FIGHT BACK

TV AND RADIO PRESENTER REECE PARKINSON REVEALS HOW HE BELIEVES ULTRARUNNING SAVED HIS LIFE WHEN HE BEGAN EXPERIENCING THE SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS OF UNDIAGNOSED DIABETES

Type 1 diabetes is most commonly diagnosed in childhood. In fact, the average age of diagnosis is 13. But BBC Radio 1Xtra and MOTDx presenter Reece Parkinson was 27 when he was diagnosed with the condition last year, and in the weeks leading up to his diagnosis, he believes running ultramarathons saved his life.

For Reece, mental strength has always been what he could turn to in the face of adversity. But when he was diagnosed with diabetes, he needed it more than ever. Now, he uses his Fitbit to make sure his sleep, nutrition and physical activity are all in line with his blood-sugar levels, so, as he describes it, he can ‘troll’ his diabetes.

Reece is one of those people whose smile is both constant and contagious. He grins so much of the time that it’s hard to even imagine he could feel low. But wanting to pick himself up after going through a difficult break-up at the start of the first coronavirus lockdown is exactly why he first started running.

‘Running was my outlet – it just felt right,’ he tells Men’s Health.

He began by running five miles, then gradually increased his mileage each week. After completing his first 14-mile run, he realised doubling that would be a marathon.

‘I googled, “How many people run the London Marathon each year?” and the answer was around 40,000, so I thought, “Well, surely it’s not that hard then,” and two weeks later

I did my first marathon!’ he laughs.

‘Looking back now, I realise it was pretty crazy jumping from one distance to another so quickly, but that’s the mood I was in. When you’re feeling low, you make decisions you wouldn’t usually make.’

BUMP IN THE ROAD

Reece drew inspiration from ultrarunners such as David Goggins and Chadd Wright online.

‘[They] had all been through some sort of pain in their lives and I completely related to that and pushing my body to the absolute extremes of tiredness. It was a way of dealing with the mental health challenges that I was going through.’

Eventually, Reece’s marathons became ultramarathons and, in

August 2020, he began filming a BBC documentary about ultrarunning. However, in December, everything was put on pause.

Reece had been going to the toilet over 15 times a day and constantly bingeing on sugary food for two weeks when he consulted his GP about it. The next day, they told him he needed to get to hospital immediately.

The symptoms he was experiencing were due to diabetic ketoacidosis

– a result of a lack of insulin, caused by

‘I THOUGHT, “YOU KNOW WHAT, I’M GOING TO TROLL DIABETES”’

undiagnosed type 1 diabetes – which was causing ketones to build up in his body. Consuming the amount of sugar he had meant that his blood-sugar levels were skyrocketing.

‘Thank God I was running – I think that’s what saved me,’ he says.

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED

A diabetes diagnosis can be life-changing, but from early on, it was clear from Reece’s Instagram stories that he wasn’t going to let it get in the way of his running.

‘I thought, “You know what, I’m going to try and troll diabetes and complete an ultramarathon.” That was my mindset,’ he smirks.

‘Now, I check in with what my body is saying to me. That’s a new strength for me. My Fitbit allows me to know my body more and, after my diagnosis, that’s extremely important. It makes things more manageable and less stressful. Having it on my wrist while running has been a total game changer, and the reminders to move are brilliant – it’s that reinforcement I need to stay active.’

Being diabetic means Reece is now more mindful of what he eats.

‘The food-tracker function of the app is awesome, as food is a massive part of my life and having a digital logbook is brilliant,’ he says. ‘I also use my Fitbit to check my blood-glucose levels regularly throughout the day. It tells me how food, activity and sleep are affecting my levels, and alerts me if I’m outside of my target range.’

The ultramarathon community has changed how he views strength, too.

‘I’ve always wanted a lean body, and always felt pressured to look like Brad Pitt in Fight Club. That’s what I saw as physical strength. The ultramarathon community is skin and bones, but if we’re talking about physical strength, I guess that’s being able to run the distances they do. They’re epic.’

But Reece says mental strength is more important to him now.

‘I see strength as resilience – people who go through a lot and come back from it. What inspires me is someone who goes from nothing to something.’

And, unlike a lot of athletes, Reece says mental strength comes easier to him than anything else.

‘Now with running, I know I can rely on my mental strength. I pick out dark places I’ve been to and think, “I got through that and that ended, so

I know I can get through this run,’” he explains. ‘And now I have this whole community supporting me, too.

‘Yes, diabetes is an illness but it gives you more depth and gives you more things to say. Parents send me messages about their kids being inspired by my documentary and I think, “Yeah, I have a purpose now.’”