Category Archives: 400 workouts

50 Years of Running: Sweet summer sweat

Posted on October 20, 2021 by Christopher Cudworth

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 →

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50 years of running: winter track transitions

Posted on September 2, 2021 by Christopher Cudworth

Following a freshman basketball season in which the team’s emphasis on court fitness tailed off toward the end, I took a weekend off before turning out for track that following Monday. Their was a ritual in receiving cotton sweats and … Continue reading →

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50 years of running: Finding joy in being tested

Posted on August 24, 2021 by Christopher Cudworth

The first few weeks of freshman cross country season in 1971 were rife with tests of many kinds. Building endurance takes time. Yet the days keep coming despite sore legs and a growing sense of overall fatigue. Our coaches Rich … Continue reading →

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Cinders and white lime

Posted on March 31, 2021 by Christopher Cudworth

The weather was chilly this morning while walking the dog. The wind from the west reminded me of all those laps run around the perimeter of the Kaneland High School parking lot before the cinder track dried out in spring. … Continue reading →

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The fabric of life and a sense of home

Posted on March 4, 2021 by Christopher Cudworth

I’m substitute teaching at the high school a block from our former home in Geneva, Illinois. The streets look the same as they always did. The giant cottonwood tree on the corner of the block was a favorite waiting place … Continue reading →

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We’ve all got our swimming crosses to bear

Posted on February 4, 2021 by Christopher Cudworth

Today in the pool I swam next to two guys doing 100-meter repeats. One was clearly faster than the other, a tall gent who wore fins to keep up with his buddy. The faster swimmer alternated strokes from freestyle to … Continue reading →

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There’s a right way to go bananas in endurance sports

Posted on November 23, 2020 by Christopher Cudworth

Given the fact that the “fruit” we call bananas is so common and inexpensive to buy, it is easy to take for granted that the Cavendish bananas commercially available in stores are a production miracle brought to the United States … Continue reading →

Posted in 400 meter intervals, 400 workouts, competition, injury, marathon, marathon training, mental health, PEAK EXPERIENCES, race pace, racing peak, running, swimming, track and field, tri-bikes, triathlete, triathlon, triathlons | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Just my wife and I and ten four hundreds

Posted on October 8, 2020 by Christopher Cudworth

By the time we arrived at the Geneva Middle School track, the sun was barely a hand’s width above the horizon as I took measure of the light. We’d have forty minutes or so to complete a workout of 10 … Continue reading →

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Why I’m not an RRCA coach…

Posted on September 17, 2020 by Christopher Cudworth

A few years back, I signed up for a Road Runners Club of America coaching clinic over in Michigan. I hosted an art exhibition of my own work the Friday night before leaving for the clinic. Gathering up my stuff … Continue reading →

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If you want better workouts, warm up like the pros do

Posted on August 4, 2020 by Christopher Cudworth

Over the past few months I’ve conducted an unintentional experiment with which you may be familiar, but don’t always abide. It’s called doing a legitimate warmup. On runs, this means taking the first two miles no faster than your body … Continue reading →

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