Running with reason

The year was 1999. Americans were outraged over President Clinton's White House scandal, NATO dropped bombs over Kosovo because of human-rights violations and the massacre at Columbine High School gave parents a reason to question their children's safety at school.

That was also the year when Chris Florez, a UW employee, was diagnosed with type-II diabetes, a condition that has forever changed the way he lives.

"My father had type-II diabetes," said Chris. "But we never really talked about it, or it was never brought up."

Diabetes is an incurable disease that affects roughly 18 million Americans, a third of who don't even know they have it. It is a condition in which the body destroys or does not produce a sufficient amount of insulin, which is converted into energy.

Currently, diabetes is the fourth-leading cause of death in the United States, and its toll is steadily rising.

"It was a shock finding out, and it meant a drastic change in my lifestyle," said Chris.

Before he was diagnosed, Chris described himself as being on the "American fast-food diet.

"I wasn't eating healthy or exercising at all," said Chris.

Chris first noticed something was wrong when he lost 40 pounds in a matter of two months.

"I knew something wasn't right, and I had all the classic symptoms of a diabetic," said Chris. Some of the symptoms include frequent urination, excessive thirst and hunger, increased fatigue and extreme weight loss.

Being diagnosed with type-II diabetes meant that Chris had to take an oral medication to control his amount of insulin. It also meant a drastic change in the way he lived.

"After being diagnosed, I focused on eating better and getting in a good amount of exercise," said Chris.

It was a long and frustrating process for Chris to change his lifestyle. He remained positive, however, reminding himself that it could be worse. But no matter how much he exercised and followed the strict diet he was on, it did get worse.

In August 2002, Chris was diagnosed with type-I diabetes. Type-I diabetes is a more-serious disease that requires insulin injections four times a day.

"At this point, I realized there was no going back," said Chris. "The disease consumes you. It's always on your mind from the moment you wake up to when you go to bed."

After expressing some concerns about his exercise regime to his insulin educator at the UW diabetic center, Chris was informed of group that runs and trains for marathons known as Team Diabetes. Team Diabetes runs in marathons all over the world and raises money for diabetes awareness and research.

Chris joined the team, hoping to find that others who suffered from the same disease would be people he could talk to, and find support in while maintaining his exercise.

This was where he found Joel Lennox.

"Joel is also a type-I diabetic and he has been a great help to me," said Chris. "Most people, when I tell them about my disease, have no idea what it is or are hearing about it for the first time. They are supportive, but don't understand. Joel understands."

Every Saturday, Chris meets up with Joel and other Team Diabetes runners to train for the upcoming marathon.

"Out of the 12 to 15 runners in the group, only about three of us actually have diabetes," said Chris. "A lot of them know people with it or are just looking for a reason to run and people to run with."

This summer, Chris will be running in his first 26.2-mile marathon in Hawaii with Team Diabetes.

Team Diabetes was brought to Washington state four years ago and has attracted hundreds of diabetes supporters and runners alike.

"I've been involved with Team Diabetes for four years now," said Kris Worley, director of Team Diabetes in Seattle. "My first year, we sent about 1,000 runners to the Kona marathon in Hawaii."

This year, Worley hopes to send that many, if not more, runners to Kona. The marathon is the largest race of the year for the team. It also participates in other marathons in Dublin, Rome and New Orleans.

All of the money raised during these marathons goes straight to the American Diabetes Association.

"We get some donations from corporate sponsors," said Kris, "but most the money that is raised is done by the runners."

Most runners, like Chris, find refuge in Team Diabetes.

"It is about raising awareness in the community, using physical fitness as a way to increase personal health and raising funds for diabetes research in hopes of finding a cure," said Chris.

For more information about diabetes or to make a donation to the American Diabetes Association and the run that Chris will be participating in, visit www.diabetes.org.