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.

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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.