Monday, April 23, 2007
Take that, 'betes!
Best: "This disease [stinks], but if I can take whatever I've done to help other people," Gell said, "then some good comes out of it."
16-APR-2007
Runner Won't Let Diabetes Slow Him - Teacher To Run In 111th
Gary Hall Jr. has won swimming gold medals in the past three Olympics.
Adam Morrison is averaging 30 minutes a game as an NBA rookie.
Jason Johnson won 10 games for the Orioles in 2003.
All have Type 1 diabetes, but none confronted the logistical issues that Andy Gell must overcome today at the 111th Boston Marathon.
Less than a year after he was diagnosed with the disease, the
"That's what I need to qualify for
He wasn't as upbeat 11 months ago, when the notion of self-administering four doses of insulin per day made Gell think his days as an endurance athlete were over before they had begun.
"Things are different in an endurance sport," Gell said. "If your blood sugar gives out ... "
Some marathoners shave their footwear to save a fraction of an ounce that adds up over thousands of strides, but Gell buys shorts with a zipper pocket, where he can pack nutrition.
If he has shed anything, it's skepticism.
"Everyone told me that it's a manageable disease, that you can lead a normal life," Gell said, "but when I said I wanted to run a marathon, nobody had an answer."
Gell, 26, broke 10 minutes for 3,200 meters at Dulaney High, never fell out of shape while getting a communications degree at
After a few 70-mile weeks, Gell, 5 feet 11, saw his weight plummet 20 pounds, to 140.
"At first, we just figured that he must be really getting in good shape," said Ryan McGrath, a training partner.
Admiration turned to alarm when Gell developed a thirst he couldn't quench, a craving for sugar and a constant need to urinate, what he described as "classic symptoms" of Type 1 diabetes.
According to the American Diabetes Association Web site, in Type 1 diabetes, "the body does not produce insulin ... a hormone that is needed to convert sugar [glucose], starches and other food into energy needed for daily life."
Gell backed off on his mileage, but still finished
"I was cautioned not to, but only by people who know nothing about diabetes," Gell said. "A few said, 'We thought we were going to find you by the side of the road.' That's not going to happen, as long as I take the proper precautions."
Before a long run, Gell will inject himself with a slow-acting dose of insulin. Both he and McGrath had reason to be prepared for their last long run, a 19-miler at
"A few weeks earlier, we were doing hill repeats near
Gell, who teaches algebra at Patterson High, knows his blood-sugar numbers.
"I start to feel low at Mile 10," Gell said. "I usually eat something, a banana or a PowerBar or some Gu [an energy gel]. That's an absolute must, because all types of things will go wrong if I don't have the proper sugar level."
Slowing to replenish yourself in a
"This disease [stinks], but if I can take whatever I've done to help other people," Gell said, "then some good comes out of it."
He's already a role model at
"I just told Andy's story to a group of third-year medical students in a seminar I teach on diabetes," Dr. Christopher Saudek said. "There are misconceptions, that diabetes inhibits a person terribly, but you can go on with your life. That's why Andy's story resonates."
paul.mcmullen@baltsun.com
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