Willowdale Ride

So I haven't really been on a ride since my FOMBA adventures last week. I have been on a few hikes with the dogs, but nothing to blog about. I went for a short ride out at Willowdale today. It was about 10 miles (full loop), and it was the same course as the race on 5/21/2010, with a little extra single track at the end. Legs were not feeling that great when the ride started, it took me about a half hour before I really felt warmed up. In addition, my glucose sensors have not been real accurate in the last couple weeks, and today was no exception. I suppose this is an entirely separate issue/post, but the sensors have not been recognizing rapid or drastic changes in blood glucose, which is kinda one of the main features! I was using sensors that were a tad on the old side, so a new one will be inserted tonight for a Sunday morning calibration and hope for better results this week.

Basically how the glucose sensors works is that there is a transmitter that wirelessly transmits blood sugar data to my insulin pump. Attached to the transmitter, and inserted into my abdominal area, is a sensor. It has a tiny tube that, after insertion, lies in ythe interstitial fluid and measures blood glucose. There is a possible slight lag in the glucose readings from the interstitial fluid and actual blood glucose (blood sugar) levels, but Medtronic says 20% accuracy. That means if the sensor reading says your blood sugar is 100, and actual finger prick reading should be between 120-80 roughly.

So I started my ride at 185 mg/dl. That's a good place to start a ride, it usually drops like a rock in the first half hour for me even though I have temp basal rate set. Today I set a 55% temp basal, and I did it 1.5 hours before ride start. I normally do it 1 hour before ride start, but I am trying to work on the 'drop like a rock' blood sugars in the first half hour! My sugar stayed elevated today, even up to 209 according to the sensor 50:19 minutes into the ride. I was running a little low on energy so ate a GU. Do you really eat those? They really can't be chewed, or swallowed whole... I guess it's more like chewing gum with no dentures! I digress. So the ride was finished by 1hour 17 minutes, and sensor was still hanging at 205. I checked with the glucometer and it said 274! Ouch! I took 3 units for correction, and another 3 an hour later, and threw the sensor away and opened a new box.

All in all it was a good ride, although the 274 says why I wasn't feeling that great. I got in around 10 miles, mostly single track, and rode for about 1:17. I did take 11 minutes off my time from the race on 5/21/2010 on the same course so I was pretty pleased with that! Might have to time trial this in  the weeks to come for a good spring to fall fitness comparison!! Go ride!