WSU alumna pushes herself to keep on climbing

For one woman, taking part in the Tenzing Hilary Everest Marathon meant running in her first marathon and taking a break from being a working single mother to be closer to the mountain.

Most people do not participate in their first marathon on Mount Everest, located in Nepal, on the opposite side of the world from where they were born. But Kay Cherryholmes, a self-proclaimed COD (compulsive optimist disorder), and the U.S. representative for the Tenzing Hilary Everest Marathon, did just that.

Cherryholmes works for Cox Business but previously worked as a social worker. She received her bachelor’s degree in social work from Wichita State in 1995.

“I’ve always wanted to run mountain races since I was in college,” Cherryholmes said. “About eight years ago, I started to do Pike Peaks Ascent, which is a half marathon.”

A half marathon is about 13 miles. A marathon is 26.2 miles.

 “I find my connection to, kind of, God on a mountain and I get recharged for life. You just find a lot of inspiration on a mountain,” she said.

Cherryholmes wanted to do something out of her comfort zone and out of the country. She considered the Great Wall of China Marathon but once she found out about the Everest Marathon, Cherryholmes knew right away where she wanted to run.

 “I’m an athlete from the shoulders up,” Cherryholmes said. 

Losing weight is not easy for her, so prior to leaving for Nepal she “gained” weight, she said. 

“I couldn’t get skinnier, because I’m not good at that, so 90 days before the marathon I bought a 40-pound jacket, almost like a bomber jacket, which has sand bags,” Cherryholmes said.

Once it was time to leave, she took the jacket off, giving her a better idea about what the altitude would feel like going up Mount Everest.

In May 2010, Cherryholmes left for Nepal for two-and-a-half weeks. The marathon was run in breaks during a 14-day stretch.

Once there, the runners were asked how many marathons they had competed in. Everyone found out it was the first marathon for Cherryholmes.

“I felt I was way out of my league,” Cherryholmes said. “Some of these runners had sponsors.”

Cherryholmes said she was trying to spend time on the mountain and not really wanting to win the marathon. With so much emphasis in the West about body size, she thought she wouldn’t have to think about that.

On the first day of check-in at Kathmandu, five young girls wearing school uniforms passed Cherryholmes and told her “Namaste.” All was great until one girl giggled and told Cherryholmes, “You so fat.”

Cherryholmes asked a Nepalese Sherpa what “fat” meant in Nepalese and he blew up his cheeks. Cherryholmes knew she had been called fat half way around the world.

“You are fat Ms. Kay, you know that right?” asked the Sherpa and later told Cherryholmes that they had never seen a fat runner before.

After laughs, sadness, happiness and moments when Cherryholmes pushed herself to continue on, she was the last runner to reach the cut-off breaks and the last person to finish.

College Hill United Methodist Church will host a talk and slide show presentation with Cherryholmes. She will explain the day-by-day experiences over the 17,000-foot trek. The event starts at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday at 2930 E 1st St. Everyone is welcome and it is free of charge.