Welcome Paul Kachelmeier to Team CMT

Paul a native of Mequon Wisconsin currently resides in Monona where he is a city planner.  He is shown here running the Bluemounds Trail Run.

Paul is no stranger to charity events. He ran the Anchorage Marathon for Leukemia Team in Training and has ridden for MS.  Paul is very active in his church so he is used to giving back to others. He eagerly joined Team CMT when I issued the invitation.

He loves the outdoors. In addition to running he likes to camp,  mountain bike, canoe and roller blade. He recently got a kayak and is enjoying exploring local Madison lakes and rivers.  He likes running 10 K's and half marathons to stay in shape.  In the winter he enjoys cross country skiing.

He also enjoys the local arts scene in Madison. He is a musician himself playing in a local band and at his church.  He enjoys travel, exploring cities, architecture, museums and concerts.

I don't when he finds time to work out, but I am glad to have him on the team.



Chris Wodke
Founder & Manager Team CMT
www.run4cmt.com

Team CMT is a group of athletes and supporters working to raise awareness and to find a cure for CMT. We have almost 100 members in 17 states. If you wish to join us visit our web site.

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.

Running your first half marathon

Running a half marathon can be a good first try at long distance running   Two Team CMT members Jude Burton and Jess Knowles are going to tackle the half marathon distance for the first time. Team CMT members Kevin Klein, Gary Krukar, Kathy Stultz, Cheryl Monnat and Chris Wodke are regular competitors at this distance.  This plan will help you finish and still gain speed and endurance!

Beginner Plan from Runners World June 2011

Week	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thur	Friday	Sat	Sun	Total
1	Rest/XT	3 mile EZ	Rest/XT	3 mile EZ	Rest/XT	3 mile EZ	5 mile LSD	14
2	Rest/XT	3 mile EZ	Rest/XT	4 mile EZ	Rest/XT	3 mile EZ	5 mile LSD	15
3	Rest/XT	3 mile EZ	Rest/XT	5 miles w/ 2 @ tempo pace	Rest/XT	3 mile EZ	6 mile LSD	17
4	Rest/XT	3 mile EZ	Rest/XT	5 miles w/3 @ tempo pace	Rest/XT	3 mile EZ	7 mile LSD	18
5	Rest/XT	3 mile EZ	Rest/XT	4 miles EZ	Rest/XT	3 mile EZ	8 mile LSD or 10K race	19
6	Rest/XT	3 mile EZ	Rest/XT	4 miles w/ 3 @ tempo pace	Rest/XT	3 mile EZ	6 mile LSD	16
7	Rest/XT	3 mile EZ	Rest/XT	6 miles w/4 @tempo pace	Rest/XT	3 mile EZ	10 mile LSD	22
8	Rest/XT	3 mile EZ	Rest/XT	6 miles w/4 @tempo pace	Rest/XT	3 mile EZ	12 mile LSD	24
9	Rest/XT	3 mile EZ	Rest/XT	6 miles w/4 @tempo pace	Rest/XT	3 mile EZ	9 mile LSD	21
10	Rest/XT	3 mile EZ	Rest/XT	5 miles w/2 miles at tempo	Rest/XT	3 mile EZ	Race 13.1 Mile	24.1

XT=cross training day            EZ=Easy                     LSD= long slow distance

Good cross training activites are those that are close to running like an elliptical machine. Biking is also a good cross training since it keeps your lets strong.  Swimming or rowing are good choices since they work your entire body.  Be sure to take a rest day when you are feeling tired.  Don't worry if you miss a day, just pick up again as soon as possible. You can also move the program around a bit to accomodate your schedule as needed.


Chris Wodke
Founder & Manager Team CMT
www.run4cmt.com

Team CMT is a group of athletes and supporters working to raise awareness and to find a cure for CMT. We have almost 100 members in 17 states. If you wish to join us visit our web site.

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.

Welcome Jess Knowles to Team CMT

Jess is from Golden Colorado.  She is an accomplishe tri-athlete and runner. She is seen here holding just some of her medals.  Her wins include:

• Run for the Resource Center- 5K 3rd in age group
• Cross Country Super Loop Mountain Bike Race-17 mile course- 2nd place
• Tri for the Cure-Sprint Triathlon-finish
• Aspen Tri-finish
• 24 hours of Adrenalin-24 hr mountain bike race as a relay

These accomplishments are even more impressive since Jess is one of six members on our team with CMT.  Jess 36 was dianosed at age 30.  She went to the doctor for migraines and came out with a diagnois of a disease she has never heard of.  The doctor took one look at her feet, did some sensory tests and sent her for gentic testing.    She has type 4c.  This was confirmed by the nerve conduction tests and EMG those of us with CMT remember so fondly.

Jess had no idea anything was wrong. She knew she fell alot, dropped things and had hand and leg cramps. She remembers hiking with her 14 month daughter in a backpack and having her ankle turn and falling. Her poor daughter hit her mouth and there was blood everywhere.  I am familar with falls on hikes, I catch my feet and turn an ankle at least once on a long hike. But I am the only one that has ever gotten hurt.

Unlike many of us with CMT Jess has always been athletic.  She has some of the other problems though, she is losing her hearing, and has problems with both wrists.  She has hands that get stuck in claw like mode often and sleeps with braces at night. She has had her foot straightened. She has had numerous problems with her feet that were made worse by some bad surgery.

 She once taught a spin class and has had to give it up.  She had to quit exercising for some time due to foot pain and being on crutches.  She tried swimming, but the cold water bothered her chronically cold hands and feet.

She saw an a  new surgeon who was able to correct some of her foot problems, so she is back to working out.  Her feet still have issues just like all of us with CMT. Her feet hurt in the morning and when she gets up she is stiff and walks like an 80 year old.  She has occasional leg cramps after exercise, but she isn't giving up. She is showing the same spirit common to all the athletes with this disease on Team CMT. Jess told me; "Life is a gift and I intend on living each day to the fullest." Jess says she has accomplished a lot in life and I have to agree. She will not let her CMT define her.

Jess is a registered dietician and has already contributed two articles to the Team CMT blog.  She plans to compete in her first half marathon this October.

Good luck to Jess as she trains for this run and other competitions. I am proud to have you wearing Team CMT colors. You look great and represent us well!




Chris Wodke
Founder & Manager Team CMT
www.run4cmt.com

Team CMT is a group of athletes and supporters working to raise awareness and to find a cure for CMT. We have almost 100 members in 17 states. If you wish to join us visit our web site.

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.

Speed Work for Runners

Anyone who races seriously wants to get faster.  If you are going to run you might as well maximize your efforts.  There are a few simple things you need to do; speedwork, tempo runs and long runs. These are a good start for beginners. If you get to the advanced level there are all sorts of twists on the tempo and speed work.

Long Runs-
 if you want endurance you need to run long. This run is done once a week usually on the weekend. If you are racing shorter distances like a 5k, your long run should be twice the distance or a little over 6 miles.  For marathon training you will gradually build until you do several 20 mile runs.  Some marathon programs go as long as 28 miles for marathon training.   This is done at a slow easy pace, typically 1:00-2:00 minutes slower than your current race pace.  You are getting your body and mind used to running the distance. You don’t want to rush through it. Long runs can be done on the treadmill if the weather isn’t conducive to an outdoor run.

Tempo

Tempo runs teach you how to sustain a faster pace over a long period of time. It is a hard but sustainable pace.   You have to work, but you can hold the pace for a sustained period.  You should be pushing things a bit.  If racing 5 K’s you tempo runs should be about 4 miles.  For 10 K about 6 miles.  For the marathon you will do varying lengths up to 13 miles.

Fartleks:  This is the Swedish term for speed play.  These are unstructured speed work. I use them on days when I am tired or need a mental break.  You spend  time running hard to randomly chosen points. Trees or telephone poles are good markers.  It should be fun. These can also be mixed into your longer runs.

Speed Work

These are often done on a track. Here are some examples of track workouts

• Mile Repeats
  4 x 1 mile ( 4 laps on the average track) recommended if doing  10K training or early in marathon training.  These should be run at 5 K to 10 K pace.  Start with a 1 mile warm up and end with a one mile cool down. Run easy 2:00 minutes between each mile. These are tough so I only do once a month.  I bump up to 6 x 1 mile when training for a marathon.
• HillsHills like mile repeats are a tough workout and should not be done in the same week as mile repeats. These also should only be done once a month unless you are used to doing lots of hills. You run 4-5 hills of 150 to 200 yards. You can go up and down the same hill or find a hilly stretch. A bit tough version is 4-5 repeats of 400-600 yards. Run at a 5 K pace.  As you become more experienced you can run longer hills or do more repeats.   Be sure to cool down after with a mile run.
• 440’s- This is one lap on a track. Run 6- 8 at your 5K pace. Rest 1-2 minutes between each lap with easy jogging. Try to keep the timing even.
• 880’s- Same as the 440’s  only do 4-6.
• Laddar-  Run 440, rest, run 880 rest, run 3 laps rest, run 1 mile, rest, then go backwards down the ladder.

Road Intervals

I have been injured twice running on the track and intervals on the road are a good alternative.  Run 10 minutes to warm up then do intervals based on your 440 or 880 time.

So I run 6 intervals of 2:00 running 1:00 easy jog or I run 6 intervals of 4:00 minutes of running with 2:00 minutes of rest. If I am feeling tired I do sprints of 1:00 on with 1:00 minute rest. You can even do a ladder and it would look like this

30 sec run  2 min rest

1 min run   2 min rest

2 min run   2 min rest

3 min run   2 min rest

4 min run   2 min rest

5 min run   2 min rest

Then go backwards down the ladder. You can add or subtract from the run portion to shorten or lengthen the workout. These should be done at your 5K race pace.

Never do more than two speed sessions in a week or your risk injury.  If you are racing cut one of the speed workouts.  Listen to your body and cut back if you feel tired or sore. Pushing when tired does not help improve your speed at puts you at risk for injury.



Chris Wodke
Founder & Manager Team CMT
www.run4cmt.com

Team CMT is a group of athletes and supporters working to raise awareness and to find a cure for CMT. We have almost 100 members in 17 states. If you wish to join us visit our web site.

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.

Hey Jude-Welcome to Team CMT

"Anybody running beats anybody walking and anybody walking beats anybody sitting."  Tom Bunk

And we beat anyone sitting at home on the sofa with a remote in their hand. That's what I always say. That and whose idea was it to get up this early and run this race anyways.

Welcome Philadelphia resident Jude Burton to Team CMT. Sorry about that title Jude, I have that Beatles tune in my heard since loading it on my iPod today.

Jude was born in Wales and moved to the States to work in 2001. She got her diagnosis of CMT at age 3 following a nerve biopsy.  She feels fortunate to know so young about her CMT.  She never had the shock of finding out as an adult.  She always knew she had it, how it affected her and that it is progressive. Sincethere is no family history on any side of her family,s he had the genetic test last year to confirm she has CMT 1B.

She was given a clear message from her doctors from the time she was young, that she should not do any significant exercise.  Swimming was the only thing recommended, but since she was a terrible swimmer she did nothing.

When she moved to the States in her 30's she started to exercise on a regular basis for the first time ever.  She saw an immediate and significant improvement in her strength and balance.

Jude started running seven years ago while home in the U.K. on a business trip.  She tried running so she could stay fit during the trip. She was hooked and has been running ever since. It just feels so good.

Up until 2009 she just ran at local parks. She didn't dare to enter any races because she felt she was so slow. She had always found competitive sports humiliating because of her CMT.  In October of 2009  she decided to run a 4 mile charity run in a park where she runs her workouts. Her husband joined her.  She didn't come in last and she didn't feel humiliated.  I hope she felt like the winner she is.  She was frustrated she had not trained more and was sure she could do better.

In 2010 she ran another 4 mile race, four 5 K races and her first 10K the Livestrong Philadelphia and she didn't come in last in any of them.

This year she decided to train for an event she has wanted to do ever since she started running.  She joined a local running club the Fast Tracks and trained for the Philadelphia Broad Street run.  It is a fast and flat 10 mile run through the city.  Her training went great and she completed the run on May 1st this year getting her 1st completion medal. Congratulations Jude! You're a real athlete now!

As someone with CMT she knows she is lucky to be able to run.  She joined Team CMT because she wanted to give back to the CMTA through fundraising.  She has a goal to run her first half marathon this year in Philadelphia on November 20th.

She's had a slight set back recently due to injury.  Anyone with CMT is used to the ankles that roll and give out.  Jude broke bones in her foot from the frequent ankle rolls. She doesn't even remember when she did it. She will be in a cast for a few weeks and then will be back to training.

Welcome to Team CMT Jude! You look great in our Team CMT signlet. Jude joins athletes Chris Wodke, Joyce Kelly, Jess Knowles and  Ericka Wiltenmuth who have CMT.  Our stories are all very similar.  We are joined by a total of 21 athletes in 8 states and we are still growing. We all share the vision of raising awareness and a world without CMT.


Chris Wodke
Founder & Manager Team CMT
www.run4cmt.com

Team CMT is a group of athletes and supporters working to raise awareness and to find a cure for CMT. We have almost 100 members in 17 states. If you wish to join us visit our web site.

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.

Marathon Training Program

Many of Team CMT members are doing Marathons this fall.  Team members Cheryl Monnat, Robert Kearney and Scott Stoner will be running the Lakefront Marathon. Dawn Fritzell is thinking about running the Fox Cities Marathon. Our Team CMT member in Dallas Joyce Kelly will be running the White Rock Marathon. Good luck to all of them as you start your training. I am so proud to have you all running for Team CMT!

If you are running a fall marathon you have either started or are about to start your training program. It takes at minimum 18 weeks to be ready at the start line.
 I will be running the Marine Corp Marathon on October 31^st in Washington D.C.  It is estimated there will be 100,000 fans lining the race route. It should be a great event to raise awareness of Charcot Marie Tooth Disorder. Teammate Cheryl Monnat will be running the 10K. 

Not sure if running a second marathon this year is a good idea. I have never done more than one in any year. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Sometimes my head writes checks my body just can't cash. Will see how it goes and how well I hold up.  Also can't believe that next week I will start the whole process over again after just a month off. 

I got this program from a Runners World article in 1994. It has helped me to successfully complete 5 marathons.

Week	Monday	Tuesday	Wed	Thur	Friday	Sat	Sunday
1	easy 3	tempo 5	easy 3	speed work	easy 3	pace 5	long 10
2	easy 3	tempo 5	easy 3	speed work	easy 3	pace 5	long 11
3	easy 3	tempo 4	easy 3	speed work	easy 3	easy 6	long 8
4	easy 3	tempo 6	easy 3	speed work	easy 3	pace 6	long 13
5	easy 3	tempo 7	easy 3	speed work	easy 3	pace 7	long 14
6	easy 3	tempo 5	easy 3	speed work	easy 3	rest 0	Race 10-15K
7	easy 3	tempo 8	easy 3	speed work	easy 3	pace 8	long 16
8	easy 4	tempo 8	easy 4	speed work	easy 4	pace 8	long 17
9	easy 4	tempo 6	easy 4	speed work	easy 4	easy 9	long 12
10	easy 4	tempo 9	easy 4	speed work	easy 4	pace 9	long 19
11	easy 4	tempo 10	easy 4	speed work	easy 4	pace 10	long 20
12	easy 5	tempo 6	easy 5	speed work	easy 5	rest 0	race 20-25K
13	easy 5	tempo 10	easy 5	speed work	easy 5	pace 10	long 20
14	easy 5	tempo 6	easy 5	speed work	easy 5	easy 6	long 12
15	easy 5	tempo 10	easy 5	speed work	rest 0	pace 10	long 20
16	easy 5	tempo 8	easy 5	speed work	easy 4	rest 0	race 10K
17	easy 4	tempo 6	easy 4	easy speed	easy 3	easy 5	long 8
18	easy 3	tempo 4	easy 3	rest 0	rest 0	easy 1-3	Marathon

Because of my CMT I can’t run every day.  I run every other day. I substitute runs on the easy days with cross training.  I use alternate exercises that mimic running like an elliptical trainer, pool running, Nordic track and biking. This approach may work for a lot of other runners as well.

 The cross training gives your legs some rest and provides a mental break as well.  I also need less rest days with this training program since the cross training is considered active rest.  I listen to my body, it tells me when I need a rest day. 

I may try something new this year.

 Since I have done 5 marathons, my body is used to long and intense exercise.  I may add some of my easy day mileage to a second workout on my running day.



Chris Wodke
Founder & Manager Team CMT
www.run4cmt.com

Team CMT is a group of athletes and supporters working to raise awareness and to find a cure for CMT. We have almost 100 members in 17 states. If you wish to join us visit our web site.

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.