Dexcom Warrior
Dana Young shares how becoming an ultra-marathon runner started with a run with the buggy.
NOT JUST AN AVERAGE MARATHON
B
eing active has always been a significant part of my life. I was deeply involved in rowing during my school years, a very competitive sport that many Kiwis will be familiar with. I remember our training to be rigorous, involving crosscountry skiing and running. After giving birth to my first child, I decided that I wanted to focus on my running. So it all started with me simply running with him in a buggy and then
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DIABETES WELLNESS | Summer 2024
participating in 10K events. After the birth of my second child, I ran a full marathon, and following my third I ventured into ultramarathons. This year, I completed a 105K ultra. It’s been a challenging yet rewarding journey, juggling my passion for running with my role as a mother. DIAGNOSIS
I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes over 30 years ago, when I was seven years old. At such a
young age, I vividly remember the shock of my diagnosis. I had the classic symptoms, from being really thirsty, not being able to eat, to losing a lot of weight. My mum actually had to restrict my water intake as I was constantly waking up at night to go to the toilet. After realising that something may be wrong with me, I was eventually hospitalised for about a week. This is where the reality of lifelong diabetes management
