• 25 October 2016
• Healthy Living

The Animas Sports & Exercise Weekend took place on the 8 - 9 October 2016 at Loughborough University. The programme has been developed by Dr Ian Gallen and Dr Alistair Lumb and is aimed at adults living with Type 1 diabetes, who have a passion for sport and want to learn more about managing their diabetes whilst exercising.  One of our members, Mark Straw attended this years event and had this to say.

"I have loved all sorts of sport - swimming, rugby, cycling since first being diagnosed at age 11. However it has only been in the last 8 years when I have competed seriously in Masters, swimming at 3 European and 2 World Championships, that the limitations of Diabetes has become apparent.

The main problems I found were ;

1. Blood sugars dropping rapidly when training.

2. Blood sugars rising very quickly when competing.

3. Replacing glucose on days when I double train, typically cycling in the morning and swimming in the evening.

Whilst my GP is very capable she was unable to answer my specific sporting questions. The Animas Sporting Weekend was the answer.

The weekend was a mixture of theory talks from Dr Lumb (Diabetes Sport Doctor) and James Moran (Specialist Diabetes Dietician) and 

sporting activities of Cross country running, Spinning (my 35 mile cycles are easy compared to this) and Circuit training on the Sunday where we were able to put theory into practice.

Whilst I learnt a lot from the theory and practice sessions, the best bit was mixing with 39 other Type 1 keen sports men and women and knowing that I'm not the only one.

The Sunday session was closed with Animas Sports Awards - Champion Runner, Champion Cyclist and Champion Circuit Trainer. I nearly fell off my chair when they announced my name for the Champion Cyclist award. Just proves that any of us can succeed.

To conclude, the weekend was great and I need to give a huge thank you to Vanessa Middleton (Diabetes Nurse Basingstoke Hospital) for phoning me and advising me of the course.

My story has only been brief however if anyone wants more specific details just ask me at one of our meetings."

If you think this is for you then register your interest here.>>