Customer Stories

"I tell people that wearing an OmniPod
is like having a laser-guided insulin
delivery system compared to a
chainsaw. It's a complete shift in
approach."

 

Cliff Scherb, founder of TriStar Athletes™ , competes regularly in Ironman triathlons. These grueling events push athletes to their limits of physical and mental endurance, and require an enormous training commitment.  But for all of Cliff’s hard work, erratic blood sugars kept him from achieving the faster times he knew were within his reach. That changed when OmniPod  gave Cliff more precise control he needed to stay strong for the duration of the race.

 

 

When I was young, I played soccer, water polo, track, basketball – any sport I could get involved in. Learning at age 9 that I had diabetes didn’t change anything. Sure, my parents were a little nervous about it, but they were freaked out about a lot of things I did! The key was that my family was incredibly supportive, and the doctors and other people I met genuinely cared. They didn’t make diabetes seem like a big deal, and that environment allowed me to have confidence that diabetes wouldn’t be a setback.

As a triathlete, I compete in 12 races a year – usually one or two Ironman races, and a lot of half-Ironmen. An Ironman is a type of long-distance triathlon race made up of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike race and a 26-plus mile run. That takes a lot of training.

When I told my family in 2002 that I wanted to do an Ironman, I wasn’t sure it was possible. Doctors couldn’t tell me how to prepare safely, or how to eat. Balancing the amount of food you consume and the insulin you need is a tough thing. A couple of my doctors were concerned that the distance might not be safe or healthy; they worried about possible long-term complications.

My doctors couldn’t strategize what kind of insulin levels I needed to be on during training. I had to become very systematic about it, even setting up my own spreadsheets. It was trial and error trying to keep my blood sugar from getting too high or too low.  At the end of the day, I had to figure out how to take hard days hard and easy days easy.

Of course, Ironman races are incredible challenges. Being diabetic, I wanted to do it – to see what I’m really capable of and not let diabetes stop me from doing anything, ever. Until a few years ago, I was training at a very high level compared to the results I achieved. At the beginning of an Ironman, the insulin demands are huge; having all that insulin on board, I’d crash. I was super frustrated – a lot of races went that way for me, and I wasn’t getting the times I knew I could reach.

I started wearing the OmniPod about a year ago. When you’re younger, a pump sounds like you’re tethered to a machine.  OmniPod didn’t exist when the pump concept was introduced to me, and back then I had little interest in what was available. You’re worried about girls – all sorts of things.  Now, vanity doesn’t motivate me. My OmniPod makes me a little different; I feel a sense of strength, not weakness. And the fact that it’s wireless and I can pre-program it – I love that.

I qualified for Ironman Hawaii shortly after I got my OmniPod. (Ironman Hawaii is considered by many to be the most prestigious triathlon in the world.) I have been training for many years at the top level of Ironman racing, and the first race I wore my Omnipod I had my second fastest Ironman time ever (9hr 17min). I attribute that to my OmniPod – it gave me the precision I need. The analogy I use is that with the OmniPod, it’s like having a laser-guided insulin delivery system compared to a chainsaw. It’s a complete shift in approach.

Last year I trained hard in Boulder Colorado and traveled to Kona Hawaii to race.  Unfortunately, I returned early and could not compete as my father became ill. I recently completed  Ironman Australia In December. I chose that race because it’s very fast, and I wanted to see just how fast I can go. The race was a great one and I was happy with my performance. My goal is to eventually break the unofficial Type 1 diabetes Ironman world record of 8:51; my time of 9:07 is second.  My plan is to improve year after year – to keep doing the sport for a long time and to be healthy doing it.