Wisconsin Senior Olympics Track Meet

"Someones opinion of you does not have to become your realty." -Les Brown, author and motivatoinal speaker

On August 18th, I participated in the Wisconsin Senior Olympics track meet.  I didn't do sports in high school or college, so running a track meet is still pretty new to me. I did my first one last year as part of the WSO.

This meet was held at Mequon High School. It is a really impressive facility with an annoncers booth, concession stand and a turf football field.

I signed up for the following events:

1500 meter Power walk
5 K Power walk
100 meter run
200 meter run
400 meter run
1500 meter run

My day started with the power walk events. I really pushed it in the events because a friend of mine was competing for the first time and even though she was not in my age group we pushed each other.  The 1500 meter race was first and both races were judged.  I finished in just under 11minues just seconds behind the first and second place women.

In the 5 K race, same thing,  there was only one women in my age group and I was right behind her until one of the refs carded me.   I had no problem last year. The rule states that one foot has to be on the ground at all times.  The judge claimed I had to land on my heel which I did the best I could with my CMT.

After the race I found out I had been disqualified from both races.    I was complaining after the race and the ref started in on me.  She is wrong about the rule. She even admited I was not running, meaning I kept at least one foot on the ground.  They should have talked to me before the second race was done.  Race walking has strict technique rules, but power walking does not.

The ref told me she was protecting me from being disqualifed at the National Championship. Well this is not a qualifying year and I told her I had no plans to go to nationals.  I told her she was ridiculous.

The rest of the event was uneventful. I got beat by a bit in the races I won a silver and beat my competition by quite a bit in the races where I took gold.  I dropped out of the 400 meter because I was hot and tired.

Being dis-qualified really soured my experience. Being judged and found wanting is not fun, espeically when the ruling was not fair.  I have lots of events I can do on any weekend. Next year Age Group National Championships for triathlon will be in Milwaukee. I think that will be a better use of my time.

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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 2015i, Cozumel in 2016 and Denmark in 2018. In 2018 finishing 5^th in the 60 to 64 age group.

 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. In 2017 she placed 2^nd in her age group at the Winter Triathlon National Championship, earning a spot on Team 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”.

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 CMTWe currently have 225 athletes in 41 states. We also have members in Australia, Canada, England, Finland, Vietnam, Iran, Scotland, France, Turkey, Poland, Norway, Mexico 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/

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