About

 The Type1Rider Organization:

This organization is dedicated to both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetic athletes, particularly those who ride and race bicycles. The primary goals of Type1Rider are outreach and advocacy. These strategic goals are supported and voiced by Type1Rider's primary mission:

Awareness-Education-Support-Encouragement

Type1Rider was formed early in the morning on May 17th, 2005 by Tony Cervati.  He was attending a Diabetes Exercise Sports Association conference, and was motivated by the speakers there to openly post his preparations for his first 24 hour solo mountain bike race. Cervati began posting a daily blog detailing such items as blood glucose levels, exercise time, food intake, pump settings, and insulin usage. The site quickly began to tally a large number of visitors affected by diabetes. The Type1Rider organization has continued to grow rapidly recording thousands of visitors per month, and hundreds of blog entries.
Type1Rider uses racing and cycling event participation as a vehicle to convey information and data about daily management, training, riding, techniques, and technologies available in order to improve their health.

Exercise and self care is promoted as one of the keys to living a long healthy life with diabetes.

Founder Tony Cervati:

I first heard the words "Type I Diabetes" nearly 35 years ago at the age of 8. Exercise has been a consistent element throughout my lifetime and has contributed to my ability to maintain a stable 6.3 or lower A1c. In that time, I have been through numerous insulin therapies (Beef, Pork, and Humulin regular and NPH, Lantus, and Humalog), tested my blood glucose over 80,000 times, and, before starting pump therapy, had taken almost 52,000 injections.

I was diagnosed by my pediatrician, Dr. Calderone. When he told us, I remember thinking that diabetes was something that old people got. I don't know why I thought that as I didn't know any diabetics at that time. I remember two specific things that he told me that day. First, my Mom was wondering how she was going to monitor what I ate at birthday parties and such. He instructed my mom to "let him eat cake". Right or wrong, that stuck in my mind all of these years because it indicated to me that although I had diabetes I could live a normal life. The second thing he told me was "that I would turn out healthier than most people as I would see doctors more often". I came to learn years later that this was true. I could use certain aspects of being a diabetic as an advantage, rather than consider it a liability. Seeing the doctor more often has helped me to learn more about my health, catch any illnesses earlier, and develop a better relationship with medical professionals. Furthermore, diabetes has forced me to pay more attention to my diet and exercise patterns.

Sports have always been a central part of my life. I enthusiastically participated in Pop Warner football, little league baseball, raced BMX bikes when I was younger and went on to play high school football earning multiple varsity letters and team captain positions on the track team. All of these activities required a disciplined and dynamic approach to diabetes management.

I founded the Type1Rider organization in May of 2005. I was attending a Diabetes Exercise Sports Association conference, and was motivated by the speakers there to openly post my preparations for my first 24 hour solo mountain bike race. I began posting a daily blog detailing such items as blood glucose levels, exercise time, food intake, pump settings, and insulin usage. The site quickly began to tally a large number of visitors affected by diabetes. Since that first race in 2005, I have continued to use this site in a similar fashion documenting preparation and outcome of my racing and training efforts.

I use racing and cycling event participation as a member of the Trek 29er Crew mountain bike team as a vehicle to convey information and data about daily management, training, riding, techniques, and technologies available in order to improve their health. Exercise and self care is promoted as one of the keys to living a long healthy life with diabetes.

The mission of Type1Rider has focused on the promotion of diabetes awareness and education, and providing support and encouragement for all diabetic cyclists as well as those who live everyday with diabetes. Going out and competing successfully as a participant who has diabetes and setting a positive example for other diabetics is the principal objective.  I also use my race and training experiences to give other diabetics useful data and information about blood glucose control.