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Three local women raised more than $15,000, then ran an "emotional鈥� marathon in an effort to beat a disease that effects us all.

After six months of fund-raising, Valerie Neufeld, Laura Vanderkley and Hillery

Blower headed down to San Fransisco to run the Nike Women's Marathon with the B.C./Yukon chapter of Team In Training 鈥� an endurance sport training society battling to beat cancer.

Team In Training's participation in the race was aimed to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Neufeld and Vanderkley ran the full marathon, while Blower walked the half.

The cause was close to their hearts, as Neufeld lost her mother-in-law to cancer and Vanderkley's mother has been battling lymphoma for the past six years.

"It was just an amazing feeling,鈥� said Neufeld, a first-time marathoner. "There's 25,000 people. I've never run with that many people in my life. It was pretty exciting for us.

"It's an emotional run. It certainly puts everything in perspective,鈥� she added. "It makes it hit home 鈥� I'm so lucky, and I can do this.鈥�

The Yukon trio worked hard to meet their fund-raising goals over the summer, hosting two "beer and burger鈥� nights at the Roadhouse Bar and Grill, and running a boot camp for younger participants.

Vanderkley raised a whopping $7,836 through public and private donations.

Blower raised $5,098 and Neufeld added $4,114 to the cause.

The race was spectacular, said Neufeld.

"There was women everywhere,鈥� she said. "Every shape, every size. There was so many people, I was scared I was going to get trampled.鈥�

Neufeld was blown away by the support shown to the racers by San Francisco residents.

She said strangers even ran alongside the women for portions of the race to motivate them to keep going.

"Events in Whitehorse are great, but you don't have the people on the sidelines telling you to keep going,鈥� she said. "I had people who didn't know me cheer for me.鈥�

In lieu of medals at the finish line, runners were greeted with Tiffany necklaces.