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| Fox Brook Park, Brookfield Wisconsin |
"I've failed over and over in my life, that is why I succeed."- Michael Jordan
On May 23rd I participated in an Aquathlon race in Fox Brook park in Brookfield, Wisconsin. I did a series of these races a couple of years ago. The organizer stopped doing the races because attendance was not high. I am not sure why aquathlon has not caught on because the races can be really fun.
A different race promoter decided to bring the race to Fox Brook park in Brookfield, Wisconsin. There would be a series of 5 races over the summer and early fall. I signed up for the series even though I would miss one race when I am in Denmark at the World Championship for Aquathlon.
When I got to the race, there was no record of my registration. I was feeling really tired and before I could tell the race organizer to forget about racing, he said he would let me race until we figured out later if I had paid.
I should have stuck with my plan not to race, because the swim did not go well. It has been a colder than normal April and May in Wisconsin. I expected the water would be cold, but was told the temperature was 69 F. In talking with one of my friends before the race, she said the lake was spring fed and when she swam there last summer found that there were often really cold spots farther out in the race.
I got on my wet suit and decided to warm up. The race would be a 1000 meter swim and three loops on the one mile path that circled the lake. Should have been easy, since I have done these types of races for years. Still you never know what can happen on race day.
I did my warm up and the water on shore seemed really warm, but also really weedy, with a heavy layer of algae on the top all around shore. I was starting to think my long sleeve wet-suit would be too warm. I saw a couple of athletes in swim suits only.
Too late now, I lined up with everyone else for the mass start. Looked to be about 150 athletes. I know these kinds of events held during the middle of the week, bring out really hard core athletes.
I expected to finish at or near last of all the swimmers. When the race started most of the swimmers were soon well ahead of me. Still I was in a group of about half a dozen athletes and keeping up OK.
But soon the water got really cold and I started having trouble catching my breath. I have been swimming and working out on a regular basis, so I am not out of shape. When I can't catch my breath it throws me off mentally as well.
I have pushed through this often in races, but twice now this shortness of breath has developed into a flow blown asthma attack. It happened in Chicago in a Lake Michigan swim. It was the first time in my life I actually wheezed. It happened a couple of years ago on Pewaukee Lake and there was no kayak anywhere near me. That really scared me because no one knew that I was in trouble. That time I was worried I would not make it to shore.
On this night I rest on the kayak and once I caught my breath gave it another go. I knew soon the pack would be through for the second lap. When I continued to have trouble I grabbed onto the kayak again. When she offered me a ride to shore I took it. I had made it about 2/3 of the way through the first lap.
The official on shore took my timing chip, told me I was still welcome to do the run portion. The first male racer arrived in transition just after me, then another women. When we got on the run course together she shared she had also dropped out after one lap due to the cold water.
As I ran the three lap run course at a easy pace, I continued to be short of breath, so it was probably a good thing I dropped out. I saw one of my friends in transition at the finish. She is a slower runner than I am, so I know she dropped out as well.
I did not feel good about taking that kayak ride and dropping out. It is a little embarrassing. I always seem to struggle in my first swim of the season. I have another race this weekend with a 1500 meter swim and now I don't feel confident about this race.
Failing races happens, it is only the second race I have ever dropped out of. I just have to chalk it up to experience. No race is worth getting a full blown asthma attack. I also have a triathlon toward the end of June. This gives me a couple of chances to get some race practice before I leave for Denmark.
We all have limits, the important is knowing when to push against them and when to come back and fight another day.
*********************************
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 TeamUSA at the Aquathon ITU World Championship in Chicago in 2015 and at the World championship in Cozumel in 2016.
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
In 2014 she represented the U.S. as a paratriathlete at the Pan-American
Triathlon Championship in Dallas ,
Texas USA
for the World Championship.
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.
Team CMT
is a group of athletes and supporters working to raise awareness and to find a
cure for CMT. We have 213 members in 39 states. We also have members in Australia , England ,
Scotland , Canada , Vietnam ,
Turkey , Finland , France, Ireland, Poland , Iran ,
Norway and Sweden . 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/
http://cmtamputee.wordpress.com/
Follow CMT Author Chris Steinke
https://cmtandmesite.wordpress.com/2017/01/30/what-is-charcot-marie-tooth-disease/
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