Category Archives: mental health

50 Years of Running: And pocketfuls of money

Posted on February 16, 2022 by Christopher Cudworth

While my quasi-job search continued, and freelance work kept trickling in, I mused whether to continue the solo journey or go to grad school. I’d made one inquiry years before about getting a Master’s Degree in Art from Northern Illinois … Continue reading →

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50 Years of Running: The cold heart of a Chicago winter

Posted on February 15, 2022 by Christopher Cudworth

Our landlord was a cheap bastard when it came to heating our building. At times, the inside temps sank to fifty degrees indoors. I’d struggle to keep painting or writing under those conditions. We complained, but it was no use. … Continue reading →

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50 Years of Running: The singular nature of a double life

Posted on February 14, 2022 by Christopher Cudworth

In late October of 1983, with the racing season nearing its end, I was still attending workouts with the Tom Brunick crew at both University of Illinois-Chicago as well as the odd little cinder track at Northwestern in the upper … Continue reading →

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50 Years of Running: In the company of legends

Posted on February 12, 2022 by Christopher Cudworth

My association with my former coach Trent Richards grew in 1983 and ’84. We finished up his brochure for his new company One-On-One Fitness, and spent some time learning biomechanical analysis from his associate and podiatrist friend Dr. John Durkin. … Continue reading →

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50 Years of Running: Unlimited

Posted on February 10, 2022 by Christopher Cudworth

As the fall racing season wore down in 1983, I managed to race twice in November, a 32:08 10K on the 6th and a 32:26 10K in the Vertel’s Turkey Trot on November 20. The splits in that race indicated … Continue reading →

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50 Years of Running: Closing time

Posted on February 1, 2022 by Christopher Cudworth

All of us who run know the difference between a good race and a bad race. There are empirical factors such as time and place by which we measure our efforts. Yet even these are subjective depending on conditions such … Continue reading →

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50 Years of Running: The homely hayseed and love

Posted on January 31, 2022 by Christopher Cudworth

Finding out from a key player and trusted friend on the management side that the marketing department where I worked in Philadelphia was not fulfilling expectations didn’t surprise me. There were great people on the team, who were doing some … Continue reading →

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50 Years of Running: Love letters and tell-alls

Posted on January 30, 2022 by Christopher Cudworth

During all those weeks and months away in Philadelphia, I kept up a steady stream of correspondence with Linda back in Geneva. She kept all those letters, and I found them in our house years later. In the week after … Continue reading →

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50 Years of Running: Marching on

Posted on January 29, 2022 by Christopher Cudworth

By March 6, 1983, the weather in southeastern Pennsylvania was beginning to moderate. I ran a sixteen-miler in 1:43 on a route that I now knew well enough to do with confidence. No more getting lost in horse country. I … Continue reading →

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50 Years of Running: Green-eyed redemption

Posted on January 28, 2022 by Christopher Cudworth

Coming off the Miami weekend in January of 1983, I got caught in the rain during the first run back and came home feeling dragged out, with cold symptoms haunting me all the next day. “I’m resting tonight to see … Continue reading →

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