Sunday, August 20, 2017

Salad Sunday- Mango Arugula Salad



In summer I usually eat a salad for lunch. So I am always on the lookout for new and interesting salad recipes. Today's recipe is one I modified from Sunset magazine.  I changed it up a bit to reflect the produce I bought this week. Mango's were on sale and thought they would be a good addition.

The arugula has a really strong distinctive taste that I am not sure I loved. If I made this salad again, I would combine it with a milder green like bib lettuce.

I did not change the salad dressing at all.  This one paired perfectly with the salad it really quick to put together. It used fresh mint and I have a huge supply in my garden.    Making your own dressing is easy and a better option than most store bought. No chemicals or preservatives and healthy fat from the avocado.  If you want this salad to be a bit more filling, add some cooked diced chicken or shrimp. Either would pair well with the flavors.

Salad
8 ounces arugula
1/2 red onion sliced
1 cucumber sliced
1/2 avocado diced
2 mango diced
8 ounces of Feta cheese
1/2 cup sunflower seeds

Dressing
Half Avocado
Juice of one lemon
Juice of one orange
2 to 3 stems of fresh mint
1 teaspoon raw honey
1 teaspoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste


  1.  Mix arugula, red onion, cucumber, avocado, mango and feta cheese in a bowl.
  2. Combine mint, 1/2 avocado, lemon juice, orange juice, honey and olive oil in a blender.  
  3. Blend until smooth. There will be green flecks of mint.
  4. Pour dressing over salad mixture.
  5. Top with sunflower seeds.
Serves 6

************************


Chris Wodke
Founder & Manager Team CMT
www.run4cmt.com

Chris is a triathlete and long distance runner. She is a three time participant of the Boston Marathon.  In 2012 she finished 2nd at Boston in the Mobility Impaired Division. She was on the course in 2013 when the bombs exploded.

She has appeared three times at the Paratriathlon National Triathlon Sprint Championship. She was the 2012 and 2014 National Champion Paratriathlon Open Division Champion.

In 2014 she was the PC Open Champion at the Duathlon National Championship and at the Aqua bike National Championship in 2016. She represented Team USA at the Aquathon ITU World Championship in Chicago in 2015 and at the World championship in Cozumel in 2016.  

 In 2014 she represented the U.S. as a paratriathlete at the Pan-American Triathlon Championship in Dallas, Texas.  She has won state championships in cycling and triathlon as a senior Olympian. In 2017 she placed 2nd in her age group at the Winter Triathlon National Championship, earning a spot on Team USA for the World Champsionship.

She travels around the country raising awareness of CMT.

She is the author of the book, “Running for My Life” that details her experience as a CMT affected athlete.

You may visit her author page at:
http://www.amazon.com/Christine-Wodke/e/B00IJ02HX6

Team CMT is a group of athletes and supporters working to raise awareness and to find a cure for CMT. We have 215 members in 38 states. We also have members in Australia, England, Scotland, Canada, Vietnam, Turkey, Finland, Scotland, France, Poland, Iran, Norway, Sweden and Ireland. If you wish to join us visit our web site; www.run4cmt.com or www.hnf-cure.org

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.

Additional Link
Follow CMT affected Paratriathlete Timmy Dixon
http://cmtamputee.wordpress.com/

Follow CMT Author Chris Steinke
https://cmtandmesite.wordpress.com/2017/01/30/what-is-charcot-marie-tooth-disease/


Keywords: Running, Running and CMT, triathlon, triathlon and CMT, athlete and CMT, cycling and CMT, paratriathlon, challenged athlete, Team CMT, Running for My Life-Winning for CMT. Hereditary Neuropathy, Charcot-Marie-Tooth.
CMT and running, CMT and triathlon, CMT and athlete, Charcot-Marie-Tooth and running, Charcot-Marie-Tooth and triathlon, Team USA and Team CMT, Running for my life-Winning for CMT, CMT athlete, athlete and CMT, triathlete and CMT, Boston Marathon Bombing, CMT disease, CMT and exercise, exercise and CMT, CMT, athlete and CMT.Team CMT, CMT athlete, athlete and CMT, bike4CMT, walk4CMT,  CMTA, HNF, Tri4CMT, Walk4CMT, MDA

Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Lake Country Triathlon- A Disappointing Day


"If it was easy they would call it golf." - unknown

There are lots of reasons why I choose a particular race. There are usually lots of options for racing here in Milwaukee.  I did the Lake Country Triathlon on August 12th. I could have gone to Omaha and raced at USAT Age Group Nationals. It was tempting since I had friends racing and I qualified for the Olympic race.

Iron Girl was also the same weekend. I've done the course for Iron Girl several times in other races. Lake Country would be a new race and new course for me.  I signed up for the Olympic to get some practice doing a longer open water swim. The bike distance of 26 miles and run of 6 miles were pretty much the distances I need to cover on my training plan. Plus the race organizer was the same company that had done the Beer Garden 5 K series I had just finished. They were fun and well organized so I was looking forward to this event.

Plus I noticed last year there was no one in my age group in the Olympic. I was looking forward to a top three finish since I have not finished in the top three in a triathlon since May.

The first piece of bad news came the afternoon before the race. The swim was cancelled due to high bacteria in the water. I was disappointed, but knew it was a good decision by the race organizers.

I got to transition early and set up.  I went for a warm-up run since there would be no warm up swim. I noticed a line of porta potties at the beach but only two in transition for 600 athletes.

The line was so long there was no way to visit them before the race started.  Athletes lined up on their bikes two at a time for a time trial bike start. I was with all athletes doing the Olympic distance.

About 5 minutes into the race I had to stop and visit the bushes to answer the call of nature. I never do that in a race, but knew I could not last 26 miles.

I followed all the other athletes on the bike leg.  I passed many and was passed by few. I was having a great bike leg. I would average about 18 mph.  I kept looking for a sign where the sprint and olympic courses split. I never saw it and after 16 miles was back in tranisiton. I had done the sprint race. Even after looking at the course map, I do not see where they split. I emailed the race director to tell them they need to mark the course better and get a volunteer out there.

There may have been pre-race instructions, but the race announcer was set up over by the beach and could not be heard over in transition.

Because of this I dropped down to the sprint race and did the 5 K run loop instead of the 10 K. I visited the timing truck at the finish line to let the timers know I  had switched.  There were three women in my age group, but only one finished the Olympic course. So I may not be the only athlete that had to change races.

I would have gotten a medal and more importantly got in some much needed training. I had to do a long bike the next day to make up for the miles I missed.  I still have a couple of triathlons on my race schedule. I will have a chance to redeem myself in a couple of weeks.
And next year I will probably choose a different race.

**************************

Chris Wodke
Founder & Manager Team CMT
www.run4cmt.com

Chris is a triathlete and long distance runner. She is a three time participant of the Boston Marathon.  In 2012 she finished 2nd at Boston in the Mobility Impaired Division. She was on the course in 2013 when the bombs exploded.

She has appeared three times at the Paratriathlon National Triathlon Sprint Championship. She was the 2012 and 2014 National Champion Paratriathlon Open Division Champion.

In 2014 she was the PC Open Champion at the Duathlon National Championship and at the Aqua bike National Championship in 2016. She represented Team USA at the Aquathon ITU World Championship in Chicago in 2015 and at the World championship in Cozumel in 2016.  

 In 2014 she represented the U.S. as a paratriathlete at the Pan-American Triathlon Championship in Dallas, Texas.  She has won state championships in cycling and triathlon as a senior Olympian. In 2017 she placed 2nd in her age group at the Winter Triathlon National Championship, earning a spot on Team USA for the World Champsionship.

She travels around the country raising awareness of CMT.

She is the author of the book, “Running for My Life” that details her experience as a CMT affected athlete.

You may visit her author page at:
http://www.amazon.com/Christine-Wodke/e/B00IJ02HX6

Team CMT is a group of athletes and supporters working to raise awareness and to find a cure for CMT. We have 215 members in 38 states. We also have members in Australia, England, Scotland, Canada, Vietnam, Turkey, Finland, Scotland, France, Poland, Iran, Norway, Sweden and Ireland. If you wish to join us visit our web site; www.run4cmt.com or www.hnf-cure.org

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.

Additional Link
Follow CMT affected Paratriathlete Timmy Dixon
http://cmtamputee.wordpress.com/

Follow CMT Author Chris Steinke
https://cmtandmesite.wordpress.com/2017/01/30/what-is-charcot-marie-tooth-disease/


Keywords: Running, Running and CMT, triathlon, triathlon and CMT, athlete and CMT, cycling and CMT, paratriathlon, challenged athlete, Team CMT, Running for My Life-Winning for CMT. Hereditary Neuropathy, Charcot-Marie-Tooth.
CMT and running, CMT and triathlon, CMT and athlete, Charcot-Marie-Tooth and running, Charcot-Marie-Tooth and triathlon, Team USA and Team CMT, Running for my life-Winning for CMT, CMT athlete, athlete and CMT, triathlete and CMT, Boston Marathon Bombing, CMT disease, CMT and exercise, exercise and CMT, CMT, athlete and CMT.Team CMT, CMT athlete, athlete and CMT, bike4CMT, walk4CMT,  CMTA, HNF, Tri4CMT, Walk4CMT, MDA


Thursday, August 10, 2017

Beer Garden 5K Lake Park - Last Call



"It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters in the end." - Ernest Hemingway

I ran the last race in the Beer Garden 5 K in Milwaukee on August 3rd. This four race series has been following the mobile beer garden around to local Milwaukee Parks.

The courses have all been within county parks and finish near the beer garden. Every finisher gets a nice pint glass and either beer or root beer made by the local Sprecher Brewery.

The race almost didn't happen. Thunderstorms were predicted for race time. As I drove home from work I had to pull over because it was raining so hard I could not see to drive.    The decision time for the race was set for 5 pm.  The skies cleared and the race was on.

I got to the park just after 5 pm for the 6:30 start.  I knew parking would be limited at the finish and I wanted to get a good spot. I always to a bike workout before I race to fill the time.  As I was getting back from my ride, I saw race volunteer Jeff Crosby. He hands out the medals after every race. When I mentioned I won 3rd in my age group at the last race but did not stay for the medal ceremony, he went to his car and got my medal.

The race was pretty uneventful.  The first 1/4 mile was on grass, which is dicey for me. There were lots of dips and uneven ground, but I got over it without turning an ankle. The course was pretty much the one I had run for the 5K Super Run in June. A nice down hill, a couple of miles along the bike path next to Lake Michigan and then up the giant hill by St. Mary's hospital.

I finished in a time of 29:39 and 3rd place in my age group. About a month ago, I decided to get serious about my running. I made a few changes to my running program. The result has been three 3rd place finishes in the last month.  See this success has been a nice way to finish off this race series.

*****************************

Chris Wodke
Founder & Manager Team CMT
www.run4cmt.com

Chris is a triathlete and long distance runner. She is a three time participant of the Boston Marathon.  In 2012 she finished 2nd at Boston in the Mobility Impaired Division. She was on the course in 2013 when the bombs exploded.

She has appeared three times at the Paratriathlon National Triathlon Sprint Championship. She was the 2012 and 2014 National Champion Paratriathlon Open Division Champion.

In 2014 she was the PC Open Champion at the Duathlon National Championship and at the Aqua bike National Championship in 2016. She represented Team USA at the Aquathon ITU World Championship in Chicago in 2015 and at the World championship in Cozumel in 2016.  

 In 2014 she represented the U.S. as a paratriathlete at the Pan-American Triathlon Championship in Dallas, Texas.  She has won state championships in cycling and triathlon as a senior Olympian. In 2017 she placed 2nd in her age group at the Winter Triathlon National Championship, earning a spot on Team USA for the World Champsionship.

She travels around the country raising awareness of CMT.

She is the author of the book, “Running for My Life” that details her experience as a CMT affected athlete.

You may visit her author page at:
http://www.amazon.com/Christine-Wodke/e/B00IJ02HX6

Team CMT is a group of athletes and supporters working to raise awareness and to find a cure for CMT. We have 215 members in 38 states. We also have members in Australia, England, Scotland, Canada, Vietnam, Turkey, Finland, Scotland, France, Poland, Iran, Norway, Sweden and Ireland. If you wish to join us visit our web site; www.run4cmt.com or www.hnf-cure.org

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.

Additional Link
Follow CMT affected Paratriathlete Timmy Dixon
http://cmtamputee.wordpress.com/

Follow CMT Author Chris Steinke
https://cmtandmesite.wordpress.com/2017/01/30/what-is-charcot-marie-tooth-disease/


Keywords: Running, Running and CMT, triathlon, triathlon and CMT, athlete and CMT, cycling and CMT, paratriathlon, challenged athlete, Team CMT, Running for My Life-Winning for CMT. Hereditary Neuropathy, Charcot-Marie-Tooth.
CMT and running, CMT and triathlon, CMT and athlete, Charcot-Marie-Tooth and running, Charcot-Marie-Tooth and triathlon, Team USA and Team CMT, Running for my life-Winning for CMT, CMT athlete, athlete and CMT, triathlete and CMT, Boston Marathon Bombing, CMT disease, CMT and exercise, exercise and CMT, CMT, athlete and CMT.Team CMT, CMT athlete, athlete and CMT, bike4CMT, walk4CMT,  CMTA, HNF, Tri4CMT, Walk4CMT, MDA



Sunday, August 6, 2017

Sunday Skillet- Beef & Beens




I am not always a big fan of vegetables, especially green ones.  One of the ways I work them into my diet is by cooking Asian food.  Not only is there an endless variety of spices in these dishes, but they always have a great variety of veggies. Plus little fat is used to cook the dishes making them a healthy choice.  I served this dish over sprouted brown Basmati rice.

I made a couple of changes this recipe that I found in a Chinese cookbook. I added more vegetables and beef bone broth. I also substituted peanut oil which traditional in this type of cooking with grape seed oil.

Beef & Beans

Marinade
1 tablespoon cornstarch
4 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons grape seed oil

1 lb steak cut into one inch pieces

Mix together the marinade ingredients. Place the steak in a shallow glass dish and pour the marinade over the meat. Mix to coat the meat. Place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 30 minutes

Sauce
2 tablespoons grape seed oil
3 cloves garlic crushed
1 small onion sliced
8 ounces green beans
3 stalks of celery chopped
1 cup of sliced button mushrooms
1 can of  bamboo shoots drained.

4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons Chinese rice wine
1 cup beef bone broth
4 tablespoons cornstarch
8  tablespoons water.

1/2 cup of roughly chopped almonds

Add the oil to a wok and heat on high.  Add the garlic, onion, mushrooms and beef.  Stir fry for 3 to 4 minutes or until the meat is cooked.  Mix the soy sauce, wine, broth, cornstarch and water.  Mix well to combine.  Stir into the wok and cook until the mixture thickens.  Add the celery, beans and bamboo shoots.  Heat for just 2-3 minutes until the beans are tender crisp.  Serve over hot rice. Top with the almonds.

Serves 6

*************************

Chris Wodke
Founder & Manager Team CMT
www.run4cmt.com

Chris is a triathlete and long distance runner. She is a three time participant of the Boston Marathon.  In 2012 she finished 2nd at Boston in the Mobility Impaired Division. She was on the course in 2013 when the bombs exploded.

She has appeared three times at the Paratriathlon National Triathlon Sprint Championship. She was the 2012 and 2014 National Champion Paratriathlon Open Division Champion.

In 2014 she was the PC Open Champion at the Duathlon National Championship and at the Aqua bike National Championship in 2016. She represented Team USA at the Aquathon ITU World Championship in Chicago in 2015 and at the World championship in Cozumel in 2016.  

