Last weekend's long run was 10 miles which I've done on many an occasion, so there really is not much to talk about as far as my training goes. So, I was thinking, what the heck could I talk about? Maybe a past experience with running? Maybe something else?
I chose something else.
Over the years of my 43 years in existence, I've worn many things. You could say I was a master of disguise (or not.) It's true though. At one point in my teenage years I was a svelte, cardigan wearing poster child of the 80s/90s.
Yes, this is my senior picture. Such a dashing young man. Even the jeans were pretty stellar.
There was a time where I was thought to be a knight of the round table:
I know a couple people that are probably not going to be very happy that this picture is plastered even further across the internet. And really, when did they have sun glasses in the middle ages?
I've been a Dark Lord Of The Sith, a werewolf in London, and, like I've said a millions times before: I'm Batman.
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| Even Batman has to shop sometimes. |
I've even had a bad hair day (or two...or three.)
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| Note the arrow pointing towards the ever classic mullet. |
One of the things I've worn best, and I'm most proud of wearing of course, is a uniform (that fits again after almost 20 years.)
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| Recruit Hull in 1994. |
All of that aside, there have been a few things I've worn, but there is one thing that I swore I would never wear. Not even on Halloween. That of course, would be a dress. I know it's all fun and games, but still, no matter what, I told myself no way would I ever wear a dress.
Never say never people. As some of you know, it eventually happened. When I signed up for my second half marathon, I discovered that you could run for a charity. I had never done anything like that before, so I decided to try to do something good. I had no idea what I was doing, or even how I was going to get people to donate. We all like to give as much as we can, but there are times where it just is not possible. I knew it would be tough, and I knew that I needed ideas for fundraising. I really didn't have any. One of my best friends said that you should tell people you'd wear a dress if you reach a certain goal. I told him no way. Well, after a week or so of mulling that idea over, I decided to roll with it. I figured, what the hell, why not? It was for a good cause, so what harm could it do?
I set a few goals that year. The first was to wear a dress while I DJed at the bar. The next step was to wear a dress to a hockey game. After that, I set a goal to dress as Wonder Woman (I'm not sure really how that one came into play to be honest.) After reaching those goals, and seeing as how much I raised, a friend of mind said that if I reached 2k raised, he would join me at the bar in a dress. Another friend chimed in that no way would I reach that mark, so he would join too if I did. Needless to say, both of them ended up wearing dresses as well. It didn't end there. Another friend said if I reached 5k, he would do it. You can all guess what happened next. That's right. Four of Pittsburgh's ugliest women were in the bar raising more money for charity.
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| Not even Wonder Woman could stop that from happening. |
Well, now that I had to wear a dress, I had to go shop for one. As funny as it was, it was still an interesting experience. Going to the Target to dress shop with one of your best friends seemed like a super fun thing to do. And it is, if you are a girl. I of course am not. However, my friend Bonnie was more than happy to help out while her husband David wanted no part of it (the dress thing was his idea, even if he was joking originally.)
The looks people were giving us in Target were pretty priceless. You have a women, handing a man a dress, saying "hold this up to your neck. Let me see what it looks like on you. Nope, not your color. Here, hold these. OK let's try them on." I'm pretty sure the other women in the store were trying to figure out if we were serious or if I was really dress shopping. I was ladies. I was. We didn't find anything at Target that really worked or even fit for that matter, so we made our way to Kohls instead. That's when the madness really began.
Now, brace yourselves, because these are never before seen pictures of me, trying on dresses.
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| The first of many..... |
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| Meh.....moobs... |
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| Not even fit for a grandma..... |
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| Hey...how you doin? |
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| I'm not exactly sure why I'm laughing here.... |
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| Ok, now I'm just being a bit weird. |
Yeah, this one make me look like a Peg Bundy reject. I really hate leopard print. Even even more so if it's stuck on me. And this one was stuck. I had a hard time getting it off.
I finally settled on something (it was ugly, but not as ugly as everything above) and thankfully it was on the clearance rack. Only had to waste eight bucks. However, I had to get a second one for the hockey game. The one I bought for the bar was not really family friendly if I sat down, and it's a hockey game. I would have frozen my behind off. So, my friend Shelby and I hit the thrift store before the game and found the worst Golden Girls looking dress we could find.
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| Look how uncomfortable David is.... |
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| I'm not sure what Bob Grove's hand is doing, but it didn't make me make this face I swear. |
As I walked around the Consol Energy Center, I could hear people saying things like, "you've got to be kidding me. This has to be a joke. Did that guy lose a bet?" Thankfully, I had a sign on my back that said why I had the dress on, and even made some more money for donations.
The last thing to do now, was the night at the bar. The auction that night helped me raise another $500.00 and put me at $5500 raised for the Mario Lemieux Foundation. Not a bad night of work. I could not have done it though, without these lovely ladies:
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| Left to Right: Mike Jackson, Bryan Benson, me, and Roger DeFurio |
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| SMH |
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| And somehow, even after this, Sam still married Roger.' |
It didn't end there. I did promise to run in a tutu for the entire 13.1 miles of the half marathon if I hit that $5500.00 goal. I delivered.
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| Battered, bloodied, and tutued (is that a even a word?) |
The overall experience of fundraising has been great. I never really set a goal of how much I could raise, but I don't really like to take the credit for what was raised. It wasn't just me that was involved in this fundraising campaign. It was all of you as well. I didn't raise $5875.00 that year. WE did. We raised another $2600.00 the following year. This year, I would love to do the same, but I cannot do that without all of your help. I may be the one running this marathon, but you, all of you, are part of my team. WE are all a part of Team Lemieux.
Until next time folks...keep on running.
Sinceriously Yours,
Chuck Hull, The Running Jedi
#26miles26dedications #rughpgh #gameonpgh #lovetherun
PS: Don't forget, chances to win cool stuff from me from this years fundraising campain. I would love to raffle off that signed Mario Lemieux puck! If we hit the $1600.00 goal, it will be the Mario Lemieux jersey. It doesn't matter how much you can donate. Everyone gets the same amount of chances to win.
https://www.crowdrise.com/lemieuxpittsburgh2016/fundraiser/chuckhull
(Don't forget, some companies match donations. Mine does. Does yours?)
PPS:
I'll leave you with this....the thing of nightmares. I still can't get this image out of my head. And now, neither can you. You're welcome.
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| Amy still kept him...even after all of this. |
Yes, this is my senior picture. Such a dashing young man. Even the jeans were pretty stellar.
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