Raising funds and chasing history
Image: Chris with 1964 Olympian and mentor Trevor Vincent following his 10km PB.
As if running a marathon to raise money for charity wasn’t impressive enough, Chris Winter is taking it one step further (and faster). He’s aiming to break the Guinness World Record for the fastest marathon time ever recorded by a runner with type 1 diabetes.
The current record for the 42km run is 2 hours, 30 minutes and 9 seconds, achieved by UK runner Daniel Clarke in April this year.
Chris completed his first marathon before he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, and he wants to prove to himself and other people living with diabetes that you can continue to chase your dreams.
He will be taking on the iconic Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival in October, fundraising for diabetes for Diabetes Victoria.
Fundraising and training for a record-breaking run
“I run around 100km a week, mostly early in the morning as this is when my blood sugar is least sensitive to insulin,” Chris says of his intense training schedule.
“I do a VO2 max workout on a Tuesday, a marathon pace session on a Friday and a long run (around 32km) on a Sunday.
“During my training for this marathon I beat my 10km PB which had stood for 16 years, well before I was diagnosed with type 1. This gave me the confidence that 2hr30 was within reach.”
Chris had the unique experience of being diagnosed with type 1 while he was living in a foreign country a decade ago.
“I was diagnosed with diabetes when I was living in Japan back in 2015,” he explains.
“It was quite a surreal experience. There is such a low incidence of type 1 in Japan that doctors were convinced that I had type 2.
“I was on a restricted diet in hospital as doctors did every test under the sun. After 2 weeks, they reluctantly diagnosed me with type 1.” 
Image 2: Chris during his 15km PB at Lake Wendouree, Ballarat in 2025.
Running and diabetes tech
He says diabetes technology has helped him feel more confident about pushing his physical limits.
“After peaking at 8.0, my HbA1C has progressively come down since I started pump therapy and now sits at 6.8,” he explains.
“Having a CGM that talks to my pump allows me to easily check my blood glucose level (BGL) during the marathon. When I exercise, I can set a temporary target that prevents me from having a hypo.
“Being able to see trends in my BGL allows me to predict how different forms of exercise will impact my BGL. For instance, short high intensity exercise causes my BGL to spike, so I need to take on extra insulin during this time.
“I encourage any type 1s on multiple daily injections to consider pump therapy. It reduces the number of decisions you need to make daily, giving you the mental energy to chase your goals.”
For other type 1s aspiring to big physical challenges, Chris urges people to fuel for performance, not only to keep blood glucose levels in range.
If he makes his goal time or beats the record, Chris plans to enjoy a week off with his family.
“I will celebrate with those that have sacrificed the most during my training - my beautiful wife and three kids.”
Chris is chasing history while raising funds for diabetes research.
Support Chris here: https://melbmara2025.grassrootz.com/diabetes-victoria/not-your-typical-type-1
Britt Denton
Communications and Media Lead
Brittany Denton is the Communications and Media Lead at Diabetes Victoria. She oversees media relations and communications, contributing to the organisation’s mission of supporting people with diabetes across the state.
