"Wanting to be someone else is a waste of who you are."- Kurt Cobain
The USAT ambassador role is the 2nd I was awarded in the last year. The first was in October when I was named to be a National Ski Patrol and Subaru ambassador. The NSP marketing manager told me the reason I was selected out of the pool of over 400 applicants was the committee was intrigued by my being an active patroller with CMT. They thought it was really unusual for someone with CMT to be on patrol I was selected to tell my story through out 2020. I gladly accepted that challenge and will continue by blogging about patrolling and my racing. I will be submitting two articles during the year to appear on the NSP web site. I also have a profile on the NSP web site. There are 26,000 patrol members on 600 patrols nation wide. It is a new audience for me.
When I was diagnosed I decided to dedicate myself to raising awareness of CMT. It was common at the time for people to hide their diagnosis. CMT can be an invisible impairment. But hiding my CMT won't help find a cure. So I was willing to be the face of CMT. I am joined now by dozens of CMT affected athletes on Team CMT.
Last month I was notified I was accepted to be a 2020 USA Triathlon Foundation Ambassador powered by Newton running. It was my chance to represent the para-triathlon community. It is a sport we want to grow. I know first had the benefits of the triathlon lifestyle. I became a triathlete when long distance running was starting to become a challenge due to my CMT.
The job comes with a couple of perks, a free Road ID, Newton running shoes, uniform and USAT membership. With the perks come some obligations. I will be raising funds for the foundation.
In addition I will appear at and do a service project at least the following two races:
- July 18-Toyota Legacy Triathlon, Para triathlon National Championship, Long Beach California
- August 7,8,9-Toyota Age Group Sprint Triathlon National Championship, Milwaukee Wisconsin
I am so excited to be at both of these races. I got a qualifying time to go through a classification appointment in Long Beach. Fingers crossed I make it through.
This is the fourth time I will be racing for an age group national championship in Milwaukee. The championship was in Milwaukee for three years and will be returning again for 2020 ad 2021. I also volunteered at the race making for the best athletic weekend ever. I was so proud to welcome athletes from all over the country to my home course
Again I believe I was chosen for this honor partly because of my CMT. I have actively raced multi sport at both the national and local level. I am looking forward to making the foundation stronger and to helping grow the sport. I hope I can inspire all kinds of people to take up the multi-sport lifestyle.
If I could wave a magic wand and cure my CMT, I would do so. Barring that I am going to be open and honest about the challenges I face and I am going to use racing to raise awareness and funds. Hope you will follow me on the journey.
******************
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
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
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”.
You may
visit her author page at:
http://www.amazon.com/Christine-Wodke/e/B00IJ02HX6
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 233 athletes in 41 states. We also have
members in Australia, Canada, England, Finland, Vietnam, Iran, Scotland,
France, Turkey, Poland, Norway, Mexico, Wales, Ireland 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.
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
No comments:
Post a Comment