Thursday, November 10, 2022

Retirement Project and Fundraising


 I have been very busy since I retired a little over a year ago. I started two online business projects with more to come.  I started an online publishing venture and have been at it for a little over a year.

I’ve published low-content books on Amazon. To find one of the books do a search on Christine L. Wodke and the type of book. These books are 150 pages and 6 x 9 inches. I currently have about 3600 books in my inventory.  I add new titles every week. The price of each book is $6.99.

The profits from the books in the fourth quarter of 2022 will go toward my $1000 fundraising goal for USA Triathlon.  To find any of these books do a search on Amazon with Christine L. Wodke and the book category.  I add new categories all the time so if you have a book you are interested in, do a search on that name.

·        Actor Journal

·        Aquarium Logbook

·        Astronomy Observation Book

·        Badminton Playbook           

·        Barbeque Journal

·        Baseball Playbook

·        Beekeeping Logbook         

·        Beer Tasting Logbook        

·        Birdwatching Logbook

·        Bowling Scorebook

·        Camping Logbook   

·        Cheese tasting

·        Chess Tactics

·        Chocolate Tasting                

·        Cigar Tasting

·        Cocktail Recipe  Journal     

·        Crocheting Logbook

·        Cycling Log

·        Fishing Logbook

·        Garden Log

·        Golf Journal

·        Hiking Log

·        Home Brew Journal

·        Hunting Log

·        Jeweler Making Journal

·        Kayak Log

·        Lacrosse Playbook

·        Lined Notebooks

·        Password Tracker

·        Recipe Journal

·        Road Trip Log

·        Rum Tasting

·        Running Log

·        SCUBA Log

·        Sewing Project Book           


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




Chris Wodke

Founder & Manager Team CMT

www.run4cmt.com

 

Chris is a triathlete Nordic skier and long-distance runner. She is a three-time participant in 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 Para triathlon National Triathlon Sprint Championship. She was the 2012 and 2014 National Champion Para triathlon 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 5th in the 60 to 64 age group.

 

 In 2014 she represented the U.S. as a Para triathlete 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 2nd 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” which 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 find a cure for CMT. We currently have 250 athletes in 42 states. We also have members in Australia, Canada, England, Finland, Vietnam, Iran, Scotland, 

Sunday, November 6, 2022

Powerful Women of Triathlon

 



I did an interview with USA triathlon more than a year ago.  It was part of a series of interviews with three different athletes called "Powerful Women of Triathlon".  The series included authors and athletes Melisa Stockwell and Sue Reynolds.  All three of us are also USA Triathlon Foundation Ambassadors.

I have met both of these women. Melissa is a para-athlete and founder of Dare 2 Tri, a Chicago-based group that works with physically challenged athletes. I have been to a few of their events and see Melissa at para-triathlon events. Melissa is a veteran who was injured in Iraq and is a Paralympian and World Champion.

Sue Reynolds wrote a book about her weight loss of over 200lbs and her journey to become an athlete. I've met Sue at age group nationals in Milwaukee and at Leon's Triathlon in Hammond Indiana.  Sue has donated profits from her book to USA Triathlon Foundation to help para-athletes like me.

The airing of the interview was delayed due to the Olympics and then the interviewer moved on to another position. I did a search on YouTube a few days ago and found it. So that is why I am late getting it out to social media. I hope you will check it out. The link is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HppcmDb3TR8

or you can do a search using my name and USAT.

I am very grateful to USAT for all of the support they have given me as an athlete.  They are the only sports body that offers a physically challenged category at every sanctioned race. They have given me the chance to compete at national championships as physically challenged athletes and they give me opportunities such as the interview and being part of their ambassador program.

I fundraise for them as a way of giving back. My goal is $1000. To contribute go to:

https://usatriathlonfoundation.salsalabs.org/2022ambassadorteam/p/chriswodke2022usatfundraiser/index.html


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



Chris Wodke

Founder & Manager Team CMT

www.run4cmt.com

 

Chris is a triathlete Nordic skier and long-distance runner. She is a three-time participant in 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 Para triathlon National Triathlon Sprint Championship. She was the 2012 and 2014 National Champion Para triathlon 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 5th in the 60 to 64 age group.

 

 In 2014 she represented the U.S. as a Para triathlete 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 2nd 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” which 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 find a cure for CMT. We currently have 250 athletes in 42 states. We also have members in Australia, Canada, England, Finland, Vietnam, Iran, Scot


Monday, October 17, 2022

Panther Prowl 5 K Run-When Life Gets in the Way

 



  "In battle, we do not rise to our expectations, we fall to the level of our training."- Archilochus Greek Poet

On October 8th, I raced here in Milwaukee at the UWM Alumni association 5K Panther Prowl run.  

UWM is where I went for my undergraduate and graduate degrees in engineering. When training for marathons I often train on campus and in the surrounding neighborhood.  It is a beautiful campus and the surrounding area is filled with wonderful homes.  I love running in the area. The race is a fundraiser for student scholarships. A course I liked and a good cause made me choose the race. Plus they were giving away a neck gaiter for all runners. Those come in very handy during ski season.

I have only done one 5K stand-alone race since COVID.  I had gotten out of the habit. I like running races because they help improve my running times for triathlons. The races I pick are usually local so it does not require a big time commitment.

I could tell fall had arrived when I checked the outside temperature. It was 36F with an expected race temperature of around 40F.  When a season changes it is always a challenge for me to get layering right for a race. I hate being cold so I usually err on the side of being overdressed.  I had to dress warm enough to wait around outside for the race to start, yet not be too hot during the race.

I did a 10-minute warm-up run and my warm-up dynamic stretches.  I follow the same race day routine every time.  I took an energy gel 15 minutes before the start.

As I stood at the starting line, I chatted with the woman next to me about the Senior Olympics. I love the social aspects of running.  I had removed my top layer jacket. That turned out to be a great decision.

My race plan was to treat the race as a tempo workout. For me, that means pushing my effort at about 70% the whole race. That means exerting myself but not to exhaustion.

I was not sure how well the race would go. I had spent the previous two weeks on a basement waterproofing project. The surface prep included lots of hand sanding. I also had to wash the area multiple times. The floors I did on my hands and knees.  It was just hard physical work and I was pretty sore after days of really hard physical effort.

When the gun went off I put my race plan into place. When I tried to kick into gear, I just had little energy. I love the feeling on race day when I dig deep and have lots of energy. This race was not one of those days.  I pushed it as much as I could and settled in to enjoy the race.  There were lots of parents running with kids. It was so great to see them sharing that experience. Some of the kids were struggling, and some were complaining. I would give a word of encouragement if I passed or when they passed me.

My goal for the race was 34:00 since I was a bit race rusty. I ended up finishing in 33:03. Last year that would have been good enough for 3rd in my age group.  I finished 5th. The woman in 3rd ran the race in 28:00.  I have some work to do to catch that.

I had a great time and exceeded my modest goal. I am sure I will be out racing soon. I've signed up for the Winter Triathlon National Championship in January in Anchorage. I need to be ready for the run portion.  Having a goal keeps me running!  Looking forward to more racing very soon!


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





Chris Wodke

Founder & Manager Team CMT

www.run4cmt.com

 

Chris is a triathlete Nordic skier and long-distance runner. She is a three-time participant in 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 Para triathlon National Triathlon Sprint Championship. She was the 2012 and 2014 National Champion Para triathlon 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 5th in the 60 to 64 age group.

 

 In 2014 she represented the U.S. as a Para triathlete 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 2nd 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” which 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 find a cure for CMT. We currently have 250 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 website; 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, Para triathlon, 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, #kneedeepinwo

 




Monday, September 12, 2022

Tri Faster Aquathlon-Last Call

 



"You go to war with the army you have, not the army you might wish to have." Donald Rumsfeld, Former Secretary of Defense

I was really excited when I was looking for a sanctioned aquathlon to find one only 30 miles from home in Menomonee Falls.  The race was put on by local training group Tri Faster with World Champion Age Group athlete Lauren Jansen McGuiness as the race director.

The race was the last one that I needed to qualify for the USA Triathlon Multi-sport athlete of the year award. To qualify I had to do two aqua bike, duathlons, and aquathlons.  When this award was originally announced I thought there would be an award for each age group and one for physically challenged athletes. It was announced earlier this year there will be one male and one female award with a couple of honorable mentions.  The award will be based on race times. I am not going to be competitive, but it has been fun to do the races. It has been an incentive for me to sign up for races. It made it fun to have something to shoot for, even if it is out of reach.

The race venue was Menomonee Park. There was a group that used to run an aquathlon series in the park, so I was really familiar with the swim course. The run for this race would be a bit different.

This was a small race. There was an open water swim competition and kids splash and dash in addition to the 1000 meter swim, 5 K run aquathlon.  There were only about 50 adult athletes.

