Diabetes doesn’t slow her down
Miamisburg woman challenged herself to become a top cycling instructor.
Many people may not realize there are two types of diabetes with the majority of people affected by what is known as Type 2 or adult onset. The other is Type 1 and it affects about 5-10% of people diagnosed with the disease, and is known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes.
Samantha Redden of Miamisburg was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was 9 years old. She was very active most of her childhood and even after her diagnosis, she never wanted it to define her life.
“I kept my diagnosis quiet for most of my life,” Redden said. “I never wanted it to be in the forefront.”
Redden’s diabetes was controlled as she attended college at Wright State University, graduating with a degree in mass communications and hoping for a career in radio. But that never came to pass for Redden, now 34. Instead, she ended up working in the nonprofit arena, taking on a fundraising role with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation ( JDRF).
“I never felt like it was my forever job,” Redden said. “I always wanted to do something different that lit my soul on fire.”
In the summer of 2017, Redden heard about a new exercise franchise that would be opening at Austin Landing — CycleBar — and she was intrigued.
“I have always loved group fitness classes,” Redden said. “I have always had a big passion for cycling.”
When the first CycleBar franchise in the Dayton area opened, she immediately reached out to the owners and asked if they needed a studio manager. Founded in 2004, CycleBar is the largest indoor cycling brand in the nation and offers a variety of low-impact, high-intensity indoor cycling workouts for all fitness levels.
“They didn’t need a manager but invited me to audition to become an instructor,” Redden said. “I decided to go for it, but it was pretty intense.”
Redden didn’t pass the audition her first try and she received feedback that she took to heart, including her inability to ride to the beat of music — a must for CycleBar instructors — and her lack of endurance.
“This lit a fire in me,” Redden said. “It became my focus to try again.”
Redden started riding around three hours a day for three weeks
straight, all the while trying to manage her diabetes and juggle her full-time job.
“The great thing about the Type 1 community is the support,” Redden said. “There is a huge online presence and I connected with lifelong friends from all across the country who had a passion for fitness.”
Redden auditioned again and this time, she passed. But the biggest challenge was yet to come.
“Once you are accepted, you have to go through four days of boot camp,” Redden said. “And this involves basically being on a bike for eight hours a day.”
Her diabetes was constantly a concern, and she wasn’t sure how to properly manage her blood sugar while in boot camp. She consulted with her doctor who helped her come up with a plan to help keep her blood sugar at a normal level.
“I pulled back when I needed to and ultimately made it through,” Redden said.
Cyclebar’s belief in inclusivity — that anyone at any fitness level can participate and will never be judged – is what fueled her passion. She started teaching classes Nov. 1, 2017.
“There was a lot of trial and error managing my blood sugars during that first year,” Redden said.
It was always important to Redden to have an ability to work her way up in the company, and she knew this would involve travel, which gave her some anxiety. Her desire to become a master instructor with CycleBar helped her overcome it and by the end of 2019, she was promoted.
“It was a really big deal for the local studio,” Redden said. “And for me because I had accomplished my goal.”
Then the COVID-19 global pandemic hit, and CycleBar had to figure out how to flex their programs to the virtual world. Redden’s new role involved training studio instructors from across the nation. In April of this year, she was promoted to senior master instructor — one of the top levels at CycleBar.
“One thing I’ve tried to do throughout my entire journey is to make people feel like they can go after their dreams, regardless of what they are dealing with,” Redden said. “It may be tougher for you to get there, but if you have the passion and drive, you can make it happen.”
Redden has connected with other CycleBar instructors who are living with diabetes, and she now shares her story with the world.
“I wear a glucose monitor and I get off the bike when I need to,” Redden said. “I used to be embarrassed about that. Now I try to inspire others with diabetes to turn it around and make it a good thing.”