Issue date: 9/13/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Spencer Selvidge Senior cross-country runner and diabetic Brian Duplechain stands on the A&M track. Next weekend Duplechain and the track team will be hosting the A&M invitational. [Click to enlarge]

Senior runner Brian Duplechain came to Texas A&M four years ago and joined the cross country team with 15 other freshmen. He is now the only one remaining from the original 15, and his path was more difficult than most.

As the only senior on the men's squad, he has seen and experienced a lot. He has endured coaching changes, persistent injuries, running 90 miles a week rain or shine, but those have hardly been the biggest obstacles for him to overcome.

During his junior year, Brian was diagnosed with type I diabetes, which ended his indoor track season. Type I diabetes is a condition which is usually identified in a person's early childhood.

After a stellar high school career in which he broke numerous track and cross country records at Kingwood High School, and promising freshman and sophomore seasons at A&M, Duplechain's future looked as bright as possible. Once he was diagnosed, his career came into question, as there are very few athletes who have type I diabetes.

Now Brian always has with him a monitor that he uses to track his blood glucose level. It is preset to pump insulin into his body after meals. The pump, which is about the size of a beeper, goes with him even when he has to do his 15-mile runs out to nearby Snook or Wellborn.

"Grandpa Doop," as he is affectionately known as by the other runners, has become a leader on the men's team with more than two-thirds freshmen and sophomores. They even call him 'sir,' even though he is only 23 years old.

Brian is looked upon to sometimes lead the practices , to decide where to run, the pace, how far and to stay on many of the young runners to do everything that it takes to be a successful runner.

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