I've mostly treated my diabetes with injection therapy but now I've been on the insulin pump for a year. The diagnosis was a shock at first. Exercise has been an anchor for me: It provides me with a real quality of life despite the diabetes. First of all, you just have to accept the diabetes diagnosis. The more informed you are about the condition you have, the better you can react to different situations. For me and my sports activities, it's important to know when I need to modify or adjust my insulin needs. The pump allows me to simulate closely what also happens in a healthy body.

If I am preparing for the Ötztaler bike marathon, I have to put together a strict plan: When will I get up in the morning? When will I eat breakfast? Will I have enough opportunities during the race to check my blood glucose levels and adjust insulin? When might I run into problems? My insulin needs for the race, as well as the foods I eat before and during the race, are based on this thinking. Of course, the better prepared you are, the better it will all work out for you in the end. I always keep a bottle of a carbohydrate drink with me in case of hypoglycemia. They take effect within five minutes.

Many people worry when you have diabetes because they think you're not as able-bodied. This is rubbish!
When you have diabetes you’re as capable as anyone else but you just need to know your limits. In public, in a restaurant for example, I don't really show my blood glucose meter. I make sure to check my blood glucose levels before I arrive, and, based on the carbohydrates I plan on eating, I estimate the amount of insulin I need to cover the meal. If I run into a problem, I go to the men's room to check my levels. While doing sports I always check at the check points, and I do it often.

My advice to you: You have to manage your energy, because diabetes means energy.