Tag Archives: training

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: 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: Party till you drop

Posted on January 2, 2022 by Christopher Cudworth

I had a problem during the summer of 1981. The coach house I was renting became Party Central for my circle friends including my running buddies and a group of co-workers who loved having a place to toke up in … Continue reading →

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50 Years of Running: Alternative Realities

Posted on December 9, 2021 by Christopher Cudworth

The circumstances by which I wound up running for Luther College were serendipitous. By the end of senior year in high school, I’d applied and was accepted to Augustana College in Rock Island. During my visit out there, I ran … Continue reading →

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Sometimes it pays not to follow your original instincts

Posted on March 30, 2021 by Christopher Cudworth

Last Sunday I planned to run a seven mile loop along the river path. It was windy as heck from the northwest, so it made sense to tuck down in the valley and avoid the worst of the bluster. My … Continue reading →

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Accepting limitations is sometimes the best strategy

Posted on December 18, 2020 by Christopher Cudworth

On Wednesday morning I woke up feeling the tingle of a cold forming in my throat and sinuses. I’d run thirteen miles on Sunday, took a rest day, ran five miles on Tuesday, and felt a bit tired that afternoon. … Continue reading →

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Turning points: what they tell you about performance, and yourself

Posted on October 19, 2020 by Christopher Cudworth

When it comes to successful training and races, we all hope for a “turning point.” That is the moment when the body and brain kick into gear and things begin to roll. Making good on the promise of a positive … Continue reading →

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Wrestling with fear and purification

Posted on October 14, 2020 by Christopher Cudworth

One of the things I frankly fear as a writer is “missing the mark.” It happens now and then. Clients are typically frustrated or angered by that outcome. In a worst case scenario, that means going back to the starting … Continue reading →

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We’re all on a lifelong mission of self-recovery

Posted on June 15, 2020 by Christopher Cudworth

At one point during my early 20s, I worked part-time jobs while training nearly full-time as a distance runner. Though I knew I wasn’t world class by any means, the mood among serious runners in the early 80s was one … Continue reading →

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“You’re fast.”

Posted on June 9, 2020 by Christopher Cudworth

As the years pile up, the words “You’re fast” aren’t heard so much. On a typical day, my per-mile pace is 3:00 slower than it was while running in my 20s and 30s. That is why it was amusing to … Continue reading →

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