Stop-And-Go? Just Go.

Thorsten Feige is a runner. The 48-year-old is also a real estate consultant. And a married father of four living in Berlin.

He started long-distance running in 1985, competing in marathons and — when 26.2 miles just isn't enough — ultramarathons, more than 30 in all.

Feige runs five days a week, usually six to seven miles (10-12 kilometers) in the morning, sometimes longer in the afternoon. He gets his shoes on and goes.

If only it had always been as simple as that.

"It wasn't comfortable for me. ... In the early '90s, you needed finger pricking every five kilometers (three miles) to get stable blood-sugar level," Feige said. "You'd bring your complete equipment with you for blood sugar measurement, ketone measurement.

"It's not so easy."

In every way, the interruption to check his blood was an aggravation.

"It's absolutely stop-and-go running. It's not easy to take your run from start to finish. You only are in a stop-and-go mode. And that's very challenging," he said.

Feige ran the Berlin marathon in September with his new FreeStyle Libre system. Best of all: No stop-and-go.

"Just a few minutes before you get to the next water point or some point where you can grab up some sweets, it's easy to check and then you can calculate, 'Oh, I need a small banana or a piece of apple.'

"It's really easy to use. It's the smart way," Feige said.

Over the course of a marathon, stopping for just a minute or so every three miles can cost Feige seven to eight minutes, not to mention having to repeatedly pick up his pace again, over and over.

While that might not seem like much time through a race that takes hours, Feige's FreeStyle Libre system could make a difference in him setting a qualifying time for his next goal: Boston, one of the Abbott World Marathon Majors.

"I don't have a mindset that, 'Oh, you're limited to this or this or this.' Running can open your view ... and that's important," he said.

Reality Surpassing Imagination

Ute Schaarschmidt, 35, knows what Feige is talking about.

She trained throughout the year to run the Berlin marathon. She regularly fought low blood sugar levels following long training days.

"I had to test a lot," she said.

Our FreeStyle Libre system gave her the ability to check her levels as often as she needed, freeing her to focus on having a great race.

Feige knows the feeling.

"It's more than mindset. It's really a great change for a Type I diabetes person."

The stuff of science fiction has become very real, very usable scientific fact.

Welcome to the future. It's where you've always wanted to live.

^{Disclaimer: The views expressed should not be used for medical diagnosis or treatment or as a substitute for professional medical advice. Individual symptoms, situations and circumstances may vary.}

^{1 A finger prick test using a blood glucose meter is required during times of rapidly changing glucose levels when interstitial fluid glucose levels may not accurately reflect blood glucose levels or if hypoglycaemia or impending hypoglycaemia is reported by the system or when symptoms do not match the system readings.}