“KILI’S AN EXPERIENCE: YOU START IN AJUNGLE, PASS THROUGH THE CLOUDS INTO SNOW ON THE TOP.”
BREAKING
AWAY
The transition from youth
swimmer to adult fitness
coach was a bit rocky for
Bennett. “Every diabetic in
life goes through a period
where they’re not looking
after themselves,” Bennett
says. While leading a group
of triathletes on a ride, his
blood glucose dropped.
Confused, he hit a rock, fell,
and broke his collarbone.
Unable to swim or run during
his recovery, he spent time
on the bike—and soon began
competing in races. In less
than a year, he was cycling
professionally in Australia.
Bennett moved to the
United States and joined
Team Type 1, then a fledgling
pro team made up in part of
cyclists with type 1 diabetes.
Bennett juggled blood glucose
and the demanding travel
schedule of a pro cyclist. “I
test eight to 10 times a day
at different times to work out
the patterns,” he says. “My
heart rate, stress, and fatigue
all factor in as well.”
The pinnacle was winning
the 2009 Ride Across
America along with seven
teammates with type 1
diabetes. The squad finished
the 3,000-mile race in five
days, nine hours, and five
minutes—a course record.
INTO
AFRICA
The Africa trip on behalf
of Global Bike would test
Bennett’s physical limits—and
help him share his big heart.
Along with bikes, he brought
a supply of donated insulin for
local clinics.
During the ride to Mount
Kilimanjaro, Bennett stashed
his supplies in the pockets
of his cycling jersey. The
ride was at least a familiar
challenge. The climb to
the top of the 19,936-foot
mountain—complete with
severe altitude sickness—was
a new encounter. “Kili’s an
experience: You start in a
jungle, pass through the
clouds into snow on the top,”
Bennett says.
The thin air gave him
pounding headaches and
made keeping food down
impossible. By the time the
team neared the summit,
Bennett was a wreck. “I was
just determined to get it
done,” he says. “I checked
my blood sugar when I got to
the top. It was 236 mg/dl.”
Now home is in Greenville,
S.C., where Bennett rides
for Team Global Bike and
coaches triathletes, kids
with diabetes, and Iraq war
veterans hoping to compete
in the 2012 Paralympics. As a
coach and athlete, discipline
and determination are his
bywords for sports and for
diabetes. “Have a routine,
stick to it, and test as much as
you can,” Bennett says. “It’s a
science: Write it down.” ; CLASSICSTOCK/MASTERFILE (KILIMANJARO); JENNIFER BENNETT (SIMON BENNETT)
