Saturday, June 25, 2016

Super Food Saturday Golden Milk



I have been so busy training I have not always had time to keep up with my blog.  I did do a race today and I drank this milk as my recovery drink. I modified this from a recipe I saw on the web this week. It tastes so good that I am going to make it a regular part of my recovery routine.

Golden Milk

1 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon apple pie spices ( or 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg)
1 teaspoon orange oil ( can use orange extract)
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon honey

Put all of the ingredients in a blender. Blend for 30 seconds. Be sure to scrape down the side of the blender to be sure all the ingredients are blended.  Pour over ice in a tall glass and enjoy.
Serves 1

Super Foods Featured

Turmeric: It is great for fighting inflammation. It is thought to prevent cancer. It is common in Indian cooking and they have some of the lowest cancer rates in the world.  Some studies have suggested it can be helpful to promote better sleep and better brain function.

Coconut Milk: It can aid in digestion by nourishing the stomach lining. It has natural electrolytes and healthy fats. It helps reduce inflammation and aid in weight loss.  MCT a fatty acid found in coconut mil allows you to build muscle and lose fat, both helpful for increasing performance.

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

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. She represented Team USA at the Aquathon ITU World Championship in Chicago in 2015 and will represent the US 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.

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 196 members in 37 states. We also have members in Australia, England,Scotland, Canada, Vietnam, Turkey, Finland, Scotland, France, Poland and Iran. 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/

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


Thursday, June 23, 2016

Toughman High Cliff Half Iron Aquabike Race Report

Toughman Half Iron Aqua bike High Cliff State Park

" You have to put yourself in uncomfortable situations- not just as a player but as a person. Take risks and don't be afraid to fail. That's where we learn to better ourselves. It is the only way to grow."- Ali Krueger, U.S. soccer player competing in the 2016 Olympics

I like to challenge myself and take risks. Taking a risk gives me a high even if I'm not successful. It feels good to stretch myself and see just what I can achieve.  Sometimes that works and sometimes it doesn't.

Early in the season I set goals and pick races. Last year I was ranked 12th in my age group in the U.S. for Aquathlon.  I had no idea until I looked at the rankings when they were published.  I will be a member of the U.S. team at the age group championship for Aquathlon this September in Cozumel.

Both those achievements were possible because I took a risk and signed up for the Aquathlon National Championship. That meant tackling a 1600 meter swim in open water.  Thanks to my coach I successfully conquered that risk.

So this year I decided to tackle the half iron aqua bike distance at the National Championship in Miami in November. That will be a 1.2 mile swim and a 56 mile bike.  No run. I have been fighting tendinitis on both ankles for over a year. Right now I am not doing any long distance running.

I did not want the national championship race to be my first event at this distance.  The High Cliff race would be my test race. Do it well and I would sign up for the Miami race. The ultimate goal is a top three finish in my age group and a top three national ranking in my age group.

I trained for 16  weeks for the High Cliff race. The bike training was the biggest challenge. The weather was too cold much of the spring for outdoor biking. Much of my cycle training was on a trainer in my basement.  I was not sure that would leave me well prepared.

The 1.2 mile swim would be the longest I have ever done in open water in a race.  The race would take place on Lake Winnebago. It is very shallow and can get very rough on a windy day. If it was rough I was worried about being strong enough to cover the distance.

I took my sleeping drugs too early the night before the race. I was sleepy at 6 pm and crawled into my tent.  It was really smoky from the campfires and a kid in the next site was bouncing a basketball. I knew I would get my revenge when I got up early the next day to get to the race.

I often don't sleep the night before the race, but I had a dream about having a dream about someone breaking into my tent. By 3 am I was wide awake. I got dressed and was at the race parking lot by 4:30 am. I knew parking was limited and did not want a long walk to my parked car after the race. Since I was awake I thought why not just go.  I was the first one to arrive even beating the race director. I was the first one in transition.

I got set up and chatted with some of the other athlete. A 18 year old guy next to me was doing the aqua bike to train for Ironman Wisconsin. A woman about my age was complaining she was doing the 1/2 aqua because she was too hurt to run. She was expecting to do the 56 mile bike in 2 1/2 hours.  I kind of felt like it was indirect bragging.

I walked down to the swim start to have a look at the lake. There was almost no wind and the lake was calm.  I went in for a warm up swim and was amazed at how shallow it was. The buoys looked so far away for the swim course.  A smaller 400 meter course for the swim start was also set up inside the 1.2 mile course.  I was able to walk well past the first turn for the 400 meter course.  The water was warm.  As I warmed up I felt I would have a good swim. I had done much longer distances in the pool then I would cover in the race.

I was also relaxed because I thought I might be the only woman in my age group for the aqua bike. I had checked results for many of the other Toughman races over the last year. For most there was one women in my age group.

Soon I was lined up at 7 am. My wave would go second.  I watched as the athletes in the wave before me walked and ran until the first turn for the 400 meter course. My wave did the same. Soon I was swimming.

To concentrate I would count to 100 strokes and swim easy and then the next 100 strokes I would go hard. Swimmers would bump into me and it did not matter. I just kept counting. It got choppy with all the swimmers around me and I swallowed water a couple of times. It did not matter, I kept counting and swimming.  I just kept swimming to buoy after buoy. Swimmers kept running into me. I would put out my elbows or kick to give myself space.

I kept swimming and took a tight line on the course. Usually I go wide to stay out of the way. But on such a long course I did not want to swim any extra distance. I kept swimming and after what seemed like forever I was swimming right up on the beach. I looked at my watch and I had done the 1.2 mile swim in 49 minutes. Not fast maybe but way under my goal time of 70 minutes. I was off to a good start.

It was a long ass haul to transition up a steep grass hill. I was out of breath so I slowed down telling myself I was the only one in my age group. I walked. A mistake that probably cost me a podium spot.

I got on my bike and I was off for the 56 mile bike ride. It starts with a huge hill that just kept going up and up. I was promised the rest of the course was flat. It was not. Lots of rolling hills and long climbs. The wind picked up just a bit.

The course was beautiful. Part went around the lake and the rest was in farm country.  Since headphones are not allowed in triathlon I can actually talk to other athletes. I talked to several women and we changed the lead back and forth. I watched a pack of guys go by drafting which is illegal. I saw may instances of drafting.  I did not see a single USAT official.

The only problem I had on the bike is I seem to swallow air when I swim. It gives me pretty bad gas pains. I started to get tired at the end and then I would get a burst of speed. I was almost out of water when I hit an aid station. The sports drink I had along was not sitting well on my stomach. It was 84 F and humid so I may have been a little dehydrated.

I traded the lead one last time with one of the woman. She was right behind me in transition. She was sad when she found out I was done for the day. She still had 13.1 miles to run. I felt glad I did not have to run. I was tired. I averaged 16 mph on the bike. I had hoped for 15 mph. It was good for a first effort on a hilly course.

Too bad when I checked the results there were 4 women in my age group and I missed out on 3rd by 2 1/2 minutes. I was happy I was competitive and knew there were a few things I could have done better. It was a good learning experience.

I met allot of great people both before and after the race. I am glad I took the risk. The next day I signed up for the Aqua bike National Championship. I start training the last week in July.

I am looking forward to the challenge. I have some things to work on, but this race was a good growth experience for me as an athlete.  It makes me look forward to finding new challenges, both in life and as an athlete.

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

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. She represented Team USA at the Aquathon ITU World Championship in Chicago in 2015 and will represent the US 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.

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 196 members in 37 states. We also have members in Australia, England,Scotland, Canada, Vietnam, Turkey, Finland, Scotland, France, Poland and Iran. 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/

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

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Travel Scholarship to HNF Patient Conference


Dorothy J. Fairman, 70, passed away on Wednesday, October 28, 2015 in Tucson, AZ. She had Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease Type 1A and died of respiratory failure secondary to CMT.
Dorothy was not only known for her kindness, patience, and generous ways, but for her beautiful home (decorating was a passion of hers), wonderful cooking, gracious hostessing skills, and her positive outlook on life despite her physical challenges. Her father was in the Army, so she spent much of her life living in many states and countries around the world. She had a true passion for travelling.
Like so many of us, Dorothy never discussed her CMT diagnosis. However, one of her last conversations with her daughter, Joy Aldrich, was about how proud she was of Joy’s role as Advocacy Director for HNF. Given a bit more time, Dorothy surely would have become a very vocal advocate for the impactful work HNF is doing to support CMT patients and families. Dorothy generously named HNF as a beneficiary in her Trust, and this Travel Scholarship would have been something she would have been so proud to offer.
There are a limited number of Travel Scholarships of up to $1000 USD available for CMT patients/caregivers who wish to attend HNF’s 2016 Patient-Centered Charcot-Marie-Tooth Summit on October 6, 2016 in New York City.

Application forms can be found 
here and are due by July 30, 2016.


Questions? cmtsummit@hnf-cure.org

Sunday, June 19, 2016

Skillet Sunday-Thai Red Curry Noodles


I made this a few weeks ago.  It is really quick and easy to make this dish.  You can adjust the amount of curry to make it as mild or as hot as you like.

1 can ( 13.5 ounce) can light coconut milk
5 teaspoons red curry paste
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 green pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 small zucchini
½ lb raw shrimp peeled
2 tablespoons lime juice
8 ounces wide rice noodles

Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Heat wok over medium heat. Add the coconut milk. Stir in curry paste, brown sugar, fish sauce and red pepper flakes.  Stir the mixture with a spoon until the curry paste is blended. Add the shrimp. Simmer the mixture until the shrimp turn pink. That will take about 10 minutes. 

While the shrimp are cooking cut the peppers into matchstick size pieces. Cut the zucchini into quarters and then chop into pieces. Once the shrimp are cooked add the vegetables to the curry coconut milk mixture.  Cook for 2 minutes. Add the lime juice Stir in the noodles and mix to thoroughly coat.


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. She represented Team USA at the Aquathon ITU World Championship in Chicago in 2015 and will represent the US 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.

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 196 members in 37 states. We also have members in Australia, England,Scotland, Canada, Vietnam, Turkey, Finland, Scotland, France, Poland and Iran. 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/

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

Thursday, June 16, 2016

Adventures in Cycling



"If you don't know where you are going any road will take you there." -Ernest Hemingway

A 50 mile ride was on my training plan last weekend. It would be my last chance to get in an outdoor ride before my half aqua bike on June 18th.  I wanted to have something that would be similar to my race.  I was worried about the pace being right on a club ride so I thought an event ride would be a good choice.

The Kenosha bike club was sponsoring the Lake Country Ramble. There would be a choice of 25, 50, 75, 100 or 120 mile loops. There would be rest stops with homemade cookies and more importantly mechanical support if I got a flat or had other trouble with my bike.

My life often seems to have some kind of drama and this ride would have a little bit of that.

When I checked the map at packet pick-up there were a number of colored loops for the different miles. Normally on one of these rides, you pick the mileage route you want to do, figure out what color it is and follow the signs or makings on the rode.  This ride was a little different. You had to follow one color on the way out and for some routes, two or three different colors on the way back. There was a map and you had to figure out which color to follow by the map.  All the routes started with the white route. I was supposed to pick up the red line route along the way but I never did find it.
I made it to the first rest stop and sampled the homemade cookies. I took one along for the road.  I kept looking for the red marks and never found them. It was really windy and the route was really windy.  Soon I found myself back at the starting point the Kenosha County fair grounds in Wilmot Wisconsin. The nice thing about this ride was it was in farm country. It was beautiful and went through small lake towns like Randall and Twin Lakes.

The route was only 31 miles, leaving 19 miles left to complete my training. I decided to try and find the 20 mile route.  Looking at the map I had to go to at least the first rest stop at 15 miles and that seemed like it would be too far.

I decided to just go along the white route for 7 or 8 miles and then turn around and follow the white route back to the fair grounds. I knew it would be tricky to try and follow the route backwards by looking for markings on the other side of the road.

It went well until I stopped seeing markings.  I knew I must have missed a turn and stopped to ask directions from a working doing some yard work.  I knew we were close and she said she drove her kids to school everyday in Wilmot, but she was having trouble figuring out how to get me back.

I showed her a map and then she told me to take a right and a left and follow the road back to town. Too bad those directions were not correct. I ended up at the Dairy Queen in Randall. I stopped and asked directions again. I was told to go down hwy B and then I saw orange route markings so I followed them. When I got to Twin Lakes I knew I was headed in the wrong direction because I had come through there on the white route.

So  I stopped a lady at a stop sign and again asked for directions. She told me to go back to the Dairy Queen and I would see Hwy W and to turn left. That road would take me to the Fairgrounds. I got to the Dairy Queen and there was no Hwy W. I stopped at the Dairy Queen and asked directions from someone at the Dairy Queen. He said "Weren't you just here?" I laughed and said yes and was Hwy W near?  He said it was just a bit farther down the road and yes it would take me back to the fairgrounds.

So I found Hwy W and this time I found my way back to the Kenosha County Fairgrounds.  I put on 54 miles. Just a bit longer than the training plan and only 2 miles shorter than my race on Saturday. It took me about 4 hours and it seemed pretty easy.  I was not even tired or sore the next day.
So even with the drama of getting lost and with the kindness of strangers I had a good training day.
I had a beautiful ride through some beautiful farm country. I can't wait for my race on Saturday.

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

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. She has qualified to represent Team USA at the Aquathon ITU World Championship in Chicago in 2015 and 2016

 In 2014 she represented  the U.S. as a paratriathlete at the Pan-American Triathlon Championship in Dallas, Texas.

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 194 members in 36 states. We also have members in Australia, England,Scotland, Canada, Vietnam, Turkey, Finland, Scotland, France, Poland and Iran. 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/

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



Saturday, June 11, 2016

Mid Week Aquathlon-Shaking out the Rust



"Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises'"- Demosthenes, Greek Philosopher

I don't usually do mid-week races. I am usually tired after working and mid week races sometimes get in the way of training. I signed up for a series of three Aquathlon Wednesday night races.

The races are swim (400 or 800 m) and a 5 K run.  I signed up for the 800 meter option because I can always use the open water practise.  I had just done a sprint triathlon on Sunday so I knew I would be a little tired. But considering the problems I had in the race swim, I knew I needed some race experience before my A race on June 18th.

I did one of these races last year and it was pretty low key. No awards and no race numbers. Just a timing chip.  Series age group awards are given if you complete at least two races.

I got to the race venue more than an hour early because I came right from work. I could set up anywhere I wanted in transition.  I picked a nice landmark by a post about halfway between the swim and run exit.

I chatted with several other women as I set up. I found out one is doing the same race as me next week. Not only is she doing the entire Iron man half distance, she is going to Madison the next day to be the relay swimmer for a 1/2 iron man there.

I knew this race would be small. Most of the local athletes were at a local running club race.   About 75 of us lined up for the mass start. Some would do one lap for 400 meters, the rest of use would go twice around.  The race director announced at the start that if you changed your mind and just did one lap to just let them know when you exited the water and they would adjust your placement.  Just what I needed was an excuse for an early exit.

The horn blew. I lined up sort of near the back because I am a slow swimmer.  I was out of breath on the way to the first buoy of the triangle course. As I looked up while swimming I thought about just doing one lap. But I wanted the distance training to help me be ready for my long distance.  As I continued to swim I continued to think about just doing one lap. They made it so easy to bale.

But then I got into a rhythm and I started to feel strong. I made the turn for the second lap instead of exiting.

The 5 K was uneventful. I was having a hard time catching my breath and then I told myself to slow down because they was a training run. I know my usually 5 K time would not put me in contention for a top spot. So I slowed just a bit, but still enough for a good workout.

I was one of the last to finish, but there is no shame in that. Athletes that turn out for a race like this are hard core and fast. I hung in there for the swim and got a huge boost in my confidence. I felt I could have easily continued to swim. I know I will be fine on race day. My run needs a bit of work, but it is early in the season and I have time.  This race just makes me want to do more races and I have signed up for several more.   I finished 3rd in my age group. Not a bad effort. If I had done the 400 meter loop, I would have been 2nd in my age group. There may have only been three women in my age group.

No matter, the real test is my half iron aqua bike (1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike). After this last race, I feel confident and excited. This is a test race. If it goes well I will sign up for the Aqua bike National Championship in Miami in November.  These first two races had their challenges, but it has made me ready to meet the challenges of the next race!

See you at the finish.

***********

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. She has qualified to represent Team USA at the Aquathon ITU World Championship in Chicago in 2015 and 2016

 In 2014 she represented  the U.S. as a paratriathlete at the Pan-American Triathlon Championship in Dallas, Texas.

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 194 members in 36 states. We also have members in Australia, England,Scotland, Canada, Vietnam, Turkey, Finland, Scotland, France, Poland and Iran. 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/

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



Monday, June 6, 2016

Lake Mills Triathlon- Let the Games Begin



 "Happiness is the joy we feel in striving for our potential. " - Shawn Achor

My triathlon season started on Sunday with a sprint triathlon in Lake Mills Wisconsin and I almost did not get to the starting line.

