Monthly Archives: June 2021

A heartbreaking sign of the times

Posted on June 28, 2021 by Christopher Cudworth

If you watch the Tour de France, you’ve likely already seen the results of the horrific crash produced by a woman holding out a cardboard sign to bearing a handwritten message to her relatives. She wanted to gain TV coverage … Continue reading →

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The difference between Cycling and Riding

Posted on June 25, 2021 by Christopher Cudworth

Today I rode just over forty miles in a rectangular route straight north to the western reaches of South Elgin, cut over to the east side of the Fox River to catch the bike trail, and headed all the way … Continue reading →

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The wrong kind of Tick Tock

Posted on June 24, 2021 by Christopher Cudworth

Here’s something I can say without remorse or equivocation. I hate ticks. Regular old dog ticks are bad enough. They find their way onto my socks and pants in the fields and make their way up my body until something … Continue reading →

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Des Moines deserves a day in the sun

Posted on June 22, 2021 by Christopher Cudworth

On the morning of the Des Moines Certified Piedmontese 70.3 Ironman, the rains thumped the roof of our hotel and race delay notifications buzzed on our phones. The lightning storm was a dire threat to anyone caught out in the … Continue reading →

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On the flip side, I don’t have to prove myself at the family picnic

Posted on June 18, 2021 by Christopher Cudworth

Yesterday I wrote a short lament about the way sports consumes so much of our lives if we let it. That’s not a total regret. I’ve gained quite a bit from sports, including the aptitudes of perseverance when called upon, … Continue reading →

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On sports prowess and worthless skills

Posted on June 17, 2021 by Christopher Cudworth

At the age of nine years old, I was a big fan of Pistol Pete Maravich, the basketball great who essentially invented the modern game in all its flashy play. While Maravich was a sensation, his talent with a basketball … Continue reading →

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A life in newspapers, and long may you run

Posted on June 16, 2021 by Christopher Cudworth

At the age of thirteen, I took on a paper route in the tiny town of Elburn, Illinois. I think there were 750 residents, but the houses spread across a chunk of the landscape and I covered the north half … Continue reading →

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Like it or not, I’m a single-speed (18 mph) kind of guy

Posted on June 15, 2021 by Christopher Cudworth

When most cyclists talking about going “single-speed” on the bike, they’re referring to “fixies,” the type of bicycle with just one gear. No shifting. No hassles. You ride as fast as you pedal. I’ve seen people riding fixies or single-speed … Continue reading →

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A hot day followed by a false fall

Posted on June 14, 2021 by Christopher Cudworth

After yesterday’s early run in advancing heat, I accepted that I was not up for completing the last half-mile to reach ten miles… and that taunted me on the Garmin. The 4.85 miles of running out to Waubonsee Community College … Continue reading →

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Why I didn’t work out yesterday

Posted on June 11, 2021 by Christopher Cudworth

Yesterday while driving around I recognized that there was no more avoiding reality. The air conditioning in my car needed a fix, as the freon apparently needed to be ‘recharged.’ After a morning of driving around in the heat of … Continue reading →

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