Category Archives: competition

On the run from golf carts and people

I’ve written about the fact that as a child growing up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and before that, Upstate Seneca Falls, New York, I spent quite around golf courses. Some of my earliest memories are crawling around on the putting green … Continue reading

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Hard effort feels the same at every age

Our Sunday morning run yesterday consisted of seven miles from North Aurora up to Batavia and back. Sue had a modest tempo run planned after the previous day’s 40m time trial and 10K brick run on Saturday. I rode 32 … Continue reading

Posted in 10K, 5K, aging, aging is not for the weak of heart, competition, cycling, cycling the midwest, triathlete, triathlon | Leave a comment

The difficulties of life when your brain works differently

Granted, emotional intelligence enters the picture as well. People addicted to honesty and liberality are not always welcome in the workplace. Not with bosses insecure about their own management capabilities and shortcomings. Continue reading

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Winning means different things to different people

On a chilly October day in October, 1983, I stood on the starting line of a race in downtown Oak Park, Illinois. It was fifty degrees outside. Rain had fallen the night before and the clouds still formed a low, … Continue reading

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Turning points: what they tell you about performance, and yourself

When it comes to successful training and races, we all hope for a “turning point.” That is the moment when the body and brain kick into gear and things begin to roll. Making good on the promise of a positive … Continue reading

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Wrestling with fear and purification

One of the things I frankly fear as a writer is “missing the mark.” It happens now and then. Clients are typically frustrated or angered by that outcome. In a worst case scenario, that means going back to the starting … Continue reading

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Competition can break your heart

I’m sharing a video today that is compelling in its sadness, and yet inspiring. A Colombian rider at the UCI World Championships is left stranded on the roadside after getting a flat. There is supposed to be a neutral service … Continue reading

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What quitting Cub Scouts taught me early in life

Like a ton of little kids sucked into the idea that the Boy Scouts of America knew what was good for us, I signed up for Cub Scouts and was assigned to a neighborhood den. Dutifully, to the best of … Continue reading

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Why you can’t trust your devices for every decision on training

Yesterday I ran an easy seven miles through a forest preserve and back. It was warm out again, so I didn’t run hard. When I got back home and saved the workout on my Garmin Fenix, the data was shared … Continue reading

Posted in 10K, 13.1, competition, cross country, race pace, swimming, training, training for a marathon, TRAINING PEAKS | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Why I’m not an RRCA coach…

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

Posted in 10K, 13.1, 400 workouts, competition, cross country, race pace, running | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments