Jefferson City area youth already won before Saturday's Happy Feet for Healthy Minds 5K run/walk had even started.
Sponsors contributed $10,000 to the annual fundraiser before any runners stood at its starting line, said Karen Cade, vice president of Pathways Central Region.
Pathways, part of the Compass Health Network, provides family medicine, dental, mental health, and alcohol and drug treatment for individuals of all ages. But money generated during Happy Feet, Pathways' largest fundraiser for Jefferson City, is earmarked for the Children's Center in Jefferson City, where it will be used for mental health and addiction treatment programs, Leah Kempker, a fleet director, said. Saturday morning's run/walk marked the fifth consecutive year of the event.
"We usually try to do it about the same time every year," Kempker said. "It keeps growing every year."
More than 80 people signed up for the run in advance. Twenty-five more people signed in for same-day registration.
Ria Newcomb, of Camdenton, drove up to Jefferson City early to be certain she was there for the Saturday morning kickoff.
Newcomb who works for Compass said she had several reasons to participate in the run. One was to support her employer and its mission to help people in need. Participating in the fun activity helps the organization raise money in places where it's needed, she said.
Also, she and a friend have a goal of completing a number of 5K run/walks per year.
"Our goal was to do one a month last year," Newcomb said. "This year, I've already done six."
Anytime an activity raises awareness of community needs is a good thing, she said.
Kempker also coaches a softball team, which participated in the run/walk as a team-building exercise.
The team (The Young Wanted) received a sponsorship from Riley Chevrolet in Jefferson City. The car dealership provided all the team members with bright orange T-shirts and paid their race entrance fees.
Jaiden Kansler, 13, said she had not run a 5K before, but was looking forward to the challenge beforehand.
Aubrey Pedrin, 12, had to get up early for the run - 5 a.m. She lives in Rolla. She has participated in other 5Ks for causes, she said.
Seventy-four-year-old Bill Gerling, of Jefferson City, said he was disappointed in his time for Saturday's 29 minutes, 15 second race.
"I'm recovering from a cracked rib," he said. "I had a bicycle wreck a couple of weeks ago. It feels good right now."
Gerling, who has been running since he was in his 20s, said if he weren't injured, he'd have run about a minute faster.
John Braucher, of Warsaw, said he began running in the 1990s. At the time, he was still a smoker, though.
"In 2008, I quit smoking for good," Braucher said. "I was doing a 5K in El Dorado Springs. If you know El Dorado Springs, that area is hilly. I was bent over double."
The first overall finisher of the run was Braden Voss, according to the race website. Voss, 74, finished in 19:37. The first female finisher was just four seconds behind him. Alexa Lamb, 14, finished in 19:41, according to the site.