More Proof, Life is not fair

Finish Line Towel, 2013 National Duathlon Championship, Oro Valley, Arizona

"Eighty percent of success is just showing up."- Woody Allen

Sometimes the key to being successful starts with just showing up. That was true for me on Saturday when I raced at the National Duathlon Sprint Championship in Oro Valley, Arizona.

The race was a late season entry to my racing schedule. A college friend lives in Phoenix and  was home for a wedding this summer, but was unable to stay to visit me. She suggested I come to Phoenix instead. I promised I would soon and a few days later saw an announcement from the USAT about the race. So I signed up since it was a good excuse for a visit and I would extend my season just a bit. What’s not to like about Arizona in late October?

Before I even got to the race I had a couple of decisions to make.

Bike
Would I rent?  Have my bike shipped or take it on the plane for the trip? I have a bike bag for taking my bike on the plane and used it to go to Austin this May.  Flying with a bike is a hassle and can be expensive.  Even though my bike bag looks like a suitcase and is fairly small, it can cost as much as $125 each way. Plus it costs around $50 each time the bike is taken apart and assembled, adding another $200 to the cost.  I‘ve taken my bike apart, after a race and assembled it again, but my bike mechanic skills are pretty slim.  I found out in Omaha at a pre-race bike check my handlebars were loose after I had assembled the bike. So I did not want to trust my skills before a big race.

I could use a service like Tri Bike Transport. You drop off your bike at a local participating bike shop and it is shipped fully assembled to the race site for pick-up.  The company was not transporting from my region and the cost for doing this for Iron Man Arizona is $500.  They will ship the bike back, but it can take 7-10 days and I needed my bike a few days after the race for comp trainer class here in Milwaukee. So this was not really an option for this race.

I could’ve had the bike shipped to the race site for Tri Bike Transport to assemble, but that meant finding a box and shipping to the host resort in Arizona. I did not want to chance the bike getting lost or damaged.

Tri Sports the race sponsor was offering high performance bike rentals, but seemed to be sold out of every model in my size.

I called around and was able to find a bike rental at Trek Bikes of Oro Valley. They were only a couple of miles from the race start and were an economical option at $85.   The bike was not entry level, but was not as nice or as fast as the road racing bike I own. I knew I would sacrifice performance for convenience and cost.

Race
The next big decision I had to make was about the race itself. There were four divisions at the event, Standard (Age Group & Elite) and Sprint (Age Group, Para-duathlon).

The Age Group Standard and Sprint races were qualifiers for the World Championship in Pontevedre, Spain.  The top 18 in each age group qualify for Team USA and are eligible for the World Championship.

An email from the USAT asked us to confirm our registration and that we were in the appropriate age group. I was listed with the age group sprinters and  I noticed there were only 13 women in my age group. Because of age up rules only nine would be in contention for the 18 spots.  If I finished the race I would be on the U.S. team and going to Spain.  It was just one of those things. Most of the age groups had well over two dozen participants. When I raced as an age group athlete at the Triathlon Nationals in  Milwaukee this year, there were 44 women in my age group.

I had signed up to race as a para-duathlete.  Based on last year’s times, I was pretty sure I would place in the top three, maybe even first.   There would be no medical classification at the event which meant I had to race the Open Division. While it was possible I could be the Open Division National Champion, there would be no spot on Team USA or eligibility for the World Championship.

I had already won an Open Division Championship in Austin two years ago. What I really wanted was a chance for the US team and a chance to go to the World Championship. Even if I had raced in my category (TRI 3) and won I was not guaranteed a spot.  All Para-athletes have to apply and be selected based on their race resume. While I have an impressive resume from this year, because I am not classified I cannot even apply.

The classification process is being re-done and will be in place for the Para-triathlon National Championship in May, too late for this year’s World Championship.  It is possible I will never classify in. The assessors’ do not seem to understand how to assess for CMT.  The ITU and USAT have not really been interested in talking to our experts, so I don’t’ have much hope. They have been dismissive in emails about my situation and that of other CMT affected athletes.

The ironic thing is there are definitive tests for CMT (genetic) and tests measuring impairment (EMG, Nerve Conduction). So far the assessors have not been interested in seeing those tests. There is no definitive test for MS, yet those athletes seem to have ready acceptance. MS symptoms can accelerate or go into remission. There are treatments to slow progression. That is not the case with CMT, my disease progresses every day.

It was a tough decision but I switched to the age group race. My heart is really in racing as a Para-athlete, but the uncertainty of the classification system sealed the deal for me.

If I had raced Para, I would have been the Open Division Women’s champion, because I would have been the only one racing.  It was tough to see the athletes get their medals and a standing ovation.

I ended up finishing 8^th out of 13 women and punched my ticket to Spain.  I raced as hard as I could so I would feel I had earned it. I traded a spot on the podium for a spot on the team. 

When I was not allowed to compete as a classified athlete in Austin this May, the Para-triathlon Manager tried to console me by telling me I was still a triathlete and able to compete in the open division. I was angry and told her I was there to compete for a spot on the U.S. team and to go to the World Championship.

That has been my goal for the last two years. I trained so hard for the Par- triathlon Championships the last two years, only to be denied the chance to compete.  This was one race no one could keep me out of.

When I signed up for Age Group Nationals here in Milwaukee, my coach asked me why. I told her I wanted to have the experience of competing at that level so I would be ready some day for the World Championships.  I always thought it would be as a para-triathlete. 

How ironic that I would qualify as an age group athlete and it was all so easy.  All I had to do was show up and of course finish the race. So at the end of May I will line up with athletes from around the world. I will represent my country and gain some valuable experience.  I will try one more time the week before to compete as a Para-triathlete at the National Championship in Austin.  So someday if I should qualify for the Para-triathlon or Para-duathon TRI 3 division, I will have some really valuable experience at the national and international level.

So once again life is not fair and one more time I’ve gotten the better end of the bargain. I think I’ll take it.

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

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 137 members in 27 states. We also have members in Australia, Canada, Vietnam, Turkey, Finland and Iran. 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.

Swim Drills

"It's a funny thing, the more I practice , the luckier I get."- Arnold Palmer

Today's blog comes from the USAT book, "Complete Triathlon Guide"   The swim leg is the weak link for most triathletes, I know it still is for me. So I spend at least part of every pool workout doing swim drills, some of which are from this book.

The purpose of the drills is to improve your body position and make you a more efficient and hopefully faster swimmer. Being a good swimmer can help your whole race. With good body position you will use less energy and have a better bike and run.

I like drills because they are fun. Swimming lap after lap can be boring and mixing in drills keeps it fun.  I start out my swim with about 15 minutes of drills or if I am feeling tired I will alternate the drills with my laps.

First a review of the parts of the swim stoke and then the drills. Try out a few and see if they help.

Five Phases of the Freestyle Stroke

1.     Entry and extension. In this phase, the hand enters the water and extends forward just under the surface, like putting on a long glove that is lying just under the surface of the water, parallel to the surface.

2.     Elbow bend or catch. Aft the arm is fully extended, the next phase involves internally rotating the shoulder and bending the elbow. This prepares the forearm to be used as a paddle to apply force backward and propel you forward.

3.     Pull. This is where the force is applied to the water, and the body then moves past the arm.  It can also be termed the power phase since it is where the majority of the forward power and propulsion come from in swimming.

4.     Round-off and release.  When the pull is finished and the triceps have been used to extend the arm along the side of the body, it is time to externally rotate the shoulder, which releases the shoulder joint and allows the arm to move freely to the next phase.

5.     Recovery. After the shoulder is released, the arm can then return back over the water to start the cycle again by going into the entry and extension phase.

Vertical Kicking Drill

The purpose of this drill is to make the kick efficient and improve long axis rotation. From a vertical position with your arms at your sides, use a flutter kick to keep your head above water. This is the part of the drill where you work on your kick. You can even look down on your legs and make sure you are not bending your knees too much or bending forward at the waist.  Utilize the upper muscles of the leg, and make small fast movements. Work your way up to 1 minute.

Advance Version- From the same vertical kicking position, rotate 90 degrees every 3 to 5 seconds to work on rotating from the core. Rotate the entire body as a unit from the kick and hips, 90 degrees to the right and then back to center, then 90 degrees to the left and back to center again. Repeat this for another minute, and focus on starting the rotation from the kick and hips, not the upper body.

Corkscrew Drill

This drill helps you find a balanced and comfortable body position and improves your long axis rotation.  This is the same drill as vertical kicking, only you move into the horizontal plane as you progress toward swimming.  Keep your hands at your sides, and again focus on turning the body from your kick and hips; do not lead with the head and shoulders. For this drill, rotate your body 180 degrees so you are either on your belly or your back. Keep your head back and hips up to have an aligned body position on your back. You should be looking either at the ceiling (when on your back) or at the bottom of the pool (when on your belly).  Be sure to take your time, and breathe out when your head is facing down; when your head is facing up, try to relax and breathe normally. You can stay on your back or belly as long as you like until you feel ready to rotate properly.

Kick on Side Drill

Another drill for body position and will help you to have the right head position when breathing. This side position is one of the most stream-lined forms a human can take in the water. The objective here is to get more comfortable with the head lying on the shoulder and having one goggle in and one out of the water. This is the ideal position for your head when you breathe.

To do this drill, lie on your side, with your bottom arm stretched out and your ear pressing onto the shoulder. This arm should be just under the surface of the water, with the hand parallel to the bottom of the pool.  The top arm should be on your side. Do a flutter kick, and strive to maintain one goggle in and one goggle out of the water. The natural tendency is to start lifting the head to get the mouth out of the water to breathe. This actually makes you sink and work harder. If breathing while keeping a good head position is difficult, simply roll your head and look up to allow your mouth and nose to clear the water and enable you to breathe.

Kick on Side Drill with One Stroke

This drill works the body position and also the rotation. You are again progressing toward swimming whole or regular freestyle. In this drill, you perform the kick on side drill, as just described, but every 5 seconds or so, you make a recovery with the trailing arm and pull with the leading arm as you rotate over to the other side. The focus needs to be on making a smooth rotation and keeping the body in alignment. The best way to do that is to start the recovery first and stay on your side until your hand passes your face, then start to bend the elbow of the leading arm; as the recovering arm enters the water, pull with the other arm and roll over to the other side. Keep your neck in alignment with your spine (do not lift the head) as though the long axis is coming out of the top of your head. Repeat over to the other side. Take your time; at first you may do only one rotation per length.

Kick on Side Drill with Three Strokes

This drill also works the body position and rotation in another step toward full freestyle swimming. This drill is the same as the previous one-stroke kick on side drill, but this time three strokes are used to rotate from one side to the other. Really focus on an integrated rotation in each stroke, driving it with your kick and hips, not the head and shoulders.

Catch-up Drill

This drill is great for working on exchanging one arm for the other in front of the head, ensuring there is always an arm in front of the head to glide out on. This makes the body longer, and in general, a longer body moves faster. Think of the long hull design of a speed boat.  In addition, the hands meeting in front of the head is a great reminder to pull and rotate. If you breathe on both sides, this drill can balance out your rotation. You continue to glide out on the arm in front as you recover with the other arm. When both arms are fully extended in front of your head, you then pull with the opposing arm. When first doing this drill, it is helpful to keep both arms in front of your head and kick awhile before switching arms. This gives you time to visualize a good pull with early elbow bending and good rotation during the power phase. As with all drills, take your time. The slower and more accurately you do these drills, the more you will retain when you swim fast.

Fist Drill

This drill will specifically help you develop the early elbow bend at the beginning of your stroke. Many swimmers get little to no benefit from this drill because they lack the knowledge of how to perform it correctly. It must be done slowly and with very conscious thought about feeling pressure on your forearm as you begin your pull. This feedback shows you are indeed bending the elbow early enough to feel pressure on your forearm as you pull against the water. What this drill does is take the hand out of the pull. In a sense this forces you to bend the elbow to try to “catch” some water. If you rush the strokes, you will simply make the same errors you make in regular swimming.  Never do an entire length with fists. The dynamic feeling of opening the hands and feeling the added power from the higher elbow is the positive feedback that makes the change carry over to your regular stroke. Since you actually do need to struggle though the water a bit to feel this pressure on your forearm, it is be to do this drill without fins.

Sculling Drill

This is another drill for working on the beginning of your pull. Sculling is defined as moving a limb from side to side to create lift. It is the motion one uses for treading water. This subtle skill can be helpful in getting that elusive “feel” for the water swimmers talk about. The goal is to get a feeling of pressure on your arm from the fingertips to your elbow. To do this, push off and bend both arms at the elbows, and rotate your shoulders medially so your fingertips face the bottom of the pool. Then as though your forearm and hand form a paddle, hinge at the elbow and wave your hand and forearm in and out repeatedly for 3 to 5 seconds. Then swim normally and take a few breathes; when ready repeat. While sculling, be sure to keep your neck neutral, and hence breathe only when you are taking the regular strokes between sculling.

Single-Arm-Drill

The purpose of this drill is to make the swimmer focus on only on arm at a time. To perform this drill, use only your right arm to swim one length and then your left to swim the next. This drill is used to work all five phases of the freestyle stroke. It can be tricky because many swimmers try to work on all five phases at once, where noting is really worked on specifically, and a swimmer can end up make the same mistakes in the drill as in their regular swimming. However, if you focus on only one aspect or phase for an entire two length sequence the results are amazing. When in doubt as to which phase to focus on, the early elbow ben at the beginning of the pull is your best choice best choice because problem in this phase are very common, and every swimmer can benefit from improving it. If you your swimming analyzed on video and you can see in your mind’s eye other flaws to correct, such as poor entry or recovery, then do another two length sequence focusing on just that phase.

Catch-up Drill with Thumb Scrape

This drill will ensure you finish each stroke. Before you push off, extend your arm down your leg, and scrape your thumb on your thigh. At the finish of each pull, scrape your thigh in the same area. This is also the perfect drill to work on the release of the shoulder at the end of your stroke since with the touch you are sensitized to that part of the stroke.

Catch-up Drill With Fingertip Drag

This twist on the catch-up drill focuses on the recovery and entry of your stroke. For this drill, lie on your side and slowly drag your fingertips through the water’s surface as you recover. Ideally, you should see the palm of your hand as it passes about 8 to 12 inches from the side of your head. Your fingertips stay in the water from the release phase of the stroke until the hand enters the water.  After entry, the arm extends in front of the shoulder to full extension and meets the other outstretched arm.

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

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 137 members in 27 states. We also have members in Canada, Vietnam, Turkey, Finland and Iran. 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.

How I Spent My Weekend

Proof Copy

I am really more of a big picture person. I don't much like detail. This weekend I had to be detail oriented because I spent most of the weekend proofreading.

The picture shows the proof copy of my book. It is hard to believe I have actually written a book and it is only a few weeks from publication.

It seems kind of weird to be an author.  A couple of weeks ago I got an invite from my publishing house for a meet and greet with other authors. Other people write books. Well I used to think I would never run the Boston Marathon or compete at a National Championship, but I did that too! I guess I really am an author too!
 Sometimes I don't even recognized myself anymore.  I am just an ordinary person. I've lived a pretty average life. Sometimes when I read through the book the words seem like someone they were written by another person. Yet here I am looking back at two Boston runs and two National Championship competitions. It all seems like it happened to someone else.

I found a few things to fix in the book including a missing chapter. Added the asked for pictures and have the book all ready to hand back to my editor. As I read through the manuscript at times it seemed like it had been written by someone else. I never expected to have my picture on the cover of a book I had written. It just shows you what an average person can do when they find a mission and a purpose for their life.

I have not been writing much on my blog since my race in Austin last May.  Instead of writing my blog I have been working on the book you see pictured.  I have been putting it together since Boston actually.  I wrote all during both Boston runs and those writing formed the basis for the book. I knew running Boston and the events surrounding this last Boston gave me a perfect chance to tell the story of those affected by CMT.

Here is the dedication from the book, to give you a taste of what is to come and give you an idea of why I put this book together;

Dedication

“I run because I can, when I get tired I remember those who can’t run, what they would give to have this simple gift I take for grated and I run harder for them, I know they would do the same for me.”- unknown

This book is dedicated to the members of Team CMT especially those affected with CMT.

Thank you for your courage and determination to be athletes in spite of the challenges you face. You inspire me.  Thank you to those on the team who joined to support affected friends and family members. Your love and support mean more than you will ever know.

This book is also for the 155,000 Americans and 2.6 million people world wide affected by CMT. This book was written to give you a voice and to put a face to CMT.

Team CMT members, walk, swim, run, and cycle for those who can’t to raise awareness and to funds for research to find treatments and a cure.

Thank you to our partner the Hereditary Neuropathy Foundation.  In HNF President Allison Moore, we found a supporter, friend and fellow athlete.

I am forever grateful to the HNF and our team members for their support and commitment to our mission to raise awareness of Charcot-Marie-Tooth and to educate the public on the challenges those affected by CMT face.

Just a taste of what will become the book in a few short weeks. Almost at the finish line now!

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

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 137 members in 27 states. We also have members in Australia, Canada, Vietnam, Turkey, Finland and Iran. 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.

Not a Fair Trade

"Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion; The potential for greatness lives within each of us." Wilma Rudolph

Sometimes life isn't fair.  Today was one of those days, but in a good way.  I had a really incredible weekend as a volunteer and a runner.

I know as an athlete how important volunteers are to the success of a race. You can't have a race without them.  When you see your friends on the course volunteering like my triathlon friends, Anne, Mary, John and Del Lynn pictured here, it makes for a great race. There is nothing like having fellow athletes cheer for you when they work the course as volunteers.

This weekend was my turn to help out. This weekend was Lakefront Marathon here in Milwaukee. It is where I ran my first and best marathon in 1996. I missed qualifying for Boston that year by only 10 minutes.

I've also volunteered for this race at packet pick up and at the finish line.

Packet Pick-up
Saturday I was scheduled for packet pick up at the race Expo. Packet pick up is an easy job, you check ID, hand out race shirts, goodie bags and answer question. You have to not mind giving the same speech to countless runners about checking their timing chips and luggage rules.  Three of the people I worked with were running on Sunday. That is why runner are so great. The day before their own big race and they are on their feet volunteering. One of the volunteers is running Marine Corp in three weeks are part of a team raising money to modify homes for disabled veterans. His 100 person team has raised $76,000. Would I love to harness that kind of fundraising power for my cause.  We had a great time talking about races we have done, both marathons and triathlons.  I thought about how lucky I was to be running and part of the running community.

Community/Unity Run-Kids Run
My tri coach Scott Stauske had organized a community run run of 2.6 miles to raise money for Girls on the Run and the Milwaukee Police Endurance Association. Both groups work to get kids active and involved in running. Both groups had sponsored a kids program where the kids would run the equivalent of a marathon over the training program. Both runs would finish at the Marathon course finish line.
I almost skipped the race because my knee and ankle are both bothering me and well sometimes I am lazy. I knew my friends Mary, Ann and Del Lynn would be running, so I had to be there. Plus Del Lynn's daughter was running.  The adult run was up first, then we would wait and cheer for the kids as they came through a few minutes later.

It was a perfect cool crisp fall morning. I had fun running with my friend Mary. We pushed each other and had a great run. Ann was well ahead of us and Del Lynn was just behind us.

Then we waited for the kids. It was so much fun to see them finish and see how excited their families were. Some of the kids really took it seriously.  It was exciting to see future runners cross the finish line. I had a great run and I thought about how lucky I am to be a runner and how good the race felt. It was even better I got to share it with friends.

Marathon Finish
I am not sure how I do it, but I always manage to get myself assigned to the finish line. My first year I did first aid triage, another couple of years I handed out finisher medals. This year I was part of the Mylar blanket brigade.

I so clearly remember how I felt when I crossed the finish line of my first marathon.  I was not sure I could actually do it. I trained so hard for it and when I crossed that finish line I felt there was nothing I couldn't do.

I saw that same feeling played out hundreds of times today.  Some runners were utterly exhausted. Some had a slight smile of disbelief.  Some had tears and I would get choked up too.   My fellow blanket brigade stood there handing out blankets. We laughed with runners, we got emotional, we gave countless hugs and celebrated with every finisher. We even got to witness a marriage proposal.   So many runners thanked us and I thanked them for running. Because although I stood for hours handing out blankets, the runners made it possible for me to be there. I got much more back than I gave, it just doesn't seem fair.

Running a marathon can be a life changing event. Everyone of those runners has a story and I got to be a little part of  it. I saw greatness over and over. I got to see two team members cross the line, a ski patrol friend ran her first marathon. A co-worker running his first marathon qualified for Boston. I saw elite runners turn in impressive performances and I saw the small victories of everyday runners conquering the marathon distance.  For a few hours of standing yesterday and today I got to be a small part of that experience. I hope I helped to make it a memorable.

As things got quieter toward the end I looked at the crowd of finishers in the athlete area and I thought back to Boston. I thought about how vulnerable we all are and were today standing at the finish line. I thought about the best I saw today from my fellow runners and volunteers.

I am so proud to be part of the running community here in Milwaukee and will be proud to be an athlete in Boston again this year.  Once again the people of Boston will give me more as an athlete then I will give by running that race.  They will stand and cheer for hours and cheer for me like I am an elite athlete. Sometimes life is not fair, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

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

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 127 members in 27 states. We also have members in Canada, Vietnam, Turkey, Finland and Iran. 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.