" The only person you have to beat on any given day is the person you were yesterday." - Brian Meyer, Wisconsin Senior Games Athlete
I celebrated my 60th birthday with a trip to Denmark. On July 12th I represented Team USA at the ITU Aquathlon World Championship in Fyn. I had to balance lots of site seeing with race business for my week in Denmark. I was blown away by what I saw and the people I met. The Danes were friendly and welcoming. The towns were saw were full of beautiful historic buildings. The food was incredible. Denmark and the race exceeded all my expectations. If you have not considered Denmark, put it on your list of places to visit.
This is as close as an age group athlete can get to the Olympics. We wear the U.S. uniform, march in opening and closing ceremonies and have a full support staff of doctors and coaches. There is even a team picture for each event. You can see the aquathlon team was quite large.
There were 3000 athlete from 48 countries competing in aquathlon, duathlon, aqua bike and long course triathlon. I would be competing in Aquathlon (1000 meter swim, 5K run). I would be racing in the 60 to 64 age group for the first time with 10 other athletes including the current national champion. I was hoping to stay off the bottom of the age group.
I also qualified in aqua bike and long course triathlon, but the $500 entry fee and the expense of shipping my bike was just too much while I am unemployed.
This race started with some drama even before I left the States. In the past athletes had been able to wear uniforms from past championships. I had two uniforms from when I raced in Chicago and Cozumel. Because I have been out of a job since the end of January, I did not want to spend $200 on a uniform. I was already spending money for a rental car, lodging and plane ticket.
The Saturday before I left, an email came out from the team manager, that old uniforms would not be accepted. There was a new sponsor and we would not be able to compete unless we bought a new uniform. We were informed uniforms would be inspected before entry into transition. No new uniform, no competition.
So I logged onto the site to place an order. There were no women's tops left, so I ordered a men's extra small and paid for two day shipping. When the uniform did not arrive on Tuesday I started to worry. I was leaving at 9 am on Friday morning. I was told by the company the uniform would arrive sometime on Friday. Fed Ex was no help either. I tried to get them to deliver first thing in the morning or to let me pick it up. No luck, but they did confirm that the uniform supplier had made a mistake in the shipping.
Armed with that knowledge I went back to the uniform supplier. It took a bit of bullying, but I got the company to ship the package to the Team USA hotel. I was able to pick it up when I arrived in Odense, the host city.
The next glitch happened when I tried on the uniform. The top was so tight I could barely get it on and the bottoms were not much better. I would have to use body glide to get the pieces on for race day. I was not sure I would be able to breath. I had visions of passing out on the course.
As members of Team USA we got daily email updates from Lauren Rio the team manager. Two days before my race, the email broadcast detailed the jelly fish problems during the swim of the Cross triathlon event. The cold water was also a concern for me. The temp was listed as 61 F. I had problems with cold water in an event in June here in Wisconsin and had to drop out because I could not catch my breath. Too many people knew I was doing this race, so to not complete it would be an embarrassment. I was starting to feel the pressure.
Wednesday the day before the race was the team picture and swim practice at the marina in Middlefart, Denmark. I got to town early and did some sight seeing. I decided not to do the swim practice. Reports from those that did practice was the jelly fish were stinging. You could see them from the dock at the swim practice.
The team picture was fun. I was amazed how big the team was. The sport is really growing. After that was the team briefing. I normally do not go to them, but this was a really important race and it was a chance to get out of the hear. It had been in the upper 50's and suddenly the heat was in the mid 80's. It would be hot for race day
The jelly fish were a point of discussion for the race. The race organizers said they would have Vaseline to cover any exposed skin. This would help minimize the stings. The event doctor also went over treatment for the stings post race. He recommended vinegar, shaving the skin and hydrocortizone cream.
One of my favorite things about this race is transition did not open until 1 pm. It is nice not to have to get up in the dark to go and race. I was able to get to the venue early and get a close parking spot.
We were inspected going into transition. I had put my arm tattoos upside down, a rookie mistake. So I was worried I would not be allowed to race. The officials did not think it was a big deal.
Transition is different at ITU. You are not allowed to mark your spot at all. You get a little basket.
You get a nice placard with your name and race number. I was right next to the current national champion, Sharon Smith. She would go on to win our age group. Everything has to go in the bin as it is used. Things like running shoes do not have to go in, but it is wise to have them in the bin so they do not get kicked as athletes go by coming out of the swim.
After all the pre-race drama, the race went really well. I always get out of transition right after setting up. All the tension there, gets me stressed. I made my way over to the swim practice area to warm up.
The water was so cold I was getting a headache. I was wearing two caps to help with the cold. My strategy was to swim free style until I could not stand it and then switch to side stroke.
I could see lots of jelly fish and was getting stung. I decided to relax and hang out in the water just to keep cool. I watched some of the other waves take off so I could be sure of the course.
Soon it was my turn to line up and get my application of Vaseline.
The swim went really well. I kept a good course and there were swimmers around me, meaning I was not last. I saw jelly fist the whole way. One was the size of a salad plate and I put my hand right on it as I took a stroke. I could feel my hands, feet and face getting stung. The warm-up helped. I did not get a headache during the swim or get out of breath. I felt comfortable. I finished in just over 20 minutes.
In transition I was closely watched by a race official. I told him I knew that my used equipment had to go in the basket and that it was his job to do that. He smiled.
The run was a one loop flat course. Super easy. I always feel like the run is the celebration. I have been doing run races that it is second nature. Plus there is little chance anything will go wrong. It was hot, but there were three water stops on the 5K course. At ITU you get water in little plastic bags. You have to bite off the corner and it seems I always lose half the water.
The course was through residential neighborhoods. Lots of the folks were sitting on lawn chairs in their drive ways cheering us on. A few days earlier one of the residents approached me because I was wearing my Team USA jacket. She told me how excited the community was for the race.
Before I knew it I was running down the blue chute to the finish line. Lauren Rios handed me a small American flag that I proudly waved as I crossed the finish line.
My goal was to not finish last and to better my time of 63 minutes from Cozumel. I finished in a time of 61 minutes in 5th place in the 60 to 61 age group. I was in the top three of American finishers. The top finisher was 20 minutes faster. What mattered to me what that I had fun and had a great race! The next World Championship race is in Spain next year.
I got a new job this week and the first thing I did after accepting the offer was to sign up for the Aquathlon National Championship race in Miami in November.
I will train for the race, but my primary focus will be training for the New York marathon which happens the week before.
*******************************************
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 2015i, Cozumel
in 2016 and Denmark in 2018. In 2018 finishing 5th in the 60 to 64
age group.
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 and the book “Soup Sundays, A Journey Toward Healthy
Eating”.
Team CMT
is a group of athletes and supporters working to raise awareness and to find a
cure for CMT. We have 214 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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