Guest Post: IronMan World Championship with Kris Freeman
I knew the IronMan World Championship course in St George would be hard... and it was. The 112 mile bike course had 7000 ft of climbing and the run featured unbroken climbs and descents that were several miles long. Shade was nearly nonexistent and the temp maxed out at 92 degrees in the mid afternoon.
My race plan was to start relaxed in the water, go slower for the first 60 miles of the ride than felt necessary and then see how fast I could go for the rest of the race.
My insulin strategy can be seen in the photos. I ran 1.3 units per hour until :15 minutes before my race (started at 6:45). Then I ran .6 u/h for three hours, .5 units for one hours, .4 units for one and a half hours and .25 units for :45 minutes at which point I tore the Pod off. The numbers in the photo are all .05 units lower than stated above because I was wearing a 2nd Pod that was delivering .05 u/h which is the minimum setting. In addition to the basal setting I also took a 4 unit bolus at the swim/bike transition with a syringe I pre filled before the race.
My swim was solid enough and I had no problems with my first transition. The terrain for the bike was very "western" with climbs that went on for miles followed by high speed descents that had me averaging better than 40 mph for several miles at a time. I took feeds at every aid station and probably consumed 12-16 twenty-four ounce bottles of Gatorade endurance 96 ounces of water, and a liter of Coke. I also took 8 Salt Stick electrolyte tabs. Choosing to conserve energy early ended up being a great call as my "easy" pace ended up being plenty fast and I never ran out of gas on the bike.
My transition into the run was also smooth if not super fast. I took the time to put vaseline coated socks on and chugged a full quart of water. However, my race got real hard a few miles later. I was overheating and I knew that I had to cool down or I wouldn't finish. There were aid stations every 1.5 miles and at each one I put ice in my hat and down the front and back of my suit. This was the first day of the year that I had worked out in any weather warmer than 70 degrees and my body was not happy with me. My half marathon split was far slower than I'd hoped (1:50ish) but at this point survival was the top priority. I bled tlme at each aid station but the ice and gatorade I was getting were the only things keeping me going forward. With 10 miles to go I was pretty sure I was going to get heat stroke at some point and I really wanted to get to the finish before that happened. I was stumbling and tripping over nothing as I ran on. My stomach was very nauseous and not at all happy about feeding. Even so, I forced about another gallon of Gatorade/water/Cola down my throat along with another 5 salt tabs for a total of 13 during the race.
I finished the marathon in 3:48 which was a good 20 minutes slower than I would have liked. But it wasn't for lack of trying. In the pictures you can see me striding across the finish and then taking a sharp left to get a cooler with insulin and fresh Pods from my coach. I went directly from there to the medical tent where I lied down on a Cot and proceeded to writhe around as doctors and nurses asked me how I felt. I had finished the race with a glucose of 140 so diabetes was not the main issue. I had all the symptoms of heat stroke including tingling/numb hands and feet and I began to dry heave. As the doctor decided to hook me up to an IV, I asked for a puke bag and started filling it. Fortunately the IV started to make me feel better pretty rapidly and I left the med tent under my own power about 40 minutes later.
All things considered the race went pretty well. It wasn't perfect but given the difficulty of the course and the heat it could have been worse. The consensus among the athletes I talked too was that this was the most difficult IronMan sanctioned event in the world. I finished in 10:13 which was good for a 19th place age group finish and 136th overall. I haven't been able to verify this but I think that these are the best finishes ever for a person with diabetes at the World Championships (If anyone knows differently please let me know). My result also requalified me for the 2022 World Champs in Kona this October though I chose to decline the opportunity. - Kris Freeman
Episodes of the Juicebox Podcast featuring Kris Freeman
#26 Olympian & person with diabetes Kris Freeman
How To Listen to the Juicebox Podcast
Are you looking for an entertaining and informative podcast to listen to that covers diabetes-related topics? Look no further than the Juicebox Podcast!
The Juicebox Podcast is the most popular diabetes podcast available and is a great way to get up to date on the latest research, treatments, and health tips related to diabetes. The podcast offers a variety of topics, from interviews with medical professionals to discussions on diabetes-related technology.
