Marquette Indoor Triathlon.

I got this message a couple of weeks ago.

Congratulations! You've qualified for the 2017 USA Triathlon Olympic-Distance National Championships in Omaha, Nebraska. Below is your registration link to register for the event, which takes place August 12, 2017. 

I qualified at the Marquette Indoor Triathlon on March 26th here in Milwaukee.   It was a really small race.  It was a 400 meter indoor swim, 10 mile bike on a computrainer and a 5 K run on the Marquette University campus.

I almost didn't go to the race. I did not sleep at all the night before.  I decided to treat the race like training and not put any pressure on myself.  I did not need to worry. There were less than 20 athletes in the race.  There were only three of us over college age and I was the only one in my age group.

The swim was at the student rec center. It was a beautiful pool and then it was right across the street for the bike.  I was right next to Dewitt, the only non college age man in the race. He was in the 70-75 age group. We had a nice time talking about local races while we waited for our swim start.  I raced against him during the bike and just barely beat him.

Then it was just the 5K on a 64 F day. The course was three one mile loops. I was the last to finish, but overall had a decent race.

Final results:
Swim 9:26
Bike 35:25
Run 32:39

Not bad considering I did another indoor tri the week before. Because I was the only one in my age group and this was a USAT sanctioned event, I qualified for the Olympic Age Group National Championship in Omaha.  I won't be going, I have just too many other races on my schedule this year.  I'm saving vacation for next year when I plan on going to the Winter Triathlon World Championship in Romania in January.  Part of my schedule this year is the National Championship for Aquathlon and Aquabike. Both would qualify me for the World Championship in Denmark.

It was a fun day and turned out to be a good day of training. I got to do a fun race and meet lots of nice people. It is nice to know I can still qualify for a National Championship. I feel like I will be ready for my first outdoor tri in Madison on May 21st.

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

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.

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.

http://www.henschelhausbooks.com/catalog/memoir-biography/215-running-for-my-life-winning-for-cmt-9781595982827.html

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 210 members in 38 states. We also have members in Australia, England, Scotland, Canada, Vietnam, Turkey, Finland, Scotland, France, 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/

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

Soup Sunday, Beef Bone Broth

Many of the soups that I've featured on Sunday's have bone broth as their base.  Broth is one of the hot health trends right now, especially made with organic products.

Bone broth is healthy because it contains essential vitamins and minerals such as glucosamine, hyaluronic acid, chondrotin sulfate an collagen. Collagen has a number of amino acids including proline, glutamine, glycine and agonize.  Collagen is needed to have healthy skin, hair and nails.

You can all of these from supplements, but they are absorbed better from food sources. Bone broth is a great source and is really simple to make.  I do mine in a slow cooker. Once you have the broth done, it can be divided and frozen. Just pop one out of the freezer when you want to make soup.

You will notice the recipe has apple cider vinegar.  Don't leave it out since this helps to leach calcium and other minerals out of the bones. You can substitute lemon juice.

1 lb grass fed beef bones
2 carrots roughly chopped
3 ribs of celery roughly chopped
1/2 large onion roughly chopped
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 quarts filtered water

Pre-heat oven to 350 F.  Place beef bones on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake for an hour. Put the vegetables in the bottom of the crock pot. Add the bones and water. Be sure to scrape any brown bits off of the baking pan.  Set the crock pot to high and cook for 24 hours. Let cool  slightly and strain. Put into the refrigerator. Skim off the fat that hardens on the top.  Transfer to containers and freeze.

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

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.

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.

http://www.henschelhausbooks.com/catalog/memoir-biography/215-running-for-my-life-winning-for-cmt-9781595982827.html

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 210 members in 38 states. We also have members in Australia, England, Scotland, Canada, Vietnam, Turkey, Finland, Scotland, France, 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/

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

Super Food Saturday-DIY Kombucha

I was first introduced to this drink by my niece when she made her own. She wanted me to try it, but I was leary since I had never heard of it.

Then I heard a chiropractor talking about the health benefits of Kombucha on a radio show.  Kombucha is a fermented tea which is full of probiotics. Probiotics are very healthy for your digestive system.

I started drinking store bought stuff and got addicted. It comes in a variety of fruit flavors. I was hooked but at almost $4 a bottle it was an expensive habit.  I decided it was time to make my own.

I bought a culture called a scoby.  My first attempt went well, but my scoby ate all of the brew, so I started again to make a bigger batch.  I was afraid to try it thinking I might get sick. So today seemed like a good day to test the batch I made. It tastes fantastic.  I did the first fermentation and then bottled the result with some extract. This created a nice fizzy product. You do not have to take the second step and can drink the product after the first fermentation.

Because I grew up canning produce with my mom, I use the same practice she used. I sterilize all the equipment I used in boiling water to be sure I am not introducing any bad bacteria.  We always did this anytime we canned food.  Wash your hands well with soap and water before starting.

Any equipment or ingredients can be purchased from Ebay or Amazon
Equipment needed:
Glass jar (half gallon or gallon size)
Wood spoon ( no metal should touch the kombucha scoby)
A paper coffee filter or cheese cloth to top the jar
A rubber band to secure the filter

To make 1/2 gallon
1 tablespoon of loose black tea or 4 tea bags ( I used bags)
6 1/2 cups of filtered water
1/2 cup white cane sugar
1 cup distilled white vinegar

Place hot water and sugar together in a jar. Mix until the sugar dissolves. The water should be hot enough to steep the tea, but not boiling.
Place the tea in the water mixture.  Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.  Remove the tea bags. Add the vinegar and the scoby culture. Cover the jar with a coffee filter or cheesecloth and secure with a rubber band.

Place the jar in a spot that is between 70 and 80 F.  It should be out of direct sunlight.  The spot should have good air flow. I put mine on my kitchen counter.  Keep the jar away from any other cultured foods such as kefir, yogurt or sourdough.

Do not disturb or move the jar.  Allow the mixture to ferment. Start checking after a couple of days. It is done when you like the taste or you can use a pH strip.  pH should be 2,5 to 4.0.  Shorter the time the sweeter the finished product.

You can drink now or bottle like I did for a second fermentation to get a fizzy drink. I strained through a non metal strainer into airtight bottles.

I let it sit on the counter for a week to ferment and then put the bottles into the refrigerator. I put a little tart cherry extract in each bottle for flavor. Fruit juice will work as well.
I did not save my scoby because it got so big. If you want to save it can be put in a jar of sugar water and tea.  This was easy and made about 6 bottles. I loved the final result and I will do this again.

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

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.

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.

http://www.henschelhausbooks.com/catalog/memoir-biography/215-running-for-my-life-winning-for-cmt-9781595982827.html

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 210 members in 38 states. We also have members in Australia, England, Scotland, Canada, Vietnam, Turkey, Finland, Scotland, France, 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/

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

Season Opener, You Can Go Home Again

" The only person you are destined to be is the person you decide to become." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

I graduated from high school in June of 1976. I went back for the first time a couple of weeks ago when I participated in the Wisconsin Indoor Triathlon Championship.

The race would start with an 800 meter swim in my alma mater, Milwaukee Lutheran High School.

I don't have great memories of gym class or the pool.    We had to wear school issued uniforms for gym. They were scratchy white polyester tops with cardinal trim which was our school color. This hot and uncomfortable top was paired with cardinal polyester shorts.  The material did not breath at all and no one looked good in them. For swim class we wore school issued swim suits as well. We called them the Miss America swim suits because they looked like the one piece swim suits the contestants wore in the 50's.  They were navy blue with color coded stitching on the seams for the size. I think my size which was small was red. You had to dig through a big pile in one of those rolling laundry carts to find your size. Then you got suited up, took a shower and put on your swim cap. No one looked good.  We had coed class so you had to be seen by all the boys in the class.

We had a pretty wide assortment of things we could sign up for in gym class, but to take any of the fun stuff you had to pass the Red Cross certification for intermediate swimmer.  I grew up around my grandma's lake cottage, so I could swim like a fish even though I was self taught. Problem was the gym teachers spent all their time on the pool deck gossiping and no time in the water testing us.

So when I had a choice about taking gym and swimming I opted out. I was not athlete in high school and had a rather undistinguished career in all respects. I've had more than one guy at reunions ask me if I was in the class. I guess I was pretty unmemorable.  I am glad lots has changed in the 40 years since I left. I would like to think I have had a fairly successful and eventful life. I think I have changed and grown quite a bit since my shy high school days.

So there I was back at the old school. I cannot believe how small the pool and locker room looked.  The race like my high school career was fairly undistinguished. An indoor tri early in the season is a good way to measure your fitness.   I like to use it as a workout. I thought there would be just two in our age group. The other woman was someone I have raced against several times last summer.  I would use beating her as my motivation.

I had my own lane for the pool swim and finished in about 19:36.
It was then on to a 12.4 mile compu trainer on a hilly course.  There were seven athletes in my wave. I was in 4th for much of the race until the bike mechanic adjusted the bike seat of the 6 ft tall woman next to me. She was then able to pull away. I averaged 17 mph. So not too bad for early in season.

Last was the 5 K run in 42 F weather and heavy rain. I knew my rival would beat me on the bike and swim which she did by a bit, but I would have her on the run. I finished last in my wave in the run, but did beat my rival.  Too bad the age group was a 10 year on and I finished 5th out of six athletes. If the age group had been 55-59 I would have won.

Still it was good to visit a place where I had spent so much time and I had a good if not a remarkable race. Kind of like my life in high school. Not a bad way to open up the season.

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

Author at World Championship in Cozumel 2016

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.

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.

http://www.henschelhausbooks.com/catalog/memoir-biography/215-running-for-my-life-winning-for-cmt-9781595982827.html

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 210 members in 38 states. We also have members in Australia, England, Scotland, Canada, Vietnam, Turkey, Finland, Scotland, France, 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/

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