[EN] E9: Representing the British National Team with Type 1 Diabetes | Telemark Skier Hamish Ross

What does it take to compete at the highest level of a sport where every turn is a lunge and every race is a "giant science experiment"? In this episode, we sit down with Hamish, a professional telemark skier on the British National Team. Based in Switzerland, Hamish balances the brutal physical demands of World Cup racing with the constant vigilance required by Type 1 Diabetes.We explore his unconventional path into telemark skiing, his wake-up call after years of mismanagement at university, and the psychological hurdles of wearing medical tech while trying to maintain the image of an elite athlete. Hamish shares harrowing stories of adrenaline spikes in the start gate and a helicopter rescue, offering a raw and honest look at the resilience required to thrive in the cold.VIDEO CHAPTERS 📖01:15 British National Team skier Hamish 01:50 What is Telemark?06:17 From recreational skiing to the World Cup08:30 Diagnosis: How a veterinarian spotted the signs10:33 Growing up active in a supportive T1D household12:18 University life: Neglect and dangerous hypos16:17 Retinopathy diagnosis and a shift in mindset19:30 Finding expert sports-diabetes care in Switzerland23:09 Insulin pump or not?28:38 Being a role model for T1D athletes30:30 Data in the snow: Using coaches to monitor sugar33:33 Tech vs. Race Suits35:57 Physiology of snow: Cold and altitude impacts38:26 Real-time adjustments during World Cup training41:17 Adrenaline: Handling the start gate glucose spike44:29 The stress of tight target ranges46:08 Why diabetes is a job without days off48:37 Breaking stigmas of what a T1D athlete looks likeKey Takeaways:The Complexity of Telemark: Why this niche sport is a "brutal" physical challengeThe Identity Crisis: Navigating the internal conflict between wanting to look like a "fit athlete" and the necessity of wearing a pump or CGMEnvironmental Obstacles: How extreme cold and altitude force the body to use more energy just to stay warm, complicating insulin sensitivityThe Adrenaline Factor: Strategies for handling the massive blood sugar spikes that occur in the competitive start gatePerfectionism in Management: Why setting tight alarm ranges can be both a blessing for HBA1C and a source of stressCONNECT AND FOLLOW:* YouTube: https://youtu.be/sOBY2OHrBvg* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neverbackdown.be/* Spotify: https://bit.ly/4r23rGS* Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3ZlwqJt* Follow Hamish Ross: https://www.instagram.com/the.athletic.diabetic25[NL] Nederlandse samenvattingEpisode 9: Racen voor het Britse Nationale Team met Type 1 Diabetes | Telemarkskier Hamish RossIn deze aflevering spreken we met Hamish, een professionele telemarkskier van het Britse nationale team. Vanuit Zwitserland combineert hij loodzware World Cup-wedstrijden met de constante zorg voor zijn Type 1 Diabetes. We bespreken zijn unieke weg naar de topsport, de wake-up call na een moeilijke studententijd en de struggle met medische technologie als topatleet. Met indrukwekkende verhalen over adrenalinepieken bij de start en een helikopterredding op grote hoogte, biedt Hamish een eerlijke kijk op de veerkracht die nodig is om te presteren in de extreme kou.