Team Novo Nordisk Podcast

​Newton Ngugi Macharia is a dedicated health systems strengthening specialist and a passionate advocate for Type 1 diabetes. He currently serves as the Associate Programme Manager at the World Diabetes Foundation (WDF), where he leverages both his professional expertise and personal experience living with Type 1 diabetes to drive meaningful change in diabetes care.Australian Justin Morris is a former member of Team Novo Nordisk's professional squad and now serves as one of the organization's standout ambassadors. The talented public speaker raced for two seasons with the men's professional team before splitting his time between sharing the team's mission to inspire, educate and empower, completing his university studies and starting his own business coaching and mentoring athletes.Today we'd particularly like to touch on Living with type 1 diabetes in a LMIC setting

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of the Team Novo Nordisk podcast, CEO and Co-Founder Phil Southerland opens up like never before. He shares his struggles with mental health, the pain of divorce, the challenges of losing a business, and his battle with depression. Through honesty and vulnerability, Phil sheds light on the highs and lows of leadership, life, and living with diabetes. This is a must-listen for anyone facing adversity because even in the darkest moments, there's always a way forward.⚠️ Trigger Warning: SuicideIf you or someone you know is struggling, you are not alone, and support is available.

California-native Benny Madrigal describes his childhood in one word: active. He played nearly every sport imaginable, and by high school, he focused exclusively on running, both on the track and cross-country. Benny earned all-American honors and went on to attend Fresno Pacific University where he continued running and earned all-conference honors. Following graduation, Benny began coaching fellow runners and took a position as a long-term substitute teacher in a special education classroom. As he was adjusting to professional life, the then 22-year-old was blindsided by a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. Fortunately, Benny didn't lose his competitive nature and soon found a supportive health care provider that helped him to manage his diabetes properly. He began training again and his career continued to advance. When it came to competing, Madrigal knew he needed to take it slowly and focused on setting realistic goals and taking small steps.

[0:00 - 4:37] Introduction [6:00 - 17:04] Early Life and Introduction to Adaptive Sports Kate discusses her upbringing in Michigan after being adopted from Ukraine. She emphasizes her parents' support in encouraging her to try new things despite challenges. Kate talks about her active childhood, participating in sports like rowing, and the importance of community. She recounts the December 2017 incident that led to her spinal cord injury during a routine surgery. Kate describes her initial despair after the surgery and the turning point when a dietitian at Mary Free bed Rehabilitation Hospital inspired her. She explains her introduction to adaptive sports, specifically wheelchair rugby and hand cycling, and the feeling of freedom hand cycling provided. [17:25 - 25:47] Embracing Hand Cycling and Discovering Her Talent Zen shares his personal connection to Kate's story, revealing his lower back pain and upcoming surgery, and expresses admiration for Kate's resilience. Kate acknowledges the fragility of life and the unexpected turns it can take. She describes her transition from recreational hand cycling to competitive racing, starting with local events and progressing to national championships. [26:03 - 37:12] Overcoming Obstacles and Achieving Paralympic Success Kate reveals the challenges she faced with a cracked bike frame leading up to the Paralympic trials. She describes the last-minute repair, the concerns expressed about its safety, and the pressure to find a permanent solution. Kate recounts the emotional moment of receiving the call confirming her selection for the Paralympic team while dealing with the bike frame issue and a subsequent kidney infection. She attributes her Paralympic success to the unwavering support she received from her team and emphasizes the importance of teamwork in individual sports.17 [37:47 - 48:10] Life with Diabetes and the Power of Technology Kate explains the three hand cycling events at the Paralympic Games: individual time trial, road race, and team relay, providing insights into their format and strategies.18 She expresses pride in winning the bronze medal in the team relay despite challenges.19 Kate describes the surreal experience of winning the gold medal in the individual time trial. She recounts her type 1 diabetes diagnosis in 2021, initially dismissing the symptoms as fatigue. Kate details the challenges of managing diabetes, particularly the constant need for monitoring and adjustments. She emphasizes the importance of proactive diabetes management, especially in the context of her athletic pursuits. Kate highlights the significant advancements in diabetes technology, specifically insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors, and how they have empowered her to push her limits. [48:30 - 61:01] Training Regimen, World Championships, and Reflecting on Zurich Kate outlines her weekly training regimen, which includes six days of cycling, strength and conditioning work, and a focus on nutrition. She contrasts the intensity of her training during the racing season with the current focus on enjoying the bike and exploring. Kate shares her experience at the World Championships in Zurich, Switzerland, describing the beautiful scenery and the integration of para-cycling with able-bodied events. She recounts winning gold in the time trial and road race, highlighting the last-minute bike adjustment that made her nervous. Kate discusses the team relay event, the unpredictable nature of the race, and the team's satisfaction with their performance despite placing sixth. She explains the unique braking system on her handbike, using a single disc brake on the front wheel activated by her elbow. Kate reveals the high speeds she reaches on her bike, averaging 18-20 mph with top speeds exceeding 50 mph, and the challenges of navigating narrow European roads during races.

