Steve Halsell joked around with a friend as he stretched his legs, only shifting his gaze when a small, brown dog trotted by. In the face of the 6.2 miles that lay before him, he was calm.
Halsell, 29, was among about 170 runners in the fourth annual Climb for Cancer Tri-Distance Run on Saturday.
"The race is a good distance and a good cause," Halsell said.
The proceeds raised from the event go directly to the UF Shands Cancer Center and benefit underserved patients and affected families, according to the Climb for Cancer website. They will also support the center's oncology programs.
There were three different races: a 5K, a 10K and a 15K following a route around the southern portion of the university.
Halsell said raising awareness for the effects of cancer is important since he's seen close family and friends battle the disease.
Ron Farb, the co-founder of Climb for Cancer, a nonprofit, has been working to promote cancer awareness for 21 years. He said he developed a passion for it at Camp Sunshine, a camp in Georgia for children with cancer.
"We named the foundation Climb for Cancer because we see it as a metaphor for climbing through the obstacles of the disease," Farb said.
Farb said the main goal of the foundation is to help families suffering the economic effects of cancer in ways that larger organizations can't.
Denise Stobbie, the development director at UF Shands Cancer Center, said it takes money to keep research moving forward and help the community.
"Direct support is what's so important," Stobbie said.
The top finishers in the 5K, the 10K and the 15K were Travis Pettengill, Michael Rosato and Laurent Angibaud, respectively.
