Hana Kajimura

Charles (Chuck) Louden, 48, moved to San Francisco 25 years ago. He swims three times a week, runs Saturday morning, rides 80-90 miles Sunday as a training ride leader with PosPeds, a group of HIV positive cyclers, teaches an aerobics class, and attends yoga at least once a week. Louden has coached swimming and cross-country at three private high schools in San Fransisco.

“I ran into somebody on the street that I had had sex with a long time ago, and he was really sick,” Louden said. “I had this really bad, sinking feeling. I went to my doctor and sure enough, I was HIV positive.”

He was 30.

Louden estimated that he had roughly 10 years to live. It was as good a time as any to push himself.

“I thought, I better do this now, I better not wait,” Louden said.

Louden’s father, a physician, encouraged Louden to compete in smaller races. Despite his father’s concerns, Louden trained hard that same summer, lost some weight and got stronger.

“I ran the San Francisco marathon in August of ’92,” Louden said. “I ran it in three hours and 25 minutes. Long story short, I’ve run 107 marathons.”