Diabetes probably affects someone you know. According to the World Health Organization, more than 442 million suffer from the chronic condition. Many marathoners are part of this statistic so this month we hear from a runner with diabetes and a nurse who inspires her patients to follow in her footsteps.
Huw Davies
The 34-year-old from Somerset in the UK has been running since his mid-teens but has been focusing on marathons for the last few years. He is three stars into completing his Six Star journey and ran the 2022 Bank of America Chicago Marathon in 2:58:41.
“Running serves several purposes for me. It is my ‘thinking time’ where I can de-stress and get outside, but it also really helps me to manage my blood sugars, and the anxieties that come with the diagnosis of this illness.”
Huw was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes (T1D) in 2019, only a few weeks after running the Jurassic Coast 100km Ultra. He was in peak condition, so it came as a real shock.
What is the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes develops when your pancreas doesn’t make insulin or makes very little insulin. Type 1 diabetes requires daily administration of insulin. Type 2 diabetes often develops over time when your body doesn’t use insulin well. More than 95% of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes can be delayed by eating healthy food, losing weight, and being more active*.
“I quickly learned the importance of exercise to T1D patients. The biggest concern when training is to make sure that I keep my sugars within range, whilst also ensuring that I am well-fueled to complete the distance, workout or race.”
The Abbott Freestyle Libre Sensor allows Huw to train at a high level and achieve his goals.
“This technology has been instrumental in the management of my glucose," he says, "especially during long training runs where I am susceptible to becoming hypoglycemic. The sensor allows me to see when my glucose is dropping low, and it also allows me to see the impact of fueling during these runs. I can accurately determine when I will need to take on more fuel, during a specific distance such as the marathon.”
Elizabeth Prinsep
The 56-year-old from Winchester in the UK deals with diabetes everyday but she is not personally impacted by the condition – she is a nurse at a local clinic specializing in diabetes care. Known as the ‘nurse who runs’, Elizabeth started running marathons four years ago and her hard work and determination took her to the AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Championships in London earlier this year.
“London was a terrific experience. The support and encouragement from other runners was so lovely. Strangers would randomly call out your name and the lift this gives you when you are finding it tough was so powerful.”
Elizabeth gives her own form of support to her patients every day. Alongside medical assistance, she encourages everyone to move. She is excited about the start of a parkrun near her home and hopes to work with the doctors to become a ‘parkrun clinic’.
“Many of my patients with diabetes have found that with exercise their weight has improved and therefore their blood sugar, so it’s a win-win situation. I am lucky that our local gym offers exercise on prescription which I can refer patients to.”
“I am very passionate about exercise and try to promote it - not just for the health benefits but also the mental health benefits. I would like to think I can inspire everyone to get active.
“Even if patients can’t run, I will encourage walking. Parkrun is great for that, and they’ll also feel part of a community at the same time as exercising. I hope my enthusiasm and passion shines through as exercise forms a large part of my consultations.”
The impact of exercise, particularly for people with Type 2 diabetes, is evident.
Elizabeth practices what she preaches and has found much pleasure from her local run club and training for marathons.
“Through my run club, I found support and encouragement to run further and faster. I made new friends and during COVID this was particularly important. I made a bubble with others on their own and we had so many laughs and happy times despite the challenges all around us.
Huw and Elizabeth have some words of wisdom for all people with diabetes:
“Don’t be scared of exercise. I believe that both the physical and mental benefits of running are unsurpassed by most other things in life. There are many, many T1D athletes today, performing at unbelievably high levels of competition showing us what can be done,” shared Huw.
“I try to cherish every step I run, even in those tough runs! I feel blessed that I can run when many aren’t able due to disability, frailty or illness. I do it for them,” added Elizabeth.
