Cheryl Collins Gatons grew up believing a person could plan his or her life and that everything would work out according to that plan. However, on November 3, 2006, she learned otherwise when her husband died suddenly. Farther Than 26.2 Miles is the true story of Cheryl, who went from running simply for the fun of it to qualifying for the Olympic marathon trials, thrusting her into the world of competitive running. It was in that world that Cheryl met another competitive runner, Kevin, and the two fell in love. Their shared passion for running brought the pair together, but it also tore them apart, as Kevin passed away navigating the state cross-country course with an athlete he coached. Cheryl shares her difficult journey in Farther Than 26.2 Miles —how running brought her to the love of her life, how it took him away from her, and how it helped her survive after he was gone.