The second annual Adventure Chases Mud Challenge in memory of Heather-Anne Tucker took place in Chase City on Saturday with more than 140 runners participating in the event.

The event was kicked off with Tricia Tucker welcoming the 23 teams and spectators and thanking them for never forgetting #99, and for supporting the mud challenge as it brings awareness to Childhood Cancer each September by raising money in Heather-Anne’s name for local charities. Tucker, Heather-Anne’s mother, gave a speech discussing subjects such as: the fact that less than 5 percent of all cancer research money is put towards child cancer research, that every 3.5 minutes a child or parent is told they have cancer and that taking 3.5 minutes to listen to her speech wasn’t all that much to ask.

She ended by reading a post brain cancer diagnosis diary entry of Heather-Anne’s that said “I just wish everyone would treat me normal” and asked the crowd to always remember those words.

At 10:00 am sharp the first wave of eight competitive teams took to the 5 kilometer (3.1 mile), 20 obstacle course to compete for the title of 2015 Adventure Chase Mud Challenge Champions.

Wristbands allowed the children to run the course as often as they wanted.

Team entries and  local area businesses in Charlotte and Mecklenburg counties sponsored the run helping to raise more than $5,000 for three local charities: Barksdale Foundation (serving Charlotte county cancer patients and their families), Mecklenburg County Cancer Association (serving Mecklenburg county cancer patients and their families), and the Lake Country SPCA (Heather-Anne’s special fury friends).