CAF-Nordic Ski Clinic

 

 

"Disability does not mean inability. It means ingenuity." "Just because you have a disability doesn't mean you can't do something, but it means you may have to be a bit clever with how." - Joshua James, an athlete with CP

As you can see by the winter scene in the picture, I am way behind in my blog posts. No one seems to have missed them so I did not have much incentive to keep up to date.

At the end of February, I attended the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) Nordic ski clinic in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. It was held at the beautiful Donner Nordic Center.  

The CAF provided a travel stipend, hotel, clinic, and meals. I am so thankful to the CAF for the chance to go to the clinic. In the past, some of their clinics have not been open to athletes with neurological conditions.

My Nordic skiing has been a work in progress for the last four to five years. It takes me longer as an athlete with CMT to learn a new sports skill.  I was excited for some really concentrated time to ski as well. Wisconsin had almost no natural snow this year. The only place I could ski was a state park that had snowmaking. The trails there were often icy.

The facility did not disappoint. I have a friend that lives in Reno and she and I spent a day down hilling skiing and a day at Donner before the clinic started. I thought I died and went to Nordic heaven. There were miles and miles of well-groomed trails. It was like skiing on corduroy. The wide trails on rolling hills were lined with a tree. It was sunny and in the 30s. The conditions were just perfect.

It was the same the day of the clinic. I felt really welcomed by the staff, volunteers, and other athletes. Many family members also participated in the clinic. 

Even at a Nordic clinic, I am never far from a triathlon. One of the males participants is also a triathlete. A mom of one of the athletes shared that her daughter is also a physically challenged triathlete.

We did drills to start the day. Most everyone was a beginner and doing classic. The mom of one of the athletes and I were the only skate skier.  I got compliments on my skiing from the coaches.

In the afternoon we were split into groups. There were just the mom and me in a skate group. It was great to get so much attention from a coach. He told me to practice skiing without poles to help improve my technique. I spent a good part of the afternoon doing just that. 

The second day was more drills and biathlon. Biathlon combines the sports of shooting and Nordic skiing. For para-nordic, laser guns are used. There is no live ammunition. I love biathlon and am hoping to do some local races this next season.

The rest of the day was a group ski and then the clinic was done. I had so much fun. I got to talk to so many athletes and volunteers. I really felt like my skiing took a big leap forward. I feel like I finally conquered skating on my skis. I cannot wait until next year.

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

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 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 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 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.