Category Archives: competition

Marty Supreme and Me

Posted on December 29, 2025 by Christopher Cudworth

Watching the movie Marty Supreme hit me hard with similarities in my own life. Continue reading →

Posted in 10K, addiction, Christopher Cudworth, competition, cross country, friendship, love, mental health, race pace, racing peak, running, sex | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

On the risks of being actively lazy

Posted on December 10, 2025 by Christopher Cudworth

Pretty soon, the year’s summaries on Strava and Garmin will arrive, and with that assessment comes a bit of introspection about “doing more” in the coming year. I wasn’t a heavy-duty trainer this past year. I did do an Olympic-distance … Continue reading →

Posted in aging, aging is not for the weak of heart, Christopher Cudworth, coaching, competition, healthy aging, healthy senior, injury, running | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Baselines, heart rates, and heartfelt feelings

Posted on December 1, 2025 by Christopher Cudworth

We ran our local Fox And Turkey Trot in Batavia, IL. The Fox River Trail Runners (FRTRs) put this race on every year, and it’s well done. As in managed, not cooked. We reprised a photo from ten years ago … Continue reading →

Posted in aging, aging is not for the weak of heart, Christopher Cudworth, competition, healthy aging, healthy senior, love, race pace, racing peak, running, training, we run and ride, When the other man is an Ironman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Wear and tear and ‘wouldn’t change a thing’

Posted on November 22, 2025 by Christopher Cudworth

While attending a Luther College reunion, I was walking next to my cross-country coach Kent Finanger, who was bent over and limping due to back issues likely related to his years of playing football and basketball during his college career. … Continue reading →

Posted in aging, aging is not for the weak of heart, alcohol, coaching, college, competition, cross country, death, Depression, foregiveness, friendship, healthy aging, healthy senior, injury, life and death, love, mental health, mental illness, running, training | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A November 18 to remember

Posted on November 18, 2025 by Christopher Cudworth

I make no attempt to hide my age, and it’s with pride that I share today, November 18, an accomplishment 47 years ago. I was a Luther College senior, captain of the cross-country team, and in my 8th season of … Continue reading →

Posted in aging, aging is not for the weak of heart, Christopher Cudworth, college, competition, cross country, friendship, injury, running, steeplechase, track and field, training, TRAINING PEAKS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Rise of Women in Sports: Breaking Barriers in Running

Posted on November 6, 2025 by Christopher Cudworth

The author reflects on the impressive achievements of female athletes, like Jane Hedengren, and their unique challenges in sports compared to men. They highlight the bodily and societal hurdles women face, including menstruation, body image issues, and motherhood, while emphasizing the resilience and strength women exhibit in overcoming these barriers in their athletic pursuits. Continue reading →

Posted in 10K, 13.1, college, competition, cross country, mental health, triathlete, triathlon, triathlons, women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Erections come with a cost

Posted on November 4, 2025 by Christopher Cudworth

When my daughter was just into junior high, we sat watching together TV when a Viagra commercial appeared on the air, concluding with a warning that users should “seek help” for an erection lasting longer than four hours.

“Four hours!” she burst out laughing. “Oh my God!” Continue reading →

Posted in aging, Christopher Cudworth, college, competition, cross country, friendship, healthy aging, healthy senior, mental health, mental illness, running, sex, track and field, triathlete, triathlon, triathlons, women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How it all went down

Posted on August 12, 2024 by Christopher Cudworth

We all make mistakes in life. Sometimes, it’s because we’re not present in the moment. At other times, we make choices that turn out to be wrong. And then, there are those times when we try to do all the … Continue reading →

Posted in anxiety, Christopher Cudworth, competition, cross country, mental health, mental illness, nature, running | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

From Green Road to Bliss Road ten years on

Posted on August 2, 2024 by Christopher Cudworth

As a cyclist for the last twenty years, I entered the Strava World not sure what it would do for my training and racing. At the start of my cycling experience, I rode my Felt 4C road bike in criteriums, … Continue reading →

Posted in aging, aging is not for the weak of heart, Christopher Cudworth, competition, cycling, cycling the midwest, cycling threats, doing pulls in cycling, healthy senior, track and field, training, we run and ride | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A flight toward home

Posted on July 30, 2024 by Christopher Cudworth

Over fifty-plus years of running and riding, I’ve seen and heard many species of birds along the way. Early in life, it was hawks that captivated me most. I traced their silhouettes in the Peterson’s Field Guide, drew them on … Continue reading →

Posted in Christopher Cudworth, competition, cross country, healthy aging, healthy senior, love | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment