Tim Hargrave

“Team Type 1 has got to be the best thing about diabetes.
It means doing what I love – riding and racing my bike – with other cyclists
with diabetes who share that common bond.”

Diagnosed when he was six years old, Hargrave took up running at the age of nine to gain better control of his Type 1 diabetes. Not long after that, he started swimming and eventually transitioned into cycling when he began competing in triathlons at the age of 12.

Each November, he participates in the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge, a bicycle event that traditionally attracts more than 10,000 riders in his homeland of New Zealand. The 2005 edition of the ride is forever etched in his memory as his proudest moment on the bike.

“I said I would compete in the Enduro (two laps of a course around a lake that totals nearly 200 miles) and would finish the first lap in time to ride the second lap with my dad,” Hargrave said. “However, my dad died two weeks before the race. I still rode two laps that day: The first for me and the second for him.”

One of two Kiwis (along with Glen Chadwick) on Team Type 1, Hargrave excels in racing in adverse weather conditions on challenging courses. His postgraduate degree in human nutrition has given him a deeper understanding of what it takes to live successfully with diabetes.

“If someone says to you that despite diabetes you can still live an ordinary life, don’t stop there,” he says. “You can live an extraordinary life. Go beyond what’s expected of you.”

Career Highlights

1st, 2007 Tamahine Tour (Under 23)
1st, 2005 Round Taupo Enduro (Under 19)
2nd, 2007 Otago Time Trial (Under 23)
2nd, 2006 Otago Road Race (Under 23)

Diabetes Details

Age Diagnosed: 6 years

Current A1C: At goal

Years On A Pump:
Less than one year

Insulin Requirements
When Training:
40 units per day

Insulin Requirements
When Not Training:
55 units per day