Category Archives: triathlons

Seven yards of deep thought and a winning effort

Endurance athletes are typically accustomed to thinking about workouts in terms of accumulated miles. Strava and Garmin add them up for us in neat piles of data to be picked apart ad infinitum. Athletic performance becomes all-consuming that way. “You’re … Continue reading

Posted in cycling, love, running, tour de france, TRAINING PEAKS, tri-bikes, triathlete, triathlon, triathlons | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The toughest thing out there is believing in yourself

I’ve had plenty of time and reason lately to think about things that have gone well in life, and things that have not. Plus my son Evan is aiming to do wonderful things with his company dedicated to helping people … Continue reading

Posted in anxiety, Christopher Cudworth, college, competition, cross country, mental health, mental illness, running, training, triathlete, triathlon, triathlons | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

In races with our own faces

As an artist, I’ve never been one to paint or draw many self portraits. I prefer to look out at the world rather than constantly looking at myself for some hint about the universe. But yesterday, while sitting on a … Continue reading

Posted in aging, aging is not for the weak of heart, anxiety, triathlete, triathlon, triathlons, we run and ride, We Run and Ride Every Day, werunandride | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

February thaw and feeling it for real

Today might have been a nice day to get out and play on the roads. The February thaw we’ve been waiting for began in earnest this morning. Temps hit forty-four degrees. The 21″ snowbanks are sagging now. The earth welcomes … Continue reading

Posted in Christopher Cudworth, competition, race pace, racing peak, running, triathlete, triathlon, triathlons | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Life is one big classroom

Many of us recall moments like that in which teachers helped us break through insecurities, fears, and misgivings. Some were tough influences when we needed a kick in the butt. Others were gentle guides when we needed encouragement. It takes a village. Continue reading

Posted in Christopher Cudworth, running, track and field, training, triathlete, triathlon, triathlons | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

We’ve all got our swimming crosses to bear

Today in the pool I swam next to two guys doing 100-meter repeats. One was clearly faster than the other, a tall gent who wore fins to keep up with his buddy. The faster swimmer alternated strokes from freestyle to … Continue reading

Posted in 400 meter intervals, 400 workouts, Christopher Cudworth, cross country, running, triathlon, triathlons | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Meet Mike Savage, one of my favorite Tri-Guys

The first time I got to know Mike Savage we were together riding on a long climb near Phoenix, Arizona during a weeklong Experience Triathlon spring training camp. We’d already done a couple rides that week along with a run … Continue reading

Posted in aging, aging is not for the weak of heart, climbing, college, competition, cycling, cycling the midwest, doing pulls in cycling, healthy aging, healthy senior, marathon, riding, running, swimming, tri-bikes, triathlete, triathlon, triathlons, we run and ride | 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

Laughter, joy, and loneliness and sex and sex and sex and sex

If you know the Rolling Stones song Shattered, you’ll recognize the headline of this blog today. That album came out the summer between my junior and senior year in college. I’d sing parts of that song as we ran mile … Continue reading

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Reflecting on 2020 and peering into 2021

If you read this blog, you know my politics. By every measure of American virtue–– be it traditional, progressive, conservative, or whatever–– 2020 was a red-letter shitshow. No one got what they wanted, which was freedom from the impact of … Continue reading

Posted in coronavirus, covid-19, cycling, mental health, triathlon, triathlons | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment