondering if I was even on a trail... By this point I am at 75 trending down, and have 0 tabs left. I was wondering when it was going to bottom out. I was beginning to stress a bit, as I had no idea where I was, and no extra food. My back up here was that it was a nice day, and lots of people were picnicking, so I could just ask for a coke. The blood sugar bottomed out at 51, and I was not feeling so hot. It wasn't until I was 1:25 minutes in that I figured out where I was, and that seemed to be all I needed. Next I checked I was 53, then 55, not feeling great on one level, but feeling real good that I was not in the 40's, and on my way home. I got to the flat part I knew, and did 2 more miles in the last 15 minutes to finish up.
What could I have done differently to avoid this stress:
1. Bolus/inject rapid acting insulin farther out before the run, so the tail is gone.
2. Bring more food. Just cause the body was efficient the last 3 runs, doesn't mean it will be today.
3. Know where you I am going, but then again, getting lost is fun, so I am going to scratch this one.
4.) Bring more food. When exercising like this, it is always best to be over prepped than under.
I got in the car, did 4 units of rapid and then drank 60gm carb 16gm protein from choc milk, then pasta 45 minutes after that. I was sitting right at 80-85 for a while, and next thing I knew was at 165 trending up, Did 3units of rapid, which didn't seem to be enough, so another 2, and that was the trick.
I have done either 16 or 17u of basal insulin each night this week. Last night was 16 on a rest, so I am thinking 15 tonight after the long run. Decision to come in the next 55 minuets...
As for my averages on the FreeStyle Navigator
1 day: 104
3day: 96
7day: 105
14day: 105
21day: 108
28day: 109
These are within goal. I have found that since I am just doing basic fitness now, not racing, control is much, much easier. I am still eating a very healthy diet (for the most part) exercising regularly, and watching my trend arrows on the Navigator like a hawk. I made it a goal 6 weeks ago to get all my averages under 110. Now I want under 105. I also am doing this with a target range of 60-170, and have between 90-94% in target in the above categories. Also, the Standard Deviation ranges from 28-36 on all these too. Trying not to have variability.
Could you do this??? Yes, if you wanted to. If you have made it this far, and if I may ask, what is your 14 day average on your meter? When I first started paying attention, mine were in the 140's. Then over time I was able to lower them, and get much much better.
Also, take into account that this is my life, and these are my goals. This is not a standard to set for yourself. But you can set your standard, set your bar. Maybe lowering the 14 day average by 10 points is a goal. Maybe 20 points?
Off to Boise Id on Wed for 5 days. Then back for 2 nights before heading to Seattle...
The game shall go on...
Have a great night, and thanks for reading!
Phil
www.teamtype1.org
@philsoutherland on Twitter
How goes it? This has been a really great week!! Lots of work done at home on Mon-Tues, then headed down to Orlando for the CWD conference. This thing really rocks! This was my 4th year there, and it may have been the best. Got to see a lot of old friends, and make some new ones. Morgan, Simon, Fabio, and I were in the sanofi-aventis where we thought we had a never ending supply of Calendars and Posters to sign and give out for the kids. But the posters went like hot-cakes. Joe and Kyle were at Omni-Pod, and Matt Brooks and Tom Kingery were rocking at the Abbott Booth. Our goal there was to get the kids excited about good control, and let the parents know that their kids can achieve dreams, and using the best tools will help them do it. My new buddy Frank is going to get a car from dad if he gets his A1C to 6.5. I was glad to help broker that deal...
Big thanks to Jeff and Laura for all the hard work to put it on. It really was top notch.
Then Sat it was back home, and to the Quenton Colby art show. Colby has now begun to do cycling paintings, and they really were sharp. I was lucky enough to win the raffle, and now have my 3rd Q.C painting in my house. Pumped on that one.
So I had gotten a system down for running. It seemed to get to the point where I don't need a whole lot of food for runs, if any, so long as I start at the right level. I think the caveat here is not giving insulin within 2.5 hours of the run. Today was my longest run to date, an 11 mile jaunt. My massage therapist Collette told me I needed to run on trails, as I was starting to turn my body different ways from the roads. So I hit up the trails in Chattahoochee. I woke up at 90, had a slight trend up to 141, where I gave 2units of rapid acting insulin, waited 30 minutes until I was trending down slightly, then ate 50gms of carbs from oatmeal. I began to trend back up, and was 175 when I hit the trail. My Nike mile counter thing was not working, so I had to guess the mileage. I did not want to go short, so I figured 9 minute miles or 100 minutes. I took the usual tube of Dex 4 tabs, which gives me 40gms of carbs. I had planned to get back to the car for a refill if needed.
Low and behold, I get lost. I am in the woods, cruising away, and then BS begins to drop. I see 165 on the Navigator which is a 10 pt drop. So I take in 2 tabs, then see 154, to take 3 more. Then the arrow is going down. Most of the time, when I stop running, my BS rises. I decided I would trick my blood sugar into going up, and stop and stretch. I took my time hoping to get the arrow to flatten out, but after a few minutes I began to run again. Up, down, left, right until I really have no idea where I am, or where to go. Also, the maps were not the best, so it was just guess time. At one point I was on the creek bed wondering if I was even on a trail... By this point I am at 75 trending down, and have 0 tabs left. I was wondering when it was going to bottom out. I was beginning to stress a bit, as I had no idea where I was, and no extra food. My back up here was that it was a nice day, and lots of people were picnicking, so I could just ask for a coke. The blood sugar bottomed out at 51, and I was not feeling so hot. It wasn't until I was 1:25 minutes in that I figured out where I was, and that seemed to be all I needed. Next I checked I was 53, then 55, not feeling great on one level, but feeling real good that I was not in the 40's, and on my way home. I got to the flat part I knew, and did 2 more miles in the last 15 minutes to finish up.
What could I have done differently to avoid this stress:
1. Bolus/inject rapid acting insulin farther out before the run, so the tail is gone.
2. Bring more food. Just cause the body was efficient the last 3 runs, doesn't mean it will be today.
3. Know where you I am going, but then again, getting lost is fun, so I am going to scratch this one.
4.) Bring more food. When exercising like this, it is always best to be over prepped than under.
I got in the car, did 4 units of rapid and then drank 60gm carb 16gm protein from choc milk, then pasta 45 minutes after that. I was sitting right at 80-85 for a while, and next thing I knew was at 165 trending up, Did 3units of rapid, which didn't seem to be enough, so another 2, and that was the trick.
I have done either 16 or 17u of basal insulin each night this week. Last night was 16 on a rest, so I am thinking 15 tonight after the long run. Decision to come in the next 55 minuets...
As for my averages on the FreeStyle Navigator
1 day: 104
3day: 96
7day: 105
14day: 105
21day: 108
28day: 109
These are within goal. I have found that since I am just doing basic fitness now, not racing, control is much, much easier. I am still eating a very healthy diet (for the most part) exercising regularly, and watching my trend arrows on the Navigator like a hawk. I made it a goal 6 weeks ago to get all my averages under 110. Now I want under 105. I also am doing this with a target range of 60-170, and have between 90-94% in target in the above categories. Also, the Standard Deviation ranges from 28-36 on all these too. Trying not to have variability.
Could you do this??? Yes, if you wanted to. If you have made it this far, and if I may ask, what is your 14 day average on your meter? When I first started paying attention, mine were in the 140's. Then over time I was able to lower them, and get much much better.
Also, take into account that this is my life, and these are my goals. This is not a standard to set for yourself. But you can set your standard, set your bar. Maybe lowering the 14 day average by 10 points is a goal. Maybe 20 points?
Off to Boise Id on Wed for 5 days. Then back for 2 nights before heading to Seattle...
The game shall go on...
Have a great night, and thanks for reading!
Phil
www.teamtype1.org
@philsoutherland on Twitter
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Diabetes Game for a 10km
Howdy from the Finish line...
So this was my first real test for my progress. The goal was to do miles 1, 3, 5 easier and 2, 4, 6 hard, and then see what the time was. Personally, I wanted to do sub 40, which was a stretch since 4 weeks ago I did a 5km in 21:33 and it nearly killed me. With that being said, I am 4 weeks further into training, and feel a lot better on foot.
The plan going in:
Slight basal reduction last night. I had done 17u the night before on a rest day. Yesterday was also a rest day, but went for 16u of basal in anticipation of a hard race. So I woke up at 4am at 155, did 2u rapid acting, and at 5:45 (official wake up) I was 120, had 30gm carbs from Oatmeal, with Almond butter, and my standard two Americano's to get me going. I was 126 when I walked out the door, with a slight blood sugar 6 points higher then 5 minutes before. Then it was a 1.5 mile jog to the start. BS got up to 136 at the start. I managed to get to the front of my group, which was the 30-39,000 group. That's right, there were close to 55,000 people at this race, which is America's biggest 10km! I have NEVER competed in an event this big, with so many people.
For the first mile I had open road, and HR quickly got up to 170, which it wasn't supposed to. So I had to work on easing up a little, but not too much. Then I hit 1 mile, and picked it up, keeping my HR right around 170-173. When I finished this mile, I was starting to catch people from the group ahead. All I could see for miles ahead was runners. It was actually pretty cool to see so many people out exercising at 7am on a holiday weekend. So I tried to slow it down for mile 3, which was downhill, so I actually sped up. I also had 4 Dex4 tabs at tis time. I was dodging people left and right. Although the race was 10km, I must have done 12km with all the left and right. I have done bike races where it is a struggle to move up and get to the front. But usually with enough ducking, dodging, and pedaling, you can hit the front. This time: no chance. It was cool, but was tough as there was never a chance to relax. After the 4th mile, I was hurting, and had to dig. I forced myself to recover letting the HR drop to 163-165 for a few minutes, and then I saw the 5 mile marker (first marker I saw.) Put down a gel, and then it was go time!
At this point I was in pain, and wanted to walk. But I went back to old school days, and just turned the pain switch off. My goal was the finish line, and to get there as fast as possible. Note to self: know exactly where the finish is. Why? Well, I made the left hand turn which symbolized being close to the line. I am full on sprinting now, seeing cross eyed, but still passing people, and I see balloons, and think I am done!!! But wait, people are still running, and I hear someone yell "it's all downhill from here!" But wait, I'm not done??? Holy sweet mother... I am at 38 minutes at this point, and 40 is still in reach, so I throw down again. Dodging people, barely breathing, digging into a world of pain I had long forgotten about, and then I hear: ".1 mile to go, almost there!!" I was cracked like an egg dropped from far above, but had to push. One last dig, one last sprint, and hit the line, with a time of 40:13. Will bet official time is 40:13-40:25.
Never had I been so glad to be done. I was just trying to keep myself standing, satisfied for leaving it all out on the road, but kind of pissed for not having gone under 40. So I grab my Navigator, and look at it for the first time since the start. 159 it said. 5 minutes later 171 trending up... TIme to get home, get insulin and eat: How? Oh yeah, didn't plan that far. So I just started jogging... Funny enough ran into another type 1 out for a morning jog. I made it about 3 miles (with 3 to go) and I found a cab who got me home... All in all about 11 miles in today, with 6.2 of them really hard. Got home, with 125 arrow going straight down, which was a HUGE surprise to me that soon after the finish. Did 4u rapid, showered, stretched, foam rolled, and then ate a massive bowl of pasta.
Now I have a benchmark to go by. This was a test. If I had come in above a 7minute mile, it would have not been good for the marathon goal. But I managed to avg 6:30/mile, which is 27 seconds faster than my goal marathon pace, granted 20 miles shorter... No it is time to rest and celebrate a great day, and then get back on the program, trying to get faster, stronger, longer...
And please remember: these are my personal goals. I think some of the biggest awards should go out to the people who did the 10km in 1.5 hours. The people who push themselves to try something new. Everyone has a goal, and should not compare to the other. If I had been racing the winner's, I would have (and did) gotten killed. But the only person I was racing out there was me! And I won. What is your next race?
Happy 4th To ALL!!! Enjoy it!
Phil
P.S. Get your Team Type 1 and Team Type 2 kits on our site: www.teamtype1.org
Thanks for the support!
PPS: Congrats to Allison Powers for winning Fitchburg TT, Darren Lill and Jen McCrae for getting 2nd in the circut race. Go Team Go!!!
So this was my first real test for my progress. The goal was to do miles 1, 3, 5 easier and 2, 4, 6 hard, and then see what the time was. Personally, I wanted to do sub 40, which was a stretch since 4 weeks ago I did a 5km in 21:33 and it nearly killed me. With that being said, I am 4 weeks further into training, and feel a lot better on foot.
The plan going in:
Slight basal reduction last night. I had done 17u the night before on a rest day. Yesterday was also a rest day, but went for 16u of basal in anticipation of a hard race. So I woke up at 4am at 155, did 2u rapid acting, and at 5:45 (official wake up) I was 120, had 30gm carbs from Oatmeal, with Almond butter, and my standard two Americano's to get me going. I was 126 when I walked out the door, with a slight blood sugar 6 points higher then 5 minutes before. Then it was a 1.5 mile jog to the start. BS got up to 136 at the start. I managed to get to the front of my group, which was the 30-39,000 group. That's right, there were close to 55,000 people at this race, which is America's biggest 10km! I have NEVER competed in an event this big, with so many people.
