Lance's New Regimen

We just made a change to Lance's insulin regimen. When he was diagnosed, the doctors put him on a combination of Humalog (H) and Novolin (N). The Humalog is a fast acting insulin and the Novolin is a long lasting one. It lasts about 10 hours but peaks after about 5 hours. So we used a combination of H and N in the morning. The H counteracts the breakfast carbs and the N would peak around lunchtime to counteract the lunchtime carbs. At dinner we gave an H-shot to counteract dinner carbs and before bed we gave an N-shot to keep him steady throughout the night.

This regimen worked well for us. It had one benefit in that he usually did not need a lunchtime shot. So at school or camp he just needed to be tested but did not need a shot unless he had unusually high blood sugar levels. It also has a drawback. His meal time and carb allotment had to be strictly enforced. All meals had to be at the same time every day. The amount of carbs per meal also had to stay the same. There was no room for adjustments.

We switched to a Lantus regimen. Lantus is a long acting insulin that stays in your system for 24 hours. This is the background insulin that Lance needs. Then, he must take an H-shot at every meal to counteract that meal's carbs. Now there is always a lunch time shot, but our schedule is a little more flexible. Meals do not have to be at the exact same time every day. The amount of carbs can be varied slightly and adjusted for with the amount of insulin if we want. Afternoon and morning snacks are no longer mandatory. This will give Lance a little more independence as he gets older and enters Kindergarten.

WildRide 2011

On May 21 I rode the WildRide 2011. The ride starts in Richardson. There is a 20 mile jaunt to the Lake Lavon Dam, then another 24 miles through the twisty and hilly back roads of Josephine, and then a return across the dam back to the start. The route is 64 miles. I gather at the start with about 2500 other cyclists. At my side is my buddy Ken. The sky is a blanket of clouds and the air is thick with humidity. I secretly hope that the rain will not fall today.

After the anthem the cyclists are off. The first 20 mile leg is the most entertaining. There are so many people to look at: some with crazy helmets, some with crazy recumbent bikes, and some with top-notch racing gear. The pace is fast and you are constantly maneuvering for position by passing slower riders and picking up a draft from the faster riders. There was a patch of gravel road that most were dismounting to cross. I just rode over it to get past a slower pack and caught a group of four that pulled me into the first rest stop. Up to this point I was flying, averaging 18.7 mph for the first 20 miles.

After the break my buddy Ken turned around to complete a 40 mile loop but I pressed on. The second leg wound through the back roads of Wylie, Nevada, and Josephine on the far side of Lake Lavon. The area is serene and beautiful. Unfortunately, here is also where the drizzle started to fall and I had flashbacks to WildRide 2009 where I rode the whole way in the rain. By the time I got to the big hills the drizzle had stopped and my glasses had cleared. I attacked the hills to the best of my ability by sprinting on the downhill part to give my as much momentum on the uphill part. By the third crescendo it became hard to power sufficiently down to sustain a descent cadence on the way up. By the fourth hill I find myself in my lowest gear grinding away to the crest. At last I turn toward the lake and stroll into the second rest stop (which is the same location as the first). My average dropped to 17.4 mph by this stage.

The last leg is the most difficult. First because it is the last and your legs are beginning to tire. Second because this last leg was primarily heading south which was right in the face of a stiff 15 mph wind. Everyone was struggling to keep a descent pace. You struggle against the wind and think you are doing a descent job until you look down at your GPS and see that you are only going 13 mph. I can do better than that you think so you shift up and pick up the pace a bit, but before long you have eased back to something slower. By the 64 mile mark I was pretty tired and ready to dismount.

By the end I had my average at 16.1 mph. This was not the farthest that I have rode to date this season, but it was the hardest due to the hills and because I did it mostly on my own without a group to draft behind. I am just a little nervous though…could I have done another 40 miles?

Training Log

I finally updated my training log for the season to date up to the time I had to ship my bike to Wisconsin. I had over 1360 cummulative miles for the season. Double-click the picture to make it bigger and readable.

Since We Last Spoke

Since we last spoke, well, things have been busy. Seth has gone into 1st grade again and this time he is having a much more rewarding experience. Lance continues his Diabetes regimen and is learning how to read and write...how exciting! Lexi is walking and getting into all kinds of mischief and she tells you all about it in her gibberish speech. Work continues to be taxing and rewarding. Stacey is busy keeping the whole household on schedule and reading her Kindle. At her reading pace she is single-handedly keeping Amazon in business.

LaCrosse Wisconsin

This year I will be riding 100 miles in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. Ever been there? I haven't, but I have heard that it is one of the most scenic destination cycling venues in the mid-west. I'll keep you posted as I learn more about the place.

JDRF Ride 2010 - Lake Tahoe

This time around the weather could not have been more beautiful. Clear sunny skies were coupled with smooth roads and breathtaking scenery. Lake Tahoe is a great place with many offerings. You can hit the casinos on the Nevada side, hike the trails around the lake, dive into boating activities, or explore the small towns with quaint shops and eateries. My father accompanied me on this journey and in our free time we explored the trails that led down to the sandy beach at Emerald Bay.

Sunday was the start of the big race. I joined 160 other JDRF riders for the Tour de Tahoe rally which circumnavigated the lake. Two thousand other “civilian” riders were along too but the JDRF riders received a 15 minute head start. At 6:45 AM the air was still and crisp and there was just a hint of the dawn light. We were off. I worry that I will be too cold but I have prepared adequately with arm and leg warmers and a jacket. The first quarter of the route culminates in a steep 800 foot climb, but since it is early on my legs feel fine and I am able to charge up at a good steady pace. I do not really feel the need but I stop at the rest stop anyways.

As the saying goes: what goes up must come down. The second quarter of the route is downhill. Without any pedaling I accelerate to over 40 mph. I have never been that fast on a bike before and I got a little nervous so I feathered the brakes slightly. Other riders tucked down and zipped by me going 50 to 55 mph. With these type of speeds the second quarter of the route goes by quick and I find myself at the halfway point before I know it.

The third leg is the most challenging. This leg comprises the long 1000 ft climb up to Spooner Junction. I head out with a steady pace moving at about 6 to 8 mph up the hill. Moving that slow has its benefits. You have time to look out to the right and see the deep blue water of the lake and the tree filled mountain sides. At these times you feel at one with the environment, breathing and pedaling in sync with nature.

I reach the top of Spooner Junction and stop at the rest stop. I call my dad who has been leapfrogging the riders to photograph the event. I did not see him pass me in the car up the climb. He has made a miscalculation on my speed and did not realize that I was so far along. He has to really hustle to get in front of me for the finish as I am on the top of a mountain and it is only downhill the rest of the way…I plan on flying down.

The last leg is a blast as I zoom down at 20 to 25 mph. I opt to stop one time on the side of the road to soak in the Lake’s beauty from a good vantage point and take a final picture. I roll in towards the finish where I am greeted by a handful of cheering supporters. Dad is there too snapping pictures as I triumphantly raise my arm in the air as I pass the finish line.

I would normally expect to be exhausted but I feel surprisingly well. I feel that I could have easily ridden farther. I completed the 72.5 mile route in 4 hours 45 minutes (on the bike) with an average speed of 15.1 mph. I think the route felt easy because you were all there with me…my wife Stacey…my kids Lance, Seth, and Lexi…my family, friends, and coworkers…all part of Team Lance-a-lot helping me crank those pedals to move us closer to our goal on our Quest for a Cure.

To My Supporters

I would like to thank all my supporters again for your donations and support. I believe there is a chance for a cure in Lance’s lifetime and Team Lance-a-lot helped by contributing $9000 towards cure research. You all are the best!