Race Report: Kaiser Half

This morning's Kaiser Permanente Half Marathon was my inaugural race for the season. I went into the race with my coach's voice ringing in my ear, "Don't race." In the training plan right now, there isn't a lot of room for down time (i.e., recovery time), so pushing the pace too hard right now was not advised. I went in planning to keep my heart rate in zone 2 (156-167 beats per minute) with some zone 3 (168-176) on the hills.

We had some rain in the forecast but it was just cloudy, and not too cold (around 50 degrees) at the start. As soon as I dropped off my warm-up clothes, there was a brief cloud-burst, enough to get us all a little damp. The Kaiser Half is my favorite half marathon because it is a fast, scenic course on my home turf. In fact, it may be the only race in San Francisco with no significant uphills and a net negative change in elevation (but not by too much).

My blood sugars did their usual pre-race freak-out (high) which was compounded by my inadvertent under-bolusing of breakfast. You can see the gory details on my SugarStats page if you'd like--I've also included mile splits and average and max heart rate for each mile. I was happy with the pace and I felt fairly comfortable throughout the race. As much as I tried to hold back, I couldn't resist speeding up a bit on the downhill section through Golden Gate Park, and then letting go a little for the last 3-4 miles. I didn't go all out and feel fine now, so I'm hoping that I'll be okay. My average heart rate was barely in above zone 2, in zone 3 ("I think this counts as a hill" went through my mind more than once) but my average heart rate for about 6 miles was in zone 2 (I tried!). This is the race where I reached my half-marathon PR (1:42) and I'd still like to beat that someday. But this was not the year to attempt that.

I wore my Triabetes shirt, which generated a few comments, one with a nice guy from the San Francisco Road Runners. We met early on and then again as we were trying to find someone tall to draft off of on the very windy last stretch along the ocean. I also tried out the SPI belt (donated by the manufacturer for the Triabetes project), which held an amazing amount of gels, as well as my Ultra mini. Thanks!

Oh in case you are wondering, my time was 1:52:29. I think I was about 1:10 behind the official start time, so my official time will probably be 1:53:40. There was some debate as to whether the race was more than 13.1 miles. My watch showed 15.49 but, according to the mile splits, my foot pod (pedometer) was about 0.03 miles off per mile, which would add up to an error of 0.39 and a total distance of 13.1. So I think it was probably pretty accurate at 13.1 miles.

Workout Report: 60-mile ride

Here's the summary of Saturday's ride on the Peninsula. The course was mostly flat, with some gradual hills. When I woke up and saw that the forecast rain was holding off, I was out the door as quickly as possible. My experiment for this ride would be to see what happens if I actually bolus (even a little) for everything I eat. I was using a 50-65 g carb to 1 U insulin ratio for bolusing.

• 7:30 AM--90, basal rate 0.525 U/hr
• 7:57 AM--banana, 0.4 U
• 8:14 AM--0.25 U
• 8:37 AM--237, start ride
• 9:00 AM--basal rate 0.425 U/hr
• 9:37 AM--179, chocolate GU, 0.4 U
• 10:25 AM--221
• 10:53 AM--170, apple Hammergel, 0.4 U
• 11:37 AM--147, granola bar (20 g carb), 3 gummy worms, 0.3
• 12:10 PM--136
• 12:18 PM--129, pump off 1/2 hour
• 12:41 PM--89, berry GU
• 12:48 PM--pump back on, basal rate 0.425 U/hr
• 1:02 PM--finish ride
• 1:23 PM--142
• 1:56 PM--93
• 2:30 PM--60

The most curious aspect to me of this ride was how quickly my BG fell after I finished riding. I usually try to eat within one hour of finishing a long workout; even so, I don't recall falling like this recently. In the past, I have not so aggressively bolused for food while riding, so perhaps I had more insulin on board at the end of the ride.

Workout Report: swim/run brick

Last night at the gym I ran out of test strips and, thinking I was low, ate an extra gel. Well, I wasn't low and this set off a late night rollercoaster. But, things should be better today. Here are the workout details:

• 2:56 AM--39, ate 20 g gel, 1/2 banana and ~20 g Skittles (still felt low); had a hard time falling asleep after
• 3:00 AM--basal rate 0.525 U/hr
• 5:06 AM--214, didn't correct
• 5:40 AM--started swimming, no food since I had plenty at 3 AM; took the swim easy because right shoulder is bugging me a little
  
• 6:30 AM--stopped swimming
• 7:11 AM--141, ate one 20 g gel (chocolate GU, my favorite!)
• 7:16 AM--started running, average HR 157; couldn't test during the run because it was raining (with a little hail mixed in? Brr!), flat route
• 8:12 AM--stopped running
• 8:17 AM--249, glad I didn't eat an extra gel on the run even though I was feeling low
  

During the run, I felt low in my head (a little light-headed) but my arms were a little achy and tight, which usually (but not always) indicates high blood sugar. Since I hadn't had any recent boluses, and had eaten a gel right before running, I figured I was probably not low. Also, I was able to keep my pace up. I'm glad I was right!

The traffic was horrendous coming back from the pool! It's like people forgot how to drive in the rain. But it's been raining for the past 3 weeks. What's up, people?

Research Newsflash: "β Cells Can Be Generated from Endogenous Progenitors in Injured Adult Mouse Pancreas"

An article in the January 25, 2008, issue of Cell describes research showing that progenitor beta cells exist in the mouse pancreas and that, when prompted by injury to the pancreas, the cells respond by growing and producing insulin. The authors are all associated with the JDRF Center for Beta Cell Therapy in Diabetes in Brussels, Belgium. (Yay, JDRF!) Read the original article or a summary at ScienceDaily for more info. If they find that this is also true for humans, it will be a very exciting discovery with many implications.

Workout Report: 60-min trainer

I'm going to start including some BG reports from workouts when I can. These are mostly so I can keep track of what is going on, and maybe can generate some discussion on better ways to manage BG's during various types of workouts.

Here are some stats from this morning's trainer ride:

• 6:31 AM: 182, 0.4 U correction (conservative since I was planning to exercise soon), basal rate 0.525 U/hr
• 7:55 AM: ate one vitamin (4g carbs), start trainer workout, easy to moderate intensity
• 7:58 AM: 170
• 8:22 AM: 177, 0.25 U correction
• 8:55 AM: finish workout, average HR 139, max HR 157, average cadence 91
• 8:59 AM: 165

I decreased all of my basal rates the other day because I was having a lot of lows. I'm not convinced that they are set correctly yet, though.

For those who haven't been sucked into the world of cycling or triathlon--a trainer is a device that turns a regular bike into a stationary bike, and is great for rainy days (like today). The rear wheel is locked in place against a flywheel, giving resistance, which is adjusted by changing gears.

Triabetes T-shirts are now available online

If you'd like to buy a Triabetes T-shirt, you can now purchase them online for $20 here. You can also see us wearing the T-shirts here.

A Possible Mechanism for C-Peptide

There is a new study published in today's issue of Chemical & Engineering News that gives a possible mechanism for activation of the C-peptide. The authors suggest that a metal ion may change the conformation of C-peptide, which may, in turn, allow glucose to enter red blood cells through a glucose transporter (GLUT1). While type 2 diabetics may have normal to elevated levels of C-peptide (which has led some to believe that it may contribute to complications), other studies have shown beneficial effects of the peptide (as described by this study). People with type 1 diabetes generally produce little to no C-peptide. I originally saw this story on Science Daily News.

Swim Stats

Due to an apparent overcorrection of a high BG last night, I woke up this morning at 1:40 with a BG of 42; I had some milk and cereal and was 62 by 1:50 AM. Somewhere I read that milk works really fast to raise BGs and it seems to be working well for me. My only concern is the extra calories from fat and protein. Anyway, I guess I had a few too many Puffins (the cereal of the moment) since I woke up at 5 AM at 227, feeling much higher actually. Here's how the morning proceeded:

• 5:07 AM 227
  
• 5:15 AM 0.2 U insulin (Humalog)
• 5:40 AM 170, 20g carbs (chocolate GU, also has 2g fat), left basal rate normal at 0.575 U/hr
• 5:40 - 7:00 AM Masters swim workout, mixed sets with main set consisting of moderate to fast 200s, felt strong and was swimming 200's in 3:53-3:55.
• 7:25 AM 176, 1 U insulin
• 8:20 AM 141
• 8:42 AM 136
  

My question is this: would I have had a low if I didn't eat the gel beforehand? I think so, in this case. But in addition to keeping my blood sugars decent (i.e., not low) for the swim, the gel gave me an energy boost, allowing me to work harder and to have a more productive workout. If I hadn't taken the 0.2 beforehand, I probably wouldn't have eaten anything and might not have felt as good in the water. I suspect my blood sugar would not have fallen much, either, and may have even gone up.

Can't Complain

I enjoyed a wonderful vacation in Utah over the holidays, visiting family and friends. Here's a shot from one of the majestic days on the slopes. We skied at both Alta and Snowbird; this shot is from the new-and-improved Peruvian lift at Snowbird. Our boots squeaked in the snow, a sure indication of great conditions. The cold temp's kept the powder light and the moguls here were a breeze. It was a bit tough to leave such conditions behind. Alas.

I Couldn't Live in Florida

This morning as I was leaving for swim practice, I noted the roaring wind and considered whether it would be safe to leave. "Laura [the swim coach] will show up," I thought, and headed out the door. It was very windy and a little rainy but I made my way safely to the pool and had a great workout. I think I may be getting a little boost from my holiday vacation at elevation in Salt Lake and on the ski slopes. Anyway, after class I got ready for my easy run, and headed out. I made it about 5 minutes before turning around. I had hoped to run about a mile to the ocean to see the storm surf, but was scared off by the whining sounds in the many overhead power lines. I got back to my car, where it didn't seem so bad, and thought I could run near there. I changed my mind when a huge branch from a eucalyptus tree flew down and I had to hide behind a light pole to wait out a strong gust. I took shelter in the high school there for a moment and then made my way to my car. I hadn't been shopping since getting back from vacation, and really needed some groceries. So my only goal was to shop at the corner market and get home.

On my way, I saw many downed tree branches, including some that had fallen on or near cars, and a fallen tree, which had smashed a camper on Lincoln. I took a side street to avoid the traffic backup and was driving beneath arcing power lines (reminiscent of the blue-green flash I saw in Novemeber). Yikes! I did note with some satisfaction how nicely my rear window wiper was working at keeping the rain cleared! Anyway, I made it to the local market and ran in, grabbing the essentials--enough to keep me going a few days--when the lights flickered off, then on, and then off. Uh-oh. Thirty seconds later the lights came on again. I grabbed what I needed and hurried to check out.

I was expecting a little mayhem in my neighborhood since I'm up on a hill and we tend to get a lot of wind. Despite leaves and tree debris everywhere, it looks okay. The owner of the blown-over motorcycle might not agree with me, though.

Here's a snapshot of the local traffic at 8:55 AM from 511.org. The black means that cars are basically stopped. It's not a great day to travel. Oh and all of this rain is predicted to accumulate on average 5 feet and up to 10 feet of snow in the Sierras.

My plan now is to head to work and park my car in the $22/day garage, a luxury I will take on this unusual day. I have to say, looking out the window right now makes me nervous. The sky is white with sheets of blowing rain. I think I will feel a little safer at work. I expect a power outage at some point there. We can't seem to make it through any unusual weather without one. Let's hope for the best. At least I'm stocked up on milk, bread and bananas! I had better post this before my power goes off permanently (it just flickered off) or Google's power does (they're in Mountain View, about 40 miles from here, although I assume they have some pretty decent backup power)!

Note: The power did go off at work after all.