 In 2014 she represented the U.S. as a paratriathlete at the Pan-American Triathlon Championship in Dallas, Texas.  She has won state championships in cycling and triathlon as a senior Olympian. In 2017 she placed 2nd in her age group at the Winter Triathlon National Championship, earning a spot on Team USA for the World Champsionship.

She travels around the country raising awareness of CMT.

She is the author of the book, “Running for My Life” that details her experience as a CMT affected athlete.

You may visit her author page at:
http://www.amazon.com/Christine-Wodke/e/B00IJ02HX6

Team CMT is a group of athletes and supporters working to raise awareness and to find a cure for CMT. We have 215 members in 38 states. We also have members in Australia, England, Scotland, Canada, Vietnam, Turkey, Finland, Scotland, France, Poland, Iran, Norway, Sweden and Ireland. If you wish to join us visit our web site; www.run4cmt.com or www.hnf-cure.org

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.

Additional Link
Follow CMT affected Paratriathlete Timmy Dixon
http://cmtamputee.wordpress.com/

Follow CMT Author Chris Steinke
https://cmtandmesite.wordpress.com/2017/01/30/what-is-charcot-marie-tooth-disease/


Keywords: Running, Running and CMT, triathlon, triathlon and CMT, athlete and CMT, cycling and CMT, paratriathlon, challenged athlete, Team CMT, Running for My Life-Winning for CMT. Hereditary Neuropathy, Charcot-Marie-Tooth.
CMT and running, CMT and triathlon, CMT and athlete, Charcot-Marie-Tooth and running, Charcot-Marie-Tooth and triathlon, Team USA and Team CMT, Running for my life-Winning for CMT, CMT athlete, athlete and CMT, triathlete and CMT, Boston Marathon Bombing, CMT disease, CMT and exercise, exercise and CMT, CMT, athlete and CMT.Team CMT, CMT athlete, athlete and CMT, bike4CMT, walk4CMT,  CMTA, HNF, Tri4CMT, Walk4CMT, MDA



Thursday, August 3, 2017

Cudahy Classic 5 Mile Run

Cudahy Classic 5 Mile Race, July 30, 2017

"Every successful person in life began by pursuing a passion usually against all odds." - Robert Kiosaki, author

I had a choice on Sunday. I could do a local triathlon about 40 minutes from home or do a 5 mile run race about 10 minutes from home.

Both were part of a series and points were on the line for both.  I decided to do the run. It would be in the same park and had part of the same course as the Bacon Run 5K I had done the Thursday before.

The run was sponsored by the local running club the Badgerland Striders. It is the oldest race in the State of Wisconsin. When I signed up for the race I thought I needed this race to cement my age group club championship.

One of the races has dropped off the schedule, so I probably could have skipped it, but I am glad I went. I had just an awesome day on the course.

There were two courses at this race, a 5 mile which I was doing and a 10 mile race which was two loops on the 5 mile course. I hate multi loop races. It is tough to have to pass the finish line and see others completing their race. I only needed to do 6 miles for my training, so the 5 mile it was.

I had to get up at 5 am just like a work day to be at the park in time to help set up for packet pick up. I've done this for three races this year and it has been really fun. Plus I get there early and get a great parking spot.

The race started at 7:30 am to hopefully miss some of the summer heat.  From looking at the times in my age group last year, I would need about a 53 minute time to place in the top three. I had done a 5 mile in that time early in the season. My plan was to use the race as an easy training run and try to hit 53 minutes.

I held back and ran easily the first few miles. I was passing people even with the easy pace. I passed a women that looked to be in my age group. Soon she passed me. I increased my speed a bit and passed her. In a few minutes she was passing me. We kept up with this back and forth for about 15 minutes. I  did not want to lose the race by a few seconds because she passed me late in the race. I sped up and worked to put some distance between us. I did not see her again.

