Voting with My Feet

"He who wants to lead the orchestra, must turn his back to the crowd."- James Crook, business coach.

Early in my career, I was at a professional society dinner.  During the meeting, a question was asked about the location for the national meeting. Someone asked why the national meeting was never scheduled in Milwaukee.

The President said attendees vote with their feet, meaning they attend in locations that are attractive to them. Milwaukee was not seen as a magnet location.

As an athlete, I have the same "vote-with-my-feet" mentality. When I decide to go to a race, a large part of the decision is about the location. I like to combine racing with seeing a new place.

I qualified for the Winter Triathlon World Championship by racing last year in Breckenridge. I had been there before, but the race venue is beautiful, and travel to get there is easy and reasonably priced.  The International Triathlon Union (ITU) selects the race location.

So I was disappointed when Pagola, Italy, was announced as the race location.  To get there, I would have to fly into Venice and rent a car or take a train and then a bus to get to the location.  I have been to Italy. I have been to Venice. I know many people love Italy. I found it crowded and expensive. I remember paying $300 for a night in a fairly dirty hotel. Our sheets were not even clean. A trip to the race likely meant a stay in Venice after getting off an overnight flight.  I did not want to drive since the race venue is in the Dolomites. That means driving hairpin turns in the Winter by myself.

The location last year was very similar, a small mountain town near Turin.  I understand most venues do not want to put on this race because the ITU puts so many monetary demands on the race organizers. Many venues in America have hosted National Championships. I know because I raced in St. Paul, Breckinridge, and Anchorage, Alaska. All were easy to get to. They do not need two days of travel.  The sites were easy distance from the airport, or there was a shuttle available.

All of these sites had beautiful chalets to stay warm before the race. In Norway, there was nothing. We had to stand out in the cold. There are also other race organizers in America putting on local races. So they have the experience and the facilities to put on a good race.  ITU claims to want to grow the sport. When I went to Norway to race in the World Championship, the American group was the biggest contingent.  ITU needs to consider races that will attract participants and not just venues to line their pockets.

Despite the drawbacks of traveling to Italy, I had decided to put up with the two days of travel until I went to the USAT site to register.

In order to register for the two races (duathlon and triathlon), I had to pay a spot fee of $122 for each race for a total of $244. That is not race fees. It is just a tax from USA Triathlon (USAT).  USAT sends no support. They hold a couple of Zoom calls for the team and send the race roster to the ITU. The team arranged for its own uniforms. The spot fee was more than the $175 being charged by ITU to participate in both events.

When questioned about these charges, I was told the charge is to help pay for USAT salaries and overhead.  So it is indeed a tax on the athletes. I spent a lot of money to participate in the National Championship, and now they want a spot fee? They provide no support with arranging a hotel and transportation. The links they provided do not work. So the athletes get little money. I also feel USAT has not pushed to get a World Championship in America. 

So I've decided not to go to the World Championship.  USAT told me they got several complaints.

I posted my views on the venue and spot fees on the official USAT multi-sport Facebook page. I was banned from posting.

I was told by a USAT staff member that they would reconsider the fee.  I  have seen USAT make changes based on feedback.

The last two years, the multi-sport championship was in Omaha. There were all kinds of extra fees, such as $30 a day to park a car at the park venue. I had done a regional race there, and the parking was free. USAT booked all the campsites and was charging $100 a night for a tent site. When I raced the same event in Dallas, there was no tent to get out of the sun, and post-race food was fairly scant. If you wanted shade, you had to pay for space in the foundation tent. The Sunday of that race was cold and rainy.  Many of us were hiding out in the registration tent. I helped a woman who was hypothermic due to the cold, wind, and rain.  USAT needs to provide a space for athletes to get out of the heat and cold.

I did not race in Omaha and also gave feedback about the reasons for my decision.

I noticed this year there were no upcharges for the race, which will be held in Grand Haven. 

I have signed up for this race.

So, USAT, stop using your athletes as a cost center.  ITU picks better venues and thinks of the athletes instead of yourselves if you want to grow the sport.

If USAT is going to charge a spot fee of $122 for every race at a World Championship, it will, at the very least, limit my participation. If I am not going to race at the World Championships, then I question the time and money needed to race at National Championship events.

I raced in Cleveland last year for the Masters World Games.  The race fee was reasonable, with none of the hassles I have outlined. I was even able to race as a physically challenged athlete. This is something I am not allowed to do at the age group ITU World Championships.

So I will continue to vote with my feet. There are other World Championships available. Hope ITU and USAT are listening!

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

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, Paratriathlon 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.

 

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