For the first mile I had open road, and HR quickly got up to 170, which it wasn't supposed to. So I had to work on easing up a little, but not too much. Then I hit 1 mile, and picked it up, keeping my HR right around 170-173. When I finished this mile, I was starting to catch people from the group ahead. All I could see for miles ahead was runners. It was actually pretty cool to see so many people out exercising at 7am on a holiday weekend. So I tried to slow it down for mile 3, which was downhill, so I actually sped up. I also had 4 Dex4 tabs at tis time. I was dodging people left and right. Although the race was 10km, I must have done 12km with all the left and right. I have done bike races where it is a struggle to move up and get to the front. But usually with enough ducking, dodging, and pedaling, you can hit the front. This time: no chance. It was cool, but was tough as there was never a chance to relax. After the 4th mile, I was hurting, and had to dig. I forced myself to recover letting the HR drop to 163-165 for a few minutes, and then I saw the 5 mile marker (first marker I saw.) Put down a gel, and then it was go time!
At this point I was in pain, and wanted to walk. But I went back to old school days, and just turned the pain switch off. My goal was the finish line, and to get there as fast as possible. Note to self: know exactly where the finish is. Why? Well, I made the left hand turn which symbolized being close to the line. I am full on sprinting now, seeing cross eyed, but still passing people, and I see balloons, and think I am done!!! But wait, people are still running, and I hear someone yell "it's all downhill from here!" But wait, I'm not done??? Holy sweet mother... I am at 38 minutes at this point, and 40 is still in reach, so I throw down again. Dodging people, barely breathing, digging into a world of pain I had long forgotten about, and then I hear: ".1 mile to go, almost there!!" I was cracked like an egg dropped from far above, but had to push. One last dig, one last sprint, and hit the line, with a time of 40:13. Will bet official time is 40:13-40:25.
Never had I been so glad to be done. I was just trying to keep myself standing, satisfied for leaving it all out on the road, but kind of pissed for not having gone under 40. So I grab my Navigator, and look at it for the first time since the start. 159 it said. 5 minutes later 171 trending up... TIme to get home, get insulin and eat: How? Oh yeah, didn't plan that far. So I just started jogging... Funny enough ran into another type 1 out for a morning jog. I made it about 3 miles (with 3 to go) and I found a cab who got me home... All in all about 11 miles in today, with 6.2 of them really hard. Got home, with 125 arrow going straight down, which was a HUGE surprise to me that soon after the finish. Did 4u rapid, showered, stretched, foam rolled, and then ate a massive bowl of pasta.
Now I have a benchmark to go by. This was a test. If I had come in above a 7minute mile, it would have not been good for the marathon goal. But I managed to avg 6:30/mile, which is 27 seconds faster than my goal marathon pace, granted 20 miles shorter... No it is time to rest and celebrate a great day, and then get back on the program, trying to get faster, stronger, longer...
And please remember: these are my personal goals. I think some of the biggest awards should go out to the people who did the 10km in 1.5 hours. The people who push themselves to try something new. Everyone has a goal, and should not compare to the other. If I had been racing the winner's, I would have (and did) gotten killed. But the only person I was racing out there was me! And I won. What is your next race?
Happy 4th To ALL!!! Enjoy it!
Phil
P.S. Get your Team Type 1 and Team Type 2 kits on our site: www.teamtype1.org
Thanks for the support!
PPS: Congrats to Allison Powers for winning Fitchburg TT, Darren Lill and Jen McCrae for getting 2nd in the circut race. Go Team Go!!!
Friday, July 3, 2009
A record and a record
Howdy from HotLanta,
How about last week? Pure craziness, but everything I could have ever dreamed of.
Team Type 1: 5 days 9hrs 5 Minutes: Avg spd of 23.41 which sets a new record for the Race Across America. What these guys went through to prepare for the race, do the race, win the race is unbelievable. The strength of this team: No weak links! Everyone had their moment to shine, and everyone had their low points, but they all persevered, and busted their butts to get that record.
Here is a great piece from Tara Parker Pope in the NY Times:
and also a great Q+A on how we do it:
Then I went back to the Diabetes and Exercise Association (DESA) conference, where everyone was so pumped to hear about the record. It was awesome seeing Tim, Andy, and Kyle spread the word about the team, and field the questions about TT1. I also got to spend some time with Tarin, Michael Riddel, and Kate Ackerman to name a few. Exciting research brain storming done, and next steps soon to follow.
For me, the true excitement of the week was Team Type 2. These guys are my hero's! They each have their own stories of the path they took to type 2, and then they each have their own stories about how they made major changes in their life, and the path to good health, and to the team.
