Category Archives: Events

Keeping the Olympic Spirit Burning

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London 2012 was undeniably an inspiration to the world and will go down as arguably the greatest games ever. Months on since the hights of the summer achievements of Team GB and London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, it could be argued that the Olympic Flame that captured the nation and got every person feeling it, buzzing from the inside, is well and truely extinguished. Even our cycling hero Bradley Wiggins was knocked off his bike by a vehicle on the road!

Yet, although November 2012 was more of a disapointment personally to me in the respect that I’m not doing what I trained for, I’ve been injured and out of running GBR 30/30 challenge for diabetes awareness, I have travelled about to a number of locations across the UK to give inspirational talks to others with diabetes – particuarly the next generation. And with me, helping me to inspire all the way, my golden shining piece of brass with 8000 holes in it… THE OLYMPIC TORCH!

Inspiring Diabetes

It takes 11 and a half hours to go from London Victoria to Dundee via BUS… as I came to realise. And of course not to mention, another 11 and a half hours coming back home again…

There were seemingly much easier and quicker ways of travelling from London to Dundee, flights would be the first inital thought. Lorraine Kelly does it quite frequently each week so I’ve heard; however, with a late booking price (as I was not expecting to be injured throughout the month of November and in fact intended to be running in to Dundee from Montrose that date) the price of a flight from London City Airport (very local to me) equalled over £200. Unfortunately I only received my graduation from University a few weeks back and therefore am not quite the millionaire I aspire to be just yet… so £19 each way on a bus was the best option!

As lovely as the City of Dundee is I wasn’t going there for any form of luxury. I arrived in Dundee at 7.30pm and hopped off the bus with my bag and big coat on – expecting Scotland to be something similar to Winter Wonderland – got straight into the patiently waiting Margaret’s car after introducing ourselves and went to Ninewells Hospital to do my talk to the Taykids Diabetes Support Group.

On my way in on the bus we went through Glasgow and I did hold some fears when I asked the driver to turn the ridiculously warm heating down a touch. The driver did respond, but what he said exactly is still a mystery to me now. There may be a language barrier here my initial thoughts.

Fortunately once I got to Dundee they informed me there, with good understanding of each other’s accents, that they too don’t quite understand the Glasgwegian accent.

There I gave my talk to the group of young children in attendance with their parents, with also Nuala from Northern Ireland and Kevin who is part of the Diabetes UK Young Leaders advocates there. Kevin done me a great favour in speaking to his friend Stephen who put me up a sofa in Dundee for the night. I’m quite an interesting speaker, with my runs to talk about and past accomplishments it makes the speaking quite easy for me to do with some great stories to tell. But it is without a doubt a key part of my ‘act’ once I get to the part where I then draw out my gold coloured jewel… the Torch and hand it over to the nearest member of the audience to see, hold and pass on to the next person. A sight of that torch seems to light up every persons eyes that touch wider, it brings a smile onto every face that gazes at it and serves a sense of energy to each room it is in.

My talks are about how something like diabetes never could hold me back in life. How actually, that seemingly negative aspect of being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes went on to become a real positive in my life. Giving me a purpose, making me become a runner – as I wouldn’t run if I didn’t have diabetes and therefore would’t have achieved all the accomplishments I have done. And, whats more, I wouldn’t be showing people that golden piece of inspiration I have if I never had diabetes.

I stayed over in Madingly House in Cambridge on my next talking venture, where I spoke in front of a number of medical professionals across the UK. This talk had to be for an hour so I increased the photos in my slide show, however, there were plenty of photographs to choose from with 5 years of Ultramarathon experiences and plenty of stories to tell. My talk varied from the extreme endurance tests on both my body and my diabetes control in running such crazy distances, to the mad lifestyle of a 21st century youngster with diabetes including drinking and holidays. It went down very well I’m pleased to say, and may be travelling around the country more often in the near future!

My next venture was to Blackburn, Ewood Park football stadium, to talk to the Preston and Area Junior Diabetes Support Group. With this talk it wasn’t with a slideshow, just a talk, however, my stories were focused on what you can achieve in life and how diabetes cannot prevent your achievemenets, which I hoped would go down well with the group. It did with the response I got back again and it was great to see a group which has both parents of diabetic children able to socialise and discuss everything, whilst there are the kids with diabetes in common in a local area able to connect and become friends.

Again… the Olympic Torch, my Excalibur sword in many ways, lighting eyes up! I taught a cute kid how I ran with it, as I handed him the torch to run about the room with and wave to the cheering spectators as I had done on that memorable summers day!

I returned from Blackburn by train from Preston to London Euston and made it successfully on time to Selhurst Park to then watch my beloved Crystal Palace remain top of the table and beat Derby County 3-0! A lot of travelling, but I really enjoyed it and appeared to pass on some inspiration to a lot of people. That was just by talking, so imagine the amount of inspiration achievable when I am running 30 miles a day for 30 days from John O’Groats to Land’s End!

One thing is for sure, that Olympic Spirit is far from burnt out. In fact, it was alive before the games and it comes from inside of each person who wants it that much… what are you made of? How much heart have you got in you? What can you do to make a difference? The torch is just a symbol of it.

Bring on my challenge!

DIA-DEFEAT?

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Typing away this blog whilst resting my leg up with an ice-pack on the hamstring. What a downer of a feeling. To many in the diabetes world I am known as ‘The Diathlete’ – the diabetic athlete that runs crazy endurance challenges and ultra-marathons to aid the cause of diabetes. Right now I’m not feeling as though I’m this ‘Diathlete’ identity at all… all I’m feeling is more dia-defeat.

Hamstring Injury Setback

 

Gav’s GBR 30/30 Challenge… 30 miles a day for 30 days covering the length of the United Kingdom – 900 miles of running all to raise funds for Diabetes UK, but also, which is especially the main reason I pledged my time and effort into making this challenge a reality, bringing inspiration across the diabetes world. I also spoke to the likes of DWED (Diabetics with Eating Disorders), the GBDoc, the newly formed Diabetes UK young leaders advocates and many voluntary diabetes support groups in many areas of the United Kingdom with bookings being made or discussed for me to speak to groups whilst running through their regions. The gold Olympic Torch that I had the honour of carrying, as the Olympic Flame burned proudly from it before the incredible London 2012 games got underway, was set to be a further symbol of hope and inspiration to accompany me into each town and city I passed through in GBR 30/30.

The injury was quite sharp and sudden. Months of planning, months of working, creating letters that I’d then re-wrote time and time again as the hours and days and weeks drained away so that my approaches to companies/potential sponsors, to celebrities and sports stars to support, to diabetes support groups, to borough and county councils, to mares and members of parliament, to sports clubs or public locations and so on were perfect. The time spent researching locations, where I could run, where I couldn’t, what roads I’d be using, where the starting and finishing points would be and where check-points along the routes could be located for me to rest a moment, stretch and check my blood glucose levels. The time spent on the phone to Diabetes UK members or again contacting every possible sponsor or press department, pushing it all out there… and not to mention, the time spent putting the work in to training. Some nights/mornings I’d be getting to sleep at 4am only to then wake and go for a run by 8am and then go and meet Ray – event manager – for 10am in Kidbrooke to then spend the day working on the event. I’m very grateful to Ray for his time and continuing support with this.

Strengths in Training

I also thank very much personal trainer Gary Pettengell for his time in supporting me and giving the training sessions to build muscles in the right places, strengthening my joints for such a challenge. The training was good, I felt stronger in my legs in the right areas and in a training run of a 30 mile distance along the Thames path – 15 miles one way, 15 miles back home – I completed the challenge with far too much ease to the point that I took the micky! Matt, who was filming parts and cycling in support through the route said just before the final part of the ultra-marathon:

“I am not cycling up my hill!”

His hill (the road he lives at) is very steep in incline, a sudden climb that hits hard.

“It is impossible to get up there on a bike; I’ve never seen anybody do it!”

In hearing this I guess the thought challenge entered my adventurous-mind.

“Alright, when we get to the hill give me the bike and I’ll do it!” was my response.

It was steep and I had just run 30 miles… not to mention I am a runner not a cyclist (and have type one diabetes).

“You’ll never do it!”

I got on the bike, had to pedal quite hard and will admit when the hill takes a sudden swoosh out of nowhere into a difficult angle it did get very hard to cope with indeed… but my legs kept working away and I still had all the energy in the world to burn, I finished the cycle then headed back down the road as I still had to finish my run… this meant a cool sprint up that hill once again.

At that point confidence was back in my system, I always knew I could run long distances and finish well, I’ve done it many times in the past, but it was good to get myself back into it and although I weren’t running with the pace I also have the ability to put in with long distances, I was running smart – saving energy at a constant pace, and therefore had the energy to cycle and sprint up a high incline at the end and wake up feeling good the next day. When I told Gary the news of my injury he blamed himself at first, saying if he had trained me properly it wouldn’t have happened. This in my view is absolutely not the case! My joints and muscles around the joints were the  key points we were working and aiming to build on, in completing that run so comfortably it shows how good condition I was in.

The injury… a few days off of training after doing a form of training and work consecutively for 3 weeks; long distance runs such as the 30 miler, short distance hill training runs, weights and stretches with Gary, mainly at Crayford Weights and Fitness – who I am also very grateful for allowing me to use their facilities in preparation for the challenge. I come down with a bug and just was completely dead to the world and unable to train. Had it have been the event itself I would have continued running, despite being that unwell, but it wasn’t and I was really poorly. So 2 days off on a weekend and I wanted to get back into the swing of it all quite desperately, with the countdown to November approaching and in my view still much more training work to be done. I went out in the morning and clearly was still unwell, even sicking up during my 12 mile route. I recovered with stretches and a meal once returning home and in the evening went to resume part 2 of training, hill runs short distance. I wanted to include 2 lots of training in the same day as I had done so the previous week to ensure I was at the same level of fitness minimum. It was dark out and suddenly I recall taking a bit of a stumble at Brook Street, a hilly road near to my home. This possibly could have been caused by my lowering blood glucose levels. In the stumble I felt a awkward twinge in the back on my left hamstring area, which instinctively I thought stop on, I did and decided to stretch the tweak before walking home… this turned out to be a bad move, possibly the muscle would have gone on the walk anyway but I leaned to stretch and as I done so a sharp pain jerked my hammy! I was in a bad discomfort from then on. Some bruising and swelling followed on the injured leg and the report after was that I’d be out of action for 4 weeks minimum, with also the fact that having diabetes may also delay the period of recovery. The treatment… ice, hot baths and ice baths, more ice and resting.

A gutting feeling of disappointment was matched by a feeling of letting everyone down, the support groups, the charity, the sponsors, every person with diabetes. I said I’d be running 30 miles a day for 30 days through November, I’ve always been one that acts – in many diabetes societies, even perhaps within the charity I am supporting in Diabetes UK, there is a lot of political debates that in many ways are necessary, but my views on politics in general is that it is all far too much talking and not enough action, and perhaps in Diabetes UK’s case is a reason as to why (until quite recently) there has been little interest from the younger generations – therefore, I feel like I’ve talked and not kept my word and acted upon it. It’s a setback, but these things happen. The bottom line is, GBR 30/30 challenge will 100% happen, I’ve planned and spent far too much time for it not to happen, it is just that it won’t be happening during November 2012 or this World Diabetes Day, as I am unable to run without causing further damage for at least the first week of November. The weeks and months to follow November are the worst of the winter, particularly up in Scotland, and so the event will be postponed until Spring 2013.

Making the Comeback Rocky Balboa Style!

In situations like this it is very frustrating, especially for someone with my level of competitiveness – I’m a full-on adrenaline-junky! 5 or 6 months is a long time! But, that said, I’ve already had great support, made some great contacts – the likes of David Haye, Sir Geoff Hurst, Jasmine Harman to name a couple have taken time to record supporting messages! They are champions, Geoff Hurst – the hero of 1966 who scored a hattrick for England in a world cup final! Jasmine is regularly popping up on the TV, Rosemary Conley who was tapping her feet away on Ice earlier this year, Caroline Pearce a tv gladiator, Martyn Rooney who came 4th in the 400m hurdles for Team GB at the London 2012 games, or the mad and enthusiastic presenter of UCMMA cage-fighter on Sky Sports Cage Rage Dave, and David Haye who if he isn’t in the headlines for being the best heavyweight about, he’ll make them for popping up in press-conferences… That kind of support is great! Thos people were saying my name and sending messages to me, I had to check twice on each of them as I couldn’t believe it! Now I have to rebuild and get myself back out there. It is easier said than done, however, I need to get my confidence back and ultimately my life. It has been hard grafting since uni as I committed all my time to this challenge and now will have to live like this, with not much (if any) money, late nights and early mornings, hard training, getting by for another 5-6 months! After the challenge I can progress with my life, but this is something I am committed to and am determined to complete – a once in the life time challenge for a person that loves a challenge.

The bottom line is I’ve already shown I can control my diabetes, I’ve shown I can run that endurance comfortably, I’ve gained good contacts… I just need to allow the time to recover and make use of it by getting in more deals/sponsors/press/celebrities and look to make this even more publicised so more funds and awareness can be raised – the negative setback I’m now aiming to turn into a major positive.

…What’s that I hear?

Music cue, Rocky Theme Tune…

MY GBR 30/30 CHALLENGE INSPIRATION

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Taking my hat off to my home City LONDON for hosting the greatest Olympic Games ever!!! The build up to the games had the nation inspired and involved, let alone the games themselves. I was honoured to be a part of it in the Torch Relay!

In taking on my next event in running Great Britain from John O’Groats to Lands End in the GBR 30/30 Challenge, 30 miles a day for 30 days for Diabetes UK, I will be running through my nation which really does have the word GREAT thrust back into its title. This is down to everyone who got behind London 2012 (the entire country & the majority of the World!) and to some incredible athletes. I want to pay tribute to a few I found personally really inspiring…

 

Hannah Cockroft is my personal favourite athlete of the entire London 2012 Games! Her personality shined throughout and in winning back to back Gold Medals in the Paralympic 100m and 200m her glowing personality was matched with her will to achieve and become a Paralympic Champion. With the disability of Cerebal Palsy and nerve damage to her spine, legs and feet, I saw an interview in which Hannah said, “I wouldn’t like to be any different to what I am as I wouldn’t be me, I like being me, if I were any different it wouldn’t be any fun!” I think there are many more Gold medals to come from Hannah and she is an incredible inspiration to all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

David ‘Weirwolf’ Weir is by far the greatest competitor and achieving athlete in all the games. As a runner I know the difference between long distance running, long distance track and short distance running. The change in pace, endurance, technique makes them complete different sports altogether. David Weir’s legs might not work but the training in his upper body to be able to compete in 4 events from short distance 800m, mid distance 2000m,  long distance track 5000m and then the gruelling long distance challenge of the 26.3 mile marathon… it goes without saying. He didn’t just compete in each of these events in the space of nine days, David Weir won gold in all of them. In my opinion that makes him the greatest athlete of all time, especially for Great Britain.

 

Johnnie Peacock has one leg and ran so fast I couldn’t catch him for damn sure! And his race was so intense, the build up before the 100m sprint was nerve wracking and I wasn’t sure with the noise from the crowd and then the re-start of the race would effect him mentally. It didn’t, he ran an amazing race to pick up speed and win Gold – then tell everyone he should have ran it faster!

 

And I’ll give a final mention to Sir Chris Hoy. He beat Sir Steve Redgrave’s leading total of 5 olympic golds by winning 2 golds and claim his 6th Gold Medal. The final race for that 6th race was unbelievably tense and he done brilliantly, when it appeared he may lose it, to regain himself and keep pushing on to win it. The emotion Chris showed at the end of the race in receiving his medal summed the games up and it was a great scene to see Sir Steve Redgrave come down and greet him too.

 

There are many more Olympians and Paralympians I draw inspiration from too! But those four particularly had me on the edge of my seat. I’m very proud to be British and I’m very proud to be running a mad challenge that will see me cover the length and many areas of GREAT BRITAIN. From within me when taking on challenges I have previously managed to always find a flame inside of me to give me that drive to succeed, that flame – burning within like the Olympic/Paralympic flame – is called human spirit. My hat goes off to these guys for showing what Human Spirit means!

 

LIKE GBR 30/30 Challenge and follow event on facebook www.facebook.com/GavGbr3030

 

www.gbrnutrition.com

Bringing the Torch to the Palace

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Being an Olympic Torchbearer was a true honour and in seeing the success of Team GB through the London 2012 Olympic Games made me very proud to have been a small part of it. Running Ultra-Marathons and doing the things I do for diabetes is another part of my life that I have real pride from as I do it all for Diabetes, something which changed my life when I was a little boy. And if there was one more thing I could add to that… it would be an applause from the fans of Crystal Palace FC around the stadium…

As a kid I always wanted to be a professional footballer and dreamed about being the captain of Crystal Palace and England. So for me, to go out and get an applause from all around the San Siro of London… Selhurst Park, especially standing in front of the large Holmesdale stand on a matchday, it couldn’t get any better than that!


In terms of me the footballer… no it never worked out. In some ways I gave up on that old dream as a teenager to get into my charity work and crazy ultra-marathon runs, but personally I played a good level – I played a semi-pro level in the Kent Youth League for Dartford FC (a side I know from being there they will soon break into the football league with their facilities) and also Pheonix Sport FC. One thing about me the footballer was that I had a lot of heart on the pitch, I was the Dougie Freedman figure of Crayford Arrows Sports Club, who now are joint with Erith & Belvedere FC and the all-weather training pitch they have to play on was funded by an award I won for my commitment to that team back in the day! I left there as a League champ! But my only real pro-football playing experience was a header hitting the bar against the Gillingham FC academy as a 15 year old for the Darts… if only that went in!

In watching the game on Saturday Vs Watford, the Championship Season Opener for us, the team could have done with some of my heart to tell the truth, the performance was dreadful. Watford even handed Palace 2 goals and still we didn’t seem to want to know. Losing it 3-2 was a big disappointment with the 2 goals coming in the last 2 minutes – but I have to admit we were not good enough. Dougie (CPFC manager) got it wrong on the day, in that heat subs were needed and preferably not David Wright (no offence Wrighty) but it was just a move that said come on Watford have a go, instead of bringing on a bit of pace and flair from the youth players on the bench and ripping into their poor defence. So the game was bad, but I do urge fellow Palace supporters to remain behind the team and Dougie Freedman, he was my childhood hero and I’m sure he can turn it around as he always done through his playing career. (we’ve only played 1 game!)


My moment on the match day was at half time. Community day was on so before the match I arrived early with my Palace fan parents, and posed for a couple of photos in my white London 2012 tracksuit and Olympic Torch. The weather was ridiculously hot, but fortunately my seat in the Main Stand was in the shade. There I sat by a group of youngsters, the Crystal Palace U10 academy players. They were asking for my autograph, I think in a few years time I might be wanting their autographs! (they probably could have done a better job then the team on the pitch to be honest…) At half time I went down to the pitch with my Torch, that I had wrapped in a Red & Blue Palace scarf, and after a few pics with the Olympic Volunteers, another Torchbearer and Team GB 400m Sprinter Martyn Rooney, we all done a lap of honour around the pitch joined by the CPFC cheerleaders The Crystals. I did offer Martyn a race but he was dressed to impress not to race, so I think I won by a forfit ;)

I couldn’t let any of the Palace fans down so every time someone asked for a photo, a high five, handshake, hug or just wanted a chat, I felt I had to do so… I was enjoying it all too much. Also had to show my appreciation to the B block by worshipping them for a moment. Credit to the Watford fans too, they all applauded as well and despite me patting my red and blue scarf on the torch to them, they still applauded! It was a great reception all round and it was probably the highlight of the match (from a Palace point of view). I did fall considerably behind the rest of the walking group because I was too into the crowd, but it was good to make the most of it! The second half kicked off before I finished and I was tempted to go and sit in the dugout next to Dougie and the subs, but ended up taking back my seat. I now regret doing that as I could have sat there and said “make a sub…”

A big thanks from me to Sharon Lacey who set the community event up and to all at Palace, the Crystals, the Fans all amazing – and to the team… pull your sleeves up next game!

