Category Archives: PEAK EXPERIENCES

50 Years of Running: Qualifying time

Coming off a less-than-stellar race like the one I had in Elgin, where a side stitch slowed me down, is tough on the short-term confidence. But while I was second-guessing the ten-mile race in Elgin, I heard that there was … Continue reading

Posted in 5K, anxiety, Christopher Cudworth, college, competition, cross country, PEAK EXPERIENCES, race pace, racing peak, running, track and field | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

50 Years of Running: Unlimited

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

Posted in cross country, fear, mental health, PEAK EXPERIENCES, race pace, racing peak, running, running shoes, training, training for a marathon | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

50 Years of Running: Where Respect Is Due

Midway through the 1973 season, I’d run well enough, and our team was doing so well, that we began to gain the attention of some local sportswriters. The newspapers that covered our team included the St. Charles Chronicle, the hometown … Continue reading

Posted in 13.1, Christopher Cudworth, college, competition, cross country, cycling, cycling the midwest, half marathon, healthy aging, PEAK EXPERIENCES, race pace, racing peak, running, running shoes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Different dimensions than our own

While walking our dog Lucy this morning, we passed through a playground where children made sidewalk drawings in chalk. One of the images attracted my eye. It showed two intertwined rectangles. Or was it something more? I’ve just completed a … Continue reading

Posted in competition, healthy aging, life and death, love, PEAK EXPERIENCES | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 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

The dreams we have should never be so common they aren’t special anymore.

I’ve mentioned that my Garmin Fenix sports watch tracks my sleep as well as the miles I swim, ride and run. Every morning I can wake to see how much Deep Sleep, Light Sleep, and REM Sleep I’ve managed overnight. … Continue reading

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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

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

Transfer of excellence

While many of my peers are retiring or planning to do so in the near future, I have no plans to retire for another ten years or so. There are many reasons for that having to do with career shifts … Continue reading

Posted in aging, Christopher Cudworth, college, competition, Depression, mental health, PEAK EXPERIENCES, racing peak, swimming, training, triathlete, triathlon, triathlons | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gearing up for an Olympic distance triathlon

Thus far, my triathlon career has consisted of Sprint and Duathlon races. But last year, my goal was to do a pair of Olympic distance races. Weather, injury and illness intervened to keep me from racing at all in 2109. … Continue reading

Posted in PEAK EXPERIENCES, race pace, racing peak, training, triathlete, triathlon, triathlons | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments