Maren

The past few years I’ve fallen completely in love with everything the West has to offer. But every summit, every climb, every trail run, every paddle, and every adventure comes with the invisible reality of living with Type One Diabetes.

Every day, someone with T1D makes 180–300 extra decisions. Now imagine making those decisions while climbing a rock wall, standing at 14,000 feet, crossing a ridgeline, or trying not to drop your insulin pump in a river. You don’t often see the blood sugars of 37, tears on mountainsides, turning around on runs because ketones are setting in and my body is giving out. I’ve wondered if I’m the problem, because that’s the narrative so many of us with T1D are taught to believe.

But the mountains have never questioned my diabetes management. The rocks have never asked if I’m “better yet.” The outdoors have only ever asked me to show up exactly as I am.

So I’ll keep choosing scary adventures because life with T1D was meant to be LIVED, not FEARED.

Today I celebrate my 23rd diaversary by kicking off another year of fundraising for Breakthrough T1D and my walk team, Maren’s Mob. The research, technology, and advocacy they’ve funded have made so many of my adventures possible, and they’re helping move us toward a future where no one has to make hundreds of extra decisions every single day.

💙 You can support me and Maren’s Mob by donating, joining the team, or sharing this post, links are in my bio. And if you want to read the full unfiltered story (including the blood sugar of 37, the 400 mg/dL trail run, and why I keep coming back to the mountains), you can find the full essay on my Substack, also linked in my bio.