Bob Schrank shares the training approach that helped propel him and Team Type 1 to a Race Across America record 

Bob Schrank's immune system is working against him. Beset with Type 1 diabetes, Schrank's body destroys the cells secreted from his pancreas that make insulin and regulate his blood sugar levels. "Basically, insulin moves food from the digestive system to the cells of the body,"
Schrank says.

Without it, his body can't feed itself. Type 1 diabetes accounts for about 5 to 10 percent of people diagnosed with diabetes in the U.S. The disease snuck up on Schrank at the age of 24. Feeling extremely tired and experiencing rapid weight loss, he went to the hospital and was diagnosed immediately.

"I remember telling the doctor, 'I can handle this,' " Schrank says. "But she said, 'No, you're not ready to accept this yet. You don't know what you're going to face with diabetes.' That might sound harsh, but it was probably the best thing she could have said to me, because it made me so much more determined to get a handle on my disease."

When he returned home after a few days at the hospital, the first thing Schrank did was go for a run. He hasn't allowed the disease to slow him down since. In 2007 Schrank, now 40, competed on an eight-person cycling team, comprised entirely of Type 1 diabetics, in the Race Across America (RAAM). With each cyclist riding all out for approximately 20 minutes before exchanging, Team Type 1 crossed the U.S. in five days, 15 hours, 43 minutes. It won its division with an average speed of more than 22 mph and set a RAAM record.

Still, training and racing as an elite athlete presents enormous challenges for Type 1 diabetics. Schrank constantly monitors his blood sugar and still is learning how specific workouts affect his diabetes. He adjusts the amount or type of insulin needed to control the disease accordingly. "I would be lying if I said I have it completely managed and life is wonderful," Schrank says. "But the great thing about Team Type 1 is that the sponsors cover all our diabetes needs."

In 2008, Team Type 1 expanded into a professional team with the goal of promoting effective diabetes management and finding a cure. Schrank currently manages and competes on Team Type 1's amateur developmental team. The primary goal of the 11-rider team, all Type 1 diabetics, is to defend its 2007 RAAM title. Schrank trains between 15 to 30 hours per week and, in addition to RAAM, competes primarily in USCF Masters and Category 1 and 2 races.

MONDAY
"I'm not even thinking about the bike on Monday," Schrank says. He uses the day off to recover mentally and physically from the previous week of training and ready himself for the next. "Yes, I train hard, but I recover hard as well," he says.

TUESDAY
Schrank does interval training. During a standard workout, he'll complete two 20-minute efforts. At the start of the year, he'll do the intervals at a lower intensity with only 10 minutes of recovery in between. However, during the height of the racing season, Schrank will ride the intervals full tilt and take longer breaks. "Doing the efforts at race pace can be extremely taxing, so I'll need a lot more time to recover," he says.

WEDNESDAY
Schrank does a long ride from his home in Gurnee, Ill., north of Chicago, into the rolling terrain of southern Wisconsin. "These days aren't recovery, but they're not going to bury me, either," he says. Preferring solitude during these rides, Schrank will head out for four, even six hours. The intent is to increase or maintain his aerobic base.

THURSDAY
Schrank returns to his roots: track racing. "The camaraderie on the track is great," he says. "We'll go out and beat each other up during each race on the track, then come down to the infield and socialize, then we'll head back to the track and go at it again." Schrank says racing on the velodrome, which starts in May, gives him an opportunity to work on more explosive efforts. A typical day at the track will require going full tilt for two to four minutes at a time. On his hardest days, Schrank will complete as many as 12 of these efforts, broken into two or three sets.

FRIDAY
Another day of recovery. During an easy ride, he'll keep a careful eye on his power meter, a device that tells him exactly how much energy (measured in watts) he's putting into the pedals. He wants to make sure he's going easy enough. "I pay close attention to how I feel when I'm going slow," Schrank says. "My easy days tell me more about my fitness than the hard ones."

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY
Schrank's weekend training schedule depends on whether the racing season has started. From April to October, he often is headed to a road race or criterium somewhere in Wisconsin or Illinois. If the criterium is in the afternoon or evening, he'll often go for a spin in the morning. "I have a habit of showing up right before races start." Schrank says. "Going for a short ride in the morning allows me to go hard from the gun even if I missed my warm up." If he's not racing, Schrank will participate in a group ride on Saturday. However, while most racer-oriented group rides turn into blazing fast ego-fests, Schrank and his ride partners strictly follow a predetermined structure and incorporate specific workouts such as paceline and sprint drills. On Sunday, Schrank says, "I have to see how I'm doing." He might race, he might do a ride similar to Saturday or he may back off and enjoy some extra rest.