Despite the January chill and Vicksburg hills, runners and walkers persevered for the eighth annual Chill in the Hills 10k run and 5k race walk Saturday morning.

This was partially due, no doubt, to the many cheerleaders along the race’s downtown route.

Natalie Boland, an avid fan of Mississippi State and her running family members, pulled out her cowbells to cheer on her family from her yard on Chambers Street.

“I put some signs out to cheer on Allie, my daughter, and my husband John,” she said. “When I saw the runners coming I got out our cowbells and just started ringing.”

Not a runner herself, Boland said cheering on her family is her way to get involved.

She has also cheered on runners and walkers in previous years, going back to the first year the race was held, eight years ago.

Becky Jabour traveled along the race route to cheer on her daughter Lauren Jabour Coulon, starting at the corner of Adams and First streets and finishing just before the bridge on Cherry Street near the end of the race.

“She likes for us to come support her,” she said. “They’ve got a good group of them that all run together.”

Jabour said she likes the atmosphere of the races, and she’s traveled to New Orleans and Canton to watch her daughter race.

“I used to do the races,” she said. “I used to do the runs, but now I just cheer her on.”

Race volunteer Phyllis Foster was stationed at the halfway mark wielding a sign that read “Go!” and passing out water to racers.

“We’re here to support the walkers because they need assistance and they need encouragement,” she said. “I admire these people who get out here and do this. I know I couldn’t do it.”

Foster was there with a group of volunteers from Lifting Lives Ministries, an organization raising funds to develop a family shelter in Vicksburg.

“We do a lot of service projects,” she said. “We’re in service to the community.”

Martin’s at Midtown owner Lisa Martin said to reward cheerleaders, she sent runner Laura Callaway out with some surprises.

“We sent her out with three Martin’s at Midtown gift cards to throw to the most spirited people,” she said. “Next year that’s going to be part of it. We’re going to make it where neighborhoods compete.”

Despite taking a spill, Callaway was able to finish the race and get the surprise gift cards delivered to unsuspecting encouragers along the route.

“While I was running, even after I fell, I passed out gift cards,” she said. “As I was running, I had them stuck in my handy-dandy pocket, and I threw them to them.”

Martin called the Neighborhood Mark the Route program a success. This was the first year the program was implemented, and it allowed businesses and residents along the race route to buy signs to help mark the route.

“I think it made everyone talk about the race,” she said. “It had a couple of different benefits, plus the signs were so cute.”