Category Archives: death

50 Years of Running: First, a flight. Then I woke up dead.

Posted on November 2, 2021 by Christopher Cudworth

Following a successful conference meet, our team earned a trip to Nationals out in Boston, Massachusetts. We’d swept the top five spots at the IIAC race and our coach Kent Finanger followed through on getting us an entry to the … Continue reading →

Posted in addiction, alcohol, anxiety, Christopher Cudworth, college, competition, death, Depression, fear, life and death, mental health, mental illness, running, sex | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

50 Years of Running: Fear and Loathing in Cross country

Posted on August 31, 2021 by Christopher Cudworth

I was too young to have read anything by Hunter S. Thompson when I was a freshman in high school. But it would have been good for me to absorb some of the fearless antics of the Gonzo journalist that … Continue reading →

Posted in anxiety, blood on the highway, Christopher Cudworth, competition, cross country, death, fear, mental health, running | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Olympic-sized pressures

Posted on July 19, 2021 by Christopher Cudworth

A week ago the Linkedin group The Female Lead that I follow posted an image of three ‘women of color’ athletes who won’t be competing at the Olympics due to “rules” they supposedly broke in the past few months. The … Continue reading →

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The wrong kind of Tick Tock

Posted on June 24, 2021 by Christopher Cudworth

Here’s something I can say without remorse or equivocation. I hate ticks. Regular old dog ticks are bad enough. They find their way onto my socks and pants in the fields and make their way up my body until something … Continue reading →

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Step on the gas and wipe that tear away

Posted on April 22, 2021 by Christopher Cudworth

The famous closing suite of songs on The Beatles album Abbey Road offers a ton of quotable lyrics. As spring leans toward summer here in Illinois, I’ve been thinking about a few of the transitions I’ve endured over the years. … Continue reading →

Posted in aging, aging is not for the weak of heart, Christopher Cudworth, cross country, death, healthy aging | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

On poaching, road rage and political consequences

Posted on January 6, 2021 by Christopher Cudworth

Yesterday while out birding on a country road west of our home, I turned the corner where the asphalt surface turns to gravel and spied a pile of Canada geese scattered in the snow. Some hunter must have exceeded the … Continue reading →

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The inevitable product of fuel and flame

Posted on December 11, 2020 by Christopher Cudworth

Two days ago I went for a run to Dick Young Forest Preserve for a closeup look at the prairie burn taking place in the western reaches of the property. Flames tore across the ground and smoke rose up in … Continue reading →

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On winter and fading tan lines

Posted on December 7, 2020 by Christopher Cudworth

During the summer I always put sunscreen on my arms, face, ears, neck and nose. But that’s a rather recent habit. For most of my running career before taking up cycling fifteen years ago, the thought of putting on sunscreen … Continue reading →

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Skin checks, the Big C and the body politic

Posted on September 22, 2020 by Christopher Cudworth

This morning I visited the dermatologist for an annual skin check. My father had skin cancer and it’s nothing to mess around with. The sight of his bald head ground down to red patches is enough reminder to get my … Continue reading →

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Following the sun

Posted on September 3, 2020 by Christopher Cudworth

We try to make the most of our long summer days when the sun rises early. Several times this summer I walked into our backyard at 4:30 a.m. when the sky was just starting to brighten in the east. It … Continue reading →

Posted in aging, aging is not for the weak of heart, cycling, cycling the midwest, death, Depression, healthy aging, healthy senior | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment