Wisconsin Senior Olympics 5K Turkey Trot

 

"Be thankful for what you have, you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have you will never have enough."- Oprah Winfrey

It has been since August that I participated in any race. Honestly lots of events were cancelled. The Senior Olympics did run events but I decided to stay away.

I am not vaccinated and did not want to upset people by showing up at an event.  Seniors are a high risk group and I did not want someone thinking I was going to get them sick. The swim events were inside which is more of a risk.

I thought this Senior Olympics event would be a good one to go to. I knew it would be small since there were three other runs in the area on the same day.  I was really looking forward to getting out and racing again.  I have to admit it felt a little strange to be driving to a race. What used to be a regular part of my life pretty much disappeared during COVID.

A 5 K race can be a good gauge of fitness.  I was curious to see what my fitness was after not much racing. The conditions were not ideal. It 40F, windy and raining.  I paid for the race, so I was going to do it.  It was a small group that lined up in Lake Vista Park in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. 

The course was right along Lake Michigan, so the wind felt extra chilly. By race time the rain had slowed to a drizzle. Still I had my rain coat on and was ready for any weather.

It was a small group of maybe 200 runners and walkers. I gave blood the day before which was probably not a good idea. There was a local appeal due to the injuries at the parade in Waukesha. I was happy to give.

So while everyone took off, I did not have much energy. I tried to do 2:00 repeats to keep going. There was one really large hill on the course that went from the bluff down to the lake and back up.

My finishing time was  35:34 which is terrible for me. All of the times seemed slower than normal so maybe the course was long.  I was a little upset with my performance. It is frustrating to be so slow. I finished 2nd in my age group, just 20 seconds out of first place. I had seen the woman pass me and just did not have the energy to match her.

I got to see my friend Yvonne, who is the director of the Senior Olympics. I was on the board for a bit so I apologized for missing events this year and told her why. She assured me I would be very welcome and no one would even ask about my vaccinated status. It was good to catch up with her and I look forward to getting involved again with this group.

When I got home I did my daily study in the Bible in a Year podcast with Fr. Mike Schmitz. It just so happened the lesson was on Jesus feeding the 5000.  Father Mike talked about how the 5 loves and fish did not seem to be enough for the big job of feeding all of those people.  My run felt like it was not enough. It felt like I am not doing enough and that I am not worthy of my mission. Yet God fed those people with that little bit that they had. God will see that we have enough to do the work he has charged us with. Father Mike often says "What is offered to God is never wasted."  So I have to remember as long as I do my best it is honoring God and to be thankful that I am still out there running.  That is something to be thankful for!

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

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.

 

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”.

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 244 athletes in 42 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.

Iron Girl Duathlon- Routine Racing

 

"Everyone has a calling. And your job in life is to figure out as soon as possible what that is, who you were meant to be and begin to honor that in the best way possible for yourself." -Oprah Winfrey

I have not done a blog post about a race in ages. Some how it did not seem right during COVID. No one seems to have missed the post so sometimes I wonder if anyone even reads them.

I don't have much to write about the race because it was fairly routine. I love racing at Iron Girl. This all women's race in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin has such a great energy.  It attracts many women doing their very first multi-sport event and I love that. I love seeing the nerves transform into triumph by the end of the race. I have been there many times myself.

I came back to defend my age group title in the duathlon. It was tempting to do the triathlon since they have a para-triathlon division and the swim is really easy. Just straight across the race following rafts.

Doing a duathlon for me is really routine. I started my race career as a runner and have been cycling since I was a kid. The open water swim was always the fear inducing part of the race. Sometimes it still make me a bit nervous. So a duathlon seemed like a day off.  It would be a chance to have some fun, defend my title and spread some Team CMT awareness.

There is not much to really talk about with this race. The only exciting thing that happened is that I got nearly a full night of sleep before the race. That never happens. It felt so good to be racing fully rested.

The race is a run, bike and then a run to finish.  The course for the run is fairly flat along Lake Andrea. So while we did our first run, I could see the first wave of women swimmers.

Then it was off to the bike.  Because this is a race with lots of beginners, many do not know basic rules like keeping to the right except when passing.  I do educate as gently as possible so they learn the rules.   But mostly I just give a word of encouragement when I pass someone or when they pass me.

I finished in 1 hr and 37 minutes. My second run was over 33 minutes for a 5K. So disappointing that I am now so slow.  Still I am still running and living up to my mission of raising awareness of CMT and showing those with CMT that while I may have CMT, it does not have me. I zm doing the very best I can with the mission God has given me.

My time got me 2nd place in my age group and the lovely bracelet given to the top three women in each age group. Every woman crossing the finish line also got a rose and a finisher medal.

I had lots of fun and talked to lots of nice women.  It ended up being my last multi-sport event for 2020.  I was not able to go to Spain for the World Championships in September.

I am looking forward to lots of racing in 2022 and hope I continue to stay healthy!

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

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.

 

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”.

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 244 athletes in 42 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.