)
The world marathon record holder is among athletes who have embraced technology and uses the barely noticeable glucose monitor to keep track of his blood sugar fluctuations
Eliud Kipchoge is among top athletes who have embraced technology in a bid to aid their running and push them to incredible levels.
Kipchoge uses a special Nike super-shoe prototypes on his feet during races and carefully selects what he eats to remain in optimum shape and unbeknown to many, he also goes to extreme lengths to watch his sugar levels.
Like some other top long-distance runners such as London Marathon champion Sifan Hassan, the world marathon record holder is also among those who wear a barely noticeable white biosensor on his arm during training and on race day.
This device, according to Athletics Weekly is a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), made by Abbott, and which works alongside an app created by a company called Supersapiens. Currently all the rage in endurance sport circles, it is effectively the world’s first human fuel gauge.
In recent years athletes have been able to measure, among other things, their heart rate, body weight, sleep patterns, stride length and cadence. Yet now, thanks to this collaboration between Supersapiens and the Abbott Libre Sense Glucose Sport Biosensor, you can add blood sugar fluctuations to the list.
Long-distance athletes wear the CGM to help with pre and mid-race fuelling. Kipchoge and his camp has formal links with Abbott and, consequently, have discussed their sugar stats with Supersapiens.
)
By giving the user real-time visibility into their blood glucose levels it allows them to fine-tune fuelling strategies for training, racing and recovery.
In marathons and ultra-endurance races it helps runners avoid the dreaded “bonk” which means the point at which the body's glycogen stores are depleted and the body starts to fatigue and burn fat.
The stats offer an insight into blood glucose levels, which in turn provides clues as to what the athlete should be eating and when. In short, it is taking the guesswork out of fuelling.
How it works
A circular adhesive patch sits on your arm with a small filament embedded just under your skin. This biowearable is pressed into your body, where it sits for 14 days, picking up glucose readings from the interstitial fluid.
Once inserted, it takes about one hour for readings to start showing and you can link the app with Garmin, Apple Health, Training Peaks, Nolio and Wahoo.
Once the sensor is applied, the glucose readings soon begin to appear and are nothing short of fascinating as you see your sugar levels rise and fall, sometimes dramatically, following various meals, snacks and drinks.
The readings are calculated minute-to-minute, too, but if you miss any time due to not being close to your phone then you merely scan the sensor and it updates the missing stats via Bluetooth.
Additional information from Athletics Weekly
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)