After training camp in January, there were many, many doubters of these guys. A lot of people who said "Can they do it? Will they do it? Will they survive it?" But meeting them, knowing them, talking to them, I never had a doubt. They are the coolest, most down to earth people in the world, and they all have one vision: Show the world that it is NEVER too late to make change. If Bob Avritt can lose 140lb.s, bust his butt on the bike, get a good A1C, and lead a team of type 2's in a bike Race Across America, then anyone can do anything.
To me, the World Record of Team Type 2 began on the start line. It began when they set foot. Entering a race the caliber, and difficulty of RAAM was a record in of itself. But to cross the country, in 7 days, 7 hours, and 23 minutes, is absolutely unbelievable.
This is only the beginning, and I cannot wait to see the future of all type 2's with leaders such as these.
Now to the anonymous wonders of the blog world: I like the accusation of my team hiding things, and making it easier for people to dope in cycling. I laugh at that.
Team Type 1 has hired Paul Scott, and Michael Roshon to implement a strong internal anti-doping program. We will provide the # of test done in a few weeks when the mid-year report is finished. Team Type 1 is built on inspiration of working hard to achieve goals. Our fans ( and I am a fan) would rather see us finish dead last, so long as we do it clean, and with integrity, and that is what I push in my program.
Another questions as to what happened to Ricardo? He violated a team policy, and was let go. He is no longer part of our program.
Any other questions or comments Mr or Mrs. Anonymous? Happy to answer, but why don't you put a name to go along with your questions?
As for me: been doing the run thing. Up to 9 miles on Monday and it felt good. My body is adapting, and feet no longer hurt all the time. I have become more efficient on foot, and carb needs have decreased. It has taken me 6 weeks, but I am getting a system for pre, during, and post run down. Not quite as good as my bike system yet, but getting there, one mistake at a time. I am running the Peachtree Road Race, which is 10km tomorrow. Should be fun, and should suffer lots. I am hoping for a good time. My dad did a 32 minute time here some years ago, or a 5:22 mile average, which I am not hoping to break...yet
Thanks to everyone for all of your comments during RAAM, and thanks to everyone who pushed us to go faster, go strong, go longer, and win that bad boy!
Have a great day, and a Happy 4th.
Thanks for reading.
Phil
How about last week? Pure craziness, but everything I could have ever dreamed of.
Team Type 1: 5 days 9hrs 5 Minutes: Avg spd of 23.41 which sets a new record for the Race Across America. What these guys went through to prepare for the race, do the race, win the race is unbelievable. The strength of this team: No weak links! Everyone had their moment to shine, and everyone had their low points, but they all persevered, and busted their butts to get that record.
Here is a great piece from Tara Parker Pope in the NY Times:
and also a great Q+A on how we do it:
Then I went back to the Diabetes and Exercise Association (DESA) conference, where everyone was so pumped to hear about the record. It was awesome seeing Tim, Andy, and Kyle spread the word about the team, and field the questions about TT1. I also got to spend some time with Tarin, Michael Riddel, and Kate Ackerman to name a few. Exciting research brain storming done, and next steps soon to follow.
For me, the true excitement of the week was Team Type 2. These guys are my hero's! They each have their own stories of the path they took to type 2, and then they each have their own stories about how they made major changes in their life, and the path to good health, and to the team.
After training camp in January, there were many, many doubters of these guys. A lot of people who said "Can they do it? Will they do it? Will they survive it?" But meeting them, knowing them, talking to them, I never had a doubt. They are the coolest, most down to earth people in the world, and they all have one vision: Show the world that it is NEVER too late to make change. If Bob Avritt can lose 140lb.s, bust his butt on the bike, get a good A1C, and lead a team of type 2's in a bike Race Across America, then anyone can do anything.
To me, the World Record of Team Type 2 began on the start line. It began when they set foot. Entering a race the caliber, and difficulty of RAAM was a record in of itself. But to cross the country, in 7 days, 7 hours, and 23 minutes, is absolutely unbelievable.
This is only the beginning, and I cannot wait to see the future of all type 2's with leaders such as these.
Now to the anonymous wonders of the blog world: I like the accusation of my team hiding things, and making it easier for people to dope in cycling. I laugh at that.
Team Type 1 has hired Paul Scott, and Michael Roshon to implement a strong internal anti-doping program. We will provide the # of test done in a few weeks when the mid-year report is finished. Team Type 1 is built on inspiration of working hard to achieve goals. Our fans ( and I am a fan) would rather see us finish dead last, so long as we do it clean, and with integrity, and that is what I push in my program.
Another questions as to what happened to Ricardo? He violated a team policy, and was let go. He is no longer part of our program.
