Nearly 200 runners turn out at 5K to support program

While her older sister, Ashley, was running in the cold Thursday morning, Abigail Brotherton stayed inside the 4-H building at Arena Park, pouring batter onto a hot electric griddle.

"I'm making pancakes for the runners," the 10-year-old from Jackson explained. "Once they get done, we will serve them to them."

Ashley Brotherton, 20, is a member of the Southeast Missouri chapter of myTEAM TRIUMPH, an organization that helps people with disabilities participate in races even if they aren't physically able to run.

Individuals with disabilities -- called "captains" in myTEAM TRIUMPH parlance -- ride in three-wheeled racing chairs pushed by two to three "angels."

Ashley joined myTEAM TRIUMPH after Abigail saw someone in a wheelchair participating in a race with myTEAM TRIUMPH.

The myTEAM TRIUMPH Resolution 5K run Thursday at Arena Park in Cape Girardeau. (Fred Lynch)

"She signed up her sister, so here we are now, because little sister advocated for her big sister," said Ashley and Abigail's mother, Cynthia, who was among the volunteers preparing breakfast at the second annual Resolution Run, a 5-kilometer run that raises funds for myTEAM TRIUMPH.

Ashley was on her feet Thursday for a one-mile fun run held in conjunction with the longer race, her mother said.

"My daughter, she can walk, and she can run, but not very far," Cynthia Brotherton said. "... Here, it gives her a chance to complete something, build some friendships and see people in her corner."

Tiffiney Smith of

Jackson and Ken Minner of Fruitland ran across the finish line, pushing captain T.J. Williams, 12, of Cape Girardeau.

T.J.'s father, Trevor Williams of Matthews, Missouri, said his son has participated in 15 to 20 races with MyTEAM TRIUMPH.

"He loves it," Williams said.

Minner, who is friends with T.J.'s parents, said he thought of T.J. as soon as he heard about myTEAM TRIUMPH.

"I just thought it was an awesome idea," he said.

Smith has been involved with myTEAM TRIUMPH since the local chapter formed in 2013.

"It's amazing how far we've come. ... Everybody's embraced this, embraced the kids, embraced us," she said.

Chapter president Debbie Leoni said the running community in Southeast Missouri has been "amazing."

"The support has been wonderful," she said.

Organizers said the race Thursday drew 185 participants -- more than double the number who signed up last year.

The organization has grown in other ways, too.

A year ago, it had two chairs and two captains. By the end of 2014, the group had 65 angels and 14 captains, Leoni said, and before the run Thursday, myTEAM TRIUMPH dedicated its fifth chair.

Frank and Louisea Dietiker donated the new chair in honor of Frank Charles Bertrand V, otherwise known as "Frank the Fighter," who was just 16 days old when he died of a congenital heart defect.

"It's hard to describe the amount of support that we received and all the people that cared for my son and followed his story, and to have a chair dedicated like this in his name is very honoring to our son," the boy's father, Trae Bertrand, said after the dedication.

MyTEAM TRIUMPH members participated in 25 races last year, including two triathlons, a half-marathon and 22 shorter runs, Leoni said.

Smith pushed, pulled and towed captain Becki Nation through most of the Steamboat Triathlon last spring.

"She's sitting here in the boat, doing the princess wave," Smith said, grinning at Nation, who proclaimed the cheers of the crowd "awesome."

Smith said Nation completed part of the triathlon on her own.

"The last lap of the swim with the Steamboat Triathlon in April, she got out of the boat and swam a little bit," Smith said. "... She would go to her physical therapist and tell her she was training for a triathlon."

Before the race Thursday, Nation displayed an American flag while Linda Campbell, another team captain, sang the national anthem.

Team captain Brandon McArthur of Pocahontas also raced Thursday.

"He enjoys it," said Brandon's dad, B.J. McArthur.

epriddy@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent address:

Arena Park, Cape Girardeau, MO