Shaking Off the Rust-Rumble for Hunger 5K

 

  "Competition is a good thing. It forces us to do our best." -Nancy Pearcey

I have done a 5k running race since the very beginning of COVID.  I used to run these races often because they are a great training tool and a great way to assess fitness.

I just got out of the habit because so many of these races were cancelled during COVID.  I love these short races.  They barely take any time out of my day.

I found a small race, The Hunger Rumble, about 20 minutes from my house.  The race venue was Sheridan Park on a course used by the local running club for one of their races. The course along Lake Michigan is beautiful, and I've run it many times.

It was a small race, so they were only giving awards to the top three men and women overall. There would be no age group awards. So I knew I did not have to push for a medal and could just relax and use it as a training run.

The weather on race morning was hot and humid.  The temperature at the start was in the low 90s, and it was humid.  I decided to carry my own water in a bike bottle filled a bit over halfway.  That turned out to be a good decision.

I checked the results from the year before, and my average time might have put me in the top three women.  As we lined up, it looked like there were maybe 100 runners.

Before the race started, I chatted with a woman who looked like she was in my age group.

As the gun went off, I tucked in behind a young woman.  I thought there was at least one other woman in my age group, and my competitive drive kicked in. I hung onto that runner for several minutes. Just enough to put plenty of distance between myself and the competition.  

There were no water stops on the course. With the heat, there should have been at least one. I thought the finish would never come because I ran out of water.

I ended up with a time of 39:14.  That was slower than I would like, but good enough for 1st place out of four in my age group. That woman I was trying to beat was in the next age group.  I finished 6th overall.

It felt good to be out racing again, and I am looking forward to doing it again soon.

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

Chris Wodke

Founder 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, Para triathlon Open Division Champion.

She has won national championships as a physically challenged athlete in Aqualon, Duathlon, Aqua bike, and Winter Triathlon. She was the national champion in her age group in 2023 for gravel duathlon.

 

 In 2014, she represented the U.S. as a Paratriathlete at the Pan-American Triathlon Championship in Dallas, Texas.  

 

She was the 2023 Gravel Duathlon National Champion in the 65-69 age group.

 

She has won state championships as an age-group athlete in cycling and triathlon. She has represented America as an age-group athlete at world championships in Chicago, Denmark, Cozumel, and Norway. She earned a bronze medal at the Winter Duathlon World Championship in 2023 in Norway.

 

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 257 athletes in 43 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

Trading Medals for Miles

 

Sequoia National Park

" You never fail until you stop trying." Albert Einstein

For the second year in a row, I decided to skip the USA Triathlon (USAT) Multisport National Championships in Omaha.  It is a series of 11 races over four days.  As a paratriathlete, I can compete in any non-draft race.

I was a multiple-national champion and multi-sport master during the two years the race was held in Irving, Texas. I stayed with family and drove down from Milwaukee. This made participating very affordable.

When the race moved on to Omaha, booking a hotel room for a week added to an expensive week. Plus, USAT was charging $30 for parking and some huge fee for use of showers.  I had thought about camping at the race venue, but USAT had booked all the spots and put them up for sale at $100 a night.

In Irving, there was no shade for the athletes unless you paid the $100 plus fee to be in the USAT Foundation tent.  The only food on site was a few packaged snacks and a bit of fruit. It is not enough if you are doing two races a day.  I felt like I was not getting a good bargain for the money I was spending.
I think I'm also starting to get a bit burned out on competing. I've been cutting back on my racing schedule over the last couple of years.

So this year, I decided to take a vacation for the money I would have spent competing in Omaha.  I picked a camping and hiking trip to California. The small group tour would visit King's Canyon, Sequoia, and Yosemite.  

The trip description said the trip was strenuous. I think I didn't believe it based on my hiking experience in the national parks.  I was a bit worried by the 8 to 10 miles of hiking every day on the itinerary. The last time I did long hikes was with a friend in Utah two years ago. But that trip was in the fall after a season of preparation.

The Spring weather in Milwaukee was cold and rainy, leaving me feeling a little underprepared.

When I filled out the pre-trip forms, there was a section to alert the tour company about medical issues. I disclosed my CMT.  The first day of the trip, the guide asked me what that meant to me. She had read up a bit on CMT before I arrived.  I told having CMT would mean I might be slower than the rest of the group. I might also mean I would turn back earlier than the rest of the group on a hike. I warned her I fall about once a day, and my foot drop means trips when my foot gets caught. I also told her I might be more tired at the end of the day, and go to bed earlier than the rest of the group.

My guide, Kaite, was a former pro soccer player. She had foot drop for a bit due to a back injury. So she at least understood a bit of what I faced. 

Katie did a great job of watching over me. I was a bit slower than many of those in the group, but I was also the second oldest.  One day, when we were hiking the Mist trail in Yosemite, I told her I was ready to turn back. She said I want you to go just a bit farther because the waterfall view was so incredible. This is one of the waterfalls on the trail called Vernal Falls.

She was right, and I was glad she encouraged me. Then she walked me back to the trailhead to the group was going to use to get down. I shared with her on the way down that sometimes I would like to trade my body with someone who is not using theirs. So many people sit at home doing nothing. If they traded with me, they would not notice the difference. I felt a little discouraged that I could not go as far as everyone else. But later several of the others told me how difficult the hike was for them too!.  

Another day, when we were hiking the Half Dome trail, we came to a beautiful spot and I decided that was where I would stop and have lunch. I would wait for the group to come back. This is the view from my lunch spot.

It was a simple adjustment for me to make. I had a beautiful shady spot for lunch. Stopping when I start to tire is important. I am more likely to trip and fall or turn an ankle when tired. 

I did have a fall every day. I did get tired, and I did catch my foot often. It gave me a chance to explain my CMT to my other group members. So I guess I was raising awareness on the hiking trail instead of on the race course.

I was glad I traded my medal for miles. The world is an amazingly beautiful place. I shared the experience with 11 other people from all over the world.  The hikes were long, they were hard, and I was tired at the end of the day. But I did very well even with my CMT.  Often I hiked alone, not able to keep up with the faster hikers, but not as slow as the two slowest.  I am glad that with some adjustments, I can take up even challenging trips like this. It was so worth it to see views like this.

All of the work was worth the effort to see beauty like this. I am so glad I traded medals for miles. I will take memories that will last longer than any race memories.  The next hiking challenge will be a short trek in Nepal in November.

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

Chris Wodke

Founder 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, Para triathlon Open Division Champion.

She has won national championships as a physically challenged athlete in Aqualon, Duathlon, Aqua bike, and Winter Triathlon. She was the national champion in her age group in 2023 for gravel duathlon.

 

 In 2014, she represented the U.S. as a Paratriathlete at the Pan-American Triathlon Championship in Dallas, Texas.  

 

She was the 2023 Gravel Duathlon National Champion in the 65-69 age group.

 

She has won state championships as an age-group athlete in cycling and triathlon. She has represented America as an age-group athlete at world championships in Chicago, Denmark, Cozumel, and Norway. She earned a bronze medal at the Winter Duathlon World Championship in 2023 in Norway.

 

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 257 athletes in 43 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

 

 

Red Bean Chili with Cheese and Bacon

1 lb. ground turkey
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cans (15 oz.) Red chili beans
2 (14 oz.) cans diced tomatoes with jalapenos
1 (15 oz.) tomato sauce
2 cups chicken bone broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
8 ounces of cream cheese chopped into cubes
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
6 slices of bacon
sour cream or yogurt

Brown the turkey and onions in a large soup pot.  Add the chili beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, tomato paste, and spices.  Bring to a boil. Turn to a simmer and cook for one hour.  Stir in the cream cheese.  Stir to blend in the cheese.  Add the cheddar cheese.

Ladle into bowls. Top with a slice of bacon, a bit of yogurt, and some additional shredded cheese.

Serves 6

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

Chris Wodke

Founder 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.

She has won national championships as a physically challenged athlete in Aqualon, Duathlon, Aqua bike, and Winter Triathlon. She was the national champion in her age group in 2023 for gravel duathlon.

 

 In 2014 she represented the U.S. as a Para triathlete at the Pan-American Triathlon Championship in Dallas, Texas.  

 

She was the 2023 Gravel Duathlon National Champion in the 65-69 age group.

 

She has won state championships as an age-group athlete in cycling and triathlon. She has represented America as an age group athlete at world championships in Chicago, Denmark, Cozumel, and Norway. She earned a bronze medal at the Winter Duathlon World Championship in 2023 in Norway.

 

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 257 athletes in 43 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

 

 

 

Winter Duathlon National Championship 2025 Breckingridge Colorado- Not the Race I Wanted

 

               "My troubles are two, the brain in my head, the heart in my breast." -A.E. Housman.

The USA Triathlon (USAT) Winter Duathlon and National Triathlon National Champsionship races returned again this year to Breckinridge, Colorado.

I decided again this year not to go to the World Champsionship. Once again the race organizers were really late announcing the dates and location in Italy.  They also made a big show of announceing there would be a para-athlete category in the Age Group race.  Even with USAT help they would not allow me to race in the category.  I do race with a para-licence here in the U.S. So it was a personal protest of sorts to not attend.

Breckingridge is a great ski town. It has a lovely village with four alpine resorts in Summit country and two nordic centers.  There is a free shuttle that runs everywhere.  It is easy to fly into Denver and take a shuttle. No need for a rental car.

There are two problems with the location, lodging is expensive and I have been there four times in the last five years. I like traveling to new places. Breckinridge has become a bit two familar with me.

The elevation is also close to 10,000 feet. This makes racing  challenge for a Midwesterner like myself.

Last year when I did the race on this course I could not breath well enough to run. I had to walk most of the run portion.

This year I was ready with a high altitude perscription.  I have to admit my head and heart were just not in the race.  

The medication had some side effects. My hands tingled when they got cold. It felt like I was standing on a vibrating plate. One of the other athletes told me this was a known side effect of the medication.

So I was not in a great mood going into the first day of racing. The duathlon was 4 K of running followed by 6K of nordic skiing.  

As the race started I was able to run slowly.  The course had about 3 inches of fresh snow. It was like running in sand. I was able to run everything except a couple of hills. Because I am slower and older I line up in the back at the run start. That meant the course was really churned up by the other runners.

I tried to get around this by running near the edge of the groomed course.  I got too close to the edge.  My foot hit the snow on the edge and got sucked in. I found myself in waist deep snow. Too athletes had to pull me out.

I got back to trasnition without incident. Then it was the ski. The course did not seem to be groomed. I saw places without classic tracks.  I am not used to skiing in deep snow. We seem to only have icy trails in the Midwest.  I struggle the entire race to get a skate rythmn.  The snow also seemed sticky.

I finished and because I was the only para-athlete I was once again a National Champion.  There were four or 5 other athletes behind me.

Here I am at the award ceremony.  I am smiling because I was so happy to be done.

One of my friends also racing really wanted me to do the Triathlon race the next day.  Mentally and physically I was just not feeling it. I was tired and my hips were really sore.  I made an effort by laying out my uniform and race equipment in my room. I even had an offer for a ride. On race morning I could just not do it. I was satisfied with one National Championship.  It was enough for me.  I went skiing instead at the other nordic center. I was tired and sore and fell several times. So it was probably a good decision to not race.

I qualified for the World Champsionshp next year. USAT is going to make a bid.  I like Breckinridge, the organizer does a great race. I would really love if it came to St. Paul. That is driving distance for me.  If it is an international decision, I hope it is that is somewhere easy to get to. That has not been the case the last couple of years.

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

 

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.

She has won national championships as a physically challenged athlete in Aqualon, Duathlon, Aqua bike, and Winter Triathlon. She was the national champion in her age group in 2023 for gravel duathlon.

 

 In 2014 she represented the U.S. as a Para triathlete at the Pan-American Triathlon Championship in Dallas, Texas.  

 

She was the 2023 Gravel Duathlon National Champion in the 65-69 age group.

 

She has won state championships as an age-group athlete in cycling and triathlon. She has represented America as an age group athlete at world championships in Chicago, Denmark, Cozumel, and Norway. She earned a bronze medal at the Winter Duathlon World Championship in 2023 in Norway.

 

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 257 athletes in 43 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.