Coaching People with Diabetes
Jennifer Davino Rides for the JDRF and Finds an Exciting Career Path in the Process
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On August 25, 2007, I took part in my second Ride to Cure Diabetes and completed my first century ride of 105 miles in Montana!! I decided to join the ride last year to give myself a challenge. In doing so it changed my life, as any person who has been involved in the Ride to Cure will say. When you train for a bike ride you are learning not only how to become a better cyclist but how to adhere to a schedule, diabetes management throughout, nutrition and endurance training. Since last year's ride I have decided to go to school to become a nutritionist and later on a CDE, it's a great choice for me because I feel like I can eventually help other diabetics not simply in raising money for research through the rides but in helping them to better understand our disease with nutrition and possibly fitness.
Diabetes is a hard disease to try to manage if you have no support or understanding of the everyday ins and outs of the disease. I feel like everyone involved in the ride understands that. When you have a group of people together who either have the disease or know someone who has it- stories will be told and you can only learn from each other at the same time creating friendships. It's truly a win-win situation.
Joining Fit4D has helped me immensely and I feel that they are the ones coupled with my JDRF ride coach that have helped me to succeed in my first century. I told Fit4D I wanted to ride my first century and needed their help and guidance with my diabetes and ride training in order to accomplish that goal. I had my doubts towards the end of training if I would be able to do a century despite having trained all summer – I was nervous. I didn't know until the day of the ride while I was in that moment whether or not I would be able to do it. Fit4D has been very supportive and helpful throughout my training despite my very busy schedule this summer. I am a gym member and have been paying for my membership since the beginning of the year; however, I haven't been going. Having the staff of Fit4D work with me throughout my training process has forced me to push my self/exercise. It's easy to say "I'll do it later or I don't have time right now" when it comes to the gym because you don't have someone waiting for you. With Fit4D I feel like I have someone who is waiting to get feedback from me and if I don't train and stick to a schedule they can't help me. Though they are not physically with me I know they are there holding me accountable for my work-out and training regimen.
Throughout my century ride in the back of my head I was replaying everything I had been taught by Fit4D and my JDRF coach. Coupled with the encouragement from other riders, JDRF staff, family & friends I was able to go the distance. It was an amazing experience that made all the hard work pay off, I can't wait for next year's rides!