Well the fact that this was my first race over 1/2 marathon distance had me a little worried at first that I had bitten off more than I could chew.  The training runs helped me more mentally than anything else, since there was less fear of the unknown, but there was no denying that 50k is a long ways.  The night before was an awesome time to get to meet the other runners and listen to people share their great running stories.  It was amazing to hear stories from people who have been running ultras since before I was born!  There was also a great sense of camaraderie amongst the runners knowing that all of us were about to face something that promised to be special.  Starting out the next morning was very surreal.  A friend and I laughed at the comment that the hundreds of people running down this dark, wooded road with just flashlights guiding the path felt like a scene from an apocalyptic movie. 

 As the miles went on I looked forward to the next great view to be offered or for the friendly faces and encouraging words of the aid station volunteers (those guys were awesome!).  It was great fun to talk with the other runners on the trail, but the excitement for me really started on the first descent.  I love the feeling of barreling down hills, tip-toeing over rocks and boulders at full speed.  That appreciation definitely came from Horton, who in class taught us early on how to run downhill quickly (and how to tuck your body in and roll when you start to outrun your legs!). 

 Just before the rolling hills, past the halfway point, a volunteer at an aid station told me that not many people were ahead of me.  It was a great word of encouragement and I began to set in to a more competitive mindset rather than a survival mindset.  It was an indescribable experience to try to chase down runners who were well ahead of me, but it was definitely an adrenaline rush and it added another exciting element to what was already an adventurous undertaking.  Hiking/running (mostly hiking) up the dark side of the course was the biggest challenge by far and I found that's where I really had to push myself.  I kept thinking of what Vince Lombardi once said, "The good Lord gave you a body that can do almost anything. It's your mind you have to convince."  Thankfully, the good Lord also decided not to make that mountain a single foot taller.  Lunging back downhill in the final leg of the race brought back some of the exhilaration of the first major descent, albeit with more pain this time, and I relished every moment knowing that I was step-by-step coming closer to the finish. 

 As I reached the gravel road, I was so proud that I hadn't fallen while running the course (something that happened twice on the training runs).  With about a mile and a half to go, however, I hammered my toe into an embedded rock and took a sudden spill.  As taught by Horton, and some nasty previous experiences, I instinctively braced for the impact and started to roll with my momentum.  I came up with some scrapes and bruises, but nothing major.  It actually gave me some comedic relief in knowing that the smoothest section of the course was what took me down.  As I trudged across the Finish line, I was so glad to just stop moving.  The runners who had finished before me were all extremely supportive and congratulatory.  I just had my eyes on the stream flowing through the campground, as the temperatures had been steadily rising the entire race.  Overall, Promise Land was an unforgettable experience and one that I am deeply proud of.  It was a great, if not daunting, choice for my first ultra, and it certainly won't be my last!

 Robert Webster