Run It Back: A Type 1 “Late Bloomer” and His 5 Training Essentials

Randy Riggs, a self-proclaimed late bloomer with type 1 diabetes, was diagnosed at 31 after an active life of running and endurance training. A few years after his diagnosis, he ran a half marathon in 2014, an effort that felt overwhelming—causing him to hang up his running shoes for ten years. 

In the spring of 2024, a conversation with his endocrinologist led him to upgrade his diabetes tech. In addition to improving his time in range and A1c, the switch gave Riggs the confidence boost to resume running. By October, he completed a 25K trail run—the first race he had run in a decade. 

Now, at 44, Riggs is thriving and ready to take on the next big challenge: the New York City Marathon with the Beyond Type Run team. But this journey is about more than miles—it’s a celebration of resilience, innovation and legacy. 

“A few weeks ago, my five-year-old son, sitting on my lap, joked about not wanting to be a daddy because he doesn’t want to deal with blood sugars,” Riggs said. “It hit me how much he associates diabetes with being a father, and it made me reflect on what this journey means. I hope he never has to experience it, but if he does, I want him to know it doesn’t have to limit his life. Managing diabetes is challenging, but it’s still possible to do anything anyone else can do.”

That same perspective drives his approach to training, and is built around five essentials that keep him steady:

*Responses have been edited for brevity and clarity

Technically Speaking

I was visiting my endocrinologist and talking about some of the challenges I’d had managing diabetes. I’d had an episode that really scared me, and she suggested I try Medtronic’s MiniMed™ 780G system. I’d already been on an insulin pump since shortly after my diagnosis, but she explained the benefits of switching. Honestly, I wasn’t sure it would make that much difference—but after I made the switch, my time in range improved dramatically, and my A1c dropped significantly. When I went back to her, we talked about the improvements I’d seen over those few months, and I asked if she thought I could run again. She said, ‘I think you should try it.’

Family Support

One of the huge things for me is having a supportive family, absolutely. I have four kids—one in high school, one in middle school, and two kindergartners—so daily life is crazy, always taking kids here and there. For my wife and kids to support the time it takes for me to train, to accommodate that schedule and to be there for me—especially running with type 1 diabetes, means a lot. I’ve had runs where my blood sugar drops and I don’t have a gel, so I’ll call my wife or daughter to meet me with fruit snacks. That family support is huge.

The Right Fuel

Fueling-wise, I usually eat bananas before I run, and while I’m out, I pack running gels that I take every few miles. That helps keep my blood sugar where it needs to be. 

Listen Up

I listen to podcasts, not music, when I run. My Open Shokz headphones are something I use a lot. I usually listen to running or ultra running podcasts for motivation while I’m out.

Running Community

Once I started running last year, I quickly connected with a local running community and being part of that has been really beneficial. Even though they’re not runners with type 1 diabetes, it’s great to have people I can relate to and run with. Since joining the Beyond Type Run team, we’ve also built our own community through WhatsApp, staying in touch and supporting each other. 

Randy’s not running this race alone. He’s repping the Beyond Type Run squad, proving T1D doesn’t set the pace. Want to back his journey? Check out his fundraising page!

This content was made possible by Medtronic Diabetes, an active partner of Beyond Type 1. Beyond Type 1 maintains editorial control over its content.