Because of the small size, it was a very laid-back race.  The transition was laid out with cones. I met my friend Mary Joy Hubbs in transition. Mary Joy just moved up to the next age group which was good for me since she is a much better athlete than me.

The entry to the lake was marked with a couple of cones to avoid the worst rock ledges.

The swim would be two 500-meter loops. The water temperature was 68 F and I went with my lava pants because they worked so well for my last race. They are just warm enough yet easy to get off after the swim.

I lined up just behind the middle of the pack for the swim.  It proved a good move since I was able to draft off another swimmer for most of the race. I have never done that in more than 10 years of racing.

I was so excited that I told the athlete when we got to transition and thanked her.  I came out of the water with three other women.  I was 2nd out of transition.

The run was partially on trails in the park and then onto a bike path. It was in the '80s so the shaded course was really welcome.

I felt good on the run. I saw the woman that beat me out of transition and decided to see if I could catch her.  We said hellos after I passed. I decided to kick it up a notch since I felt good. I wanted to put enough distance between us so that she could not catch me.

We met after and I thanked her for pushing me. We had a nice conversation. It turns out she was in my age group. I placed 2nd at 1 hr 11 minutes.

When I do these races I always wish I was stronger and faster. But I have come to realize that I have to compete with the hand I have been dealt and be grateful for every race I complete, no matter the result.

It was a good close to my triathlon season. After a bit of a break, I will start training for the Nordic race season. I already have a nordic clinic planned for early December in Breckinridge Colorado.

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



Chris Wodke

Founder & Manager Team CMT

www.run4cmt.com

 

Chris is a triathlete Nordic skier and long-distance runner. She is a three-time participant in 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 Para triathlon National Triathlon Sprint Championship. She was the 2012 and 2014 National Champion Para triathlon 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 5th in the 60 to 64 age group.

 

 In 2014 she represented the U.S. as a Para triathlete 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 2nd 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” which 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 find a cure for CMT. We currently have 250 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 website; 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, Para triathlon, 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, #kneedeepinwo


Saturday, August 6, 2022

Ugly Dog Gravel Aqua Bike-Tri to Get Dirty

 


                  "Nobody learns and grows by being average at something." - Rohan Kamath

As I get close to the end of my triathlon season I am finally getting caught up on race blogs.  On July 23, I traveled to Grass Lake, Michigan to race at the Ugly Dog Gravel Triathlon.

I always have a reason why I decide to do a race.  Gravel races are a new addition this year to the USA Triathlon (USAT) calendar.  There was a national championship in Arkansas in June and a series of eight races in Michigan, Idaho, Colorado, California, New Jersey, and Texas. 

Gravel races use gravel roads for the bike and trails for the run.  Although gravel racing is new for USAT, gravel races and triathlons have been held for years. Ugly Dog was no exception.

This event would have Olympic and Sprint distances in Duathlon, Triathlon, and Aquabike. I had chosen the Sprint Aquabike and Team CMT member Cheryl Kearny would be doing the Olympic triathlon.


My race would be a 750-meter swim and a 12-mile bike segment on gravel roads. Cheryl would have a 1500-meter swim, a 28-mile bike segment, and a 10K trail run.  Both of our races as age group athletes.

For my race, awards would only be given to the top three overall women.  This was a small race and I think there were only three of us racing in the division. This race again checks a box toward qualifying for the Multi-Sport Athlete of the year competition.  This would be my second aquabike, leaving just one aquathlon race to complete.

I wanted to do this race because I like seeing new places and new races. A trip to the beautiful state o Michigan is always a good time.  Cheryl's brother has a lake home right across the lake from the race venue. The family was nice enough to extend an invitation. So I got to spend a long weekend relaxing on a lake before and after the race.

I also hope to go to the gravel national championship next year. I did not want to show up with no race experience. I have given up on doing off-road triathlons after dislocating my elbow at my only off-road triathlon. Racing a gravel race would also give me a chance to use my very nice mountain bike. That bike has been collecting dust in my basement. This would be a chance to use that bike.  Many racers had specialized gravel bikes. I have vowed not to buy another bike since I have six. Mountain bikes are not as fast but are also widely used.

We had rain the morning of the race and the forecast did not look good. Additional thunderstorms were predicted.  Lucky for us the storms went north and south of us. It was overcast the entire race. With a temperature of 84 F, the overcast kept it feeling cooler.

Swim

I did not know the water temperature until I got to the race venue. It was a very balmy 78 F. It was still wetsuit legal. I thought a full wetsuit would be too warm so I went with my lave pants. They are pants made of neoprene that go to my knees. I had never warned them in a race before. You are not supposed to do anything new on race day. I hoped this decision would be a good one.

The water was really clear and the bath water warm when I did the pre-race warm-up.  Sometimes these lakes are really weedy, but the course seemed to be weed free.

The swim went really well for me. It seemed shorter than 750 meters. I am glad I did not wear a wet suit. The lava pants were a perfect choice. They added a bit of buoyancy to my legs without making me too warm.

Bike

I was concerned about the rain it might be muddy or that the gravel would be really loose. I was worried about falls. The course map also showed lots of hills. Since I had never done a gravel race I did not know what to expect.  The mountain bike was a great choice. What I gave up in speed I gained in stability. The bike road over any changes in terrain easily. There were rolling hills, but nothing too big. It kept things interesting. The only problem was the course could have been better marked. I took two wrong turns. I talked to several other athletes that took wrong turns as well. The woman that finished after me on the aqua bike took the same wrong turns. At one point I got to a T in the trail and there was no sign. I went right which was of course the wrong way. I ended up doing twice the distance on that leg.

 I ended up doing extra mileage.  Most of the time I was all alone out on the road. I had no idea if I was on course or if I was getting endlessly lost on the network or gravel roads in the park where the race was held.  There was even a time I saw a sign for mileage on the Olympic course. I was not sure I was even on the right course. Then I saw the turnaround for my course.

Despite the wrong turns, I finished 2nd overall in the Sprint Aquabike. The first place woman was 15 minutes ahead of me. The wrong turns had cost me at least 10 minutes. I hope the course is better marked next year.  I finished in 1 hr 25 minutes. It was so much fun.

The post-race food was catered by a local barbeque restaurant. It was the best post-race meal I have ever had. I chatted up with some of the other athletes while I waited for Cheryl to finish. I saw at least two men with major road rash from falls.  Cheryl ended up taking first place in the 60-64 age group.

The swag included a nice coaster from USAT since it was part of their new gravel series and a bottle of vodka in an etched bottle from the sponsoring Ugly Dog Distillery.

I would come back to the race. It was really well run with a beautiful course. I am even thinking of doing a September gravel race in Northern Michigan.  I also gained some much-needed confidence in riding on gravel. Now I just have to work on my trail running.


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



Chris Wodke

Founder & Manager Team CMT

www.run4cmt.com

 

Chris is a triathlete Nordic skier and long-distance runner. She is a three-time participant in 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 Para triathlon National Triathlon Sprint Championship. She was the 2012 and 2014 National Champion Para triathlon 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 5th in the 60 to 64 age group.

 

 In 2014 she represented the U.S. as a Para triathlete 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 2nd 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” which 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 find a cure for CMT. We currently have 248 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 website; 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, Para triathlon, 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, #kneedeepinwo

 


Thursday, July 28, 2022

Pleasant Prairie Duathlon-Checking a Box

 



"There are no victories except the joy you are living now while dancing your run. You are not running for some future reward. The reward is now."- Fred Rohe, author of The Zen of Running

On Sunday, June 26th I competed in the Pleasant Prairie Duathlon. This race was a 2.3-mile run, a 20K bike, and a 5K run. The race in Pleasant Prairie Wisconsin is also on the para-tri race series and has both a sprint and Olympic distance triathlon.

I always have a reason for any race. This one checked a box to qualify for USA Triathlon's Multi-Sport Athlete of the Year. To qualify I need two races in the aqua bike, duathlon, and aquathlon.  This would be my second duathlon. I competed in the first one at the Multi-Sport festival in Irving Texas. At that, I qualified for the World Championship for Spain in 2023.

So my goals for the race were modest. I just needed to finish checking the box.  The race started well with a decent night of sleep. That means about four hours of light sleep.

The one thing I don't like about this race is the 5 am open time for transition.  It closed at 6 am with a 7 am race start. The race start was pushed back for over an hour. It had rained very lightly on packet pick-up day.  Everyone seemed to show up on race day to pick up their packets and the lines were very long. So I and my fellow racers stood around at the start line for over an hour.

This race was a 2.3-mile run, 20 K bike, and 5K run. The runs are flat loops around Lake Andrea which serves as the swim course for the other races. The bike has some rolling hills.  My race plan for the day was to treat the race like a workout. That means pushing a little bit. Not an A race at all.

Runs

Everything went well, although I feel slow these days. My run times have dropped quite a bit. That slow pace made the difference between my second place finish. I am now putting greater focus on my running.  The day was warm, but not enough to affect my performance.


Bike

I used my triathlon bike. I was able to stay on the aero bars the entire race. That is a nice change from a few years ago. My average pace of 16.1 miles per hour was the best in my age group.  I really have not ridden much this year. My bike rides have been easy in the neighborhood. I have been putting my focus on home projects and my online businesses.

I was able to finish with a time of 1:47:18 and did not make any major mistakes. I was 12 minutes behind the first place finisher in my age group. The difference was all due to my slow run. I am really going to put some focus on that.

I found out later that a male swimmer age 51 died in the swim. That is so sad when that happens. We all have to remember it is ok to drop out of a race. Sometimes we celebrate someone struggling to finish a race. We should celebrate if someone makes a wise decision that they need to drop out. There is no shame in that, it has happened to me twice in swims. I hope the community starts to change in that regard.

Well, I achieved my race plan. I try to take it a bit easier every other year. This has been a lighter year in terms of workouts and race distances.  I like it and it has felt good physically. It may be a plan I continue going forward.


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



Chris Wodke

Founder & Manager Team CMT

www.run4cmt.com

 

Chris is a triathlete Nordic skier and long-distance runner. She is a three-time participant in 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 5th 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 2nd 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” which 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 find a cure for CMT currently has 247 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 website; 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.

 


Thursday, July 21, 2022

High Cliff Aqua Bike-Checking a Box

 


"The arrow that hits the bulls-eye is the result of a hundred misses." -Buddhist Proverb


On  Sunday, June 19th I raced the Highcliff Aqua bike in Sherwood, Wisconsin.  I love this race because it takes place in a Wisconsin State Park. The park is on Lake Winnebago and has wonderful wooded hiking trails. There are no hotels nearby so I always tent camp which I love.

I selected this race as part of my quest to complete the USA Triathlon requirement for the Multi-Sport athlete award. To qualify I had to complete two races duathlon, aqua bike, and aquathlon.  I assumed that the award would be done by age group with one also awarded to a para-athlete. I found out about a week before the race only one male and female athlete for the whole country would be selected. So I have no chance, but completing the requirements gives me a goal.

Every race has its own challenges. This one has a lake with a shallow swim that can have huge waves on race day. It also has a really huge hill right out of transition. Since I have done the long-distance aqua bike here twice, I was prepared for those.

I was not expecting the noise in the campground the night before the race.  I was actually getting some sleep until 3 am when the college kids across from me woke me up with drunken noise. They got yelled at by someone and yelled for an apology. Fifteen minutes later a huge fight broke out between one of the couples on the other side of me. There was swearing and screaming. I thought someone was going to get hurt. It was now 3:45. I was now wide awake and decided to just get up and drive to the race site. It takes about 5 minutes.  I watched YouTube videos until transition opened at 5 am. The funny thing is I was not even the first person there. I did get my choice of parking spots.'

I had looked over the race participant list the day before. There were only two women in the entire Sprint Aquabike race I was doing. That was good because awards were going to be made to the top three men and women in the race. As I set up in transition I found out the woman next to me was my competition. We were also about the same age. We both assured each other we were not fast and did not expect to beat each other.

The swim was pretty routine except for the really steep wooden ramp going into the water. If I had been racing as a PC athlete, I would have asked for accommodation to get around that ramp. The swim had some waves but was uneventful

I got up the big hill coming out of transition just fine, but just a little past that I down-shifted my bike and I heard an ominous clunk. The chain had dropped off of the chain ring.   I pulled to the side of the road and turned the bike over.  A spectator offered to help, but I said I had it.  Usually, it is easy to just slip a chain back on. That day the bike did not cooperate. Every time I got the chain back on it would come off. It took almost 10 minutes to get it back on or it seemed like it. 

I peddled as hard as I could to make up the time. I ended up in 2nd place by 6 or 7 minutes. I just had the bike in the shop for a tune-up the week before and was assured all was working well. I suspect the chain needs to be replaced.  The rest of the bike went well. It is a beautiful course.  There was no run. A race without a run feels so easy.

It was a good day. I had fun despite the bike mishap and checked one more box for the multi-sport athlete requirements.  The short distance and no run meant there was not much recovery. I can get right back to training for the next box I need to check.


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



Chris Wodke

Founder & Manager Team CMT

www.run4cmt.com

 

Chris is a triathlete Nordic skier and long-distance runner. She is a three-time participant in 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 5th 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 2nd 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” which 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 find a cure for CMT currently has 247 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 website; 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.

 

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