KEVIN POWELL

Nutley, NJ
Age: 44
Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at age 24

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

19 marathons (including 4 Boston Marathon qualifying times)
9 Ironman Finishes

MEET KEVIN POWELL

When were you diagnosed with diabetes?

I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in early 1993 - just shy of my 25th birthday.

How did you/your family feel about diabetes when you were first diagnosed?

We all took it in stride. My sister was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes several years earlier, so there were no “new” mysteries.

How do you feel about diabetes now?

Diabetes consumes my life, but that is not meant in a bad way. I feel that by facing it head on, I am better able to handle the ups & downs.

Tell us about your life at home.

I am married and the proud Father of two beautiful girls! My daughters, aged 13 & 17, are the absolute highlight of my life. I am extremely proud of all of the amazing accomplishments that they have achieved in their very young lives. I have an accounting degree from Kean University and have worked in the insurance business for over twenty years.

Why is exercise and competition a part of your life?

I’ve always loved the feeling of physical exertion and the gains that can be made by fighting through the pain. I’ve been competing in triathlon for more than twenty years, and I still feel like I’ve got much more to give. The fact that competing requires me to pay extremely close attention to my blood sugars is, to me, a benefit. It has helped me to learn some of the “finer points” of diabetes management.

What drew you to Team Type 1?

Team Type 1 has an extremely powerful message of inspiration. If I can help inspire even just one person with diabetes to work toward a personally meaningful goal, one they had thought their diabetes precluded, I will have been a success.

Tell us about an achievement that was highly significant to you.

An achievement that I am proud of was something that happened very recently. In 2010 I ran the three marathons in the USA that I consider to be the “majors”; Boston, Chicago & New York. I ran them all in the one calendar year and finished all three in Boston Marathon qualifying times.

If there is one piece of advice you could give to someone who was newly diagnosed with diabetes– what would it be?

Don’t think that you have to try to fit your life into some preconceived notion of what limitations diabetes may place on your life. Instead, live your life as you, and then work out a plan of how to fit your diabetes care into that life.

Tell us about your favorite TT1 event to date.

Wow, it’s very hard to pick one! A few off the top of my head are training camp in Santa Barbara, the Wildflower Triathlon and The Relay. My first TT1 training camp in Santa Barbara was my first experience with being among so many like minded people. It was amazing to be in such a comfortable group and to not have to continually explain myself and why I had to eat at certain times, why I had to test my blood, why I had to take an injection, etc. The other races were all fantastic as well, and Wildflower and The Relay were events that were SO different from your typical “show up at the starting line and go” events.

In what way have you found that your diabetes has helped you grow as an individual?

Diabetes has helped show me that bumps in the road only have to be that, bumps in the road. Just like with my Diabetes care, I deal with the adversity and move on…that feeling can be transferred to all areas of life.

Are there any areas of your diabetes management that you are currently targeting to improve?

I feel that my Diabetes management has been, and always will be, a work in progress. At times I struggle just like many do. If I can keep my A1c at the sustainable and constant level that my care management team has set, then that will be great with me!

Tell us about an athletic goal you have for the short term.

I am very, very psyched to see how my body reacts to the Team Type 1 Run Across America.

How about an athletic goal that you have for the long term?

I still hold on to the dream that I will one day qualify for the Ironman World Championships in Kona.

Kevin, thank you for taking the time to talk with us.

Thank You.