Category Archives: competition

On becoming a grown-ass athlete

Posted on January 10, 2019 by

In one of those social waves that seem to wash over culture now and then, I’ve been hearing the term “grown-ass” thrown around quite a bit lately. Radio talk show hosts are using the term ‘grown-ass’ to describe all sorts … Continue reading →

Posted in Christopher Cudworth, competition, cycling, IRONMAN, swimming, track and field, triathlete, triathlon, triathlons, we run and ride, werunandride | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

We surely can’t spank our way to world peace

Posted on December 14, 2018 by

Growing up in the era when corporal punishment was doled out without much thought, I received my share of spankings from parents, teachers and the like. Those spankings were supposed to motivate me to better behavior. What I recall instead … Continue reading →

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Competing goals and the secret to life

Posted on December 11, 2018 by

Yesterday I mapped out a training program. How many days a week to run, ride and swim. It’s nothing crazy.  Those are exciting to think about as I also fixed up my former racing bike and this past weekend picked … Continue reading →

Posted in aging, aging is not for the weak of heart, Christopher Cudworth, competition, cycling, healthy aging, healthy senior, mental health, triathlete, triathlon, triathlons | Leave a comment

Years of kicking ass is still not enough for these guys

Posted on December 10, 2018 by

This past weekend the national cross country championships were held for Open runners, Masters 40+ and 60+, to name a few. A former Luther College teammate named Dan Johnson, about whom I’ve written on a couple occasions, finished sixth overall … Continue reading →

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The snowblower in my veins

Posted on November 26, 2018 by

If I need a snowblower to clear out my veins in the long run, so be it. Whatever works to keep things safe and navigable. Continue reading →

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

Rocket Bicycle Studio offers a welcome twist on the bike shop experience

Posted on November 19, 2018 by

Back in June, 2015 I wrote about the remarkable team talent of Jessica Laufenberg and Peter Oyen, owners of Rocket Bicycle Studio in Verona, Wisconsin. Since that last article, they moved the company a couple blocks east into a wonderfully … Continue reading →

Posted in Christopher Cudworth, competition, cycling, cycling the midwest, swimming, trail running, tri-bikes, triathlete, triathlon, triathlons, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Rock solid values, allowing for sandstone

Posted on October 29, 2018 by

This weekend I drove up to Decorah, Iowa to visit friends and conduct some business on art and writing with former professors at Luther College. The weather was pleasantly gray in that Decorah way, often threatening rain. That only gave … Continue reading →

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Life tectonics in a sweet season

Posted on October 25, 2018 by

This is the fifth in a series of articles about the Sweet Season of 1978, my college senior year when our Luther College team placed second in the nation in NCAA Division III cross country. To follow the chronological narrative … Continue reading →

Posted in Christopher Cudworth, competition, cross country, track and field, training, triathlete, triathlon, we run and ride | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

On the day your father dies

Posted on October 17, 2018 by

Three years ago today I visited my father in the hospital for the last time. He’d lived with the effects of a profound stroke for more than 15 years. My mother died in 2005 and that left me in charge … Continue reading →

Posted in Christopher Cudworth, competition, Depression, healthy aging, Uncategorized, We Run and Ride Every Day | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A taste of bittersweet early in the sweet season

Posted on October 4, 2018 by

This is the second installment of eight blogs about a cross country season forty years ago. On Thursdays, I will recount a most significant period in life, a senior year in college. That’s when hard work paid off, self-belief took hold … Continue reading →

Posted in 10K, Christopher Cudworth, competition, cross country, running | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment