I never wanted diabetes to be the headline at a race. I did not want people looking at me like I had shown up with a built-in excuse. I wanted the same starting line as everybody else: nervous legs, loud heart, shoes tied, watch ready, and a little voice saying, "Go see what you have today."
The truth is, I believe I can run just as well with diabetes. I just have to run smarter. And, if I am being honest, diabetes has probably made me try harder.
The Old Plan Was Basically Candy and Hope
When I first started running, my plan for going low was not exactly championship-level strategy. I would try to feel the drop coming, keep some candy in my pocket, and eat it when I thought I was getting low.
That sounds simple until you are actually out there. Your legs are working, your breathing is up, adrenaline is buzzing, and your body is sending twenty different signals at once. More than once, I did not catch the low fast enough.
That is when I learned the hard lesson: waiting until the crash starts is not a plan. It is a coin toss in running shoes.
Then I Started Fueling Before the Problem
For shorter 5K runs and races, I found that eating a banana about a half hour before running could help. It gave me something slower to work with while I adjusted my medication approach around the run.
That worked pretty well for shorter efforts. But once I wanted to run longer distances, the old setup needed an upgrade. Longer runs ask more questions. Diabetes adds a few bonus questions just to keep things interesting.
I had to adjust my food intake, talk through medication timing, carry gels, pay attention to hydration, and stop pretending I could just "feel it" perfectly every time.
The CGM Changed the Game
Continuous glucose monitoring has been a huge help. I still have to pay attention, but now I can look at the trend instead of guessing from vibes and sweat.
On longer runs, I take the time to stop and check my monitor. If I see that I am starting to drop, I take a gel before the situation turns dramatic. That little pause can feel annoying in the moment, especially when you want to keep moving, but it is a lot better than trying to rescue a run after the bottom falls out.
And if something does not feel right, it is okay to stop and walk. There is no shame in backing off when your body is telling you to pay attention. One run is not worth forcing a bad situation, and there is always another day to lace up and try again.
I do not think of the pause as weakness. I think of it as strategy. Every runner has to manage something: pace, breathing, heat, hills, cramps, nerves. I manage glucose too.
Hydration Is Not Optional
For long runs, I like using a water vest so I know I have enough with me. Hydration matters for every runner, but for me it is one of those things I do not play around with.
If I lose too much water, I can feel awful fast, and heart palpitations are not exactly the race-day soundtrack anyone is hoping for. Even at the start of longer runs or races, I begin drinking early, sometimes around the first mile. I would rather stay ahead of it than try to catch up later.
Race Day Used to Be a Whole Production
I still remember my first Ironman 70.3. This was before my setup became simpler. I had finger-stick glucose monitors planted all over the place: one for the swim start, one for the bike start, one for the run start, and one I carried with me on the bike and run.
I would stop at aid stations to check my glucose. Picture it: I am in a hurry, hands shaking, trying to prick my finger and get blood on the strip while the race keeps moving without me.
It was not glamorous. It was not smooth. It was not the kind of thing they put in the highlight video. But I made it work. Sometimes that is the whole story: not perfect, not pretty, still moving.
Technology Helps, But It Still Takes Respect
Technology has come a long way, and I am grateful for it. A CGM does not run the miles for me, but it gives me better information. Gels do not solve everything, but they give me a tool. A water vest does not make me invincible, but it helps me stay prepared.
The goal is not to pretend diabetes is easy. It is not. The goal is to respect it enough to plan for it, then refuse to let it shrink what I believe I can do.
Type 2 Runners Need a Plan Too
Running with Type 2 diabetes can bring its own challenges, especially for people using medication that affects blood sugar. Not everyone can adjust medication around a workout, and no one should be guessing with that part.
For some runners, food timing or adding carbs before activity may be part of the conversation. But that conversation belongs with a doctor or qualified diabetes care professional, especially if lows are a risk. The win is not being reckless. The win is building a plan that lets you move with confidence.
What Running Has Taught Me
Running has taught me that diabetes is loud, but it is not the only voice in the room. There is also discipline. There is preparation. There is stubbornness. There is joy. There is that moment when your body settles into the rhythm and you remember you are not just managing a condition. You are living.
Some runs are messy. Some are strong. Some require a stop, a gel, a water break, a monitor check, and a quick attitude adjustment. That is fine. The finish line does not ask whether the run was convenient. It asks whether you kept going.
So yes, I run with diabetes. I plan. I check. I fuel. I hydrate. I adjust. Then I line up anyway.
A Few Things I Hope Runners Remember
Guessing lows is risky. Pay attention early instead of waiting until you feel awful.
Fueling before the run can matter. For me, a banana before shorter runs helped, while longer runs required more planning.
Carry backup fuel. Gels can be useful during longer runs when glucose starts dropping.
Hydrate early. Waiting until you are already behind can make the run much harder.
Use the tools available. CGM data, smart fueling, and a realistic plan can make running feel less like guessing.
Work with your care team. Medication and exercise decisions are individual, especially for Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
The Real Finish Line
The real victory is not pretending diabetes is not there. It is showing up with your eyes open. It is respecting the condition without surrendering your ambition to it.
Diabetes may change the way I run, but it does not get to cancel the run.
Educational note: This article is based on personal experience and is not medical advice. Diabetes care, medication, food, and exercise decisions should be made with guidance from a qualified healthcare professional.