If you’re looking to listen to the Juicebox Podcast, there are several popular audio apps that you can use. Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, and Overcast are all popular podcast listening apps that are free and easy to use. Simply search for “Juicebox Podcast” in the app, and you’ll be able to listen to the full library of episodes.
Whether you’re a person living with diabetes, a family member, or a healthcare provider, the Juicebox Podcast has something for everyone. With engaging conversations and timely topics, the Juicebox Podcast is a must-listen for anyone interested in diabetes.
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Tidepool Loop receives FDA clearance
The future of diabetes management has arrived! Tidepool Loop, the first fully interoperable automated insulin dosing app, has recently received FDA clearance. This groundbreaking development marks a major milestone in diabetes care, giving people with diabetes more control over their health and wellness.
Tidepool Loop is an innovative, patient-led initiative that provides users with an automated insulin dosing system, allowing them to manage their diabetes without having to manually adjust insulin doses. The app allows users to monitor their glucose levels in real-time and adjust insulin levels accordingly. It also gives users access to a library of personalized settings, which they can use to customize their insulin dosing to suit their individual needs.
The app is designed to be user-friendly, with a simple, intuitive interface that makes it easy to track data, view insights, and adjust settings. It also has built-in safety features like low-glucose suspend, which automatically suspends insulin delivery when a user’s glucose levels reach a certain threshold. This ensures that users are always getting the right amount of insulin, while also providing peace of mind.
Tidepool Loop is an invaluable tool for people with diabetes, providing them with greater access to health care and more control over their health and wellness. The app is also a great resource for healthcare professionals, giving them access to real-time patient data and allowing them to make more informed decisions when it comes to diabetes management.
The FDA clearance of Tidepool Loop is a groundbreaking development for diabetes care, and it will undoubtedly have a profound impact on the lives of people with diabetes. This app is a major step forward in diabetes management, providing users with greater freedom and control over their health and wellness. We’re excited to see how this innovative technology will continue to shape the future of diabetes management in the years to come.
To learn much more listen to this Juicebox Podcast interview with President, CEO and Founder of Tidepool, Howard Look.
Dexcom G7 Receives FDA Approval!
Today is the day and the Juicebox Podcast has all the info you want about the Dexcom G7.
Episode 676 - Jake Leach Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at Dexcom is back to talk G7.
https://www.juiceboxpodcast.com/episodes/jbp676
Episode 782 - Emily's son has type 1 diabetes and he uses the Dexcom G7.
https://www.juiceboxpodcast.com/episodes/jbp782
Episode 768 - Dexcom Senior Director of Global Product Design, Alex Diener has type 1 diabetes and he's here to talk about designing the Dexcom G7.
https://www.juiceboxpodcast.com/episodes/jbp768
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Dexcom G6 App Available In Spanish
From Dexcom Press Release
Diabetes disproportionately impacts Latinos, and as of 2022, it is estimated that 11.8% of U.S. Latino adults have diagnosed diabetes. Furthermore, the CDC estimates that U.S. Latino adults have more than a 50% chance of developing Type 2 diabetes, with a greater risk of complication.
“With a myriad of studies that point to language barriers in healthcare leading to miscommunication between patients and healthcare providers and a decrease in quality of care and patient safety, it’s important to provide access to diabetes information in a patient’s preferred language to improve health outcomes,” said Ana-Mari Calleja Carr, district business manager at Dexcom representing the South Florida region. “Launching the Dexcom G6 app in Spanish is a positive step toward improving health equity for individuals with diabetes who primarily speak Spanish.”
To access the Dexcom G6 mobile app in Spanish, users need to install the latest version of the app and set their compatible iOS (v1.10.1) or Android (v1.10.0) smartphone* language to Spanish (any dialect/region). The app will automatically display in Spanish as long as the phone language is set to Spanish.
