COEUR d'ALENE - The couple pushing the stroller looked a little lost, so Don Waddell tried to get them going in the right direction.

"Are you in the 5K?" he asked.

Jon and Liz Delonas, with infant daughter Nevaeh along for the ride, nodded.

"I think we got turned around," Jon Delonas said.

Less than a minute later, Waddell had them back on track, headed for the finish line of the Iron Paw Run on Saturday at Riverstone Park.

About 75 runners, walkers and wheelchair racers competed in either a 10K, 5K or a 1K that started next to the manmade lake, and included out-and-back portions on the North Idaho Centennial Trail.

The event was a fundraiser to send locals to the National Veterans Wheelchair Games on June 25-30 in Richmond, Va.

The Inland Northwest Disabled Veterans Sports Association is trying to raise about $7,000 to send seven vets to the games.

Attendance was a bit down compared to last year's inaugural Iron Paw, but spirits were high and smiles were many.

Don Waddell, an organizer who plans to compete at the games, said the turnout wasn't bad, considering the weather.

"We didn't get the sunny day runners," he said.

Jerry Martin of Spokane Valley was far in front of the pack, covering the course in 29 minutes in his handcycle. In the early stages of the 10K, the sky dumped down buckets of water, drenching Martin.

"It went well, I'm just really, really wet," he said as he dried off following the race. "When it's wet like this, it's kind of a mess, I'm soaked."

The 64-year-old Martin said he would normally be about five minutes faster over 6.2 miles.

"But with the weather, so much water was going in my face that I couldn't hardly see very well at times - it was just pounding down."

Still, he was so far ahead that he zipped past the turnaround point before a race volunteer arrived. Martin estimated he went an extra half-mile.

"Right after I got turned around there was somebody out there, but they weren't there when I got there," he said, laughing.

In his 32 years of wheelchair and handcycle racing, Martin has completed more than 200 marathons. He didn't compete in Iron Paw for ribbons or personal bests.

"I just wanted to help the disabled veterans," he said.

Likewise for Jon and Liz Delonas. They've participated in several area races with their daughter, and signed on for Iron Paw, too.

"We wanted to support the veterans," Jon said.

Waddell, who completed the race in 43 minutes on his handcycle and then played course monitor, was happy with his performance.

At the wheelchair games, he'll be competing in 100- and 200-meter dashes, weight lifting, 10K and obstacle course.

There, he won't face Martin, which is a good thing.

"Jerry's fast. He beats everybody all the time," Waddell said, grinning. "There's no keeping up with Jerry."