Cooking with Cheryl

Cheryl Cook was born in Boston, Mass and grew up as an Army brat enduring her father’s thirty-one year active and reserve military career.  Her father retired at the rank of Colonel and in civilian life the family continued to relocate to facilitate construction of book publishing plants in Pennsylvania and Vermont and later developing newspaper chains in the Carolinas and Georgia.  Summers were spent on various military bases where her type A father continued his reserve service as an instructor for the Army Infantry School, Army Artillery School and for the Army Command and General Staff College.  Her mother was a stay at home mom, wherever that happened to be, until Cheryl and her sibling sister left for college.  Cheryl’s mother then pursued a successful career as an award winning advertising manager for Community Newspapers, the same employer that Cheryl’s father was working for.   

Cheryl did not become active in athletics until her senior year in high school when she developed a knack for playing defense on the girls’ basketball team.  She continued playing basketball at Brevard College in her freshman year.  She later attended the University of Tennessee.  Cheryl’s first career was in advertising/public relations with the Oak Ridge Group in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.  Her son Chad was born in Oak Ridge in 1982.

Following a divorce, Cheryl moved to Clayton, Georgia to be closer to her parents.  She worked with an affiliate newspaper in nearby Highlands, North Carolina where she earned Special Publications Advertising Director of the Year recognition.  Tiring of balancing being on the road and a single mom, Cheryl pursued a career as a Medical Technologist returning to school acquiring a degree in Health Science Administration from the University of Phoenix.  She completed internships in a three state area.  Graduation followed with stints at Oconee Memorial in Seneca, South Carolina and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.  Cheryl’s vocation had a profound effect on son Chad, who matured to pursue a career as a Paramedic and Firefighter.  Chad became involved in recreational league athletics working with Barry Cook, who was the Athletic Director of Parks and Recreation for Rabun County, Georgia. Cheryl volunteered to coach basketball for Barry and ended up coaching herself into remarriage and a return to athletics.

Tragedy stuck in 2003 when Cheryl suffered a debilitating injury to her right hand resulting in endless hours of physical therapy.  Cheryl used the down time to pursue another career change earning a Master’s Degree in Education-Cross Categorical Special Education from the University of Phoenix.   Teaching others to overcome challenges and injury came naturally following Cheryl’s experience as she taught the following eight years in both the private and public school sectors.  Both Barry and Cheryl coached basketball, fast-pitch softball, and track.  Spending days in a classroom and constantly on the road in their spare time led to the infamous coach’s diet of fast food and anything for an energy boost. Pounds went on and health plus fitness declined in direct proportion.  

Rock and Roll Savannah 2011After developing a fear of being taller laying down than standing up, Cheryl resolved to restore her health through biking and running.  The pounds begin to drop off as she participated in local 5K races and she celebrated shedding one hundred and six pounds by participating in an Olympic Triathlon event in Chattanooga, Tennessee.  The experience was brutal.  Cheryl completed the swim alongside a dead carp after fellow swimmers barreled over her, almost was the last place finisher in the bike ride portion of the event, but rallied to catch son Chad in the run.   

 Cheryl and Barry left teaching and coaching in 2010 to help care for respective ailing parents who were enduring health issues.  Barry and Cheryl have since acquired the designation as health and wellness coaches with AdvoCare and have traveled the Southeast and Midwest for the past three years helping others achieve fitness goals.  Running together has created special memories to include the 2013 Disney Goofy Challenge with son and daughter in law. Cheryl joined Athens Workout Warriors and credits trainer April Williams in learning to train sensibility, not just run until you drop.  Good nutrition aided Cheryl’s qualification for the USAT Duathlon National Championship to be conducted in Arizona in October 2013.   

X-Country Half MarathonCheryl discovered Run and See Georgia and the Black Bag race series at the January 2013 ML5K in Athens.  Run and See 2012 overall point’s queen and unofficial ambassador Kathy Givens introduced Cheryl to other participating runners and explained point chasing as only Kathy can do.  Ron Landen encouraged Cheryl participation in the Black Bag and Clover Glove series.  Husband Barry occasionally has joined the adventure to meet Cheryl’s running acquaintances.  The Disney Dopey Challenge with fellow runner Sarah Wishnietsky conquering 48.6 miles in four days is on the horizon possibly followed by emulating Georg Southgate completing fifty marathons in fifty states.  When her running pace occasionally slows, Cheryl and Barry are avid German Sheppard rescue participants.

Bob checking out from the back of the pack.  Watch for the profile on Milledgeville’s Troy Garland and the profile on Cheryl’ s fellow Dopey participant Sarah Wishnietsky.