Category Archives: competition

February thaw and feeling it for real

Today might have been a nice day to get out and play on the roads. The February thaw we’ve been waiting for began in earnest this morning. Temps hit forty-four degrees. The 21″ snowbanks are sagging now. The earth welcomes … Continue reading

Posted in Christopher Cudworth, competition, race pace, racing peak, running, triathlete, triathlon, triathlons | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Giving it your all even if you’re not the prettiest in the pack

Earlier this week I was scrolling through YouTube videos letting the algorithms toss old road and track races my way when a mid-80s video of the Gasparilla 15K popped up in the feed. The race featured a few familiar names … Continue reading

Posted in 10K, 5K, Christopher Cudworth, competition, cross country, marathon, marathon training, running | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Meet Mike Savage, one of my favorite Tri-Guys

The first time I got to know Mike Savage we were together riding on a long climb near Phoenix, Arizona during a weeklong Experience Triathlon spring training camp. We’d already done a couple rides that week along with a run … Continue reading

Posted in aging, aging is not for the weak of heart, climbing, college, competition, cycling, cycling the midwest, doing pulls in cycling, healthy aging, healthy senior, marathon, riding, running, swimming, tri-bikes, triathlete, triathlon, triathlons, we run and ride | Leave a comment

The mixture of joy and relief after a hard race

The desire to compete in races comes from many different places within us. For some, it is a test of resolve. For others, a raw test of fitness. But it’s always about proving oneself in the face of difficulty. You’re … Continue reading

Posted in Christopher Cudworth, competition, cross country, cycling, PEAK EXPERIENCES, race pace, racing peak, riding, running, track and field, training, TRAINING PEAKS, triathlete, triathlon, triathlons, we run and ride | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

I keep smiling. It’s the only way to live.

At the age of five years old, I was in the backyard of another kid that would become my best friend through the age of twelve. Our mothers were in the front yard talking about how we might get along … Continue reading

Posted in bike accidents, bike crash, bike wobble, blood on the highway, Christopher Cudworth, competition, cross country, cycling, cycling the midwest, cycling threats, running | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Laughter, joy, and loneliness and sex and sex and sex and sex

If you know the Rolling Stones song Shattered, you’ll recognize the headline of this blog today. That album came out the summer between my junior and senior year in college. I’d sing parts of that song as we ran mile … Continue reading

Posted in Christopher Cudworth, college, competition, cross country, triathlete, triathlon, triathlons | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Standing strong in the face of shattered perceptions

During my long running career I saw plenty of meets and races where competition was fierce. For the most part, I witnessed good sportsmanship. But two days stand out in which bad sportsmanship took the day. Following a conference cross … Continue reading

Posted in competition | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Picture this, a life in pixels

We live in the digital age that makes it easier than ever to capture and share images. Recently some friends began converting slide photos taken during our college years into digital images. We didn’t take or share that many photos … Continue reading

Posted in aging, aging is not for the weak of heart, Christopher Cudworth, college, competition, PEAK EXPERIENCES, triathlete | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

That’s a long time in a pair of Nike Pegasus

Something in me still holds a warm spot for Nike shoes. Continue reading

Posted in 10K, 13.1, 5K, Christopher Cudworth, college, competition, cross country, running, steeplechase | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

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

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