Category Archives: mental health

Questions about being an elitist asshole

Posted on February 6, 2020 by

Back when I competed for every inch of advantage in the world of running, I was a bit merciless in my regard for other competitors. In the first mile of a five-mile race I would ultimately win while setting a … Continue reading →

Posted in aging, Christopher Cudworth, competition, cross country, cycling, Depression, healthy aging, mental health, running, swimming | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

As to injury and healing, it often comes down to “What fur?”

Posted on December 11, 2019 by

Two weeks ago I was mowed down by a 100-lb yellow lab at the dog park. The large pup nailed the outside of my left knee, possibly the worst place I could have been struck. That knee went through an … Continue reading →

Posted in aging, aging is not for the weak of heart, bike accidents, bike crash, bike wobble, Christopher Cudworth, competition, cycling threats, Depression, healthy aging, healthy senior, mental health, running | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Dealing at the dog park

Posted on November 18, 2019 by

Our sweet dog Lucy is a puppy-level bundle of canine energy. She’s seven months old and loves running because she’s a 50% pitty mix with border collie, box and beagle mixed in. She has a nose for fun and isn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Christopher Cudworth, mental health, running | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

When reality bites, call in the experts

Posted on June 28, 2019 by

Last weekend I began to notice a sore area around my #18 molar. That’s the tooth on the far back left side of the mouth. It would flare up and recede in relation to cold or sweets and I knew, … Continue reading →

Posted in 400 meter intervals, 400 workouts, Christopher Cudworth, death, diet, healthy aging, healthy senior, mental health, running, Tarsnakes, triathlete, triathlon, triathlons | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Against the wind and blown away

Posted on June 13, 2019 by

This morning my schedule called for a bird census trip to a restored prairie at a local forest preserve. It was windy out today. I’m not a fan of birding in the open when a strong breeze is blowing because … Continue reading →

Posted in Christopher Cudworth, cycling, cycling the midwest, mental health, PEAK EXPERIENCES | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Confessions of a tree-sport athlete

Posted on April 10, 2019 by

The weather here in Illinois was stupendous yesterday. Clear and warm by spring standards in this part of the world. In the cool early morning, I rode 20+ miles on a favorite loop through Aurora, out along the Virgil Gilman … Continue reading →

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The day my eyelids froze shut

Posted on January 30, 2019 by

It’s true. I once went running in temperatures of twenty-three below zero. A half mile into the run, my eyelids froze shut. That’s a weird feeling I can assure you. I stopped, covered my face and warmed the area the … Continue reading →

Posted in aging, cycling the midwest, healthy aging, healthy senior, mental health, riding, running, training | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Two great sources of motivation: “better than” and “better for”

Posted on January 24, 2019 by

As young athletes, we frequently spend all our time trying to be “better than” others. We train hard to get better times. We race hard to get better places. We take home trophies or medals if we’re lucky. Those serve … Continue reading →

Posted in competition, mental health | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Athlete’s Lament

Posted on January 22, 2019 by

I didn’t get up and work out at the crack of dawn this morning. In fact, I didn’t get up at all until about 6:24 a.m. That’s late for me. More typically I’m either out the door running, dipped into … Continue reading →

Posted in 10K, 13.1, 5K, aging, competition, mental health, race pace | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

The legs have it

Posted on December 20, 2018 by

I have a lot of mileage on my legs. They’ve carried me through countless miles of training and racing, first as a runner, then as a cyclist, now as a triathlete. Performance My running career officially started in 1970, the … Continue reading →

Posted in aging, aging is not for the weak of heart, Christopher Cudworth, cycling, cycling the midwest, healthy aging, mental health, racing peak, running | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment