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20 kilometres to go…
Diabetics do not expose themselves easily in the society as they are often stigmatized
People are afraid of them, because they think that diabetics are different.
Employers don't employ them easily, as they think they will not be able to do their job successfully and will be often on the sick- leave
That kind of thinking is only the result of not knowing the diabetes.
We are not different from others at all
and we can do all the work as others.
The moment, when I realised that I have type 1 diabetes was really cruel
I don't know exactly.
At first you think it's the end of the world
Everything turns upside down.
My only knowledge at that time about diabetes
was that elderly people have it
and that there is a tablet that cures this illness.
I got used to my new lifestyle quickly
My only problem was unconscious hypoglycemia.
Doctors told me about my diabetes at the age of 24.
If I can be grateful,
then I am truly grateful for my normal life before diabetes.
Modern lifestyle with stress, unhealthy food and habits,
is quite a burden for everyone.
I think we are not aware
of this enough
Physical activity and healthy food are closely connected.
Home made and grown food is the best
You need to stay fit
in order to be healthy when you are old.
I have a protocol of activities that need to be done,
before I start running
I measure my blood sugar, prepare carbohydrates for the running and in the end I turn off my insulin pump.
While running, I do not need my insulin pump,
because I realised that running is my insulin.
My protocol for running is done –
it's time to go!
It is a rather complex question why I started running.
My first thought is that everyone was telling me I couldn't run
and it was impossible to do because of my diabetes.
I wanted to prove them wrong.
I still have fresh memories
at my first running ,
because there was a positive and a negative experience.
The positive one was that the level of glucose was fine.
The negative experience was connected with my knee
that didn't hold the effort.
After my first running
I realised that running is something more
and that is why I started preparing more actively.
I realised that you need good equipment
and plenty of theoretical knowledge.
I am the first diabetic in Slovenia who started writing a blog
four years ago about using the insulin pump.
I write about my running achievements
and different diabetic issues.
Among others I am also the president of Diabetic Society in Grosuplje.
I would like other diabetics to realise that activity
is a very important part of our lives
and that the doctor's therapy
is only one part of diabetes.
I have run four marathons in the last year
Radenci, Ljubljana, Verona and Beograd.
I would like to emphasize my achievement last year
in the ultra running Celje – Logarska Valley. I successfully ran 75 kilometres!
You need to rest while running....
I had a glucose meter with me during
the running in Radenci because
I had a goal to measure my blood sugar.
I realised it was under control
and that made me really happy as
I knew it was a good start for next marathons.
We can divide diabetes into three stages.
The first picture: a big dog, a small man.
The second picture: the dog and the man are equal
The third picture: a small dog, a big man.
I am glad to be in the third picture now.
I run the diabetes and not vice versa.
I am the proof that a lot of things can be done with a strong will.
Although everyone was telling me
that marathon is a mission impossible for a diabetic,
I proved that it is easily run if you have a strong will.
I would like to see that also other diabetics
find themselves in my story
and try to spend their free time actively.
Activity is one of the reasons that helps
prevent complications when you are old.
When you cross the finishing line you realise
that all the effort and all the sweat were worth doing.....
In the last two years, I have run in six marathons, Radenci, Ljubljana, Verona, Belgrade, Logarska Valley and Berlin.
The real ultra running for me was last year when I ran 75 kilometres between Celje and Logarska Valley.
I also participated in stamina runnings – Sladkih 6 (54 km), Tek srece in Grosuplje – 24 hours (80 km), Istra v srcu (54 km).
I am the first type 1 diabetic in Slovenia that ran 106 km in ultra marathon around lake Balaton on 25.6.2011
My motto for the running is that diabetes is not a short run activity
but a marathon that is run all your life.
Main character: Rafael Ziherl
Production: Sanjin Švajger; Music: Matej Pecaver
The film was sponsored by Novo Nordisk d.o.o.
Ljubljana, November 2011