To all with diabetes who read my blogs, this just goes to show that diabetes can’t stop you from achieving your dreams really – I might not be a footballer for Palace but I walked around the pitch to an applause, which kind of ticks a box for me and it all started the day I got diabetes and rolled my own sleeves up to say this isn’t going to stop me from living, believing and achieving, which is what earned me the honour of carrying the Olympic Flame!

The Olympic Torch Relay

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Thursday 19th July 2012 will be a day I will remember for the rest of my life…

The London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay. When the games were announced to be in London for this memorable year back in 2005, I was just a kid in Year 9 at school that got sent around the Maths block to inform the other classes that were already aware of the news. In 2008 I started a string of crazy endurance challenges to aid and inspire others with the same condition I had, in diabetes, that saw my nomination to be one of the 8000 torchbearers get selected. I took on a 29 mile run around the Thanet coastal route at the age of 17 to raise funds for my struggling diabetes clinic’s children unit, and to my own surprise smashed it in a timing of 3 hour 1 minute. I had great support from school friends and my family. My next challenge targetted the Isle of Wight for Diabetes UK, a 70 mile coastal route with some extreme hills, in 2009. Unfortunately the weather was very much against me with constant rain and fog, followed by a diabetic hypo attack which saw me hit the floor. I continued off schedule the next day but managed to finish 50 of the 70 miles. A year later I had a hunger to come back to the Isle and complete this challenge, so again for Diabetes UK I took on the Isle in a weekend. This time, 2010, I pulled through it with a sprint finish like I had done in 2008, however, on the final day of running I suffered damage to my knee cartilage and had to push my pain barriers to the limits, particularly when sprinting the final 100 meters. I didn’t run through 2011 as a consequence, but in being an adrenaline-junkie made a come back in April 2012 for type 1 diabetes charity JDRF to take on running a 44 mile coastal route from Hastings to Brighton, over Beachy Heads 530ft upwards and the repeated cliffs for 5 miles after it. I came down very unwell through the day and suffered a 2.8 level hypo, which in taking onboard a load of carbohydrate snacks to pick my blood glucose levels back up, had me vomiting several times through the day. After 8 hours and 45 minuts of endurance I completed the run, and in terms of stamina I felt I could continue if I wanted to, but I added another sprint finish!

I heard the news I’d been shortlisted to be a torchbearer in autumn 2011, but never really expected to get it. When it was announced via email that the torchbearers had been offered a place in late December (not back in 63…) I checked my email and didn’t see anything, however, had a gut feeling just to check my ‘SPAM’ mail section. And there I found an email titled LONDON 2012 and opened it up to read the good news… and fall off my chair in shock!

The day was incredible. I’d seen it on the news each evening, the crowds of people out on the streets cheering and supporting the torchbearers carrying the Olympic Flame, it really appeared to be massive worldwide, and something that really gives a sense of pride to being British in that respect, no other nation in the World could give quite such a great reaction. In the morning I went down with my supportive household family, with my sister Kaylie having turned down contracts to be there for the event, and also a few friends followed along the motorway, Nicky, who also has Type 1 diabetes and I’ve tried my best over the years to help his control out – something he is slowly getting better at – and also Sharna who has been my most supportive friend through every challenge. Whilst having an early breaky in a Margate cafe with my early supporters, I was also joined by some of my family that live down there in aunt Tracy and my cousin jess and her boyfriend Rob. It meant a lot to me that they would be there, especially Tracy, as they’ve also always been very supportive of me in my challenges and last year we lost uncle Michael, it is something the family will never totally get over but everyone has been there for Tracy and as a family unit everyone has stuck close, and I’m proud of them all for that. By taking part in the relay I hoped to make them proud and I’m sure Michael was watching over with a smile and pint of guiness.

