Boston 3- Week One, Off Season is Over

Tri Wisconsin Class of 2013 Training Group

"After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb."-Nelson Mandela

Week 1
Monday- Walk 50 minutes, 20 minutes weights
Tuesday- 45 minute run
Wednesday-50 minute walk, 20 minutes weights
Thursday- Off
Friday-1 hour tempo run
Saturday-2 hour run
Sunday- 56 minute walk, 30 minutes of weights

My triathlon season ended at the end of October.  For most athletes this is their prime season. Not for me. Despite the fact I do lots of racing, it is all sprint distances. To me it's just fun. While this time of year is off season for most athletes, for me my season is just beginning.

This week I started training for my third Boston Marathon. The hard work is starting as I spend the next 18 weeks gradually increasing my workout distance. I will do at least three runs of 20 miles or more.  This is also the time of year when I do the majority of my running events. Each week is a small hill I have to conquer. It is all to get me ready for the big hills I will climb on marathon day.

Both my former coach and my current coach would like me to stop running marathons. First because they are hard on my body.  Second I won't be recovered from Boston when I compete at Nationals at Austin and at the World Championship in Spain.

I may need to give up running the Boston Marathon in order to concentrate on triathlons.  Running this distance is also hard on anyone. I still have injuries on the outside of both my ankles. I sill have the cyst on my right ankle. I constantly have to manage both ankles with taping, ultra sound and Graston treatments.
I hope I can squeeze one more marathon out of these legs.

I thought last year's Boston might be  my last. But after the terrorist attack last year I wanted to return to support the great Boston fans. I know it is going to be an emotional day.

My training program will also be different this time and that is a bit scary for me. Most runners getting ready for an event like Boston run six or seven days a week. I usually only run 2 or 3. The rest are cross training with swimming and biking.  I will be doing even more biking this time around. My long runs in the past had been 22 or more miles. This time longer bikes will be used and less miles in the long runs. I am trusting my new coach and hope the new program gets me to the starting line healthy and sets me up for my next season of triathlon racing.

This first week was really easy because I was in Dallas for the holidays. I don't have access to a pool, a gym or my bike trainer.  I got to do all my long runs this week with the family dog, Mojo. He has such a joy for running, he makes my workouts fun.

I feel really good after two weekends of long running.  The miles are still easy. The tough work is yet to come. I am willing to put in the hard work, the experience the pain and the fatigue, because when I cross the finish line in Boston it will all be worth it.

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Chris Wodke

Founder & Manager Team CMT

www.run4cmt.com

Team CMT is a group of athletes and supporters working to raise awareness and to find a cure for CMT. We have almost 140 members in 27 states. If you wish to join us visit our web site.

CMT or Charcot-Marie-Tooth is the most commonly inherited peripheral neuropathy. It affects over 155,000 Americans (as many as MS).  It is a disease of the nerves that control the muscles. It is slowly progressive, causing loss of normal function and or sensation in the lower legs/feet and arms/hands.

Symptoms include; muscle wasting in the lower legs and feet leading to foot drop, poor balance and gait problems Atrophy in the hands causes difficulty with manual dexterity.

Structural foot deformities such as high arches and hammer toes are common.

Poor tolerance for cool or cold temperatures and many people have chronically cold hands and feet.

Additional symptoms may include fatigue, sleep apnea, breathing difficulties and hearing loss.