Any other questions or comments Mr or Mrs. Anonymous? Happy to answer, but why don't you put a name to go along with your questions?
As for me: been doing the run thing. Up to 9 miles on Monday and it felt good. My body is adapting, and feet no longer hurt all the time. I have become more efficient on foot, and carb needs have decreased. It has taken me 6 weeks, but I am getting a system for pre, during, and post run down. Not quite as good as my bike system yet, but getting there, one mistake at a time. I am running the Peachtree Road Race, which is 10km tomorrow. Should be fun, and should suffer lots. I am hoping for a good time. My dad did a 32 minute time here some years ago, or a 5:22 mile average, which I am not hoping to break...yet
Thanks to everyone for all of your comments during RAAM, and thanks to everyone who pushed us to go faster, go strong, go longer, and win that bad boy!
Have a great day, and a Happy 4th.
Thanks for reading.
Phil
Thursday, June 25, 2009
RAAM baby RAAM
Howdy from Boston Airport!
About to board the 3rd flight for the week to head down to see the team. It is going to be 2am, and they are going to be dead from their efforts, but Wired from the thrill of being done. I want to reiterate how proud I am of these guys, and how grateful I am to the crew for making this happen. The have overcome fires, broken down RV's, missing bikes, and are as of right now on pace to set a new World Record, and they all are doing it because of diabetes!
If you have a moment, please visit the blog www.teamtype1.org and learn about these guys. They are not professional athletes, but they sure road like they were.
I am hoping that we can get some info from the riders soon about all the blood sugar data over the past 5 days.
Then we have Team Type 2!!! The world record was broken as soon as they started. To think that there are 8 type 2 diabetics even starting RAAM is unbelievable. To see them cross the country in 7 days, on bicycles is a whole other story.
They are all proving that it is never too late to make change. We are all where we are right now, and that is done. But what we do tomorrow, next week, next month is 100% in our control. The cards are dealt, but how you play the game determines how many chips you leave with.
In honor of both Team Type 1 + Team Type 2, what can you do to take control to the next level, to get that A1C you want? Is there something?
How about these airports. The miles are starting to pile up which is good. The year is half over, and I am halfway to Platinum.... In Boston now for the DESA conference. I had some good meetings with friends so far, and tomorrow get to take part in the conference, which is always fun. Got a 45 minute run in today with 2x10 minute intervals, and 5 Dex4 tabs. Afterwards the BS shot right up. I did 6 units of rapid acting insulin for a blood sugar of 228, and appx 1hr later was headed back to normal.
Hopeful for some sleep on the flight, as it is going to be a long night, and then a 9am flight back in the am... I love airports...
One last time: Go TEAM TYPE 1- race to the line, and cheers for Team Type 2!!!
and a big thanks to those who make this possible, cause without them, we would not be out there!!!
sanofi-aventis diabetes
www.abbottdiabetescare.com FreeStyle Lite and Navigator: All use it
http://www.orbea-usa.com/ Best bikes out there
www.myomnipod.com Insulin Pump that 6 of TT1 RAAM use
www.dex4.com for the hypo's we all use it.
and many, many more
AND to YOU, the fans who push us to go faster!
Have a great night, time to fly.
Phil
About to board the 3rd flight for the week to head down to see the team. It is going to be 2am, and they are going to be dead from their efforts, but Wired from the thrill of being done. I want to reiterate how proud I am of these guys, and how grateful I am to the crew for making this happen. The have overcome fires, broken down RV's, missing bikes, and are as of right now on pace to set a new World Record, and they all are doing it because of diabetes!
If you have a moment, please visit the blog www.teamtype1.org and learn about these guys. They are not professional athletes, but they sure road like they were.
I am hoping that we can get some info from the riders soon about all the blood sugar data over the past 5 days.
Then we have Team Type 2!!! The world record was broken as soon as they started. To think that there are 8 type 2 diabetics even starting RAAM is unbelievable. To see them cross the country in 7 days, on bicycles is a whole other story.
They are all proving that it is never too late to make change. We are all where we are right now, and that is done. But what we do tomorrow, next week, next month is 100% in our control. The cards are dealt, but how you play the game determines how many chips you leave with.
In honor of both Team Type 1 + Team Type 2, what can you do to take control to the next level, to get that A1C you want? Is there something?
How about these airports. The miles are starting to pile up which is good. The year is half over, and I am halfway to Platinum.... In Boston now for the DESA conference. I had some good meetings with friends so far, and tomorrow get to take part in the conference, which is always fun. Got a 45 minute run in today with 2x10 minute intervals, and 5 Dex4 tabs. Afterwards the BS shot right up. I did 6 units of rapid acting insulin for a blood sugar of 228, and appx 1hr later was headed back to normal.
Hopeful for some sleep on the flight, as it is going to be a long night, and then a 9am flight back in the am... I love airports...
One last time: Go TEAM TYPE 1- race to the line, and cheers for Team Type 2!!!
and a big thanks to those who make this possible, cause without them, we would not be out there!!!
sanofi-aventis diabetes
www.abbottdiabetescare.com FreeStyle Lite and Navigator: All use it
http://www.orbea-usa.com/ Best bikes out there
www.myomnipod.com Insulin Pump that 6 of TT1 RAAM use
www.dex4.com for the hypo's we all use it.
and many, many more
AND to YOU, the fans who push us to go faster!
Have a great night, time to fly.
Phil
Friday, June 19, 2009
RACE ACROSS AMERICA
Howdy From Oceanside,
It's been some crazy times lately. Not sure where I was last time, but have been some places as of late. I got the chance to get back into Yoga last week. First class about killed me, and was lucky enough to have Morgan Patton with me to suffer. We had a good weekend of hanging out, and after two rest days off of running, my metabolism shut down. I upped my basal rate to 18 units, and probably did another 30 units of rapid acting, and still not having successful blood sugars. One run in, and it was better, then another run in, and life was good again. Amazing how much easier the diabetes game is when I am active. Then it was off to NYC:
I got in, checked in, and set off to meet my author, John Hance, agent, Linda Konner, and Publisher, Pete Wolverton of St. Martins Press. Planning out ideas for the book, which is set to release in June 2011. Then John and I set off to run with Mike Keohone, who is handling my running program. I had some pasta and not much insulin at lunch, so started the run at 178. Ate half a power bar right before heading out. We did 2 miles easy, then a 6:40 mile, then 1 mile easy, then a 6:40 mile, then 1 cool down. All in all it was a tough day, and gave my 5 units right after shot back to hotel to grab Joe, and begin the BDay Celebration. Fun times in NYC!!! I guess the intensity of the run got my metabolism going again, as I ate a big meal, and just hovered at 60 all night, before going low, low the next morning. Started empty, and met my buddy Christian Strong (Dex4) for another run. We went out for 5 miles at a 7:30 pace, and it felt good. The two feet thing is much better with a friend to chat with. Finished my run at 101, expecting a jump in blood sugar (which is what has happened every run) so did 3 units. This time the jump only went to 108, before a sharp crash as I was walking to meet Matt for lunch. Matt is a super human runner, and just diagnosed last year at 37. Luckily I had my Dex4 tabs, so smashed 6 of those and a gatorade from street vendor to level off before I went hypo. Thanks Navigator. Media training, then a dinner which was awesome. The Euro folks really do it right.
I love that this game is never the same. As soon as I get my system of insulin right after run, then it changes, and I don't need it, or need more food quicker. Will be fun to document the changes. I have been running on the low side in the am at 16u of basal. I would typically cut it, but since today was a 6 hour travel day, I am gonna leave it at 16, and bet I wake up at 100 in the am...
Finished up NYC with a full day of interviews (24 to be exact;Joe and I rocked em together) then a photoshoot which was a good time. Had a Russian dinner with Vassili and Sergey, and hit the hay for the big day tomorrow... What's that: RAAM BABY!!!
For the 4th year now Team Type 1 has a team going for the World Record. For the 1st year, we have Team Type 2 aiming to finish this never ending race. For the 4th year, Dave Eldridge is playing a big role. This year he has taken charge of the 50 crew, in helping get them all prepped for the road. The organizational skills big Dave has are unparalleled. He has gone above and beyond all expectations and has the crew ready to rock, which is crucial to success. No offense to the riders, but the crew are as important, if not more important than the actual guys on bikes... So now we have 4 RV's, 6 mini-vans, 37 crew, and 16 riders. It is quite the operation. Seeing the growth from 4 years ago is awesome. I wish I had more energy right now to take it in, but frankly I am beat. Then I think about it, and the tired feeling I am having is nothing compared to what each and every person on the team will experience in the days to come. This race is brutal. It is a huge mental challenge, an enormous physical challenge, and everyone involved is going to have to go well beyond their limits to succeed. This may seem hard, but all the guys on TT1 and TT2 know that it is more than just the 7 other teammates, but 24 million in the US that are riding with us. They are riding for diabetes, riding to prove that with good control, no challenge too big. I could not be more proud of my guys out there, and more grateful for Big Dave, and his crew who all volunteered their time to make this happen.
So please, check em out, leave comments, show support on www.teamtype1.org. Check the blog. We got printouts of each and every comment over the years, and it really did a number on helping keep us motivated.
Thanks for reading, and for supporting us in our quest to tackle the Country!
Also, thanks to the 100's who have purchased jerseys, and who are going to wear this week! You rock!!!
Ciao for now!!
Phil
www.teamtype1.org (Team Kits available- wear yours this week to show support!) Thanks
http://twitter.com/PhilSoutherland
It's been some crazy times lately. Not sure where I was last time, but have been some places as of late. I got the chance to get back into Yoga last week. First class about killed me, and was lucky enough to have Morgan Patton with me to suffer. We had a good weekend of hanging out, and after two rest days off of running, my metabolism shut down. I upped my basal rate to 18 units, and probably did another 30 units of rapid acting, and still not having successful blood sugars. One run in, and it was better, then another run in, and life was good again. Amazing how much easier the diabetes game is when I am active. Then it was off to NYC:
I got in, checked in, and set off to meet my author, John Hance, agent, Linda Konner, and Publisher, Pete Wolverton of St. Martins Press. Planning out ideas for the book, which is set to release in June 2011. Then John and I set off to run with Mike Keohone, who is handling my running program. I had some pasta and not much insulin at lunch, so started the run at 178. Ate half a power bar right before heading out. We did 2 miles easy, then a 6:40 mile, then 1 mile easy, then a 6:40 mile, then 1 cool down. All in all it was a tough day, and gave my 5 units right after shot back to hotel to grab Joe, and begin the BDay Celebration. Fun times in NYC!!! I guess the intensity of the run got my metabolism going again, as I ate a big meal, and just hovered at 60 all night, before going low, low the next morning. Started empty, and met my buddy Christian Strong (Dex4) for another run. We went out for 5 miles at a 7:30 pace, and it felt good. The two feet thing is much better with a friend to chat with. Finished my run at 101, expecting a jump in blood sugar (which is what has happened every run) so did 3 units. This time the jump only went to 108, before a sharp crash as I was walking to meet Matt for lunch. Matt is a super human runner, and just diagnosed last year at 37. Luckily I had my Dex4 tabs, so smashed 6 of those and a gatorade from street vendor to level off before I went hypo. Thanks Navigator. Media training, then a dinner which was awesome. The Euro folks really do it right.
I love that this game is never the same. As soon as I get my system of insulin right after run, then it changes, and I don't need it, or need more food quicker. Will be fun to document the changes. I have been running on the low side in the am at 16u of basal. I would typically cut it, but since today was a 6 hour travel day, I am gonna leave it at 16, and bet I wake up at 100 in the am...
Finished up NYC with a full day of interviews (24 to be exact;Joe and I rocked em together) then a photoshoot which was a good time. Had a Russian dinner with Vassili and Sergey, and hit the hay for the big day tomorrow... What's that: RAAM BABY!!!
For the 4th year now Team Type 1 has a team going for the World Record. For the 1st year, we have Team Type 2 aiming to finish this never ending race. For the 4th year, Dave Eldridge is playing a big role. This year he has taken charge of the 50 crew, in helping get them all prepped for the road. The organizational skills big Dave has are unparalleled. He has gone above and beyond all expectations and has the crew ready to rock, which is crucial to success. No offense to the riders, but the crew are as important, if not more important than the actual guys on bikes... So now we have 4 RV's, 6 mini-vans, 37 crew, and 16 riders. It is quite the operation. Seeing the growth from 4 years ago is awesome. I wish I had more energy right now to take it in, but frankly I am beat. Then I think about it, and the tired feeling I am having is nothing compared to what each and every person on the team will experience in the days to come. This race is brutal. It is a huge mental challenge, an enormous physical challenge, and everyone involved is going to have to go well beyond their limits to succeed. This may seem hard, but all the guys on TT1 and TT2 know that it is more than just the 7 other teammates, but 24 million in the US that are riding with us. They are riding for diabetes, riding to prove that with good control, no challenge too big. I could not be more proud of my guys out there, and more grateful for Big Dave, and his crew who all volunteered their time to make this happen.
So please, check em out, leave comments, show support on www.teamtype1.org. Check the blog. We got printouts of each and every comment over the years, and it really did a number on helping keep us motivated.
Thanks for reading, and for supporting us in our quest to tackle the Country!
Also, thanks to the 100's who have purchased jerseys, and who are going to wear this week! You rock!!!
Ciao for now!!
Phil
www.teamtype1.org (Team Kits available- wear yours this week to show support!) Thanks
http://twitter.com/PhilSoutherland
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