After a briefing at the Thanet Council in Margate the Torchbearers all got onto the Torchbearer Bus that would take us to our torchbearing destinations, through all the busy crowds! In taking a seat one of the torchbearers asked me if it was ok for her to sit next to me, there was something recognisable about her but I couldn’t quite think at that moment, and then we took turns to stand up on the bus and tell a little bit about our stories. It turned out that the woman sat next to me was Britain’s first swimming World Champion, Karen Pickering, MBE and 4x Olympian. Famous Thanet-based artist, Tracy Emin, was also on the bus! The bus was crazy, it felt like being in the Royal family with all these crowds of people we were driving past and waving to. It was a great honour to be a part of it. On my stop I didn’t quite know what to expect, it was one thing being on the bus and seeing all the supporters waving away, but to be out there with the torch in hand with all the screaming supporters and seeing everyone, it was just amazing! I spotted my family members, my cousins Charis, Brad and Amie were all about, and uncles Alan, Keith and Darren, aunts Liz and Sharon, and baby cousin Henry, my Nan Griff whose always been there at my challenges, and other Nan who lives nearby, my Grandad Bruce and Pauline, Tracy’s mum and my adopted nan June, my mate Matt and his girlfriend Lauren, friends Teri and Amy from my school/sixth form days and also Mia, who missed the first part of it but made the journey down, also Teresa, aunt Sylvie, Tony, it was just great support all round! My friends and family ran the distance with me, I was so overwhelmed I lost any kind of plan in my mind as the flame arrived and I held it on my torch. I ran, I probably should have slowed down, my dad was zig-zagging all over the place trying to keep up and take photos! The crowds were just amazing, I high fived people, and I tried to keep everyone involved punching the air and shouting “come on!” it may have only been 300 meters, and for an ultra-marathon runner that is not far, but it seemed to last a long while. It was so surreal yet the smile on my face was there to been seen and I couldn’t control it. At the end of my stretch I passed the flame onto the next torchbearer for his moment to shine, then got back onto the torchbearer bus to see the others who each had a cheshire cat smile like mine!

Seeing my family and friends afterwards was great and had I have charged every person who approached me £1 for a photograph afterwards, I’d be a millionaire! I went to the Hussar pub in Westgate before moving on to Broadstairs with everybody to eat and have another drink at the Albion. I got stopped by every person I saw, and even at Westgate, when walking to meet my family, was pulled into a school to take some photos with the kiddies. I’ve been speaking to a number of Primary Schools lately so this was something I’ve been getting used to – but I had more photos with the staff than the kids! And on Broadstairs beach I was also speaking to a number of people and posing for more photos, but I loved it.

I was going to announce my next challenge on the day, but these things take planning and I want my exact sponsor details and targets confirmed first for a challenge of this size. It concerns most areas of the UK and the month of November, which has World Diabetes Day on 14th. More to come soon…

Diabetes UK – The Big Event

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On Saturday 14th July 2012 it was the Diabetes UK Big Event at the University of Warwick just outside Coventry. Being involved with the new UK Young Leaders for Diabetes UK I travelled up from my area in South East London on Friday 13th July to stay over on campus at the university, and be fresh and ready come the next morning…

I arrived in Coventry early at 1pm, which I wasn’t expecting, and so after a brief walk about the City Centre I decided to hop on the University bus and check in. I have to say no offence to any person reading from Coventry, but the Cathedral appeared a decent view… it suddenly crashed downhill after that. Not a place I’ll rush back to visit too soon…

I checked into my room and found that I was the first to arrive of all the Young Leaders, there is twenty of us and I am the type you’d expect to be late to my own funeral – I didn’t know what to do with myself! Fortunately Hannah arrived around twenty minutes later and we went to get a coffee, where we bumped into a few of the Diabetes UK employees. Laura the Ninja-betic, Martyn and Kevin soon showed up on site and we soon decided it would be good to check out the campus amusements (the pub…). One of the best parts of what I enjoyed about being involved with the Young Leaders group is that we are all from different areas around the UK, for example the four mentioned so far are from Manchester, Portsmouth, Shropshire and Dunfermline, yet, we all have that distinctive similarity in being diabetic (and we’re all type 1 coinsidently), and in being young adults that have that similarity I found that gave us all an extra bit of togetherness. Well I certainly was bonding…

Zoe Scott also was one of the first on the scene and it was good to finally meet her, she is involved with Hedgie Pricks which supplies an intersting psychological service for people with diabetes. And soon there were a whole bunch of us from all kinds of places, even flying over from Northern Ireland in Mairead’s and Caroline’s cases. Thomas Jones – guess where he is from! Unfortunately the dia-welshman was on crutches and not able to sing! I’ve always had my own way… well I was going to continue that sentence, but that is enough said, I’ve always had my own way! This way perhaps is pretty forward, especially where pretty blonde Irish barmaids called Rosie are concerned, but it sure was good to socialise the way we did that night and I felt for many of us it kind of bought the group together more. Maybe not for Tim though, as I bought him a shot of vodka with chili and tabasco sauce in it without explaining the ingredients…

The productive side of this event was on the Saturday, after all our socialising time had concluded. The Big Event was sure well decorated by all from Diabetes UK involved, with balloons, banners, and a good layout for speakers and businesses and all kinds of diabetes info taking place. We were not inside the main area for this event through most of the day, as there was our own set agenda to take place in making progress with our own plans as this new Young Leader committee with Alex and Matt the main people in charge of this from D.UK. After discussing some important parts of our plans we also had the pleasure of hearing a few senior, high-up Diabetes UK members talk to us, such as Barbara Young the Chief Exc. I also spoke to Barbara earlier in the morning regarding my upcoming event, and it was interesting to hear direct from her the plans Diabetes UK are currently negotiating, and I look forward to further discussions with her in the future about my challenge. Barbara comes across to me as the kind that goes out and gets the job done, down to earth but knowing what is needed, I could relate to this and although my personal personality is maybe more wild side, I like that attitude she has and have grown to adopt this over the years myself. I call these people do-ers, Ray Ramnath from GBR Nutrition is a do-er, he speaks to people and approaches good contacts without fear, same for Paul Farrelly. I’ve learned from these people, and yes, I did actually say to Barbara “you are a do-er”…

I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye to everybody as I was whisked off by a film team late in the day for an interview, and we had to have 30 takes as it was a good shot looking over the hall for the event, but unfortunately right next to the toilets. I also sniffed about and approached a few interesting and diabetes-related businesses that were packing up regarding sponsorship for my challenge soon to be announced! As mentioned, I’ve learned from Ray Ramnath and Paul Farrelly… watch this space!

