Was that Dorothy?

So, last night I ventured out to get in a good 12 miles. What was I thinking? Well, it would have been helpful to pay attention to the weather report...Wind advisory? Who cares...well let me tell you, I should have. Last night here in Chicago we had wind gusts up to 45+ mph!!! If you like dodging tree branches, and sand from the beech pelting at your face; may I recommend running in a wind storm. I swear I saw Dorothy and Toto fly by a couple of times...It was a good time, who doesn't enjoy running head on into the wind and not moving forward?

The Honolulu Marathon is less than two months away! If you haven't sponsored me for the AIDS Marathon yet please do so now. I am only $198.00 from my goal of $4,000! Please visit my donation page and sponsor me now. Thanks!

Go Cubs Go!

Here we go Cubbies!
With the first game of the playoffs tonight; I thought I would post a few pictures of yesterday's Cubs rally at the Daley Center in Downtown Chicago. Oh and the need to watch tonight's game in Wrigleyville which starts at 5:30CST is the reason I will not be running tonight.

Even the Picasso at Daley Center showed it's Cubbie Blue with Cubs hat.

Go Cubs! Here is a thought, click that link to the left and donate a dollar for every run the Cubs score! What a way to sponsor me!

Pictures!

Wow it has been some time since my last posting! Sorry about that, it has been a crazy past few weeks. I have a lot to talk about, and not a lot of time today, but wanted to get something up so I am going to share with you some photos...most of these were taken by Coach Bill's wife Kathy and this will be the first picture...

This is Coach Bill and his wife Kathy with John who is our team rep. from the National AIDS Marathon Training Program. They are a great couple of people, they make us laugh, and support us each and every weekend...Thank you!!!

This is my pace group, well part of it, getting ready and then starting one of our runs....

Melissa, Julia, Holly, Levi, Janelle, me, and Omar...

Julia

Melissa and I after 16 miles!

Two people, Omar and Bernie left our group due to injury...and look two new people joined, Noel and Brian.
I think this was taken right after I realized we would be running 14 miles that morning!!!

If I only knew there was a camera in sight...this would have never been taken...

So, I am going to get back to my work now, lunch break over! But not without my update on fundraising. I am now at $3,647.40 which is only $52.60 from the minimum fundraising goal of $3,700. However it is $352.60 from my personal goal of $4,000. Thank you to everyone who has supported me this far. If you have not, but would like to sponsor me it is not too late...Please visit my donation page and show your support now and help make the lives of those living with HIV/AIDS better. Donate here.

TGIF!

What a week it has been, TGIF!

After getting over my cold from last weekend and getting back to the gym and into my training, I am faced with my longest run so far. Tomorrow morning I will venture out to complete 16 miles! I am really excited about this and am looking forward to a good run.

Tonight, I am meeting up with a group of friends for dinner at Calos Ristorante to get in a nice dinner of good carbs to help get me through tomorrow's run.

Being that it is Friday afternoon I am going to make this post short, but leave you with this video from an episode of Friends.


This is how I feel sometimes when I am running.

If you haven't done so, please sponsor me by clicking on my donation page. Today I am at $3,227.40 with only $472.60 left to raise to him my minimum fundraising goal. I would love it if I could raise more, so please take a moment and sponsor me.

Have a great weekend!

The best laid plans....

Building up to this past weekend, I had plans and intentions to take part in my 7 mile training run on Saturday morning and the Nike+ 10k Human Race on Sunday night followed by a concert by Fall Out Boy.

Well somewhere after going to Ravinia on Thursday night I caught one hell of a cold. Friday after coming home from work, I completely crashed on my sofa and didn't, couldn't, move until sometime about Sunday evening.

Believe me I tried to muster up the strength and even at times tried to convince myself I could make it downtown and to the Human Race. I even picked up the course map, studied it, and thought..."hmm, if I make it to at least mile 2 there is an aid station and I could fall out there if need". What? What is wrong with me? Well, my thoughts turned to how not too pretty I would should I attempt such a fate.

I am glad that I listened to my body and stayed glued to my sofa. While not 100% I am feeling much better. You know I am not feeling well when I miss a training run, AND, cancel my personal training appointment. Which note to self; If you cancel a personal training session, keep in mind that you just may run into your trainer on the 146 express bus on your way home from work...good thing I still sound like I am sick and, well, must still look like it as he said "ya, you should take some time".

So, now that I am sitting upright again, and I can actually breath, I am looking forward to getting to the gym tomorrow and sweating the rest of this out of me...gross I know, but it works! Also looking forward to getting my but back to seriously working out and training. Hit it!

Please keep in mind my goal and why I am training; I am running with the AIDS Marathon Training Program to run the 2008 Honolulu Marathon and to raise money for the AIDS Foundation. Please visit my donation page and sponsor me.

This Week

Hello! So this week I have experienced my first "injury" due to running. I say "injury" in quotes because it wasn't a full on injury just little soreness in my lower leg just between my calf muscle. After last weekends long run I don't think I stretched properly. Monday night I went out for my maintenance run and it started hurting then. Tuesday I made a call to Novacare, one of the AIDS Marathon Sponsors, and spoke to an athletic trainer/therapist who basically politely scolded me for not stretching properly and gave me some stretching tips. After taking Tuesday and Wednesday as rest days I am off to run in yet another Thursday night 5k, the Athens Sister City Shuffle, followed by some Greek dining and a drink or two. So, tomorrow I promise to have my results and more details as I just realized I have about 20 minutes to get to the race.

Don't forget why I am running and please sponsor me. Thanks to those who already have.

Overheard at Nordstrom

I just had to share this...

Ok, put aside that I had to go to Nordstrom after going to the gym to buy new underwear as I had forgotten a clean change for post gym….
As I am going down the escalator, behind me I hear “well Cherl, due to the Derrick situation, you are entitled to go out and get yourself laid”

I don't know who Derrick is, nor do I know what his situation is. But, thank you Derrick for entitling Cherl to go out and get herself laid!

-Happy Tuesday, go get yourself laid! but not before you sign up to sponsor me. I only have about $1,200 to go and could use your help.