Jay Hewitt interview
May 15th, 2007 by nikola
Please write few sentences about yourself as an introduction…
I live in the southeast U.S., hot, humid summers and cool winters, mountains and rolling hills - great for training! I ran my first marathon in June 2000 in Kona, Hawaii, just to see if I could do it with Type 1 diabetes. Hardest thing I’d ever done in my life. While there I heard they had a little triathlon there in October. Oh come on!… what kind of freak of fitness can swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles then run that marathon?! But I was motivated and I did my first Ironman in 2002, got better each year, qualified for the US National Long Course Team and raceat the ITU Long Course Tri Worlds in 2004, 2005, and 2006. I love traveling to international races - Sweden, Denmark, St. Croix, and Australia so far! I think I’ve done 13 Ironmans now? Guess I’m one of those freaks. I’m married and just had my first child in May 2007. I’m a lawyer and professional motivational speaker. Have some great sponsors who allow me to race and do motivational speaking: Lifescan blood sugar meters, Omnipod insulin pumps, Nutrisoda, Clif Bar and Rudy Project. Other stuff about me is on my website and blog, jayhewitt.com.
Can you explain diabetes, your relationship to the illness and how does it effect endurance training in general?
I have Type 1 (insulin dependent) diabetes. Sometimes called “juvenile diabetes.” I was diagnosed in 1991. I have to inject insulin into my body to live and eat, either through a syringe or insulin pump. I use the Omnipod insulin pump attached to my body - awesome product. Ironman is as much nutrition as it is fitness for everyone. Nutrition is even more important for a type 1 diabetic. My blood sugar can fluctuate wildly from 40 mg/dl to 300 mg/dl, where the non-diabetic will always stay between 80 and 120. Anything outside of that 80-120 range and the body starts having any number of problems, and I’ve had just about all of them - gastrointestinal problems, vomitting, weakness, loss of muscle control, fatigue, dehydration. I prick my finger and draw blood up to 10 times a day to check my blood sugar, multiple times on long training rides, at least 3 to 4 times in an Ironman. It’s a balancing act to inject to right amount of insulin and consume the right amount of carbohydrates to try to stay in the right range. Sometimes I get it right
and sometimes I don’t.
How did you start to be involved in Ironman triathlons? Or in endurance sports in general? What inspired you to take this path?
I wanted to prove that diabetes would not stop me. I was diagnosed later in life, age 24. I ran my first marathon in 2000 in Kona, Hawaii as a fundraiser for the American Diabetes Association. Survived, but did not exactly win my age group. Ha! Figured if I could do a marathon I could do the Ironman, so I trained for 2 years to reach that Finish Line Vision I had set for myself - crossing the finish line of the Ironman. My first was Ironman Florida in 2002. Loved every excrutiating minute of it! Sent a message to this disease that “you’re messing with the wrong guy”. I now do a lot of motivational speaking on the concept I have developed through my Ironman racing called Finish Line Vision. The Finish Line motivates me and it motivates me even more to inspire others to go for there own personal finish line - in sport, school, business, health… anything!
What kind of problems do you have while training and racing with diabetes? Can you describe how you surpass them in as much detail possible….
I eat before workouts, try to run my blood sugar up to at least 180 mg/dl, taking a reduced amount of insulin. During workouts over 1 hour I make sure to eat carbohydrates consistently, trying to eat enough to prevent low blood sugar but not too much and cause high blood sugar. Low blood sugar causes weakness, loss of sensation in my muscles, legs, accelerate my heart rate, generally destroy my workout or my race. If it get’s too low I have seizure and lose consciousness. High blood sugar causes stomach problems, excessive urination, dehydration, bloating and general lethargy. After the swim I check my blood sugar in T1 (finger prick and drop of blood on a meter in my transition bag), then try to eat 40 to 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour on the bike. I reduce my insulin dose to about 50% of what it is on a normal day, using my Omnipod insulin pump that is attached to my body, pumping insulin into me 24 hours a day. I check my blood sugar again at the Bike Special Needs station, then again at T2 and the Run Special Needs. Between those times I’m paying close attention to any signs that my blood sugar is getting out of whack - tingling in my legs and arms and mouth, loss of energy, weakness. Hard to spot sometimes since we all experience weird feelings in the Ironman! Ha!
What was your lowest point (worst moment) in your Ironman experience?
Ironman Coeur D’ Alene 2004. I was hoping to qualify for Hawaii. Had really high blood sugar at Bike Special Needs, but could not explain why since I’d eaten very little in the 1st half of the bike. Might have been adrenaline. Could not eat much the second half of the bike because my blood sugar was already so high, so of course I was totally empty. Got extremely dehydrated and collapsed at mile 18 of the marathon. Spent 1.5 hours in the medical tent and 3 IV bags of fluid. Unfortunately, I had to fly to Sweden the next day to race the ITU Long Course Worlds the following weekend. Made it through the ITU Worlds but not great, was still spent from my disaster at IM CDA. Close second worst was about 2 months later at Ironman Wisconsin 2004. Had the same blood sugar problems during the marathon, vomitted 6 times, walked the last 15 miles of the marathon, finished in just under 14 hours. Very frustrating since I did not know what had caused the blood sugar problem or how to prevent it again.
