Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you listen to podcasts.
Living with type 1 diabetes means doing hard things every day.
Managing blood sugars, making treatment decisions, and adapting to unexpected challenges requires resilience. Because of that, taking on a new goal can sometimes feel intimidating. It’s easy to wonder whether diabetes will make it harder or whether you’re ready to try.
In a recent Blue Circle Health podcast episode, Marketing Coordinator Erika Szumel shared how training for a marathon helped her build confidence, trust herself, and learn valuable lessons that apply far beyond running.
Confidence Comes From Doing
When Erika signed up for her first marathon in 2022, she wasn’t a runner. In fact, she had never completed a race before.
Like many people with T1D, she had concerns about how her blood sugar would respond to long periods of exercise and whether she could manage the challenges that came with training.
But instead of waiting until she felt fully prepared, she decided to just get started.
That decision taught her an important lesson: confidence doesn’t always come before action. More often, confidence is built through action.
As she continued training, each run became proof that she was capable of more than she had originally believed.
Learning to Adapt
Marathon training quickly became an exercise in problem-solving.
Some days went smoothly. Other days required adjustments. Erika experimented with different strategies to manage her blood sugar during long runs and learned that what worked one day didn’t always work the next.
That experience felt familiar.
Living with type 1 diabetes often requires the same approach. You gather information, make adjustments, learn from the results, and keep moving forward.
Rather than expecting perfection, Erika learned to focus on adaptability.
“The quicker you can adapt and, move forward when you have the challenges and the bumps, the better,” she shared.
The Power of Community
Another key part of Erika’s experience was connecting with other people living with type 1 diabetes.
Some had completed multiple marathons, while others were training for their first race. Having people who understood both the physical challenge and the realities of diabetes helped her stay motivated and confident throughout the process.
The experience reinforced an important reminder: you don’t have to do hard things alone.
Whether you’re pursuing a fitness goal, navigating diabetes challenges, or working toward something completely different, support can make a meaningful difference.
One Step at a Time
When asked what advice she would give someone who feels intimidated by a new challenge, Erika kept it simple.
“You don’t need to climb the whole staircase. You just need to take the first step.”
It’s a lesson that applies to almost anything. Big goals can feel overwhelming when you focus on the entire journey. Breaking them into smaller steps makes them more manageable and creates opportunities to build confidence along the way.
The Takeaway
One of the most powerful messages from Erika’s story is that living with type 1 diabetes already requires tremendous strength and perseverance.
The same skills that help you navigate diabetes every day: resilience, patience, adaptability, and determination, can help you pursue goals that matter to you.
You don’t need to have everything figured out before you begin.
Take the first step, learn as you go, and trust yourself to keep moving forward.
How Blue Circle Health Can Help
People with type 1 diabetes shouldn’t have to fight for what they need to live. Blue Circle Health provides free clinical care, education, and support to help adults with T1D build confidence, overcome barriers, and spend less time worrying about diabetes and more time living their lives.
