Salad Sunday, Summer Nectarine Salad

Today's salad is modified from one I found this summer in Sunset magazine. We had a pot luck barbecue at work. This seemed the perfect pairing for the brats and burgers that were on the menu.
I use heirloom tomatoes because they are really flavorful and have a variety of colors of red and yellow that make a nice edition to the mix.

I ate the left overs with grilled chicken for dinner a few days later. So you can make this as a side dish or add a little chicken or shrimp to make it into a main dish meal.

One large tub Spring green mix (5 ounces)
8 ounces of baby mozzarella pearls
1/2 large seedless cucumber
1/2 yellow zucchini
2 nectarines, chopped into bite size pieces
1/2 container grape tomatoes ( 8 ounces), sliced in half.
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/2 bottle purchased orange poppy seed dressing.

Wash the lettuce and sort through for any wilted pieces.  Add the first six ingredients to a large salad bowl.  Add the dressing and toss well. Chill for one hour. Sprinkle with the almonds and serve.

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

Chris Wodke

Founder & Manager Team CMT

www.run4cmt.com

Chris is a triathlete and long distance runner. She is a three time participant of 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.

In 2014 she was the PC Open Champion at the Duathlon National Championship and at the Aqua bike National Championship in 2016. She represented Team USA at the Aquathon ITU World Championship in Chicago in 2015 and at the World championship in Cozumel in 2016.  

 In 2014 she represented the U.S. as a paratriathlete at the Pan-American Triathlon Championship in Dallas, Texas.  She has won state championships in cycling and triathlon as a senior Olympian. In 2017 she placed 2^nd in her age group at the Winter Triathlon National Championship, earning a spot on Team USA for the World Champsionship.

She travels around the country raising awareness of CMT.

She is the author of the book, “Running for My Life” that details her experience as a CMT affected athlete.

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 to find a cure for CMT. We have 215 members in 38 states. We also have members in Australia, England, Scotland, Canada, Vietnam, Turkey, Finland, Scotland, France, Poland, Iran, Norway, Sweden and Ireland. If you wish to join us visit our web site; 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.

Additional Link

Follow CMT affected Paratriathlete Timmy Dixon
http://cmtamputee.wordpress.com/

Follow CMT Author Chris Steinke
https://cmtandmesite.wordpress.com/2017/01/30/what-is-charcot-marie-tooth-disease/

Keywords: Running, Running and CMT, triathlon, triathlon and CMT, athlete and CMT, cycling and CMT, paratriathlon, 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

Fair Friday- DIY Lipstick

DIY Lipstick

Have you ever looked at the ingredient list of your blush, lipstick or other make-up?  Every product seems to have a rather long list of chemicals. When I started on my journey to eat more healthy, I also started to change what I used on my body.

This recipe for lipstick is basically a lip balm. Try it and see how easy it is to make.

2 teaspoons sweet almond oil
1 teaspoon beeswax beads
1 teaspoon coco butter
1/4 teaspoon beet powder (can also use cinnamon or turmeric)
pinch of white mica powder
3 drops of lavender essential oil
3 drops of rose hip oil

Put the coco butter and beeswax into a glass jar. Melt over a water bath.  Remove from the heat and put in the beet powder and mica powder.  Pour into a lip balm container.

DIY Lipstick

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

Chris Wodke
Founder & Manager Team CMT
www.run4cmt.com
 Chris is a triathlete and long distance runner. She is a three time participant of 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.
In 2014 she was the PC Open Champion at the Duathlon National Championship and at the Aqua bike National Championship in 2016. She represented Team USA at the Aquathon ITU World Championship in Chicago in 2015 and at the World championship in Cozumel in 2016.
  In 2014 she represented the U.S. as a paratriathlete at the Pan-American Triathlon Championship in Dallas, Texas.  She has won state championships in cycling and triathlon as a senior Olympian. In 2017 she placed 2^nd in her age group at the Winter Triathlon National Championship, earning a spot on Team USA for the World Champsionship.
 She travels around the country raising awareness of CMT.
 She is the author of the book, “Running for My Life” that details her experience as a CMT affected athlete.
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 to find a cure for CMT. We have 210 members in 38 states. We also have members in Australia, England, Scotland, Canada, Vietnam, Turkey, Finland, Scotland, France, Poland, Iran, Norway and Sweden. If you wish to join us visit our web site; 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.
 Additional Link
Follow CMT affected Paratriathlete Timmy Dixonhttp://cmtamputee.wordpress.com/ Follow CMT Author Chris Steinke
https://cmtandmesite.wordpress.com/2017/01/30/what-is-charcot-marie-tooth-disease/  Keywords: Running, Running and CMT, triathlon, triathlon and CMT, athlete and CMT, cycling and CMT, paratriathlon, 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 

State Time Trial Championship Part 1

"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seed you plant." - Robert Louis Stevenson

The Wisconsin Cycling Association Wisconsin State time trial championship was held in Cottage Grove on July 22nd. The race was 13.6 miles. I like time trials because they are easy for someone like me with limited cycle racing experience.

Each athlete lines up according to their race number and they start one at a time every 30 seconds.
These races are small, but they draw really serious contenders.  I saw aero helmets, skin suits, time trial bike worth thousand and even covers on shoes to cut wind resistance.  There were four women in my age group. I knew I would not place, but I was racing for the experience.  My cycling leg of my triathlons really needs work. One way to get faster is to race.''

The woman lined up just ahead of me looked fast. When I told her she was not in my age group, she told me she was in the 65 to 69 age group and had qualified for a World Championship in Europe.

The race started at 9:00 and I started at 9:02 making me one of the first racers on the course. I started off and was surprised not to see any racers passing me.  That is pretty typical in a time trial.  I kept biking getting more and more worried. I got to a right turn and a giant hill. There was no course sentry at the turn or markings on the road. So I figured out I must have missed a turn. I hoped to retrace the route and get back on course.  I saw racers and went in the opposite direction where I hoped to get back on course. Well after much riding around, I was crossing the finish. I asked to be disqualified because I am sure I did not do the complete course.

I found out from one of the guys ahead of me that the course sentries were not there for the first riders. I should have taken a left jog right after the first right turn.

Well the first race was a disaster, but there was a second race being run the same day. American bike racing was holding a race on the same course right after the first race finished. It was not a championship race, but I had signed up for the practice.

So in about 20 minutes I was lined up again. I heard one of the guys talking about last year's second race. He said someone had pulled up all the direction signs and he got lost during the second race and that a number of other racers did as well. That made me feel a little better.

I was off again and this time I did not miss the turn. I had left my time trial bike at home, thinking a road bike would be better for the hilly course. It was hilly with several 90 degree turns. I think it was a good choice for me, since I am not as skilled yet as I should be to do this kind of race on a TT bike.

The race was pretty un-eventful This time I saw other racers passing me. It is hard for me to believe how fast some of them are. There were times I was doing 23 mph and was passed like I was standing still. I passed one or two other racers.

I ended up finishing 2nd out of two in my age group. I had a time of 52:19 for any average speed of 15.6 mph. That is not a great time, which is why I need the practice.

I have several time trials coming up. I planted some seeds of experience which I hope will pay off. Plus when I race, it motivates me to work harder to get better.   My next time trial will be the Wisconsin State Championship for American Bike Racing. I am the two time State of Wisconsin champion in my age group.

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

Chris Wodke

Founder & Manager Team CMT

www.run4cmt.com

Chris is a triathlete and long distance runner. She is a three time participant of 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.

In 2014 she was the PC Open Champion at the Duathlon National Championship and at the Aqua bike National Championship in 2016. She represented Team USA at the Aquathon ITU World Championship in Chicago in 2015 and at the World championship in Cozumel in 2016.  

 In 2014 she represented the U.S. as a paratriathlete at the Pan-American Triathlon Championship in Dallas, Texas.  She has won state championships in cycling and triathlon as a senior Olympian. In 2017 she placed 2^nd in her age group at the Winter Triathlon National Championship, earning a spot on Team USA for the World Champsionship.

She travels around the country raising awareness of CMT.

She is the author of the book, “Running for My Life” that details her experience as a CMT affected athlete.

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 to find a cure for CMT. We have 215 members in 38 states. We also have members in Australia, England, Scotland, Canada, Vietnam, Turkey, Finland, Scotland, France, Poland, Iran, Norway, Sweden and Ireland. If you wish to join us visit our web site; 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.

Additional Link

Follow CMT affected Paratriathlete Timmy Dixon
http://cmtamputee.wordpress.com/

Follow CMT Author Chris Steinke
https://cmtandmesite.wordpress.com/2017/01/30/what-is-charcot-marie-tooth-disease/

Keywords: Running, Running and CMT, triathlon, triathlon and CMT, athlete and CMT, cycling and CMT, paratriathlon, 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

Cream Puff 5K Race

"You life is your story. Write well, Edit often." - Susan Statham, author

The Wisconsin State Fair is held every year in the beginning of August. One of the chief attractions is the food. One of the favorite foods of fair goers is the cream puff. They are made every year by the Wisconsin Bakers Association. They sell hundreds of thousands of them.

I always have a cream puff when I go to the fair. My mom used to make them as well. They aren't health food, but so good.

So when I found out a cream puff was the post race food for this 5K race I knew I had to sign up.
The course was on the State Fair grounds, meaning it would be mostly flat.

The course included a turn on the Milwaukee Mile, the race track located on the grounds.

The race start was delayed by 15 minutes because so many people were registering.  I would say there were over 1000 racers.

I lined myself up in the middle of the pack.  There was an incline right at the start. Other than that the course was flat.  The grounds are a bit rough with gravel and pot holes. I had to be really careful to be sure I did not turn an ankle.

It was warm but there was three water stops. I had a bit of a delay when I choked on some water. I had to stop and walk for a bit.  I did repeats to keep up my speed. I would run fast for 3 minutes and then take two minutes rest.

I had a great time of 28:48.  Good enough for a top ten finish.

The best part after the post race cream puff, was one woman racer I met after the race. She asked to take my picture.  I was in my Team CMT uniform. CMT runs in her family. I asked her to join the team and she said she would.  When I meet someone like that, it makes all the training worth while.

My next 5K race is going to be a bacon run, with bacon before, during and after the race. I love running for food.

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

Chris Wodke

Founder & Manager Team CMT

www.run4cmt.com

Chris is a triathlete and long distance runner. She is a three time participant of 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.

In 2014 she was the PC Open Champion at the Duathlon National Championship and at the Aqua bike National Championship in 2016. She represented Team USA at the Aquathon ITU World Championship in Chicago in 2015 and at the World championship in Cozumel in 2016.  

 In 2014 she represented the U.S. as a paratriathlete at the Pan-American Triathlon Championship in Dallas, Texas.  She has won state championships in cycling and triathlon as a senior Olympian. In 2017 she placed 2^nd in her age group at the Winter Triathlon National Championship, earning a spot on Team USA for the World Champsionship.

She travels around the country raising awareness of CMT.

She is the author of the book, “Running for My Life” that details her experience as a CMT affected athlete.

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 to find a cure for CMT. We have 213 members in 38 states. We also have members in Australia, England, Scotland, Canada, Vietnam, Turkey, Finland, Scotland, France, Poland, Iran, Norway and Sweden. If you wish to join us visit our web site; 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.

Additional Link

Follow CMT affected Paratriathlete Timmy Dixon
http://cmtamputee.wordpress.com/

Follow CMT Author Chris Steinke
https://cmtandmesite.wordpress.com/2017/01/30/what-is-charcot-marie-tooth-disease/

Keywords: Running, Running and CMT, triathlon, triathlon and CMT, athlete and CMT, cycling and CMT, paratriathlon, 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

Working on My Game

"Allow yourself to be a beginner, no one starts off excellent." -  Wendy Flynn

I got my start in athletic competition as a rower. One of the things I loved about rowing, is that it was so dependent on technique. It was something as an athlete you work on constantly.

Triathlon is the same way. Because we juggle three sports (swimming, bike, running) there is always some skill that needs improvement.

Because I am also a winter triathlete, I can add nordic skiing and fat tire biking to my list of skills to work on.

When I had a coach she thought I should work on my bike handling skills.  One of the ways of doing that is getting involved in mountain biking and cycle cross.  I've wanted to try one of these races since I added a racing mt bike to my stable of bikes.

So I jumped at the chance when Wisconsin Women's Cycling offered a mt bike and cycle cross clinic.

The mt bike clinic was conduct by local cycling coach Sydney Shimko. I took a racing clinic with Sydney last year.  Like that clinic we learned how to corner and turn our bikes on a tight course. Sydney is so encouraging and is such a great example of excellent bike skills.

I had a problem with my breaks and had to miss part of the clinic.  Cindy Petitt, founder of Wisconsin Women's Cycling, let me use her fat tire bike to finish up the clinic. I must have learned something because I did fine on the trail ride the group did to finish the clinic. It was really a nice and supportive bunch of women that took the class.

The cycle cross clinic taught by multiple national champion Katie Compton was a little more intense.
I did not really know what I was getting into when I signed up for the clinic.   I did not know who Katie was. I just know I needed a clinic to get the nerve to try a race.

When I got to the clinic one of the women was racing around on her bike on the grass. She had a flame tattoo on her leg and when she introduced herself said her goal was to be national champion.

I was the only one in the class that had not done a race and the only one on a mt bike. Many racers start on a mt bike until they decide if they want to continue racing.

Katie went through how to do turns on a grass course and down hill. It is all about weight and braking. Katie was great at giving feedback in a really positive way.  We also practiced mounts, dismounts barriers and starts.

The clinic had about 25 women.  Sometimes it got a little crowed on the course as we were practicing skills. Sometimes athletes forget they are in a clinic and not a race. One clinic member passed me on the right in a tight turn and never told me she was passing.   Passing on the right is absolutely forbidden in triathlon.   I must have looked annoyed because she said, oh that's right you are a triathlete.  Meaning I was not in on the information that in cycle cross passing must be allowed on the right. Not sure why she felt the need to pass me in a tight turn. I was keeping up with everyone even on my mt bike.  

The clinic was fun and I learned quite a bit. Because I am going to be doing the national championship 1/2 iron distance for triathlon in Miami, my cycle cross and mt bike racing may have to wait. I learned some really great skills that have already helped my biking.

I am confident enough now to take my mt bike out on the trails. I have done that a couple of times now to vary the training.   I don't think I will race this season because I don't want to risk getting hurt. I have a national championship to defend. I achieved my main goal of working on my bike skills. I am for sure a work in progress!

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

Chris Wodke

Founder & Manager Team CMT

www.run4cmt.com

Chris is a triathlete and long distance runner. She is a three time participant of 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.

In 2014 she was the PC Open Champion at the Duathlon National Championship and at the Aqua bike National Championship in 2016. She represented Team USA at the Aquathon ITU World Championship in Chicago in 2015 and at the World championship in Cozumel in 2016.  

 In 2014 she represented the U.S. as a paratriathlete at the Pan-American Triathlon Championship in Dallas, Texas.  She has won state championships in cycling and triathlon as a senior Olympian. In 2017 she placed 2^nd in her age group at the Winter Triathlon National Championship, earning a spot on Team USA for the World Champsionship.

She travels around the country raising awareness of CMT.

She is the author of the book, “Running for My Life” that details her experience as a CMT affected athlete.

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 to find a cure for CMT. We have 213 members in 38 states. We also have members in Australia, England, Scotland, Canada, Vietnam, Turkey, Finland, Scotland, France, Poland, Iran, Norway and Sweden. If you wish to join us visit our web site; 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.

Additional Link

Follow CMT affected Paratriathlete Timmy Dixon
http://cmtamputee.wordpress.com/

Follow CMT Author Chris Steinke
https://cmtandmesite.wordpress.com/2017/01/30/what-is-charcot-marie-tooth-disease/

Keywords: Running, Running and CMT, triathlon, triathlon and CMT, athlete and CMT, cycling and CMT, paratriathlon, 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

Fair Friday-Homemade Muscle Rub

As an athlete I often deal with sore muscles.  For the last two years I have sore ankle tendons. I am hoping I will get some relief with this recipe.  Turmeric and ginger essential oils both have anti-inflammatory properties.  I adapted this recipe from one I got in one of my daily newsletters I get from Dr. Josh Axe.

Homemade Muscle Rub
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup beeswax
15 drops ginger essential oil
15 drops peppermint oil
15 drops lavender essential oil
15 drops turmeric oil

Place the coconut oil and the beeswax in a pint jar. Place the jar in a saucepan with two inches of water.  Heat until the waxes melt. Take out of the water bath and allow to cool slightly. Add the essential oils.  Allow to cool. Store in a cool dark place.  Apply to sore muscles as needed.

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

Chris Wodke

Founder & Manager Team CMT

www.run4cmt.com

Chris is a triathlete and long distance runner. She is a three time participant of 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.

In 2014 she was the PC Open Champion at the Duathlon National Championship and at the Aqua bike National Championship in 2016. She represented Team USA at the Aquathon ITU World Championship in Chicago in 2015 and at the World championship in Cozumel in 2016.  

 In 2014 she represented the U.S. as a paratriathlete at the Pan-American Triathlon Championship in Dallas, Texas.  She has won state championships in cycling and triathlon as a senior Olympian. In 2017 she placed 2^nd in her age group at the Winter Triathlon National Championship, earning a spot on Team USA for the World Champsionship.

She travels around the country raising awareness of CMT.

She is the author of the book, “Running for My Life” that details her experience as a CMT affected athlete.

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 to find a cure for CMT. We have 210 members in 38 states. We also have members in Australia, England, Scotland, Canada, Vietnam, Turkey, Finland, Scotland, France, Poland, Iran, Norway and Sweden. If you wish to join us visit our web site; 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.

Additional Link

Follow CMT affected Paratriathlete Timmy Dixon
http://cmtamputee.wordpress.com/

Follow CMT Author Chris Steinke
https://cmtandmesite.wordpress.com/2017/01/30/what-is-charcot-marie-tooth-disease/

Keywords: Running, Running and CMT, triathlon, triathlon and CMT, athlete and CMT, cycling and CMT, paratriathlon, 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

Triple Play

Pardeeville Triathlon on July 8th

"Don't be pushed by your problems, be led by your dreams." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

I did not have a working computer for almost a month, so I have gotten really behind in my race reports. I do not know if anyone reads this blog, since there was no outcry when it went dark. I enjoy writing it and am glad to be back writing.  It has also been tough to write since I have been training and racing so much.

I did three races last week.  No coach would ever support doing that. It goes without saying that I am self coached right now.

I normally would not schedule three events in one week. By doing so much racing in such a short amount of time I knew I was risking injury.

The races are all part of a series and series points were on the line. I am in a top three spot for all three, so I decide to go for it.

Race 1-Fire Cracker 4 mile, July 4th Hales Corners
This race is part of the club championship for the Badgerland Striders. I am in first place for my age group. I needed to do this run to hold my spot.  I knew all I had to do was an easy jog and I would lead those that had signed up for the series.

I love this race because it starts in a park and goes through the surrounding neighborhood. Lots of the residents turn on their hoses to cool off the runners and many others sit in lawn chairs to cheer us on. The race had 1100 runners show up on a perfect summer morning. I worked packet pick-up and then did an easy 4 miles. It was good enough to hold my lead in the series.

Race 2-Beer Garden 5K,  July 6, South Milwaukee
This is the 3rd race in a four race series. So far I had placed 4th twice in my age group.    I missed out on 3rd place by 13 seconds. This is an evening race which I love. This series has been following the mobile beer garden as it moves from park to park. The temperature at race time was 95 F.  The race director was announcing for runners to adjust their pace due to the heat. I had wanted to run the race as a tempo run, to try and break into the top three in my age group. Due to the heat and being tired I decided to just do one minute repeats. That is one minute of hard running with a minute of rest. I carried water with me in a bike bottle.  I needed it to cool off and to stay hydrated. There was just one water stop the entire course.
The run was in the park on a closed course and ended in the beer garden. Every finisher got a pint glass of beer or root beer.  I did not stay for the awards, but found out later I had placed 3rd in my age group. I am holding at 3rd place for the series.

Race 3-Pardeville Triathlon, July 8th   400 meter swim, 15 mile bike,  5K
I had not planned on doing a triathlon on this weekend. I had to switch to this race because of a race in the running club series.    Pardeeville is north of Madison so I made it part of a family visit.

It was 60 F in the morning which felt really cool after the warm temps earlier in the week.  I woke up at 3 am wide awake. I got up and got to the race 30 minutes before transition even opened up.

While I was setting up I got questions on how to rack a bike by a woman in my age group. It was only her 2nd triathlon.  I would be doing my 5th of the season.

I did a warm up swim and did not want to come out of the water because it was warmer than the air.  I had left a gel on a table by the shore and when I went to get it pre-race it was gone. Every race needs a glitch and I took that as my one mistake for the race.

There were lots of beginners in the race and it would show in the swim. I seeded myself in the middle of the pack.  The two women just ahead of me should have seeded themselves back farther. One was breast stroking and one was doing the side stroke.  They both kept trying to climb over me. I finally grabbed one by the shoulder and pulled myself past. The whole swim was like that.  I went way too wide of the buoys costing me time. My final swim time was 11:03.

I ran past my rack in transition, losing more time.  I would be riding my tri bike for the first time in a race. Other than my bike computer turning off several times, it went well. I averaged almost 18 mph.

The run was flat and uneventful with a time of  31:42. It is a bit slow for me, but it was my third race of the week. I would finish 4th out of 9 in my age group. I felt it was like getting a gentleman's C in school, respectable, but not too distinguished.  Still I had a great week and it was lots of fun.

I was not even that tired after three races. I  am taking an easy week this week and seem none the worse for wear.   I will now get the week off. My next race will be a bike time trial on July 21st.

I know I am lucky to be able to race at all, much less three times in a week. Believe me that I savor every moment.

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

Chris Wodke

Founder & Manager Team CMT

www.run4cmt.com

Chris is a triathlete and long distance runner. She is a three time participant of 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.

In 2014 she was the PC Open Champion at the Duathlon National Championship and at the Aqua bike National Championship in 2016. She represented Team USA at the Aquathon ITU World Championship in Chicago in 2015 and at the World championship in Cozumel in 2016.  

 In 2014 she represented the U.S. as a paratriathlete at the Pan-American Triathlon Championship in Dallas, Texas.  She has won state championships in cycling and triathlon as a senior Olympian. In 2017 she placed 2^nd in her age group at the Winter Triathlon National Championship, earning a spot on Team USA for the World Champsionship.

She travels around the country raising awareness of CMT.

She is the author of the book, “Running for My Life” that details her experience as a CMT affected athlete.

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 to find a cure for CMT. We have 213 members in 38 states. We also have members in Australia, England, Scotland, Canada, Vietnam, Turkey, Finland, Scotland, France, Poland, Iran, Norway and Sweden. If you wish to join us visit our web site; 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.

Additional Link

Follow CMT affected Paratriathlete Timmy Dixon
http://cmtamputee.wordpress.com/

Follow CMT Author Chris Steinke
https://cmtandmesite.wordpress.com/2017/01/30/what-is-charcot-marie-tooth-disease/

Keywords: Running, Running and CMT, triathlon, triathlon and CMT, athlete and CMT, cycling and CMT, paratriathlon, 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

Was I Tough Enough? Toughman Half Iron Aquabike

"I would rather die of passion than of boredom." - Vincent Van Gogh

My youngest brother once told me that I was going to wear out my knees running. I told him I would rather wear out than rust out.

It can be easy to get discouraged about being active.  That is even more true because I have CMT.  Doctors used to discourage those with CMT from exercising. The thinking was it would accelerate CMT. We know now that is not true, but that idea is still strong in the CMT community.

I hope my example and that of our Team CMT members will encourage others to be active. I want to show those with CMT that you can take on really big challenges in your life.  I work very hard to lead as full a life as I can.

That includes challenging myself through running and triathlons.  I had a big challenge on the race schedule on June 17th with the Toughman 1/2 Iron Aqua bike in Sherwood Wisconsin. The 1.2 mile swim in open water and 56 mile bike ride would start in High Cliff State Park.

This year the race was USAT sanctioned so I would be racing as a Physically Challenged athlete.
The first challenge I had to overcome was the rainy and cold spring weather in Wisconsin. I did most of my bike miles on a trainer in my home office. I hardly got outside to bike and felt a little under trained.  I really had no gauge of my fitness since I had ridden so little outside.

I had trained for 16 weeks to be ready for race day and I would just have to trust my training.

I arrived on Friday night to camp in the park since there are not any hotels very close. Plus it is nice to have about a five minute drive to get to the race start. While I was unpacking my tent I discovered I had left all the tent poles and stakes at home. Well every race needs a glitch. I ended up sleeping in my car. I had to put my bike outside of the car and covered it with part of the tent. That was a good decision since we had thunderstorms most of the night.

The swim was on Lake Winnebago which is a very shallow lake. Any wind can create pretty big waves. Last year the lake was like glass. This year it was windy.  The waves always seem worse when you are on the water.  I went out to do my warm up and found it was tough to make any progress.  I also cut up my feet pretty bad on some rocks as I came out of the water. My feet were all bloody. So I had two reasons to bail, the foot high waves and my cut out feet.

There was a sprint race also run as part of the event and I had a fleeting thought about dropping down to the sprint. Then I remembered all the swimming I did to practice and thought about the half dozen times I had done this distance. I decided to give the race a go.

So I lined up with everyone else to swim the course. I would start going into the wind for the first third, have a cross wind for a third and then if I made it that far the wind push me into shore for the last leg.

It was a tough first leg. I felt like I was not making any progress. It is a good thing I can breath from either side when I swim because as a wave washed over me at least I was not getting a face full of water.  I just plodded along. Usually I do 100 strokes fast, then rest for 100. The wind was so strong, I had to work hard just to make progress. I made the first turn and the cross wind was much better. I just had to work a bit to stay on course.  Then it was on to the last leg and out of the water. My time was terrible at 58 minutes.

Lake Winnebago is the largest lake entirely within Wisconsin. It is 30 miles long and 10 miles wide.  The bike course keeps the lake in view for most of the course, making it a beautiful ride.

The first hill is steep and comes just out of transition.  The course has lots of rolling hills which keeps things challenging. It was 82 F and windy. There was little shade so it was hot. The ride went well and before I knew it I was back in transition. I averaged 16 mph due to the wind.  Total race time of 4 hr 46 minutes. I was scored 3rd in my age group, when I should have been scored as a PC athlete.

I had to fix that one I got home.  Still for a rough start it was a good day. I am glad I met the challenges that weekend head on. It made all the training worthwhile.

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

Chris Wodke

Founder & Manager Team CMT

www.run4cmt.com

Chris is a triathlete and long distance runner. She is a three time participant of 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.

In 2014 she was the PC Open Champion at the Duathlon National Championship and at the Aqua bike National Championship in 2016. She represented Team USA at the Aquathon ITU World Championship in Chicago in 2015 and at the World championship in Cozumel in 2016.  

 In 2014 she represented the U.S. as a paratriathlete at the Pan-American Triathlon Championship in Dallas, Texas.  She has won state championships in cycling and triathlon as a senior Olympian. In 2017 she placed 2^nd in her age group at the Winter Triathlon National Championship, earning a spot on Team USA for the World Champsionship.

She travels around the country raising awareness of CMT.

She is the author of the book, “Running for My Life” that details her experience as a CMT affected athlete.

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 to find a cure for CMT. We have 213 members in 38 states. We also have members in Australia, England, Scotland, Canada, Vietnam, Turkey, Finland, Scotland, France, Poland, Iran, Norway and Sweden. If you wish to join us visit our web site; 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.

Additional Link

Follow CMT affected Paratriathlete Timmy Dixon
http://cmtamputee.wordpress.com/

Follow CMT Author Chris Steinke
https://cmtandmesite.wordpress.com/2017/01/30/what-is-charcot-marie-tooth-disease/

Keywords: Running, Running and CMT, triathlon, triathlon and CMT, athlete and CMT, cycling and CMT, paratriathlon, 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