Wisconsin's Wierd Weather

Fall and Winter on the Same Day

"Nature always wears the colors of the spirit." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Nature has been a bit confused all year here in Wisconsin.  I remember two years ago on Halloween it was so warm I sat on my front steps to give out Halloween candy.  This Halloween we got seven inches of snow in Wisconsin.

You can see in the picture that the fall leaves are still on the trees.  I know people were rushing to try and rake leaves before the snow fell.  We got seven inches the most ever on Halloween in Wisconsin.

It was really pretty to see the red and gold leaves against the snow.   I've seen snow on top of daffodils in the spring, but I've never seen fall snow.  Like most snow falls in winter, it has gotten really cold following the snow. I was 22 F last night.  It is just way to early to be this cold.  If this keeps up it is going to be a long winter.

So I spent 2 hours on my bike trainer indoors today. I am only one week away now from two National Championship races in Miami.  Next Saturday I will be swimming 1000 meters and running 5 K in the Aquathlon National Championship and on Sunday I will be running a total of 15 miles and biking 56 miles in the Long Distance Duathlon.

I would be lying if I said I felt ready. Not only has the weather in Wisconsin been weird this fall, but this summer has been exceptionally rainy.  When I was in the North woods a few weeks ago, the lakes are the highest I have ever seen them. I saw several piers under water.  Her is  Milwaukee we have very little beach on Lake Michigan because the lake is so high.

It seemed like every time I needed to do a bike workout, it rained. I did most of my bike training on my indoor trainer. That sometimes meant 6 hours on the trainer as I watched TV. I'm just not sure it has been great preparation. I even splurged this year and shipped my triathlon bike to Miami for the race.  Because of the rain, Ive barely ridden this bike since I bought it last year. Fingers crossed that my ride goes well.

It will be nice to be in Miami for a bit of warm weather. Temps are expected to be 84 F, but there is also a significant chance of rain. I should feel right at home.  I did a sprint triathlon this year in pouring rain, so I'm ready for that.

The races are my A races for the year.  The long distance duathlon has only 4 women in my age group. I have a slight chance at 3rd. Two of the women are Iron man racers and are currently first and second in current rankings. Still if I finish, I get a slot on Team USA for the World Championship race in Switzerland.

The Aquathlon has 25 women signed up. That is the largest field ever for the National Championship race. Only the top 18 earn spots for Team USA and the World Championship in the Netherlands. Ive decided to race as a para triathlete for that race.  I am going to take a chance that I will be nationally racked since the Miami race will be my second aquathlon race. The Texas race I did in July may come in very handy. Two roll down spots are saved for ranked athletes.

In any case I will race and hope for the best. I just hope the weather cooperates a bit more than in Wisconsin.

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

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 228 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/

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, #kneedeepinwork