Thursday, December 8, 2011

Should you wear a medical ID bracelet?

Sticky Jewelry is a company in Florida that makes medical alert jewelry. They have a huge selection of bracelets, charms and necklaces.  There are all kinds of styles to choose from, I was provided with a medical alert bracelet and asked if I would wear it and write a lttle something in review.
As for looks this bracelet was super hip and kind of fit my character, laid back and all about the surf and the beach.


Believe it or not, the one thing that bugged me to no end was the litlle beed things that secured the thing to your wrsit . They would get in the way when I played my ukulele and just generally would get hooked up on things. I could see this becoming problem for someone who is active and adventourous. But again, killer design (less the beads) and look, decent functionality. All around I’d give it about a seven.
Do you need to wear one?
I have been a diabetic for seven years or so now and there have been a number of close calls during trainging for a distance paddle event where I crashed hard and could have gone into diabetic coma. I always think what would happen if I had no identification or information regarding my being a type 1 diabetic and a first responder would have not a single clue, that could be the difference between living or dying So it makes sense to me, a medical ID may save your life.
Who should consider wearing one?
Anyone who has a condition that may require special attention in the event of an emergency. For me its diabetes, but there is a list as long as my arm of different examples, heart disease, autism, asthma, food allergies…..
So if this sounds like something that might benefit you or someone you know take a look at the Sticky Jewelry web site, there are so many styles to choose from your sure to find something that you will like.



Monday, November 28, 2011

SUP SURFING – AND LIVING LIFE.....

My love for the Ocean and all things water is something that has helped me through so many tough spots over the years.

Growing up surfing and diving in the South China Sea, water skiing and wake boarding in Lake Tahoe, or running with lava rocks under the crystal blue waters of Hawaii, my heart has always been drawn to the Ocean and all things water.

Whether it's a SUP surf session or a distance paddle on my SUP race board I often find myself looking back at the land, gazing at the coast line in the distance and for a moment all life's worries are there on the shore and not in the water. It's a moment of pure freedom, of pure Aloha!

These photos were taken by a guy on the beach who offered to send them to me, "so stoked on random Aloha!"

There had been a really decent West swell that had been producing some really fun waves for the past week or so. This was the end of the swell but still super fun. The conditions in Coronado were near perfect, sunny, gentle off-shore breeze and consistent waves.

I woke up and was in the water at the crack dawn and proceeded to absolutely tear it up for about 2 1/2 hours before these pics were taken, so I actually was pretty spent and was thinking about a juicy juice.

I love this photo, it clearly shows how well the Infinity Quad SUP board that I'm riding reacts to the water and generates speed through the sections.

Short wave, but still having more fun than ever!

The only thing that I cannot escape while I'm in the water SUP surfing of SUP paddling is the fact that I am  a type1 diabetic and so I take a few precautions prior to a session like this one.

I eat breakfast and drink a bunch of water to be sure I am properly fueled and hydrated, I check my blood sugar and shoot for about 190-200. Then I will paddle out and go for it!

I carry a couple of carbohydrate gel packs under my wet suit collar for an emergency. These gel packs would provide me with plenty of sugar if I were to crash and needed to get back to the beach.

I also am very aware of how I feel physically at all times while I'm surfing, so that if I begin to go hypo-glycemic I will recognize the signs and either paddle in or eat the gels and then head in.

Please remember to be safe and take the time to deal with your diabetes, and you can live life !
Aloha.....

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Stand Up To Your Obstacle...you only live once, so do everything twice!


Gotta Keep Your Head Up.....

It's been awhile since I have posted anything. I have been busy with my own obstacles. After my last visit to the endocronologist I recieved the news that my A1C is at 6.5! But for some unknown reason I have been experiencing extreme highs and lows for the last month. It's been really rough but I think that I might have a grip on managing this silent disease again.

I have been super bummed about the lack of interest of others in helping me to bring awareness to the diabetes epidemic that our country and the world is facing and the lack of support that I have recieved, but thats alright....I will find a way....just gotta keep my head up!

I have been able to get out and enjoy the ocean and do a little SUP surfing this past month and for that I am so greatful and super stoked!

I am almost ready to start my training and racing for the upcoming year, so there will be lots of posts in the future.
Aloha!