“Being able to offer this powerful CGM technology to my Spanish-speaking patients in their preferred language can help them better understand their diabetes and be more proactive about managing their health,” said Dr. Rocio Harbison, MD, FACE, an endocrinologist who treats a large Spanish-speaking population. “CGM technology is one of the most powerful tools available for managing diabetes and this new development from Dexcom will help improve access for Spanish-speaking people who often have to navigate their health with limited Spanish-language tools.”
Dexcom G6 uses a small, wearable sensor and transmitter to continuously measure and send glucose levels wirelessly to a compatible smart device* or receiver, giving patients real-time glucose data without the need to prick their finger.† The system also offers customizable alerts and alarms to help avoid potentially dangerous low and high blood sugar events.
“It’s great to see that Dexcom invested in developing a Spanish-language app for patients,” said Siena Ruelas, a professional soccer player and Dexcom Warrior who has Type 1 diabetes. “This offering will help remove a significant barrier to accessing important glucose information and improve one’s ability to make critical health decisions.”
The Dexcom Follow app is not immediately available in Spanish but the functionality will be added in a future product update. For more information in Spanish on Dexcom G6, please visit Dexcom.com/ayuda.
La diabetes afecta desproporcionadamente a los latinos, y desde el 2022, se estima que el 11.8% de los adultos latinos en los Estados Unidos han sido diagnosticados con diabetes.1 Además, los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades estiman que los adultos latinos en EE.UU. tienen más de un 50% de probabilidad de desarrollar diabetes tipo 2 con un mayor riesgo de complicaciones.2
"Debido a que un gran número de estudios indican que las barreras del idioma llevan a la falta de comunicación entre los pacientes y los profesionales de la salud3 - y disminuyen la calidad de la atención media y la seguridad del paciente - es importante proporcionar acceso a información sobre la diabetes en el idioma preferido del paciente para mejorar los resultados de salud," dijo Ana-Mari Calleja Carr, gerente de negocios del distrito en Dexcom que representa a la región del sur de la Florida. "El lanzamiento de la aplicación Dexcom G6 en español es un gran paso hacia la mejora de la equidad en salud para las personas con diabetes que hablan español."
Para acceder la aplicación móvil Dexcom G6 en español, los usuarios deben instalar la última versión de la aplicación y establecer el idioma de su teléfono inteligente iOS (v1.10.1) o Android (v1.10.1) a español (cualquier dialecto/región). La aplicación se mostrará automáticamente en español siempre que el idioma del teléfono esté configurado a español.
"Ofrecer esta poderosa tecnología de monitoreo continuo de glucosa a mis pacientes de habla hispana les ayudará a entender su diabetes un poco mejor, ayudándoles a ser más proactivos en el manejo de su salud," dijo la Dra. Rocío Harbison, MD, FACE, endocrinóloga que trata a pacientes de habla hispana. "La tecnología MCG es una de las herramientas más poderosas disponibles para controlar la diabetes y este nuevo desarrollo de Dexcom ayudará a mejorar el acceso para las personas de habla hispana que a menudo tienen que navegar productos de salud con herramientas limitadas en español."
Dexcom G6 utiliza un pequeño sensor y transmisor portátil para medir y enviar continuamente los niveles de glucosa de forma inalámbrica a un dispositivo inteligente* o receptor compatible, proporcionando a los pacientes datos de glucosa en tiempo real sin la necesidad de pincharse el dedo.† El sistema también ofrece alertas y alarmas personalizables para ayudar a evitar eventos potencialmente peligrosos de bajo y alto nivel de azúcar en la sangre.
"Es genial ver que Dexcom invirtió en el desarrollo de una aplicación en español," dijo Siena Ruelas, jugadora de fútbol profesional y Dexcom Warrior con diabetes tipo 1. "Esta opción ayudará a eliminar una barrera significativa cuando se trata de acceder información importante sobre la glucosa, y mejorará la capacidad de tomar decisiones críticas sobre nuestra salud."
La aplicación Dexcom Follow no está disponible en español, pero la funcionalidad se agregará en una futura actualización del producto. Para obtener más información sobre Dexcom G6 en español, visite Dexcom.com/ayuda.