Weather wreaked havoc with plans for the annual Knoxville Cancer Relay; but all the same, a hardy band of runners are running a loop course through the city, to raise money for cancer research.

The wet weather earlier in the week shifted around sports schedules; the high school cross country team had its meet moved to Thursday, and the junior high school football teams took over Ken Locke Stadium for their games. And unlike last year’s blistering temperatures, it was much colder than expected at start time — which held down the number of observers and participants.

So the beginning was subtle, as the first group of runners left through the north gate of the stadium and went out onto the five-mile course…which loops through town, passing each of the schools

Will Buttell was the lead-off runner; he tells KNIA/KRLS News most participants have their own personal connection to fighting cancer, and he is no exception.
“I lost my mom…thirteen years ago, and she was only 52 at the time, so relatively young. And then my daughter is a cancer survivor; she beat cancer ten years ago, and you see her running around now, and it’s like nothing ever happened,” he says.

Buttell says for avid runners, the cold weather is ideal as they stay warm while running. He expects a number of runners will join in groups throughout the event, which ends at Ken Locke Stadium just before the start of the Knoxville-Oskaloosa football game.