Uncategorized

Tomorrow is the big day

| cheriarmour

I totally didn’t mean it purposefully when I scheduled the kick-off for collections to start on 12/12/12.  That’s good luck or something, right?

So, starting tomorrow, I am logging every single mile I run through my handy Garmin.  For every mile I run, you donate a sum of money.  If you’re afraid I’m going to run too many miles for your wallet, you can also donate a lump sum to go directly to Mercy Corps, currently in Haiti continuing recovery efforts after the effects of January 2010’s earthquake.  Under the ‘Donate’ tab, I have provided step-by-step instructions on what you can do to contact me to pledge an amount.  Your only job after you follow those instructions is to follow me at my blog til the end of January. Fun, and easy as pie, right?

For the shoe nerds out there keeping track, this shoe that I've taken to running my short runs in is Adidas' tempo. Light stability and light cushioning with a super light upper, and a surprisingly durable sole.
For the shoe nerds out there keeping track, this shoe that I’ve taken to running my short runs in is Adidas’ Tempo. Light stability and light cushioning with a super light upper, and a surprisingly durable sole.

 

Jingle Bell Run 5k

| cheriarmour

As you probably have figured out, I do a lot of running.  I know a fair bit about it because I work in running specialty (which is an absolutely blast!)

So this past Saturday, I did an adorable fun little 5k, the Jingle Bell 5k.  It was gorgeous, I got to run wearing antlers, I pr’ed, and I got some cute pics with my friends!

This is my trusty pair of Brooks Ghost 5s. Not pink, but they'll certainly do :)
This is my trusty pair of Brooks Ghost 5s. Not pink, but they’ll certainly do 🙂 Not sure if you can see, but the race organizers gave us little bells to wear on our shoes, so we jingled the entire race.
Me and a few work buddies! Across the street is the Y where I teach classes!
Me and a few work buddies! Across the street is the Y where I teach classes!  If you’re a member, you should definitely come check me out.
Jingle 2
And this is me, almost finished with the race.

About Moi

| cheriarmour

I’d like for everyone who is donating, or following, or whatever to know who I am.  A little info about me, that’s not included in the “About Me” section.

I’m a 25-year-old Haitian female.  To be 100% correct, I am both Haitian and Trinidadian.  My parents met while they were in college in New York.  I currently live in Raleigh, North Carolina, where I work in running specialty.  I got hooked on fitness when I started teaching Zumba at NC State, where I worked on my Masters.  So I still teach Zumba, and run in my off time.  I adore both passionately.

I have a wicked sense of humor.  I live for Bravo TV, and really any book or television programming that will make me laugh out loud.  I’m not sure if I pride myself on all things pop culture, but whether it’s for better or for worse, I have this stockpile of useless pop culture knowledge.  (PS KATE MIDDLETON IS PREGNANT AND I’M FREAKING OUT!)

Annnd that’s pretty much it, I think?  I don’t feel like I’m that interesting, but I fully welcome prying, personal questions, so you guys fire away!  I’ll be sure from here on out to post lost of interesting pictures so you get the full Cheri experience here for the next month or so.

Here goes!

| cheriarmour

I have to admit (and maybe this isn’t a great way to win a vote of confidence), that this official blog thing is absolute terrifying to me.  Sure, I’ve dabbled in celebrity blogging, and some tumblr posts for the 14-year-old girl in me, but this official chronicle of the work that’s about to go into my charity work for Haiti is a little daunting.  So let me explain what it is that we’re doing here.

So I’m a fairly avid runner.  I actually work in running now, which is pretty cool.  I spend most of my day around like-minded, fitnessy, and healthy folks.  So the other day, I was doing a short run, when the idea hit me.  I’m Haitian, and in my 25 years, Haiti has really gone through it.  The largest of these events was a 7.0-magnitude earthquake in January of 2010, which absolutely devastated the already-struggling country.  Following the earthquake, which resulted in massive loss of life, the country was again and again devastated by hurricanes the following hurricane season, which further stunted the recovery efforts.  Long story short, Haiti’s got a ways to go.

So I’m running the other day, I think a tempo run.  Short and fast, nothing really special.  And if you know anything about you, you totally know that my brain never shuts off.  So especially when I’m running, my mind just goes and goes and goes and goes.  So I get to thinking about Haiti, and I start playing with what I can do to actually make some sort of difference this year, instead of just remaking .  Here’s what I came up with.

I run.  God willing, I will be running throughout the month of December and January (despite some of these freezing temperatures!) So why not run for a reason?  Why not use the fact that I’m able-bodied to do something larger than myself?  So what I came up with was an idea.  Between December 12th, 2012, and the end of January, 2013, I plan to log every single mile that I run with the help of my Garmin, and this blog.  For each mile I run, I’m rallying the troops to pledge some amount of money.  What I’m hoping is to raise awareness, and some funds to let Haitians know that we care, even 3 years later.

Like I said, this task is ridiculously daunting.  It’s going to take a colossal amount of planning, coordination, organization, and commitment to raise my goal of at least $1500.  But this idea came to me for a reason, and I want to see this through.  So I’m inviting you to follow me from planning, to when the organization I’m working with collects our final total.  Cheers to a successful finish!