Whatever level you’re running out, check out Jess Baker’s guide to training for the City2Surf. There’s universally useful stuff in here for all runners, with some particularly good guidance for beginners and intermediates.
City 2 Surf training program (and endurance running tips)
4 thoughts on “City 2 Surf training program (and endurance running tips)”
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run, eat, sleep, run. 
I am planning to run G2Gultra.com in 2014. If unfamiliar, it’s a 167mile race from Grand Canyon to Grand escalante staircase. It is a stage race. I am a T1diabetic. Currently using a Minimed Pardigm pump. How do you handle the logistics of possible pump problems? Do you carry backup pump supplies? Syringes? Etc.? What pump are you using and why?
Hi Dan. Here’s what I did for the 4 Deserts (this is a refined version – I made mistakes along the way and I could have certainly carried even less, but am risk averse on T1 management in remote locations):
1. Animas Pump x 1. You can probably talk to someone from MedTronic about borrowing a test pump for the week if you want backup. At the very least, make sure your pump is serviced and in good working order before you go.
I use the Vibe because I like Animas’ display, I’ve been happy with my 2020, and it’s great to now have CGMS on board with DexCom4. As long as your Minimed can handle dust, heat, and buckets of sweat, it should be fine too. Just don’t put any pump through the high electromagnetic field of the body scanners at the airport on the way. They can zap your display.
2. Batteries. Make sure all batteries in your meters and pump are lithium if it’s an option and put them in just the week before you go.
3. Multiple meters. Carry at least 2 meters, and make sure all strips are in-date. This nearly screwed me up in the Gobi, where my Roche Mobile cartridges had all expired by about 3 weeks and I had to go 10 days on a Nano with no spare batteries and about 70 test strips. Use Snaplok bags to protect your meters from dust/water, and keep them in at least two separate places (e.g. one accessible, one in the top or middle of your pack).
4. Multiple Canulae. I didn’t carry any insertion device, I just put them in manually. And believe it or not I had one for each day, just in case they sweated off or got pulled away by my straps.
5. 3 spare cartridges. Just keep the handle and needle from one cartridge and you can always swap them even though reuse isn’t recommended. Having a spare in case of breakage is always worthwhile.
6. Insulin pen. I carried a Novopen as backup in case of pump failure, but after listening to Gary Scheiner I would say just carry a few spare syringes. You can use them to draw insulin from your pump, go straight into muscle to bring highs down faster if needed, and you won’t have doubts about how fresh their contents are. If you inject manually, detach your pump and dose the same number of units. It’s not entirely accurate, but does give you some measure of IOB later on.
7. Last but not least – insulin! I always carried 2 basal vials just in case of pump fail, and usually about 4 vials of fast-acting, even though I might only get through one in 10 days, when 7 of those are intense. Your insulin sensitivity will increase daily and likely peak on day 4. Carry vials in different places just in case one gets smashed or cooked, and you’ll find the middle of your pack perfectly fine for temperature control.
And have a great run! Here’s the interview I did after with Diabetic Living mag about 4 Deserts https://runeatsleeprun.com/2013/05/12/diabetic-living-magazine-interview/
Jess is the non-T1 runner in the family 🙂
Thanks for the prompt and detailed answer.
Great Blog. Please keep it up. I find it helpful
Dan
Thanks Dan 🙂 it needs more work and regular writing but I just hope it helps someone else finding themselves randomly diagnosed and wondering whether they can still get busy. Make sure to check out Missy Foy, Marcus Grimm, Seb Sasseville and www. ExT1D.com if you haven’t already.