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Somerset man with diabetes joining 268-mile ultra-marathon

Handout photo of Ian Evans. He is stood in a doorway wearing a navy blue coat. He is looking directly at the camera and smiling.Handout
Ian Evans is joining the Spine Race on 14 January

A man living with type 1 diabetes is participating in a 268-mile (431km) ultra-marathon to inspire others living with the condition.

Ian Evans, of Congresbury, North Somerset, is embarking on the seven-day Spine Race, which is dubbed the "most brutal" endurance challenge in Britain.

The event, which attracts more than 500 participants a year, has never been completed by a diabetic.

Mr Evans said: "A diabetes diagnosis is not the end of your life."

When he was 14-years-old, Mr Evans was diagnosed with the condition.

The 56-year-old said it was "very different" dealing with having diabetes in the 1980s, as medicine and technology was not as advanced as it is today.

Handout Ian Evans participating in the Winter Spine Challenge in January 2023. He is wearing a red coat and walking with hiking sticks. He is along the Pennine Way and a small amount of snow can be seen on the ground.Handout
Ian Evans participated in a smaller version of the Spine Race in 2023, which was 110 miles (177km) long

He credited "game-changing" inventions like the flash glucose monitor, which allows diabetics to check their blood sugar levels on an electronic device, without having to conduct a finger-prick test.

"You can tell the future as well, because it tells you whether your blood sugar is going up or down and that never used to be the case.

"It puts you massively in control and I found that has made a particular difference to my ability to do stuff", he added.

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What is type 1 diabetes?

  • Type 1 diabetes causes the level of glucose (sugar) in the bloodstream to become too high. People with the condition cannot produce enough insulin, a hormone which controls glucose levels.
  • Type 1 diabetics must take insulin to control their blood glucose levels
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Despite his condition, Mr Evans has always been a keen runner and has participated in marathons previously.

The Spine Race route spans the Pennine Way, starting in the Peak District and ending at the Scottish border.

Participants have seven days to complete the journey along the challenging terrain.

Mr Evans, who has spent the past year training for the race, said: "The physical challenge is manageable - you can train for that. It's the mental, and the ability to put up with discomfort and pain.

"Diabetics can do anything. They are breaking records, they are winning races, they are going to the top of Everest.

"There is no reason why any young diabetics should have any less ambition.

"There is no reason why a diabetic needs to accept any limitations."

The Spine Race concludes at 08:00 GMT on 21 January.

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