I woke up Memorial Day weekend with one of the worst sore throats of my life. It has since transformed into a cold and cough.  I took Saturday off to hopefully recover before the race on Sunday.  I was so congested I felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest.

I woke up Sunday and I did not feel any better. It was also really windy and raining. It was 4 am and I seriously considered just going back to bed.

I put the race on my schedule to get some race practise before my 1/2 iron aqua bike in two weeks.
The first open water swim of the season is always kind of rough and I wanted the practise.

The sun was coming out as I pulled into the race parking lot at 5:15. Too bad that only lasted about 10 minutes.

It was cloudy and cool as I set up in transition. I never like to hang out there, it just makes me nervous. I put on my wet suit to keep warm and went in to test out the water. It was 68 F. warmer than the air and way warmer than I expected since the spring has been so cold here.

As I chatted with other racers and waited for the start the wind was getting stronger and stronger. The waves looked bigger and bigger.  I was in the 5th wave. The first two waves were first time triathletes.  The water was so rough several of the swimmers turned back and dropped out of the race.

Soon it was my turn and the waves were the biggest I have ever swum in.  Every time I tried to take a breath I got a face full of water. I started doing the side stroke, I felt bad about that until I saw all the women in my wave were doing the same thing.  I was having a hard time catching my breath. I thought about dropping out because I was getting so tired. I could not get to the rescue kayak because the men's wave had come through the course.  A wave of men was between me and the kayak I had to reach to drop out. So I just kept swimming and pretty soon I was done.

The bike course was also really windy. About 2 minutes into the bike part my bike computer stopped working. So I had no idea how fast I was or was not going.  It was over pretty quickly.

The run was pretty routine.  The whole race was a bit of a struggle since I did not feel well.  I finished the bike with a 16 mph average and finished in 1 hr 51 good enough for 4th in my age group.

A good day to shake the rust off and be ready for my next race in two weeks. I've been training for it for months. This triathlon was a good test run.

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

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. She has qualified to represent Team USA at the Aquathon ITU World Championship in Chicago in 2015 and 2016

 In 2014 she represented  the U.S. as a paratriathlete at the Pan-American Triathlon Championship in Dallas, Texas.

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 194 members in 36 states. We also have members in Australia, England,Scotland, Canada, Vietnam, Turkey, Finland, Scotland, France, Poland and Iran. 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/

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

Saturday, June 4, 2016

CMT Patient Conference



I got an un-expected surprise this week.   I received an invitation to be part of a panel on exercise and nutrition at the CMT patient conference in New York this October.  I really excited to meet so many members of Team CMT and the CMT community.  Here are the details about the conference.


Cost

$25 for patient and caregivers until June 15th
$35 after June 15th

Location

New York City
October 6, 2016
3 West Club,  3W 51st St.


Patient-Centered Charcot-Marie-Tooth Summit
The goal of the Patient-Centered Charcot-Marie-Tooth Summit will be to expand the role of patients, caregivers and other stakeholders to identify patient-centered measurement tools that are fundamental to research and clinical practice by conducting workshops and panels led by patients and stakeholders. Patients will have the chance to hear the latest in research developments, participate in panel discussions with clinicians, and voice their needs and priorities in regards to CMT research and treatments.
The Summit will be focused on innovative content and bring together top leaders in industry, research, and treatment and give a voice to the patient.
The objectives will be to:
  • Educate the participants on the state-of-the-art PCOR regarding Inherited Peripheral Neuropathies (IPNs)
  • Serve as a forum for exchange of ideas particularly as they relate to patient outcomes and barriers to implementation
  • Illuminate the critical role that patient involvement and PCOR has for advancing IPN understanding and treatment
  • Foster development of partnerships between researchers and patients
  • Posters and presentations will describe key science performed in field 
  • Impactful presentations on innovative technology, public policy, and the importance of disease-state awareness to support PCOR and partnerships
We encourage all CMT patients and stakeholders to attend what is surely to be a landmark event.

**********

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. She has qualified to represent Team USA at the Aquathon ITU World Championship in Chicago in 2015 and 2016

 In 2014 she represented  the U.S. as a paratriathlete at the Pan-American Triathlon Championship in Dallas, Texas.

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 194 members in 36 states. We also have members in Australia, England,Scotland, Canada, Vietnam, Turkey, Finland, Scotland, France, Poland and Iran. 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/

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