In this special edition of the podcast Declan Irvine and David Lozano talk about the preparation it takes to race 200 miles on gravel while living with type 1 diabetes. The Unbound Gravel race is different to the normal road race that the Pro Team usually faces. In this episode we talk about logistics and the equipment it takes tackle something like this.

"One of my biggest goals is to represent my country at the Olympic Games.Not only would it be the pinnacle of my athlete career, but also an incredible platform to inspire, educate and empower everyone affected by diabetes." In this interview, Mandy talks about her dream of qualifying for the Olympic Games and living with type 1 diabetes.

Team Novo Nordisk CEO and co-founder Phil Southerland recently ran the London Marathon. As someone living with type 1 diabetes, Phil was highly focused on his glucose leading up to the race as well as during the run. In this episode, Phil explains how he adapted when things didn't go according to plan and what he would do differently if he could go back in time.

David Lozano was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder as a child and his father encouraged him to play sports to burn off excess energy. By the age of 8, he was competing in mountain biking races and went on to dominate the Spanish circuit throughout his teens. The Catalan turned professional at 18 with the Spanish team, MSC Bikes, and was considered the best mountain biker in Spain when he began to lose vision in his right eye. At the hospital, he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, and Lozano hoped to continue mountain biking. But after he informed his team manager of the diagnosis, the team immediately broke his contract. Lozano's father also has type 1 diabetes and has struggled with his diabetes management. When Lozano was diagnosed, his mother was distraught, believing that the younger Lozano might experience the same difficulties as his father. Soon after his diagnosis, Lozano connected with Team Novo Nordisk CEO Phil Southerland via Facebook and the two, along with Lozano's mother, met in Barcelona. Southerland explained the values of the team — to help inspire, educate and empower those living with diabetes — and invited Lozano to join. Lozano's mother was grateful for the opportunity, knowing her son could live a healthy life and continue his athletic career.

After five years of racing with the Team Novo Nordisk development team, Logan Phippen made the step up to the pro team in 2021, realizing a long-held dream and becoming the team's only US pro rider. Valuable experience racing against WorldTour opponents gained at races like the Tour of Turkey, Baloise Tour of Belgium and the Tour du Limousin stood Phippen in good stead over the last two seasons and the American is looking for more of the same in 2023. #DrivingChange #Diabetes

Becky Furuta was pregnant with her second child and racing her bike for a domestic elite team based out of Boulder, Colorado when she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. The then 28-year-old's family has a history of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, so when Furuta first experienced the symptoms of the condition, she called her doctor and requested an early screening for gestational diabetes. Her midwife performed a routine glucose tolerance test. The results sent her straight to the emergency room.

In this episode, Charles Planet talks about what he calls the lowest moment of his life so far. After COVID-19 hampered his performance last year, this season as he was gaining full fitness, he was involved in an accident while out training. His injuries were serious. Charles talks about how it affected him mentally and what he is doing to overcome it.

Go behind the scenes at the recent Team Novo Nordisk training camp in Italy. The camp was a mix of long days on the bike, including high-intensity training and lactate testing. In this episode, the athletes give unique insight into their daily schedules and the medical team talks about preparation and diabetes management at this summer training camp.

2021 marked New Zealander Hamish Beadle's first full professional season after coming through the ranks of the Team Novo Nordisk development pipeline from junior to devo team and finally the pro's. Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at only three years of age, Beadle doesn't remember life without the condition. He grew up in an active family with one older brother. Both his father and brother raced bikes, so Beadle was motivated to follow in their footsteps. By age eight, he was already competing. In this episode, Hamish talks about leaving the comfort of home as a teenager to join the Team Novo Nordisk Talent ID program in America and the other sacrifices he's made to become a professional cyclist.

We sit down with Sam Brand to find out what it was like getting diagnosed with type 1 diabetes on World Diabetes Day. In this episode, Sam talks about how it affected the sports he played growing up and the journey that ultimately led to him becoming a professional cyclist. Brand's Team Novo Nordisk career officially began as a member of the elite triathlon team. In 2013, following his qualification to race at the ITU World Championships, he gained the attention of Team Novo Nordisk and joined the program the following season. Sam turned professional with Team Novo Nordisk in 2018 and has continued to develop and cement his place as a key member of the team.

Phil Southerland is a global ambassador for diabetes and is committed to educating and empowering the 1.2 billion people across the globe associated with the condition. He serves as the CEO and Co-Founder of Team Novo Nordisk, the world's first all-diabetes pro cycling team. In this episode, Phil talks about how his childhood shaped his dreams, how Team Novo Nordisk came to exist and what his future plans are to make the world healthier.

In March this year Team Novo Nordisk once again lined up in Milan San Remo. At 300 kilometers, it's the longest Classic in cycling. In this episode, TNN professional Umberto Poli shares about lining up in the Italian Classic and what's it's like in the peloton. Performance Kristina Skroce gets interviewed at the pre-MSR training camp giving us insight into what the riders go through in preparing for the race.