JOSH SUMMEY INTERVIEWBy Pete Peterson
The recent articles about Josh Summey of Moto XXX and his fund raising efforts for the American Diabetes Association through his participation in the Dirt Rider 24 Hour Torture Test prompted a few people to contact Dirt Rider with stories of their own about racing with diabetes. Josh Summey isn't the only racer with diabetes, just the fastest - but Josh had better watch out, because the younger racers are coming up fast.
What follows is an interview with Josh about racing the pro supercross and motocross series while dealing with his Type 1 diabetes, and the stories of two more racers going through the same issues with the disease in their racing programs. NOTHING HERE IS MEANT TO BE TAKEN AS MEDICAL ADVICE - only a doctor can give that and decide what is best for each individual. But these stories illustrate that being diagnosed with diabetes doesn't have to slow you down -
Pete Peterson: So you're a Type 1 diabetic? That means you were diagnosed at a very early age?
Josh Summey: Actually, I've only been diabetic for not even 3 years yet - a little over two.
PP: Type 1 are usually diagnosed early, right?
JS: Yeah, they usually are but for some freak reason I developed Type 1. I was feeling the symptoms of feeling really tired, eventually my vision started getting blurry a little bit. I finally went to the doctor and they tested my blood sugar level - it was high, and they diagnosed me then.
PP: Before that you had no idea about this?
PP: Are you insulin dependent right now?
PP: And you have the pump?
JS: Yeah, I do the insulin pump. I started that last May.
PP: Before that you were doing shots?
JS: Yeah, it was kinda tough because with the shots you're - it's really hard to get your blood sugar under control as far as getting your numbers where they need to be. You know, they could be good one day, the next time you check they could be up in the 300s, so it's hard to get 'em stable with the pen (injection) versus the pump. The pump's a lot easier to keep things level.
PP: So how often did you used to have to check when you were using the pen?
JS: I still check the same. Usually about five or six times a day, generally a little more when I'm doing something like this (the Dirt Rider 24 hour event), that way when I get out on the trail or the track I don't... fall, as far as the numbers don't get so low I bottom out, you know, and possibly result in passing out. So, with the Dirt Rider deal, knowing I'm going to be way back out away from any type of snack or something I could use if my sugar did get so low, I took some sugar tablets and a Powerbar in my Camelback.
PP: So that's what you do, when it get a little low you just eat something that's got some sugar in it for your body to process?
JS: Yeah, just something with some sugar in it. Also they make a glucose tablet - it's a little wafer that's a fast-acting sugar.
PP: So what was it like when you were out there racing before you got diagnosed? You were racing the nationals and supercross at that point already?
JS: Yeah, towards the end of the '05 nationals I just stated feeling kind of weak. Like the last two rounds, I could just tell I didn't have much energy. Then I really noticed it at the US Open that year. I was just really tired. So probably a month after that I went to the doctor.
PP: Tired, you had blurry vision, any other symptoms?
JS: Also I was really thirsty. It almost feels like you can't ever quench your thirst. Your mouth feels dry all the time.
PP: So you got diagnosed, it seems like you have it under control pretty well. Tell me about your typical supercross. How does it affect you there?
JS: Usually in the morning I'll eat breakfast at the house or the hotel depending on where we're at. Then when we get to the track, before practice I'll go ahead and check my sugar and see where it's at. I just started at the first supercross round in Canada wearing my pump while I race. So that's been a help also as far as keeping the numbers level, versus disconnecting the pump while you're racing. But, like I said, normally a typical day for me is just eating two or three meals a day on race day, maybe a little more - a snack here or there. I'm checking every time before I go out on the track. So basically that's it. If everything goes well it's a pretty smooth race day as far as being the same as everyone else's.
PP: So for a typical main event at a supercross, from leaving the truck until you get back from the main, what is that, about a half hour?
JS: 30-45 minutes by the time you get down there and sit in staging waiting for the 125 class to finish
PP: So do you have a key number you want to be at when you head out there?
JS: Normally I like it a little bit higher because when you're racing for 20-25 minutes it's going to lower itself.
PP: So 100 to 120 is high?
JS: No, you want to keep it - a normal person's blood sugar's anywhere from about 70-120 - so if I'm getting ready to go out for a main event, even if it's in the low 200's I'm not gonna freak out because - for instance I think at Anahiem II it was 220, and when I came back in, let my body cool, calmed down a little bit, it was down to like 61 or 62. Just from the duration of the race and the energy you put out during the race.
PP: How about at a national - longer races?
JS: Yeah, that's tough. At the nationals I'll go ahead and disconnect the pump just because I don't want to take a chance of it - the pump's constantly dripping just a little bit of insulin into your system, so I don't want to take a chance of getting too low out there. And even with the pump disconnected - it doesn't get low, but you can see it drop.
PP: When you head to the line at a national, what are you shooting for as far as your sugar level?
JS: About the same thing. Say maybe high 100s/low 200s because I know it's gonna fall.
PP: Between motos are you re-connecting the pump?
JS: Yeah, as soon as I come off the track.
PP: And how about your diet? Do you really have to check what you eat?
JS: Yeah, basically I count carbohydrates in foods, which turn into sugar. I basically just figure out what I want to eat for the meal - I total those carbohydrates up, after I've checked my blood sugar, then I'll put the amount of carbohydrates into my insulin pump, and it recommends the amount of insulin for your body to take with that meal.
PP: How about like a training day - I imagine you're doing a lot of training during the week.
JS: Same thing, you know, every time you get ready to do a strenuous activity like we do you're always gonna wanna check when you go out there. And then also a lot of times once you've kind of figured out stuff you can almost tell how your body's gonna feel. You know, if you feel kinda shakey or a little woozy or tired - generally your sugar's gonna be maybe a little lower, maybe down in the 50's or 40's. So you're obviously gonna want to eat a snack. Or probably before you exercise you're gonna wanna do some sugar - a fast acting sugar - something like that.
PP: You've got one doctor or a couple doctors to help you out with this?
JS: No, I've just got one.
PP: What does he think about you doing this activity - he obviously knows this is tough exercise, right?
JS: Sure. He thinks its great, because a lot of people with diabetes aren't that active and it creates a lot of health problems for them. They get overweight, and when they get overweight they start losing blood circulation to their limbs and they have a lot of complications from that. So me being active is the same as anyone else, it just keeps me healthy and it really makes situations a lot better.
PP: Diabetes is kind of on the rise in a weird way, it's showing up everywhere
PP: When you first got diagnosed, did it cross you mind, like, wow, maybe I might have to stop my professional career?
JS: Not really, because I knew of other athletes - not necessarily motocrossers - that had Type 1 diabetes that were still really active.
PP: Once you got diagnosed and got a handle on it, how did your conditioning change?
JS: It was great. It went back to normal, maybe even stronger. At the outdoors this past year I felt great both motos and the whole time, so it was good.
PP: If you could say something to the kids out there that are showing up with diabetes and want to go out there and race
JS: Yeah, you know, I've talked to three people in the last couple of days about diabetes and about maybe switching over to the pump and all three of them are doing what we do (race motocross), you know.
PP: So just go for it? It doesn't slow you down, just kind of an added thing you have to check?
JS: Yeah, at first it's kind of frustrating because you're trying to figure out the kinks to it, you know, see what works best and stuff, but in the end, once you get it figured it out it's not a big deal at all.