Thursday, September 29, 2011

The Rainbow Sandals Gerry Lopez Battle of the Paddle

2011
Doheny State Beach, Dana Point, CA

SUP with Diabetes is an inspirational blog where I share my stories and adventures with Type1 diabetes and Stand up Paddle boarding (SUP). I am trying to beat the odds and turn my diagnosis and passion for SUP racing and surfing into a platform.  As a Type1 diabetic, an Elite and top age group SUP racer I am hoping to inspire and motivate others facing obstacles in their own lives, and too help the world understand diabetes.
This past weekend I competed as an Elite paddler and an age-grouper in what the SUP community considers the premier SUP racing event of the year, the 2011 Rainbow Sandals Jerry Lopez California Battle of the Paddle.

The fourth annual Battle of the Paddle in Dana Point, CA, held on Sept. 24-25, brought out the best Stand Up Paddlers in the world. The extremely competitive races drew approximately 1,000 competitors, who chased the $25,000 prize purse, as well as thousands of local spectators. The weekend’s events were broken into multiple divisions and race types, including elite, long distance, age group races and SUP surf relays.
Thousands of spectators gathered along the shore to watch the Battle of the Paddle.

From North to South the beach was packed!

My first race was the Elite race - heat 1, with only the top half of the 80 or so racers advancing to the Elite finals.
I knew I could paddle the distance without any problem, it’s the speed and intensity of the race that I had to pay attention to. My blood glucose level was about 180, thirty minutes before the start so just about five minutes from the star I drank a bottle of Hint Water combined with a carbohydrate supplement, "good to go".
I got caught up in traffic and never recovered, stayed pretty much in the middle of the pack the whole time.

After a couple of super crazy buoy turns and some massive carnage in the waves and on the beach, I was paddling hard and determined to leave it all on the water.

My blood sugars  would not be an issue due to the short distance short distance . But they could become a factor due to the extra excitement, adrenaline, chaos and the flat out speed of Battle of the Paddle.

The crazy board to beach transition, boards flying, thousands of people screaming, some of the most fun I've had in a while. At this very moment I'm living!
In the end I finished in the middle of the pack and would not advance to the Elite finals.
I grabbed my board and began to prepare for the Open Age group race. My blood glucose was at about 150, I needed to eat so I had a snack and took around 3 – units. With 2 hours until the start I knew I would peak just before. So just prior to the race I tested and was around 120. So I drank another bottle of Hint Water and carbohydrate supplement and ate a Cliff bar.
The start of the Open Age Group race.
I'm feeling great and had a great start.
The bouy turns in the Open race were wild, alot of different paddlers to deal with.
No waves on the way in.

Just about to the beach and the finish.

Jay "Sparky" Longley, Paul Zacharias and Jerry Lopez
2nd Place in the Open Age-Group Race SUP Stk. 40-49 Mens division.
FullResults:

Age Group SUP Individual Results - Stock M40-49

Erik Nordskog of OnIt Pro after my race. Thanks to Erik and OnIt Pro for hooking my board up with Xtreme Cream And Blue goo, its working great I feel like I am flying through the water.

The start of the Elite race.
Just over 80 paddlers who advanced from the earlier heats line up for the start of the
2011 Battle of the Paddle
The start of the race.
This is about thirty seconds after the start. These guys are flying.

This is a great shot from the water at the start.
The carnage and mahem that took place at a few of the bouy turns was off the charts!

Here a wave breaks just as the middle pack is coming around the bouy.
Boards crashing and people flying into the water, this is racing!
Chain reaction!
 Racers and boards handelers.
The run up the sand and through the flagged area.
At the finish Conner Baxter, Jamie Mitchell and Danny Ching.
The Elite awards cerimony.
Elite Race Results:

Jerry Bess, Fernando Stalla and Giordano Capparella.
Jerry Lopez
Paul Zacharias and Jamie Mitchell rockin' the Kaenon Sunglasses.
Jimmy Terrell and Paul Zacharias
The girls of "Lazy Dogs", from Key West.
Hanging with Sandy of the "Lazy Dogs'.
Start of the Distance race on Sunday.
Water start and their off!
10 Miles of fun!
Danny Ching 1st Unlimited
Dave Bohene, Chance Feilder and Slater Trout un-official 2nd place. These guys were playing around on a new board designed for three paddlers, they were named most inspirational.
Results:
Perfect way to end the day....
I met so many interesting people and had the time of my life. I learned a lot during my first attempt at the battle of the Paddle and will try to capitalize on the lessons so that next year I will do better.
Thanks to God, all my sponsors and friends and to Rainbow Sandals and Jerry Lopez for an amazing weekend of Stand Up Paddle racing.

Aloha