Based on the rise from start to finish, it looks like that is too long.
Maybe 15 minutes is not right for you either ( ), but let’s work on finding a good middle-ground there.
I told you to set it longer so it would not turn back on in the middle of your run, but just make sure to restart it when you are finished. That helps reduce the spike after you finish!
For long runs, I try to set mine to turn back on about 15 minutes before I am scheduled to finish. For example, for a 60 minute run I might set a 1 hour ZB, wait 15 minutes and then start running, so that it returns with 15 minutes left.
All kinds of ways to do it, just find a system that works for you. But I suggest shortening that ZB time before the run a good bit. And then time it so that it returns.
You can also just reset it once you know you are about to start. Like set if for a few hours, get dressed, get ready, get on the treadmill, and then reset it so that the ZB will finish a little bit before you finish your run. Hope that makes sense.
I’m thinking this might be a good strategy for many of my runs. I won’t need it on the easy or short stuff, but I’ve been bolusing toward the end of the longer ones and again once I’ve finished… and still have climbed. I was getting into the habit, before I got hurt, of doing a one hour ZB before heading out the door and then just suspending once the hour was up. I would end the suspend as soon as I finished and bolus for the missed basal and for the carbs I wanted to eat. It was a good routine, but I’ve never managed to get it organized again since I’ve been back running…
But I can.
Come to think of it, if a solid hour was working well before the injury, but my runs have gotten longer… what would that mean for what I should be doing now?? My brain is mush. I’ve spent it all helping my kid with his science fair project.
For the easy or long slow runs, try a ZB that starts one hour before the run, and lasts throughout the entire run, except for the last 15 minutes when it turns back on.
For the speedwork, you can turn the basal back on early in the run. Go by feel.
The problem with going “by feel” on that is that it feels counterintuitive. It feels like I’m going to have a bigger, faster, harder crash with speedwork… but I’m guessing this is because of the cortisol spike I’ve been watching for?? And just how early? If it’s a five mile run, where would you try turning it back on??
For speedwork, let’s go by reps. Where you feel like you are getting around 7 for a few minutes, that’s when you might start to look for a spike. Like it might be the 2nd or 3rd rep.
But even though I feel like it all fits with my couple of runs this and last week, we still aren’t calling those cortisol spikes… because the ZB prior to the run has been too long. So the plan then will be to pick a routine and try it and then see about what’s happening at a couple of minutes at 7…
I think when you are doing the speedwork repeats, after a couple of reps at that RPE, you can turn on your basal without any problem. Especially if basal has been off for 45 or 60 minutes or so.
So I was organized today and started up an hour of ZB before I was heading out for my run. My BG was stable at about 100 the entire time (confirmed by 75 finger sticks I took while testing out a couple of meters)
Anyway. I actually paid attention to the time left on my temp basal and made sure to switch it to a regular suspend with 16 minutes left. I was on the treadmill within minutes at a starting BG of 114. I took my pump off and left it on the charger and wore only my meter. I had 10g of carbs as I hit start and was at a 120 at 1.3 miles. At 2 miles I was 95, at 2.5 87, at 3 91, and at 3.5 85. I didn’t take any carbs at all. I couldn’t, and didn’t need to, do a bolus before the run was finished because my pump wasn’t on me, but I did do a unit and a half when I got off just to cover the missed basal. I added a unit about 15 minutes later and had a banana. My BG has been great since.
RPE was maybe a 4 today. I’ve been getting a little nervous about the hills in the race and… don’t be mad… added a couple of small inclines to today’s run. Little ones. Not even worth any discussion really. Hips felt great. And I think that’s it…
There ya go, you got it nailed! BG management sounds perfect today! Right?
Just perfect. You did it exactly right. A few carbs right before starting, a small drop 2 miles in, no panic, it settles out at 85 at the finish. BG tests, no Dexcom, remembering what do do with your basal. Perfect stuff!
Feels good, huh?
Don’t worry about the hills. We will get into them next week. For now, save your legs a bit for Saturday.
Wait… I do have a question. I’ve been thinking about this for a couple of weeks and keep forgetting by the time I sit down…
So I understand that when you get behind on a climbing blood sugar, it can take more insulin to correct it than if you stay ahead of it. I don’t know if that made sense— but that’s how I understand it.
My question is is the same true for a falling blood sugar? Is it possible to have one get away from you and need more carbs to bring it back than if you had stayed in front of it? I’m not sure that makes sense either. Is it possible for the body to burn up those carbs faster when you don’t time them correctly??
Dang it. I’ve had the question in my mind clear as day, and now I can’t get it right. I can tell you one reason I ask is because I have those energy jelly beans on my treadmill, and there have been times I don’t want 20 grams of carbs but feel like I need a little boost— but I don’t know if a 3g boost even exists?? Does it get burned up right away?? Would it make more sense to wait 10 more minutes and have all 20? Or can waiting put me at risk for having to play catch up??
I hope you can figure out what I’m trying to ask because I can’t.
Those beans will not be as fast as a drink or a gel. Your stomach has to churn it up, which takes more time than a liquid carb. (Really, one of the fastest things you can use is Gatorade Prime. But that comes in a 23 gram pouch, which you might not need all the time.)
3 grams can help, but…if you are dropping quickly, it might not do much to help.
And yes, a quickly dropping BG will need more carbs to stop it in time than a slowly dropping one.
It’s like this - 10 grams might be enough to stop the drop and level you out. But 20 grams will stop it faster. But then you have a few extra carbs you did not need.
So if you have time - you are still not very low or it is a slower drop - you can take just what you and it will work fine. The jelly beans can help with that. Or 1/2 a gel pack, or whatever.
But if you do not have time - it is falling quickly or you are already in the tank - do not screw around with trying to take the exact right amount. Take more than you need, that will turn you around quicker.
And then when you get enough practice, you can actually be low, take a big dose of carbs, and take just a small bit of insulin at the same time to cover the carbs that are “too much”. That will fix you faster than anything, I promise.
I heard once of a guy who was in his 50’s and took carbs and insulin at the beginning of a run. You can do that too.
Does that answer your question that you were not sure if you were asking?
So, okay… if I’m hugging a 90, and I have no reason to be afraid of a fast drop or impending climb, would just taking 3 g every couple of minutes— say 10 minutes— be a bad idea??
I think I know what you’re going to say, and I think it’s going to irritate me and probably be right… but you never know.
I absolutely believe this and find myself wanting insulin way earlier in the run than when I’ve actually had the nerve to do it. I’ve been seeing the effects for a long time of a little bit of insulin mixed with a little physical activity. I know it’s good stuff, and I know it doesn’t take much insulin at all. I think I’m ready to do insulin earlier on my next long run— if I need it. This part makes a lot of sense.
Thank you. That makes sense, too. And having the insulin as an option will help me stop worrying about a nasty rebound. I’ve become obsessed with rebounds… and want to smush them then in their tracks.
I thought you were going to answer in a series of hypothetical questions… where all answers had me arriving at the realization I was wrong.
I got it. I know there are many ways to make the soup. Just wanted to make sure my base ingredients were the right ballpark… and that … I wasn’t starting with… anything really nasty like… goose.
), but let’s work on finding a good middle-ground there.
Not yet at least.
