"The key to realizing a dream is to focus not on success but on significance and then the small steps and little victories along the path will have greater meaning."- Oprah Winfrey
On March 1, I raced at the Winter Traithlon National Championship in Minneapolis. The race was a 6 K Nordic ski, 18 K fat tire bike and a 5K trail run.
This was the third time I've done this race. Minneapolis is only a 5 1/2 hour drive from Milwaukee. No need to ship a bike or fly with a bike.
Working out can get to be a grind for me. Doing the same swim, bike and running training can get stale. This race gets me doing different workouts during the off season. Studies have shown that Nordic skate skiing can improve run times, plus fat tire biking and Nordic skiing are just fun. They get me outside in the winter.
Race day started early at 6 am when transition opened. It was 34 F and dark.
I'd been awake since 2 am, so I thought I might as well come and get set up in transition. It is first come, so getting there early means a good spont in the parking lot and in transition. I don't like to be in transition when everyone is setting up. I like to get set up early and get out. So I got all my gear set up. The gear and racking is just a bit different from a summer triathlon.
There were also ski patrol members serving as course volunteers ready to do first aid.
There was a pre-race briefing at 7:45 with a race start at 8 am. So here is a recap of the race.
Nordic Ski
The start was self seeded. I line up in the back. There were several first timers and I explained to them how to start the race by double poling. When the gun went off, everyone took off and I was already way behing. I've workind on my skate skiing for the last three seasons including doing to a week long race camp in Colorado.
This course is really hilly. The man made loop where I practice only has one hill. It was often icy so most of my practice was on flat terrain. Although I was not as fast as the other athletes, the ski went pretty well. Last year I fell more times than I could count and often had to use the classic track. This year I skated the whole time and felt confident doing it. I only fell twice. The first hill I hit ice on the way down and my skis went in opposite directions. I was terrified I would going to be hurt. But I picked myself up and continued. I fell a second time on a flat surface. I think I was just not paying attention. Bikers were starting to come through as I got near the end.
I am not strong enough to skate up the bigger hills. I had to herriginbone up. Still I was happy with my progress. I feel like I've improved enought to do some more racing next year, including biathlon. The ski seemed like it never ended. My fnishing time was 49 minutes.
Fat Tire Bike
This was the leg I was most unprepared for. We had very little natural snow in Milwaukee. So I only got out on my fat tire bike a couple of times. I had to walk many of the bigger hills, but I saw other athletes doing the same thing. I felt like I was so far behind I almost dropped out. I decided to think about the race in a different way. It was sunny and warm. I decided to pretend I was out for a workout and to enjoy the day. The raceers before me had churned up the snow, making it tough to climb hills. The very left of the course has been left ungroomed and hard. The problem was there was about a 5 foot drop. If I lost my balance I risked a bad injury. I made it throught the first loop that went right past transition. By that time I had no thoughts about quitting.
The second loop went a bit better. I rode more of the hills and climed less. Now runners were coming through. I figured there were two men behind me, so I would not finish last. It took me about 35 minutes to do each lap.
Trail Run
The only trail runs I've ever done, have been in this race. It was on the same course as the bike and the ski. The snow was soft and deep by this time. I had to walk up parts of some of the hills. I was getting tired. This part went by pretty fast and before I knew it I was crossing the finish line.
I finished 2nd in my age group. There were only two of us. The other women in my age group won the entire reace. I qualifed again for Team USA and the World Championsip. I don't know yet the location.
This was a tough course due to the steep hills. Everyone finished and no one got hurt. I have some things to work on for next year. I was pleased with the progress in my skiing. I feel like I'm ready for more nordic racing and maybe even biathlon (ski and shoot).
This race was great experience as I look to possibly complete at the para-nordic ski championships next year.
*********************
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
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
In 2020
she was named a National Ski Patrol Subaru Ambassador and a USA Triathlon
Foundation Ambassador.
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