2009 Midlands 100 Miler – Chanleigh Mason

WOOHOO! I did it! And with those three words the pain, agony and exhaustion of running 160km’s non-stop are soon forgotten. That’s what 100 Miler is all about for me.

The complete experience of Midlands 100 Miler is very difficult to explain to someone who is not a runner and who has not been there before, let alone trying to convince people that you are actually not certifiably insane for wanting to run 160km’s. There are times when I feel good, and times when I feel ‘okay’. There are the up sections and the down sections, the ‘I’ve-lost-my-sense-of-humour’ sections as well as the ‘I-don’t-think-I-can-go-another-step’ sections - but these all fade away into oblivion when you enter the grounds to cross the Finish Line….. and it doesn’t stop there!

The Midlands 100 Miler Prizegiving is the most amazing event I have had the privilege of attending. Inspiring, emotional and hilarious all at the same time. This year my father-in-law (who is not a runner), formed part of my seconding team, and when there wasn’t a dry eye in the hall, I turned to him and said: “This is why I do it!”

To John and his committee – I say a huge THANK YOU with every (non-aching) muscle in my body for giving me a memory that I will never forget. A memory that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, a memory that makes me feel INVINCIBLE!