Andy Mead

“Managing diabetes can be stressful. And stress makes blood glucose much more difficult, so it can be a vicious circle. The great thing about exercise is that it helps control glucose levels directly, and it can reduce stress. Two for one!”

The first clue that his health was in question came when Andy Mead strapped on his hockey gear following a week of tryouts for his high school team. He was 16.

“I had been losing weight for quite a while, all my equipment was loose on me and I felt awful,” he says. “I guess my best memory of that time was just how great I felt after being on insulin for a few weeks. Three months later, I had gained 30 pounds.”

But he didn’t trade in his stick and puck for two wheels until meeting some ex-pros while attending school in New Mexico. The riding community, the landscape, and the freedom of being on a bike got him hooked. He also was amazed at how much easier it was to control his blood sugar levels when riding and racing regularly.

Last year, Mead was a member of Team Type 1’s victorious corporate division team at the Race Across America (RAAM), an accomplishment he says serves as an inspiration for his younger brother, who also has Type 1.

Career Highlight

Member, Winning RAAM 8-Person Corporate Team, 2007

Diabetes Details

Age Diagnosed: 16 years

Current A1C: At goal

Years On A Pump: 5

Insulin Requirements
When Training:
30-35 units per day

Insulin Requirements
When Not Training:
40-50 units per day