(Me processing my thoughts the morning after…)

 

Professional Advice: Diabetes and Endurance

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How to control Diabetes levels when facing hard Endurance challenges

With a big challenge ahead of World Diabetes Day 2012 in the planning stages and to soon be announced, the best solution in terms of diabetes control through an endurance challenge of this callibre (and I can only tell you that it will be an absolute monster of a challenge) is to see the best.

I like being seen at Queen Mary’s Hospital in Sidcup and have attended the diabetes clinic there since being diagnosed aged 8, however, it has to be said that the standard of care I had when a child and through my younger years was far superior to the standard of care as an adult, depending on certain Doctors. Jan Karla and Sarah Putney, the diabetes children nurses at my clinic, are brilliant. The Doc I currently have, well, to put it blunt… I might as well call myself Dr. Gavin, as I go in and say how my levels have been, suggest what I should do to improve on and make every decision myself, whilst she nods her head like a Dodo - basically… there is no point in going!

And this brings me to seeing the professionals. On Tuesday 3rd July I had my first appointment with Dr. Ian Gallen and his team at Wycombe Hospital in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. It took around 3 hours of travelling across the capital to get there but it was well worth the journey. I spoke with Dr. Alistair Lumb and when first entering the room I wasn’t sure what to expect, I’d heard many good things even from Sir Steve Redgrave at the Cellnovo Rowing Event last month, but I sure didn’t expect to be engaged in conversation and talking over details for an hour and 40 minutes! It was 1 hour and 40 minutes to good use!

Here are some facts I found out more about through our chat:

When exercising with diabetes it can have 2 opposite effects on the body depending on the kind of endurance/exercise. For instance, if involved in a sport such as football in which there’s heavy competitive sprinting involved, a kind of stop-start performance endurance, the blood glucose levels can rise despite the energy levels being burned. This is because exercise burns fat and glucose, but in sprinting/speed-endurance sports fat isn’t burned as much, the body concentrates on burning glucose. So with glucose being burned rapidly in the body a reaction is caused that produces more glucose in the body to deal with it; for a normal person more insulin will be provided by the pancreas to counteract that and the sports-person is able to keep control, however, with diabetes no insulin is produced therefore a burst of glucose makes blood levels go higher.

Although the blood glucose levels (BGL) will rise it will only be temporarily, energy being burned means that the BGL will decrease in time; so say if a game of football sees the BGL rise over 10.0 when checking it after the game, a few hours later a hypo (4.0 and under) still will probably occur.

On the other hand, which from what I will be taking on in my challenge (that is soon to be announced publicly) is more what I have to monitor, longer endurance exercising such as marathon running, where a constant pace is set and energy is being burned at a consistant level, glucose is burned in the body but so too is more fat. And the body has many areas of fat, inside each muscle, particuarly the legs, which will be burned. This causes a reaction which lowers blood glucose levels, the energy is gradually being burned and the fat levels are being worn down. When this happens the body doesn’t react by producing glucose and insulin to cover it as there isn’t a sudden adrenaline/hormonal burst in the system to cause that kind of reaction, this means that over time energy levels will drop and blood glucose levels will lower, meaning with diabetes a hypo during the exercise/endurance is on the cards.

To deal with that I need an intake of energy; sports drinks can provide this. Weighing just over 10 stone at present I will need an intake of around 60gs of carbs during each hour to counteract the burned energy and keep BGL controlled. If out of carbs a good method to temporarily rise BG Levels back up, until a source of energy at a check point is again available, is to put in a sudden sprint for 10 seconds to get the body producing glucose.

…Interesting!

A number of people over the years have come to Ian Gallen and Alistair Lumb for advice and help in controlling their diabetes through extreme, crazy and gruelling endurance challenges. They say it is a good thing that the people who come to them ask about whether or not their DIABETES will be ok and managable in doing these challenges, instead of asking whether THEY will be ok doing these challenges!

Cellnovo Event with Sir Steve Redgrave. Tue 5th June 2012

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I was delighted to hear from Claire Pesterfield, lead UK diabetes paediatric nurse, that Cellnovo had invited me to attend a Rowing day with Sir Steve Redgrave at Dorney Lake in Eton, just outside of Windsor. Dorney Lake is the location in which the Olympic Rowing Games will be held for London 2012. In the year 2000 a memorable moment occurred in British sporting history in the Sydney Olympic Games, when Steve Redgrave won his fifth GOLD medal in as many Olympics to become the greatest British Olympian ever. It was also the year I was diagnosed as a Type 1 diabetic and did not really understand or know what exactly the illness was, so when coming to terms with the change in lifestyle as an 8 year old, one of the biggest things on the news a few months later was Steve’s accomplishment as a recently diagnosed diabetic; it was something which really encouraged me and provided my positive attitude towards having diabetes.

In light of this event I was interested in Cellnovo, an insulin pump company with high-tech advances to the design, something I wanted to find more about – particularly as an extreme sportsman. On top of this I was interested in having Cellnovo involved with my next challenge which will be EXTREME! and so I requested for Paul Farrelly, the 6’7 cyclist and Type 1 diabetic who may be cycling in support of me during that challenge, to also attend. Paul came along, however, concerns should have came to mind when it was announced that groups were mainly based in height order – with me a short enough 5’8 heighted marathon runner, finding out I was in the same category as Paul!
Further alarm bells rang when it was our turn out on the lake… Sir Steve asked what the groups were and five went over to one boat, leaving four of us remaining for the other boat; myself and Paul being two, along with two keen young learners being the other half of our team (they must have been aged between 11-13). I was always one to spend the majority of my maths classes as a teen moving to different tables mainly situated in front of the teacher (through no fault of my own), but this just didn’t seem to add up with the distinctive weight imbalance! The great man himself was to be our front-man in the boat, however, something cropped up and Steve briefly left the scene to attend another boat, leaving us in the safe hands of an experienced rowing instructor…


Moments before entering the boat I turned to Reman, who is the founder of Cellnovo, and asked:
“Can you hold my phone please? I have a tendency to end up in the water…”

It was a joke of course, and Reman laughed with her reply: “yes I can hold it, but don’t worry these boats never go over!”

In we stepped, entering the 4-person-row carefully, in the manner we were instructed to by holding both the ores together with one hand and holding the boat in place with the other; everybody made it into the boat safely and we were all set to begin rowing! Then, suddenly, a problem we were not quite prepared for occurred… Paul got his RIGHT confused with his LEFT and, with his lengthy arms, dug his ore downwards through the rollick the wrong way, which rocked the boat slightly; not to worry, with three others, although two considerably lesser weight than the tall-cyclist, and myself nowhere near his equal, just a temporary wobble… In the confusion I must confess to making a bad mistake, for some reason common sense went out the rowing boat and I joined Paul in lowering the LEFT ore, believing it would even things out…

Oh – it evened things out alright; in fact our rowing boat became more an Argentine footballer in the lake, capsizing completely! From the back of the boat I could only watch as Paul tumbled into the water, followed by our two young sailing partners and, before anything offensive could slip out of my mouth, I too was under the water! When I arose and we all managed to pull ourselves onto the platform, I believe I heard the voice of Steve Redgrave:
“In 35 years of rowing I’ve never seen a 4-person-row tip over like that!”
Maybe it was partly because through all those years of achievements in rowing, he’d never come across Paul Farrelly and myself in a boat! I guess Paul should stick to extreme cycling, and I should really stick to crazy distance running!

It was a very eventful day, I met some interesting individuals and it was also great to see so many young people with diabetes out there, active and enjoying themselves. Some good contacts were also made which could be very beneficial towards my next challenge. There was also also a upcoming rower with type 1 diabetes, Fred Gill, there, who raced for Cambridge against Oxford this year – possible future Redgrave? And also Ben Coker of Colchester United. To top it all I got to shake the hand of the man who pretty much inspired me to be who I am today back when I was that 8 year old kid. The last thing I said to him before he headed home for a well deserved rest:

“Sorry about the boat Steve!”

The UK Young Leaders Assemble

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On Saturday 19th of May Diabetes UK staged a meeting which brought together a group of 20 inspirational and determined people with diabetes, aged between 16 and 30, from all areas of the United Kingdom, to become the Young Leaders. I was very pleased to be a part of this group.

There were a variety of characters amongst the 20 young leaders to be, each with different ideas and experiences to share in a young group that has the potential to raise awareness to diabetes amongst the entire ‘in-between’ category of those older than the childhood care years but under the mature age range, and ultimately help and improve healthcare for young adult diabetics throughout the UK, as well as provide a social impact.

Plans were discussed and developed in groups, and a key one which everyone appeared to be in an agreement with was creating PACKS to be handed out by the NHS for each newly diagnosed young diabetic in the UK, with Diabetes UK’s backing this is a real possibility, something which can bring young people into life as a diabetic with more of a cushion, showing that diabetes is not the end of anything, that the care is there and it can be controlled, and above all that there are others in the same boat who are able to be contacted – and that fun can be provided to it as well whilst learning more.

By fun, we also discussed event ideas, such as weekend trips away and holiday ideas, where young people with diabetes can come together and talk about everything in a relaxed environment, meet new people who share the same main issue in their lives, diabetes, and all the while go out and enjoy themselves.

It was just the start of future plans, however, I get the feeling that a lot of positives can come from this for all people with diabetes aged from 16-30, and that’s not to say for those outside of that age range as well. We will slowly make good improvements for care and lifestyles for those with diabetes here in the UK!