Monthly Archives: April 2015

On spring days and a sense of loss

Posted on April 30, 2015 by Christopher Cudworth

Heading into the outdoor track season my sophomore year at Kaneland High School in 1971, I was in a strange position. My father had announced to our family that we would be moving to St. Charles, a city ten miles … Continue reading →

Posted in Christopher Cudworth, Tarsnakes, We Run and Ride Every Day | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Training specificity in running

Posted on April 29, 2015 by Christopher Cudworth

During the post-collegiate year that I raced 24 times on the track and roads, I kept a detailed journal of training miles. My personal records that year were 14:47 for the 5K, 31:10 for the 10k, 51:30 for 15K, 53:30 for 10M, … Continue reading →

Posted in Christopher Cudworth, running, We Run and Ride Every Day | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

One hit wonders

Posted on April 28, 2015 by Christopher Cudworth

Those of us without rock star capability can still attain results that inspire. When we get out there and try our best it does not matter if we are leading a Tour stage or coming down the final 400 meters of the Boston Marathon ahead of everyone else. We can be our own One-Hit-Wonder and be proud in the reality of breaking out of our own expectations. Continue reading →

Posted in cycling | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Who’s your biggest fan? I am!

Posted on April 27, 2015 by Christopher Cudworth

The start of the Sly Fox Half Marathon and 10k in St. Charles, Illinois was murky and a bit dark. Skies were threatening with 100% chance of rain predicted. Yet here were the stalwart runners crowded into corrals waiting to embark … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Dropping a few pounds in London.

Posted on April 24, 2015 by Christopher Cudworth

The exchange rate between the United States dollar and the English pound is a bit lopsided these days. You really don’t want to know what you’re spending in London. Not in dollars anyway. If there was a mile race between … Continue reading →

Posted in Christopher Cudworth, marathon, We Run and Ride Every Day | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Why it pays to travel with two smart women

Posted on April 23, 2015 by Christopher Cudworth

From the moment we landed in Great Britain it was my benefit to be in the company of two very smart women. Sue is a great organizer and her daughter Sarah is a pragmatic person and now experienced in the ways of life … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

England is a sometimes silly and often very pointy place

Posted on April 22, 2015 by Christopher Cudworth

Some history: back when there was not steel and glass and pointy metals to construct buildings, Britons actually had to rely on stone and mortar. So it was the height of elegance to refine this process to its absolute peak and create a Pointy thing (or a whole series of them) out of stone to show that you can afford to do just that. Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Discovering the great in Great Britain

Posted on April 21, 2015 by Christopher Cudworth

Great Britain. United Kingdom. Whatever you call it, this is a fascinating place. Perhaps it helps that my ancestors are from England (the Stewart side) and Scotland (the Cudworth side) but there has not been a minute in my visit … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

With an appreciation for the English countryside

Posted on April 19, 2015 by Christopher Cudworth

I don’t know what I expected, but it was everything I hoped for and more. The first sweep of spring was evident in the patchwork landscape. As we sunk lower toward the earth, English rowhouses and hedgerows became evident. All the literature of youth came to play in my mind. A.A. Milne’s Winnie-The-Pooh and Christopher Robin for whom I was partially named. Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

There’s something I’d like to stress. Or not.

Posted on April 16, 2015 by Christopher Cudworth

For eight years during my late wife’s cancer treatment stress was a constant companion. If it wasn’t her direct health at risk, it was the side effects. Then there were insurance and financial issues as we tried to recover from the … Continue reading →

Posted in Christopher Cudworth, cycling, running, swimming | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments