More than 150 people run, walk and roll in Carol Stream 5k

It was a battle to the finish line for 15-year-old Christopher Murphy and his older brother, Kevin.

The Carol Stream siblings were among the roughly 150 participants in the Western DuPage Special Recreation Association's first 5k Run, Rock and Roll at the Ross Ferraro Town Center in Carol Stream.

Proceeds from Sunday's race went to fund activities for WDSRA, a park district cooperative which organizes a variety of programming activities for children with physical and mental disabilities.

"It's the first year, so we just wanted to get the race kicked off," said Jessica Griffin, a program coordinator for the association. "Our whole purpose for existing is to provide recreation and running for people in our community, and this race is just a natural extension of that."

Many of Sunday's racers either had connections to the park district group or had relatives or friends who have dealt with their own special needs.

Christopher Murphy, who has spina bifida and finished Sunday's race in roughly 24 minutes, has been competing in a variety of wheelchair athletics for the last six years.

Glenview resident Mike Egle, whose 13-year-old son, Justin, is autistic, finished second overall in Sunday's race.

"The registration money goes back to a good cause, so I'm glad I could do this little bit to help," he said.