I am excited to be entering my sixth season as a top age-group diabetic endurance athlete. I compete in all distances of running and triathlon events ranging from Ironman to short course triathlon, marathons, endurance relays and 10k races.

I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in February of 2006, at 34 years old. At the time of my diagnosis, I had a blood sugar level of 560 (100 is normal) and my A1C was at 18 (6.5 is normal).  While this news came as a total shock, it helped to explain the many symptoms I had experienced in the previous year including extreme fatigue, excessive thirst, lingering sports injuries, energy crashes (aka; bonking) and slower race times. 

The day of my diagnosis, I was immediately put on insulin therapy.  I always had a fear of needles and was terrified knowing that my life as I knew it would require daily injections. However, that fear quickly diminished in knowing that there was nothing I could do about it except take care of myself and learn as much as possible about the disease and how to best treat it. I was able to lower my blood sugar levels and noticed immediate improvements both in how I felt as well as my overall racing performance. 

 I completed my sixth Ironman in November, 2009 with a finishing time of 10 hrs, 4 minutes, shaving off over 3 hours from my first Ironman in 2005.  My experience as a diabetic endurance athlete has helped me realize that I can be just as active with diabetes and has inspired me to encourage others to do the same. 

I have volunteered my time as a camp counselor for Idaho’s Camp Hodia winter ski camp for kids the past few years, served as a mentor for Triabetes and am currently racing for Team Type1 (www.teamtype1.org).  I will be participating in several awareness events and endurance races for Team Type 1 (both on their running and triathlon teams) around the U.S. in 2011 including Run Across America in November.  More information about me and my involvement with Team Type 1 can be found on their website at www.teamtype1.org

 My experience as an athlete living with this chronic disease has introduced me to some of the most dedicated, genuine people I have ever met. They have inspired me to help create more awareness about the possibilities, instead of limitations, of living with diabetes.