David finishes the Lake Placid Triathlon
in 16 hours, 14 minutes, and 39 seconds! David's vital stats > More athletes with diabetes > |
Since finding out he had juvenile (type 1) diabetes, David Weingard hasn't stopped running…and swimming, and cycling. Learn what it takes for this triathlete and father of three to train and compete—and keep crossing those finish lines
David Weingard has been running for 25 years. So it's not surprising that just three months after being diagnosed with diabetes three years ago, David ran the New York City Marathon, finishing within one minute of his fastest marathon time ever, a time set 14 years before! Since then, he has continued to compete in running and triathlon races, including the 2000 Berlin Marathon, San Francisco's Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon 2000 and this past summer, his most challenging race ever: the Ironman USA held in Lake Placid, New York. On July 27, 2003, David was one of only a handful of people with juvenile diabetes to complete an Ironman, a grueling race made up of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile run.
For anyone competing in such a race, an enormous amount of preparation and training is required. David had the added dimension of learning how best to regulate his blood sugar levels during his intense workouts and the competition itself. A pump user for three years now, David was able to carefully determine the right combination of insulin and food intake to make sure he remained stable at all times so he could complete the race.
When not out on the road training, David is busy spending time with his three sons, Steven, 12; Daniel, 9; and Jacob, 6; and working as a business-development manager for a computer technology company. How does he do it all? For starters, he lives (and runs!) with a motto borrowed from Buzz Lightyear, his sons' favorite character from the movie Toy Story: "Infinity and beyond!".
