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Jay Hewitt (website)  
Ironman Triathlete

Age: 38 years old

Age diagnosed: 24 years old

Most vivid memory of your diagnosis? 
 I recall awakening in the ER, semi-conscious, with an IV in my arm and oxygen tubes in my nose, while a group of medical residents about my age stood around me with clipboards, staring at me like a medical experiment.  A few hours later the doctor told me that I had diabetes.  “What is diabetes?” I asked.  She told me.  “Am I going to die?” I asked.  No, she said.  “Will it go away?” I asked.  No, it is permanent.  There is no cure, she said.  At that point I knew my life would be different, and my cure was up to me.     

Family:  
Single, but dating a beautiful girl, Anna Hanks, www.annahanks.com, a former Miss SC USA 2003, and current Miss United States.  No way I deserve her. 

Current A1C:  6.3 

Goal for next A1C: 5.9 

Riding Experience: 
I Race Ironman triathlons.  My first long bike ride was in 2001, the ADA’s Tour de Cure, 150 miles in two days on a borrowed bike with leather straps over the pedals in running shoes, about 3 weeks after running the Rome, Italy marathon for the ADA’s Team Diabetes.  Since then I have Raced 9 Ironman triathlons.  In 2004, I qualified for the U.S. National Team for Long Course Triathlon and Raced for Team USA at the Long Course Triathlon World Championships in 2004, 2005 and will 2006.   In 2006 I will Race for the new Hincapie Sportswear Triathlon Team, www.hincapie.com. 

Training Regime / Racing regime:
During the season (April-Nov) I train approximately 15-17 hours per week, swimming, biking and running.  I usually workout twice a day during the week.  I Race every Tuesday with local cyclists from Greenville, S.C., and do long rides and runs on the weekends.  I usually Race 3 Ironman triathlons each year, including the Long Course Worlds with the U.S Team, along with 3 to 4 Half Ironmans.  

Job/employer:
I am an attorney specializing in business litigation, and also a professional motivational speaker.

School attending/attended:
Wake Forest University.   

What do you enjoy most about being a diabetic? 
Inspiring others to overcome and Achieve.  I love the challenge of proving what I can do with diabetes.  Diabetes has become my motivation, the fuel that drives me to the finish line.  I also enjoy eating a healthy diet and that diabetes forces me to do that.      

Most memorable event (pre- or post-diagnosis), sporting or personal:
Running the last 400 meters of Ironman Florida 2004 when I finished in 9 hours, 47 minutes.  It was a personal best for me by over 30 minutes, the crowd was tremendous and deafening, and I was beyond all limits of exhaustion.  The feeling was like no other in the world.

A close second most memorable event(s) would be Racing the ITU Long Course Triathlon World Championship for Team USA in Sweden (2004) and Denmark (2005).  There is nothing quite like Racing in a world championship on foreign soil.

Give us a few words of wisdom, some personal advice...
The bad thing that happens to you is the best thing that happens to you.  Turn the negative event of diabetes into positive energy and motivation to prove what you can overcome.  I accept my diabetes, but I will not surrender to it.  Above all, have Finish Line Vision.™  I see the Finish Line of the Race with every step and stroke I make in training.  You earn the Finish Line every day in training, alone, when no one is watching. (These thoughts are from my motivational speeches on Finish Line Vision.™

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"Curing Diabetes One Mile at a Time"