Type 1 Diabetes

I had my birthday the other day - am officially into my 30's now (yeah, I turned 31). And with that small milestone came another semi-regular trip to the Doctors for a check-up and the usual motivational speech that goes along the lines of "I have patients that weigh less than you that have died due to blah blah blah", or "I know this diabetic who doesn't regularly check his blood sugars and now he has no legs / no sight / is dead etc. etc." despite the fact that

1. I lost weight since my last check-up (another 2kg or 4.4 pounds, and a total of nearly 50kg or 110 pounds since just before I started this blog!!)
2. My blood sugars have been stable since my last check-up with no huge highs or lows.
3. I am exercising more than I have since High School.
4. I am eating far more healthily these days (With a huge thanks to my lovely girl thing for this!!)

So in general, I am trucking along quite nicely - but it turns out, along with the lecture this latest visit also came with the news that my Doctor has come to the conclusion that I do not in fact have weight related type 2 diabetes, but actual late onset type 1 diabetes - meaning I will probably be Insulin dependant for the rest of my life.

Honestly, this is no huge deal to me - I became used to the injections a long time ago, but it has made me come to the realisation that I need to do a whole lot more research into my condition to be able to achieve my goals regarding not only completing the upcoming Ride to Conquer Cancer but also my goal of becoming an Ironman.

As always I'll keep you all posted!

Until next time - see you round, like a rissole!

:Doug

Do a skid! Do some jumps!

So, due to the fact that I'm currently between serious training bikes, I have been riding my "jump" bike a lot lately. It's a small framed 26 inch Giant STP 0 that goes by the name 'Popeye 2.0' (The original Popeye was a car who left myself and a carload of models stranded on the motorway during rush hour one day) and is really more of an oversized BMX than any kind of serious mountain bike.

I do admit to having tried to use Popeye 2.0 as a serious training bike once or twice by raising the seat and locking down the suspension but it just felt wrong, kind of like using a dune buggy in a Formula 1 race - it was never going to work.

It was then I realised that this isn't what it's all about - you don't HAVE to be a serious Sam the whole time and treat every time out as a hardcore training ride. Sure, I am in training for a very serious event and am required to do a large amount of "proper" riding, but I feel it's also important to just be out there, raising my heart rate, working different muscles in my legs/back/stomach/arms and above all, having a great time doing some jumps (and the odd skid).

In fact, this is all so much fun that I am seriously contemplating my next 'grown-up' bike to be a 29 inch mountain bike (complete with a spare set of slick tyres) rather than a serious road bike. Sure, I know in a few years time I will have to be dragged down to the bike shop to purchase a bike suitable to compete in Ironman but in the meantime I think a bike that, if I feel the need to leave the road and commune with nature, is still going to be up to the task. As always, I'll keep you all updated!

Also, if you haven't had a chance to visit my personal Ride To Conquer Cancer page please take a look here, and perhaps while you are there make a donation towards Cancer Research by sponsoring me to ride.

Until next time - see you round, like a rissole!

:Doug

The Ride to Conquer Cancer

Hello all, wow, it's been quite some time since I've used this blog huh!?

I am now living in Auckland, New Zealand. Working as a Playout Technician at Eyeworks Touchdown NZ making sure The Living Channel, Food TV and Country99 TV all go to air properly and without mistakes. I also now have a delightful girl-thing (She's a blogger, you should go check her blog out at thisismeagankerr.com) and yes, I know you're all wanting to know, yes, my weight has gone down a little over the past few years. But still not enough to be able to change the title of this blog if you know what I mean!

So I guess you're all wondering why the sudden return to this blog?

Well, now my life is so much less topsy-turvy I have made the decision that although I missed my deadline for completing Ironman, it is still going to happen (aiming to do it before I reach the semi-crusty age of 35) and in the meantime I will be doing various training / sporting events that I figure you'll all want to know about, because, yes, I'm just that entertaining / exciting...

Case in point, today I registered to ride in the Auckland Ride to Conquer Cancer.

From my personal fundraising page:

"The Ride to Conquer Cancer benefiting Cancer Society Auckland, is a 200km cycling journey that I’m embarking on to fight cancer. It will be a challenge in a number of ways, but I consider it nothing compared to the challenge that sufferers of Cancer and their friends and family have to deal with on a daily basis. The effects of Cancer have been numerous in my family, with an Aunt suffering from Breast Cancer, my Mother having a double mastectomy due to advanced stage Breast Cancer and my Step Father having sadly passed away a couple of years ago from Melanoma Cancer. I also had a Great Grandmother who passed away from Breast Cancer in her mid 40's. I have a goal to raise $5000 for the Cancer Society of New Zealand, and every dollar donated is appreciated beyond words. Whether you can afford to donate $10 or to donate $1000 your donation we will not only be helping fund research to hopefully one day cure Cancer, but also be able to make the lives of those living with and surviving cancer much easier."

So there you have it - time to now get out and about and raise some money while getting some training in!

Until next time - see ya round, like a rissole!

:Doug