"Do not pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one."- Bruce Lee.
I cut back quite a bit on racing this year for several reasons. I think I am starting to get a bit burned out on racing and traveling for races. So the lighter schedule has been helpful.
When I choose an event, there is always a goal and a reason for the choice. I picked the Gravel Triathlon National Championship race for several reasons.
I have not done many of these races, so the events seem fresh. It is a new challenge which I always love. The races are fun and low key with a fun vibe. I like the bike portion on forest roads and the venue gives me a chance to use my very neglected mountain bike. My focus has shifted as well to a focus on winter triathlon. I feel the trail running and off road bike portions help to prepare me for these winter races that are also off-road.
I did a gravel race in July in Michigan and started training on trails late this Summer. A problem with the trail run emerged. Because of my CMT, I have little forward flex in my lower legs. On uneven surfaces like trails, my ankle has to flex due to the terrain. That means the ankle collapses to the side which causes falls. My foot drop, also a side effect of my CMT causes me to trip over roots and rocks. I have had problems in the past in races that happened during training runs.
There isn't much help for an athlete with CMT. Most in the CMT are not active and are not racing at the national level or international level. I am pretty much left to analyze problems and solutions on my own. I decided the solution to my issues on the run may be to brace the ankle causing most of my problems and to use trekking poles.
As a physically challenged athlete, I am allowed to use adaptive equipment and to ask for other needed accommodations. I never want to ask for something that gives me a competitive advantage. This accommodation I felt would prevent me from being hurt. So I asked and was granted permission to use trekking poles by USA Triathlon. I am thankful for this support from USAT. They have been great to me over my racing career.
I only got to practice twice running with the poles Although I have used them often to hike, running was new with them. It felt a bit awkward and I was undecided about using them in the race. I was also worried about my poles getting in the way of other runners on narrow parts of the trail.
I set up in transition and talked to the race official to be sure he knew I had permission to use the poles. He was copied on my communication to USAT.
For some reason, I have no race nerves with gravel races. The vibe is very low-key and friendly. I normally don't hang out in transition because many athletes are stressed. I hate being around that. But everyone else was so laid back, I hung out and chatted with other athletes.
The race had both sprint and Olympic distances. I would be doing the Sprint triathlon along with 236 other athletes. The race would include a 750 meter swim, 14 mile bike, and 5K run.
Another change I made this year in my training was to train in two disciplines (swim, bike, run) every day. I also used to take a rest day every week. My training has gone so well, that I seldom take a day off of training. I kept most of my training low-intensity. I did not follow a training plan. I did whatever felt good. I usually did 45 to 60 minute workouts. It all felt easy, fun, and low-pressure.
So lining up for a National Championship race was no stress due to my training approach.
The swim was really easy since the lake was glass calm and a warm 74 F. I think the pool where I do my swim workouts is colder. I lined up at the very end of the swim wave and took it easy on the swim. I finished the swim at 17:27. The event was supposed to be 750 meters but was about 600M. My foot drop surfaced on the run up a paved hill. My big toe got caught. It is all black and blue and swollen.
The bike on wooded gravel roads had lots of moderate rolling hills. I could get enough momentum on the downhill to get up over the next hill. Most athletes use a gravel bike for these races. I use a mountain bike because it rides over soft sand and washboard. We had some of both on this course. On part of the route, there were about two dozen water bottles on the ground. The washboard shook the bottles out of cages on athlete's bikes.
The 14-mile course was straight out and back. It was well marked. As someone who has taken wrong turns on courses, I appreciate the efforts of the race directions.
I had seen an athlete getting first aid near the field of fallen water bottles on the way out. On the return trip, there were two ambulances in the same area. It is a reminder that racing has some risks. When racing gravel I have to pay close attention to the road to navigate hazards due to course conditions.
I finished the bike at 1:14:04. It was not fast, but I was one of the few athletes on a mountain bike. Right now I have no plans to change that.
It was on to the run course. I slipped on my ankle brace and grabbed my trekking poles. The course was mostly on grass fields. There were not many roots, rocks, or steep climbs. I did pay attention to other runners to make sure my poles did not get in anyone's way. I did get a comment about why I had poles. I gave a quick explanation as I passed by the athlete. Since I was racing along in the physically challenged category, my having poles did not affect anyone. They provide balance and protection from falling. They do not give me any speed. Although the poles did not work perfectly I am happy I had them. The poles would not stay fully open. They kept collapsing making a clapping sound. I must have sounded like a house coming down the course. I will need to get a new pair. I finished the run at 44:05 for a race time of around 2:23. I had a goal time of 2 hr. 30 so I was happy with my effort. If I had been racing as an age group athlete I would have finished second.
My efforts earned me a National Gravel Championship and some nice hardware.
Chris Wodke
Founder & Manager Team CMT
www.run4cmt.com
Chris is a triathlete Nordic skier and long-distance runner. She
is a three-time participant in 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 Para triathlon National
Triathlon Sprint Championship. She was the 2012 and 2014 National Champion Para
triathlon Open Division Champion.
She has won national championships as a physically challenged athlete in
Aqualon, Duathlon, Aqua bike, and Winter Triathlon. She was the national
champion in her age group in 2023 for gravel duathlon.
In 2014 she represented the U.S. as a Para
triathlete at the Pan-American Triathlon Championship
in Dallas, Texas.
She was the 2023 Gravel Duathlon National Champion in the 65-69
age group.
She has won state championships as an age-group athlete in cycling
and triathlon. She has represented America as an age group athlete at world championships
in Chicago, Denmark, Cozumel, and Norway. She earned a bronze medal at the
Winter Duathlon World Championship in 2023 in Norway.
In 2020 she was named a National Ski Patrol Subaru Ambassador and
a USA Triathlon Foundation Ambassador.
She travels around the country raising awareness of CMT.
She is the author of the book, “Running for My Life” which details
her experience as a CMT-affected athlete, and the book “Soup Sundays, A Journey
Toward Healthy Eating”.
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 find a cure for CMT. We currently have 257 athletes in 43 states.
We also have members in Australia, Canada, England, Finland, Vietnam, Iran,
Scotland, France, Turkey, Poland, Norway, Mexico, Wales, Ireland, and
Sweden! If you wish to join us visit our website; 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.
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