Cheryl Jones: 1^st Time Ultra Runner

Finishing Time: 6:43:14

"You're gonna run how far?" That was the reaction I got when I told family and friends that I had decided to run Holiday Lake. As the race go close to starting I too began to think "You're gonna run how far?" I kept wondering, what do people think about for that long? I was about to find out. As the race took off, at a blistering pace, I realized I was really doing it, no turning back now. It was cold and dark yet as we entered the trail we were all laughing and talking. The day continued and so did I, I kept making myself go slow and steady, walking the hills like Dr. Horton said because I wanted to finish. As I got to the halfway point I started to really visualize finishing, I was really going to do this. When I got to the last 9 miles I started to feel real sore and was beginning to walk more and more but it didn't matter because I could taste the finish now, nothing could stop me from crossing that line. When I finally reached the finish and thought back on how far I had just ran it seemed so surreal, I didn't quite believe what I had just done, or that I was just running for that long, it went by so fast.

When I got home, I took a nap and when I got up boy did I feel bad. I was sore in places I had never been sore before. During the race I feared having to go to the bathroom because of the painful briars I had to crawl through, now I feared going to the bathroom because of the pain, it inflicted on my quads. Now that I am done the big question is, "Will you do it again?" I believe that I will. It was way too fun to never do it again. The people you meet and the feeling of accomplishment you get just for finishing. How could you ever give that up completely?