WTC #7

Sports & Diabetes Type 1 with Niels & Olaf Kerkhof

Kevin and Wiebke welcome Niels and Olaf, twin brothers from Amersfoort and founders of 033 Running Crew, for a conversation about running, cycling, community, and living with type 1 diabetes.

They share how sport has always been part of their lives, from football and cycling to running, and how diabetes became a major part of their story. Olaf was diagnosed at 12, while Niels was diagnosed years later as an adult. Together, they explain what it means to manage diabetes while training, racing, and staying active.

The conversation also covers their mindset around the condition, how they stay positive, why preparation is so important, and how running can help them live better with diabetes. They also talk about building a running crew in Amersfoort and creating a community where people can run, connect, and push each other forward.

A strong episode about resilience, awareness, running, and not letting a diagnosis define what you can do.

In this episode

• Niels and Olaf’s background in sport

• Growing up with cycling, football, and competition

• Living and running with type 1 diabetes

• Managing blood sugar around training and racing

• Staying positive after a diagnosis

• Why preparation matters for diabetic athletes

• Starting 033 Running Crew in Amersfoort

• Running shoes, racing goals, and future challenges