Schwinn to Ironman: Rose’s Dedication to Cycling and Triathlons

Biking has been in Rose Sovel’s life since childhood, shaping her journey through the ups and downs of life including when she was diagnosed with diabetes.  From receiving a refurbished Schwinn bike as a Christmas gift from her dad at the age of 8 or 9, to conquering century rides and Ironman competitions, Rose’s dedication to biking has been a testament to her strength and determination. This lifelong passion has not only helped her achieve personal milestones but has also played an important role in managing her diabetes and inspiring others to stay active.

Early Years and Challenges

Rose’s first significant biking memory involves the Schwinn bike her dad lovingly refurbished for her. Despite a severe fall that resulted in a concussion the following summer, her enthusiasm for biking remained committed. However, as she grew older and transitioned to driving, biking took a backseat. During her undergraduate years, she had a bike but lost track of it over time.

Rediscovery

Post-graduation marked a new chapter in Rose’s biking journey. With the help of her spouse David, she selected a Mongoose hybrid bike and rekindled her love for biking by exploring the regional greenway. The couple even brought their bikes on their honeymoon to Colorado. 

Biking for Health

A pivotal moment in Rose’s biking journey came with her diabetes diagnosis. Determined to stay active, she began training for the Tour de Cure (TdC), initially aiming for the 10-mile family ride. On the day of the event, she decided to tackle the 50K road ride and successfully completed it. This achievement was a significant milestone, leading to more biking events and eventually her first sprint triathlon. For her birthday that year, David gifted her a road bike, a Giant Avail, which she still uses on her trainer.

When Rose was diagnosed with diabetes, she made a life-changing decision to start moving, and she has never looked back. What began as 20 minutes on a treadmill evolved into half marathons, marathons, century rides, marathon swims, and Ironman competitions. Rose’s advice to others is simple: find an activity you can be consistent with and just do it. She also has a passion for hiking and kayaking.

You don’t have to go all in as she did, but it’s crucial to move every day. For those interested in endurance sports, she recommends working with a sports dietitian. Understanding endurance sports can be as important as understanding diabetes itself.

Rose advises those using external insulin or medications that encourage insulin production to educate themselves as much as possible. There are numerous books and resources for people with Type 1 or Type 1.5 diabetes, and most of this information can be adapted for individuals with Type 2 diabetes who use external insulin.

For those with Type 2 diabetes not using external insulin, Rose notes that it becomes a personal study, dependent on various factors such as activity level, medications, weight, fitness, insulin production, and insulin resistance. 

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Advanced Training and Managing Diabetes

Rose’s passion for biking continued to grow, leading her to participate in longer rides and grand touring events such as RAGBRAI, RAIN, and TdC century rides in Indiana and Michigan. Managing her blood sugar during these longer rides is a constant challenge, influenced by various factors like medications, doses, weight, and hormonal cycles.

Although she used a continuous glucose monitor for a while, she found it more frustrating than helpful. Throughout the years, she had a few DNFs in marathons, but working with sports dietitians during her Ironman training proved beneficial.

Current Training Regimen

She is currently training for a 44-mile race at the Dust Bowl 100 in a few weeks.

• Monday: Open water swim (May – October) or long pool swim (3000+ yards)
• Tuesday: Quality run (intervals, threshold, hills) (6 miles)
• Wednesday: Tempo swim (3000 yards) and bike ride (16-20 miles)
• Thursday: Easy to moderate run (4-6 miles)
• Friday: Drill/equipment swim (3000-3500 yards)
• Saturday: Long run (8-20 miles depending on training goals) or long brick
• Sunday: Long ride (25-100+ miles depending on training goals) and sometimes a bonus open water swim with friends

Managing Life and Training

When Rose was a consultant working 45 hours a week, balancing work and training was much harder. Even when she transitioned to a non-profit role and worked only 40 hours a week, the frequent statewide travel required her to be quite creative, especially since she didn’t have support from her employer. Rose would set up a bike trainer next to her hotel bed and often joked about her “Y passport” because she had swum at so many YMCAs.

For the past six years, Rose has worked in the public sector, spending two years working 40 hours a week and the last four years at 37.5 hours a week. During this time, she has had a very supportive director and team. This support has allowed her to set and maintain boundaries, flex her work schedule for training as needed, and take time off for travel to and from races or for training weekends.

Family Support

Rose has been married for almost 25 years and is child-free. Her husband works in the private sector, typically working at least 40 hours a week. He is also a cyclist and yogi. It is not unusual for both of them to be away from home until after 8 PM, and they usually go to bed shortly after 9 PM. Their evening routine involves eating dinner, relaxing a bit, and then turning in for the night. They have flexible expectations about household responsibilities and are comfortable with alone time. While Rose’s husband travels with her for some races, she often takes a friend or goes alone. This arrangement works well for them, though it might not suit everyone.

Schwinn to Ironman: Rose’s Dedication to Cycling and Triathlons

From childhood rides on a refurbished Schwinn to tackling century rides and managing her diabetes through disciplined training, Rose’s story is one of dedication. Her experiences emphasize the importance of adaptability and determination in pursuing one’s fitness goals, regardless of the challenges that come up. 

You can find Rose on Instagram and Threads. 

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