Cherie Hill Lombardo was fortunate to grow up in a house with parents that knew the importance of being active. Woodstown didn’t have many ‘girl’ sports in the early 80’s, but her parents never let that keep her from participating athletically. She started out playing baseball and soccer on the boy’s teams, and then eventually found programs that offered girls basketball, soccer and of course softball... she thanks her Dad for her pitching arm and his willingness to replace all the windows in the garage as she was learning! 

To Cherie, working out is about more than just lacing up a pair of running shoes and heading out for a run or going to the gym for a good sweat. It’s about friendships, inspiration and the support you get while being active. She acknowledges the backbone of her got-to-be-moving lifestyle is Lady Fitness in Woodstown and all the incredible women that have kept her working out day after day. A special thank you goes to the girls that push her harder than she pushes herself (Liz, Lisa, Tina, Mary, Stacy and so many more). 
  
As the Principal of Pitman High School, Cherie’s job just like many others, can call for a late night at a moment’s notice. She always keeps a pair of running shoes in her car just in case she can’t get to the gym or it’s too dark for a run by the time she gets home. Fifteen to thirty minutes of walking always gives her the energy to make it through the night event no matter what’s in-store. Sometimes that means laps in the school halls or a quick trek around the block. She believes that excuses only work when you have someone that will listen with a sympathetic ear - and personally she doesn’t surround herself with those ‘sympathetic’ people because if she did, she would be eating way too much fast food…again...and making excuses like she used to do. Cherie knows better than that now…she wants to be told the cold, hard-truth and nothing else!  “French fries are extremely hard to resist, but sliding into skinny jeans for the weekend is definitely more rewarding in the end.”

Cherie sets goals: short-term, long-term and every term in-between. They keep her motivated, they keep her focused and most importantly, they keep her wanting to be a better person. Running marathons is not something that was ever in her plan (especially with the 40 extra pounds she used to carry), but plans change, and in her case it was definitely for the better. She started out not being able to run a block, but that was ok, because she was out walking. Then she started to run, in short increments, but those increments continued to get longer and longer and that’s what really mattered. A marathon is 26.2 miles and every step Cherie takes while running one is a reminder of what being physically fit truly means. Not everyone will or even wants to run a marathon, and it’s definitely not for all individuals, but for her it’s about more than running 26.2 miles, it’s about setting goals and not stopping until they are reached. She has never called herself a runner, and she doesn’t know as if she ever will, but if she can motivate just one person to try running or walking or doing anything physical at all, then it has all been worth it.

Cherie’s wish for women of all ages is to try something new (a hobby, a workout routine, anything) and not to hesitate to try ‘that thing’ out of one’s comfort zone. Going out to hike in the woods, a bike ride, surf or even try karate…anything you want. Be spontaneous, courageous, be that woman that cherishes her ’every day’ and knows that she, YOU, is worth it! Find ‘that thing’ that gives you a sense of accomplishment beyond what has ever been dreamed…like when you finish 26.2 miles. 
 
Cherie’s favorite quote is by Will Rogers, “Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today.” This quote is essential in maintaining her sanity when attempting to balance a job, daily physical activity and life-in-general. It is a constant reminder that if she has a stressful day at work, if she misses a run or time at the gym, or if she eats an over-the-top delicious dinner at The Salem City Café or has whipped cream on one of Erin’s scrumptious lattes at Beans in Woodstown, that tomorrow will be another day. That new day will always put the craziness back into perspective, and without a doubt make everything that happened ‘yesterday’, a thing of the past, and today more than okay!

What fitness goals has Cherie set for herself from here on out? She wants to start to focus more on nutrition (and less on french fries) and work to decrease her BMI to a place that allows for her to cut her marathon times down while still maintaining a healthy life, and an occasional latte with whipped cream if she wants one. 

Just a few of Cherie’s favorite reads to keep your brain moving as much as your body: Age is Just a Number, Dara Torres (autobiography of Dara Torres and the coming of age…age 40 that is); Born To Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World has Never Seen, Christopher McDougall (personal account of the Tarahumara Indian Tribe from Mexico and their ability to run hundreds of miles in one day).

ENJOY!
Cherie Hill Lombardo
Pilesgrove, NJ  
Age 40