The course was mostly on a bike path and grass in the park. Much of it was shaded from the early morning sun keeping things cool. I really enjoyed the scenery and I felt strong.  I ran a negative split and felt strong the entire time. I crossed the finish line in 51:07.

I did not have to wait for the awards ceremony to find out my placement. There was an electronic kiosk where I punched in my number.  I took 3rd in my age group. I had never placed in the top three in a club race before. These races usually draw the best runners.  After so many 4th place finishes it felt really good to break into the top three this week. I have been working hard on my running and it is paying off.  After the race there was a wonderful barbecue with a chance to socialize with local runners. It was just a great day all around. I did a one mile cool down to complete my training for the week and I was home by 10 am.  I got a medal, a great meal and two great tee shirts. Not a bad way to start the day and the week.

*************************************

Chris Wodke
Founder & Manager Team CMT
www.run4cmt.com

Chris is a triathlete and long distance runner. She is a three time participant of the Boston Marathon.  In 2012 she finished 2nd at Boston in the Mobility Impaired Division. She was on the course in 2013 when the bombs exploded.

She has appeared three times at the Paratriathlon National Triathlon Sprint Championship. She was the 2012 and 2014 National Champion Paratriathlon Open Division Champion.

In 2014 she was the PC Open Champion at the Duathlon National Championship and at the Aqua bike National Championship in 2016. She represented Team USA at the Aquathon ITU World Championship in Chicago in 2015 and at the World championship in Cozumel in 2016.  

 In 2014 she represented the U.S. as a paratriathlete at the Pan-American Triathlon Championship in Dallas, Texas.  She has won state championships in cycling and triathlon as a senior Olympian. In 2017 she placed 2nd in her age group at the Winter Triathlon National Championship, earning a spot on Team USA for the World Champsionship.

She travels around the country raising awareness of CMT.

She is the author of the book, “Running for My Life” that details her experience as a CMT affected athlete.

You may visit her author page at:
http://www.amazon.com/Christine-Wodke/e/B00IJ02HX6

Team CMT is a group of athletes and supporters working to raise awareness and to find a cure for CMT. We have 215 members in 38 states. We also have members in Australia, England, Scotland, Canada, Vietnam, Turkey, Finland, Scotland, France, Poland, Iran, Norway, Sweden and Ireland. If you wish to join us visit our web site; www.run4cmt.com or www.hnf-cure.org

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.

Additional Link
Follow CMT affected Paratriathlete Timmy Dixon
http://cmtamputee.wordpress.com/

Follow CMT Author Chris Steinke
https://cmtandmesite.wordpress.com/2017/01/30/what-is-charcot-marie-tooth-disease/


Keywords: Running, Running and CMT, triathlon, triathlon and CMT, athlete and CMT, cycling and CMT, paratriathlon, challenged athlete, Team CMT, Running for My Life-Winning for CMT. Hereditary Neuropathy, Charcot-Marie-Tooth.
CMT and running, CMT and triathlon, CMT and athlete, Charcot-Marie-Tooth and running, Charcot-Marie-Tooth and triathlon, Team USA and Team CMT, Running for my life-Winning for CMT, CMT athlete, athlete and CMT, triathlete and CMT, Boston Marathon Bombing, CMT disease, CMT and exercise, exercise and CMT, CMT, athlete and CMT.Team CMT, CMT athlete, athlete and CMT, bike4CMT, walk4CMT,  CMTA, HNF, Tri4CMT, Walk4CMT, MDA


Tuesday, August 1, 2017

Run for Bacon 5K



" It is good to have an end to journey toward: but it is the journey that matters in the end." -Ernest Hemingway

This season  I really decided to energize my running. I had gotten into a kind kind of a rut and I thought my running times were slower than they should be.

One of the things I decided to do was to race much more.  When I do a 5K I treat it like a speed workout. I do two speed workouts and a long easy run each week.  I've found in the past that racing makes me a faster athlete.

Doing a race gives me some new scenery and people to run with which has really energized my running.

On July 27th I did the Bacon Run 5 K in Cudahy, Wisconsin.    The race was sponsored by local bacon maker, Patrick Cudahy.  The race started at his statute in Sheridan Park.

I like to get a parking space close to the start line, so I arrive early and do an hour bike warm-up.  There is a bike path that runs along the lake for miles and it was the perfect warm up site.

The race was on closed park roads and the same bike path where I did my warm up. The course was completely flat. My plan was to do surges of  4 minutes with a minute rest. I also planned not to linger in the water stops since the racer just faster than me at the last race beat me by two seconds.

It was about 82 F, just hot enough I needed to pour water on myself to keep cool. I could tell right from the start I was a little tired. I kept pushing until the last half mile. I had to cut the 4 minute surge to 2 minute and increase my rest time to 2 min. Before I knew it I was crossing the finish line.

As I crossed the finish line I was handed a package of bacon. I finished in 28:18,  just 10 seconds slower than the week before. I tied for 2nd place in my age group. If I had just kept pushing I would have had 2nd all to myself. My time would have been good enough last year for 1st in my age group.
Instead of medals, I got a coupon for a free pound of bacon.

This process of racing to get faster has been so much fun. I have taken 2 minutes off of my 5 K time and I am having a blast.

Next week I will be doing my last Beer Garden run of the series and my first trail run. It has been a great journey this season.

****************************

Chris Wodke
Founder & Manager Team CMT
www.run4cmt.com

Chris is a triathlete and long distance runner. She is a three time participant of the Boston Marathon.  In 2012 she finished 2nd at Boston in the Mobility Impaired Division. She was on the course in 2013 when the bombs exploded.

She has appeared three times at the Paratriathlon National Triathlon Sprint Championship. She was the 2012 and 2014 National Champion Paratriathlon Open Division Champion.

In 2014 she was the PC Open Champion at the Duathlon National Championship and at the Aqua bike National Championship in 2016. She represented Team USA at the Aquathon ITU World Championship in Chicago in 2015 and at the World championship in Cozumel in 2016.  

 In 2014 she represented the U.S. as a paratriathlete at the Pan-American Triathlon Championship in Dallas, Texas.  She has won state championships in cycling and triathlon as a senior Olympian. In 2017 she placed 2nd in her age group at the Winter Triathlon National Championship, earning a spot on Team USA for the World Champsionship.

She travels around the country raising awareness of CMT.

She is the author of the book, “Running for My Life” that details her experience as a CMT affected athlete.

You may visit her author page at:
http://www.amazon.com/Christine-Wodke/e/B00IJ02HX6

Team CMT is a group of athletes and supporters working to raise awareness and to find a cure for CMT. We have 215 members in 38 states. We also have members in Australia, England, Scotland, Canada, Vietnam, Turkey, Finland, Scotland, France, Poland, Iran, Norway, Sweden and Ireland. If you wish to join us visit our web site; www.run4cmt.com or www.hnf-cure.org

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.

Additional Link
Follow CMT affected Paratriathlete Timmy Dixon
http://cmtamputee.wordpress.com/

Follow CMT Author Chris Steinke
https://cmtandmesite.wordpress.com/2017/01/30/what-is-charcot-marie-tooth-disease/


Keywords: Running, Running and CMT, triathlon, triathlon and CMT, athlete and CMT, cycling and CMT, paratriathlon, challenged athlete, Team CMT, Running for My Life-Winning for CMT. Hereditary Neuropathy, Charcot-Marie-Tooth.
CMT and running, CMT and triathlon, CMT and athlete, Charcot-Marie-Tooth and running, Charcot-Marie-Tooth and triathlon, Team USA and Team CMT, Running for my life-Winning for CMT, CMT athlete, athlete and CMT, triathlete and CMT, Boston Marathon Bombing, CMT disease, CMT and exercise, exercise and CMT, CMT, athlete and CMT.Team CMT, CMT athlete, athlete and CMT, bike4CMT, walk4CMT,  CMTA, HNF, Tri4CMT, Walk4CMT, MDA