What was your best moment of your Ironman training and racing? When did you feel most fulfilled and/or strongest?
Ironman Florida 2004. Amazing how things go so bad some days, then just 2 months later go so well. Just 2 months after my disaster at Ironman Wisconsin September 2004, I had a perfect day at Ironman Florida in November 2004. Finished in 9:47:14. Broke my PR on all splits - swim, bike and run. Even ran my fastest marathon that day ever, faster than my non Ironman marathons. I was so elated to be able to use my fitness and not have my blood sugar prevent me from that doing that. I cried at that finish line.
I have met several elite athletes that are diabetic but they were never motivated to communicate their issues to the general public. However you seam to me very motivated to campaign for the issue. How did you get involved in this?
I love motivating speaking. It is now a part of my career and livelihood. I am inspired that I can inspired others to reach their Finish Line Vision. Everybody has a vision of a “finish line” in their life - graduating from school, career or business vision, personal relationship or family, health or fitness vision… something. Mine is the finish line of the Ironman, the noise, the pain, the excitement, the satisfaction, the crowd. The Ironman is so physically and mentally demanding, I must have that Finish Line Vision in my mind to keep going. I love helping others create their own Finish Line Vision to work hard and overcome obstacles to get there. It was always be tough, and you may feel like quiting, but as John Collins said about the Ironman, “you can quit, and no one will care. But you will always know.” I also like to tell people to get to the STARTING line and their vision will get them to their FINISH line - “you may not be the fastest . . . but you will be faster than those who never started. Get to the line!”
What are your racing and campaign long term plans and goals? Where do you see yourself 5 or 10 or more years from now?
I want to race and do motivational speaking full time. I am writing a book for my concept of Finish Line Vision that I have trademarked, finishlinevision.com. I’m also starting a triathlon camp and clinics for kids with diabetes, and soon to be all kids. I want to race Ironman Hawaii in my 40s with my wife and new daughter there at the Finish Line. All of us healthy and sending the message to diabetes and anything else that nothing with stop us from reaching our Finish Line!
What equipment do you use? Tell as about your gear…
Elite custom (aluminum) triathlon bike, Campagnolo Record components, Zipp race wheels (404’s and disc), Campagnolo carbon cranks, Time pedals. Road bikes are Klein Quantum Race and Specialized. Hincapie Sports Apparel. Rudy Project glasses. Blue Seventy Wetsuit.
What are your eating habits? What is your favorite meal? Do you prepare your own food? Do you eat out?
I have to really watch my carbohydrates because of the diabetes and blood sugar consequences. Have to inject the right amount of insulin for everything I put in my mouth. I eat a lot of salads, chicken and turkey sub sandwiches. Mexican burritos every Friday night, pasta with marinara at least once a week. Favorite meal is probably Mexican burrito with chicken and veggies, but I also love good pasta and tomato sauce. I eat every lunch out, sandwiches or salad and my wife and I eat dinner out usually 1 -2 times a week. My wife and I prepare most dinners at home, lots of chicken and fish, cous cous, salads. I love chocolate but its all sugar so I have to carefully calculate the insulin to inject for it. One benefit of training hard is rewarding ourselves so I do!
Do you have a coach? If yes tell us about your relationship?
I’ve worked and trained with my friend Peter Kotland for about 4 years now. Amazing talent, won the 1997 Ultraman, ran a 5:33 double marathon on the 3rd day of the Ultraman - freaking unbelievable. Peter lives just 10 miles from me. Helped me a ton when I was a rookie and had no clue what to do or how to train or race. Now I train with him and he still punishes me a lot. Gives me schedules and we talk all the time, compare notes and thoughts on products and training tools and on how I feel. After 4 years he understands diabetes very well which really helps.
How did your doctor react to your idea of participating in an Ironman triathlon? How did your friends and family react?
Everyone was bit confused about. Most people don’t really understand what the Ironman is. Some think every triathlon is an “Ironman.” I ran 3 marathons and did 2 half Ironmans and several Olympic tris before the Ironman, so I had everyone pretty comfortable with it. My doctor has always let me do my own thing since my lab reports are all good and I haven’t had any problems.
How do you see Ironman as part of your life in the future? Do you wish to dedicate yourself fully to it? Do you see yourself doing something else later on?
Absolutely Ironman will always be a part of my life. Professionally, it is the foundation for my speaking message, the struggle, the dedication, the finish line. Personally, it brings me so much enjoyment to train and race, have new races to train for and places to visit, enjoy the healthy lifestyle with other healthy people and instill that in my daughter. Hopefully my speaking and sponsorships will soon allow me to dedicate myself fully to it. I love what I get out of it and I love motivating others.
Do you have any advice for all the other Ironman triathletes out there?
Ironman is time consuming and hard, but keep it fun. Use it to improve your life, happiness. The workouts are your reward to yourself, a release from other stresses in life. Enjoy the other aspects of your life - your family, girlfriend, boyfriend. Give support to your fellow Ironman athletes - we are all suffering and working for our own Finish Line.
