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Team Type 1

A team of eight cyclists completed a coast-to-coast bike ride in a record time last week. While this would be an impressive feat on its own, the accomplishment is even more astounding considering all eight riders have Type 1 diabetes. The team, appropriately called Team Type 1, traveled a distance of 3,021 miles in five days, nine hours and five minutes.

Type 1 diabetes, commonly called juvenile diabetes, presents unique challenges for athletes. People with Type 1 are not able to produce insulin, and exercise can lead to a dangerous drop in blood sugar.

Phil Southerland, the 27-year-old co-founder of Team Type 1, spoke with the New York Times about what the team's victory means to him.

“We’re showing people that diabetes is our strength, and because of it we can do some pretty amazing things,” he said. "I think the rest of the world can look at the team and say: ‘These guys just won a bike race, and they did it with diabetes. What can I do with my life to live a healthier, better life?’”

For more information on Type 1 diabetes, visit the American Diabetes Association at www.diabetes.org.

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