After finishing my first 100, I knew that it was not going to be my last. I believe that this was the moment in my life that I became one with pain. I decided at mile 40 that there was no way that I was not going to finish. I started hurting at mile 20ish, pushed through to mile 40 and made a choice that the only way I was not going to cross the finish line was if someone pulled me from the course. I learned what it took that day to finish that race. I took every step with urgency, although my steps were getting slower. Even though the time was getting closer to the cut off, I still believed that I was going to finish and that drive kept me focused on the task at hand. I was determined. I was set to see what I could really do. I was not willing to allow all of my effort for the past 5 hours, then 10, then 15, then 20, then 25, then 29 hours go to waste. I was going to finish. It was around mile 60 when I decided that no matter what the outcome of this race was ( I knew I was going to finish, I just did not know when) I was going to have a rematch with myself the follow year. I knew I did not spend the time training that was truly needed to compete in a race like this. I knew I could do better!