Category Archives: Tarsnakes

Tarsnakes, like the namesake tar patterns on roads across America, are in the context of this blog any allegorical event, thought or other phenomena that can trip you up along the way, or cause you to swerve or even crash. While tarsnakes are usually best avoided, at times they are unavoidable. And so, we discuss how to deal with these “life events” that either affect or stem from your running and riding.

Still, a tarsnake or other road or surface feature when viewed up close can reveal hidden beauty and perhaps even wisdom.

On what it means to be a runner

Posted on April 3, 2014 by Christopher Cudworth

By Christopher Cudworth At the age of six years old, I grabbed a traditional old watch off my father’s dresser and headed out to the side yard of our Lancaster, Pennyslvania home. The yard had once been a clay tennis … Continue reading →

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On what it means to be a cyclist

Posted on April 2, 2014 by Christopher Cudworth

By Christopher Cudworth Five years ago there was a great group ride put on by our cycling club, Athletes By Design. It was a controlled pace ride that averaged 20mph. You knew that you’d get a good workout every Wednesday … Continue reading →

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On bike trails, class warfare and conservative buzzkills

Posted on April 1, 2014 by Christopher Cudworth

By Christopher Cudworth So, the Supreme Court of the United States just ruled on a case against bike trails on former railroad beds. The case could have devastating effects on new and existing bike trails across the nation. Essentially, a family … Continue reading →

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How not to be sore at yourself for working out too hard

Posted on March 28, 2014 by Christopher Cudworth

By Christopher Cudworth It happens. You overdo it. Then you’re sore for days. Soreness is the product of muscles and connective tissue that have been strained. The stretching and exhaustion that occurs in body tissue under stress can lead to … Continue reading →

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The 7 Deadly Sins of Endurance Training

Posted on March 9, 2014 by Christopher Cudworth

By Christopher Cudworth So you think you live a moral life? Well, perhaps you have not taken complete stock of the sins you commit in the name of your favorite endurance sport. That means your world may be about to … Continue reading →

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Bicycling Magazine and the hard road of naiveté

Posted on March 4, 2014 by Christopher Cudworth

By Christopher Cudworth The City of Chicago is a beautiful place to live and train in the summer months. I lived with a running friend and best buddy at 1764 N. Clark, right in the heart of Old Town facing … Continue reading →

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Honestly, you should never lie about your best times

Posted on March 3, 2014 by Christopher Cudworth

By Christopher Cudworth While swimming at the XSport fitness center this past week, I noticed an athlete in the pool who seemed to know what he was doing. His swimming form was smooth and strong. When he stopped after a … Continue reading →

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It’s Oscars time. Here are the Academy Awards for the best running and riding movies never made

Posted on February 28, 2014 by Christopher Cudworth

By Christopher Cudworth A few years back, I organized and hosted a giant Academy Awards party at the Arcada Theater in St. Charles, Illinois. More than 900 people attended. Catering was provided by Panera Bread. People were excited to be … Continue reading →

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Ice snakes and tarsnakes

Posted on February 24, 2014 by Christopher Cudworth

By Christopher Cudworth For many years it was hard for me to comprehend the response of people who feared snakes. My wife and children all disliked them intensely, and more than one fall walk on a forest preserve trail turned … Continue reading →

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Running at the speed of life should not mean you leave your past behind

Posted on February 17, 2014 by Christopher Cudworth

by Christopher Cudworth In the television show LOST, all the main characters learned through hard experience that the past really can catch up to you. The mind-bending mixture of time travel juxtaposed with the consequences of short-term choices made plenty … Continue reading →

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