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Enjoy
The Journey
Getting To The Starting Line
Reprinted from : Diabetes
Exercise and Sports Association’s (DESA’s)
Newsletter
Like all diabetics, I was shocked, overwhelmed, and saddened,
on that faithful day when I officially became a Type 1 insulin-dependent
diabetic. It is hard to believe that I have had diabetes
for over 15 years. My journey since then has been long and
unpredictable but, in the process, I have developed some
very strong beliefs that I carry with me today. Here is
my story.
I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes
fairly late in life. As a healthy, carefree, 30 year old,
I knew nothing about the disease when I went into the doctors
office complaining that I had to go to the bathroom frequently
and that I was extremely thirsty. Looking back, I had all
the classic signs of having high blood sugar, but since
diabetes was not part of my family history and I didn’t
know anyone who had the disease, I couldn’t recognize
what was wrong with me. After the results of my blood test
came back, the mood of my doctor completely changed and
I was shocked and in complete disbelief when he began telling
me his findings. A blood sugar of 764, how I now would need
to inject insulin for the rest of my life, and how I needed
to be hospitalized immediately so I wouldn’t go into
a coma, were just a few for the many statements that went
flying over my head. I was unable to comprehend what he
was telling me…
I adjusted well to all of the new requirements and rules
that I now needed to live by as a diabetic and, in the process,
began to become more sensitive to living life in a healthy
way. I was always a fairly active person and I quickly learned
that exercise was critical to keeping my blood sugars controlled
and in a healthy range. I was never a runner before my diagnosis,
but one day I decided to try and run around the block. I
wanted to see if I could do it and how this new form of
exercise would affect my blood sugars. I quickly learned
that my blood sugars were much more controlled when I completed
these exercise workouts and I liked the way running made
me feel. I began setting goals for myself. My goals were
relatively small at first, were achievable if I worked really
hard, and were a way for me to personally gauge my progress.
So began a journey where I learned how to push myself and
accomplish goals while maintaining healthy blood sugars.
I learned, through trial and error, how to adjust my insulin
doses relative to the intensity of my workouts. I also learned
not to listen to other people that told me that I could
not do something because I was a diabetic. In fact, these
opinions that were often told to me by non-diabetics, made
me want to accomplish my goals even more. I was not going
to allow diabetes control what I could accomplish and what
I couldn’t accomplish in life!
With a lot of hard work and determination, my fitness level
increased slowly. After a series of long runs with some
supportive friends that were not diabetic, I set my sights
on running a marathon. Finishing my first marathon was incredible.
I had just completed the most famous marathon in world –
The Boston Marathon. From that experience, I realized that
I could do anything I set my mind too. I also learned from
that achievement, that it was the journey that I enjoyed
while trying to get to the starting line of a race rather
then the actual accomplishment of finishing that was the
most satisfying. Surely, completing any race or event in
life is cause for celebration, but, I believe, it is the
challenges and obstacles that you encounter along the way
while you prepare to achieve your goal that are the most
meaningful.
I carry this philosophy with me in everything I do in life.
Since becoming a diabetic, I have successfully completed
12 marathons including qualifying and finishing three Boston
Marathons. I have completed three Ironman Triathlons - the
2.4 mile swim followed by a 112 mile bike ride followed
by running a 26.2 mile marathon is the ultimate test of
endurance for any athlete. More recently, my energy and
enthusiasm has been focused on a different kind of athlete,
the sled dog. I am presently training for my third Iditarod
Dog Sled Race which is a 1,150 mile long dog sled race across
the state of Alaska.
I know it sounds strange, but I truly believe that being
diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes was a good thing for me.
Of course, I wish I didn’t have the disease. However,
I also firmly believe that everything I have achieved, the
amazing experiences that I have lived, and the philosophies
and beliefs that I have developed, would not have happened
if I wasn’t diagnosed a diabetic that faithful day
15 years ago.
Look for Bruce on the Discovery Channel starting this October
in a new six part series called “Iditarod”.
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