Monthly Archives: October 2021

50 Years of Running: A Perfect Score for the Ages

The 1975 season saw plenty of jostling among the top ten runners to remain in the Top 7. Everyone had their ups and downs, but one runner in particular, my roommate Keith Ellingson, started coming into his own. At a … Continue reading

Posted in Christopher Cudworth, college, competition, coronavirus, covid-19, cross country | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

50 Years of Running: JV and The Dedicated Crew

Those first few weeks of cross country competition as a freshman in college always features ups and down. At our most important early season meet, the Luther All-American Invite, I ran a credible 21:23 four-mile on the rolling home course. … Continue reading

Posted in addiction, alcohol, Christopher Cudworth, college, competition, race pace, racing peak, running, running shoes | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

50 Years of Running: Yin and Yang

With several weeks of running in the tank, it was time for the team Intrasquad meet. Everyone knew it was coming because the course was marked out by the loyal campus groundskeeper. There was just one problem. He was a … Continue reading

Posted in Christopher Cudworth, college, competition, cross country, running | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

50 Years of Running: Logging miles, swapping tales

The hours spent running with twenty-four guys proved to be great way to get to know people that freshman year in college. While dorm life was a rush of introductions and a socially manic environment by nature, running cross country … Continue reading

Posted in competition, cross country, running | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

50 Years of Running: Freshman Blues

On equipment day for the cross country season at Luther College, I was handed my first set of Luther Blues for training. I loved the simple dark blue tee shirt with the big number on the front. We got some … Continue reading

Posted in running, training | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

50 Years of Running: The Big Sendoff

With the summer job completed, and college bearing down on our collection of friends, there was only one thing left to do before starting the next important stage of our lives. Hold a The Big Sendoff Party. Our clan was … Continue reading

Posted in alcohol, Christopher Cudworth, college, cross country | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

50 Years of Running: Sweet summer sweat

Following high school graduation, the pressure to find a summer job and earn “money for college” entered the picture for the first time. I stumbled around the first few weeks looking for who-knows-what kind of job, then got offered a … Continue reading

Posted in 400 meter intervals, 400 workouts, Christopher Cudworth, college, competition, running, track and field | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

50 Years of Running: Sweet consolation

When indoor track rolled around in the winter of 1974, our track team moved over to an elementary building called Davis School five blocks from the high school. There we engaged in an intense series of proprioceptive exercises under the … Continue reading

Posted in love, running, sex, track and field, training | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

50 Years of Running: Full Circle and Football Fantasies

After eighteen meets during the regular season in 1974, it was time to run in Districts, the first toward going downstate. In my case, that race would bring me full circle to the Kaneland High School cross country course at … Continue reading

Posted in Christopher Cudworth, competition, cross country | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

50 Years of Running: Jousting Knights

One of the unique aspects of cross country running in the 1970s is that dual meets were held between every team in the league. The Upstate Eight Conference consisted of St. Charles, Elgin, Elgin Larkin, Wheaton Central, East Aurora, West … Continue reading

Posted in Christopher Cudworth, competition, cross country, running, running shoes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment