A daughter and mother finishing 1-2 at the annual Tamarac Turkey Trot 5K on Thursday in Tamarac could not be a better finish if it was scripted.

But think again.

The daughter, Jessica Butler, 20, a 2008 St. Thomas Aquinas graduate who runs for the University of Tampa, is thankful just to be walking again pain-free -- let alone running with her mom and winning the Turkey Trot.

About a year ago, she was diagnosed with cancer, and two days before Christmas she had two tumors removed at the Oncology Unit at Jackson Memorial Hospital.

``I spent my winter break [last year] just sitting on a couch,'' said Butler who redshirted last year at Tampa.

It became an arduous ordeal for her and her family, especially her mom, Trish, her high school coach at St. Thomas Aquinas.

``There is a history of cancer in our family,'' Trish Butler said. ``She was on crutches for 12 weeks, but look where she is now.''

On Saturday, Jessica ran at the NCAA Division II Cross-Country National Championships in Evansville, Ind. Prior to that, she was second at the conference meet, second at regionals and third at pre-nationals. She has come a long way since being cleared during Spring Break and then overcoming a broken tailbone in July.

``I'm way better now, and it's good to run again,'' Jessica Butler said, ``but the only reason I'm running [the Turkey Trot] is because of my mom. I wanted to beat her.''

Jessica did, running 3.1 miles around Tamarac City Hall in 18 minutes 2 seconds, three seconds ahead of her mom, a veteran on the road racing circuit, to top the women's field.

``This is about the sixth silver trophy I've got from this race,'' Trish Butler said. ``Daughter or not, I wanted to win.''

First, second, third -- The Butlers have more to be thankful for than two nice trophies. Trish added: ``Thank God. Happy Thanksgiving.''

The Turkey Trot featured 1,500 participants.

Turkey Trot 5K results: Women: 1. Jessica Butler 18:02; 2. Trish Butler 18:05; 3. Anne Clinton 18:19. 12-and-younger: 1. Julia Montgomery 21:34. 13-19: 1. Sydney Schneider 19:58. 20-24: 1. Katie Tasca 23:04. 25-29: 1. Ashley Andress 19:51. 30-34: 1. Leslie Beatty 22:23. 35-39: 1. Marlene Persson 39 18:42. 40-44: 1. Shelby Speno 19:23. 45-49: 1. Fay Holzhauer 21:35. 50-54: 1. Marci Kirsch 22:31. 55-59: 1. Char Davidson 22:46. 60-64: 1. Susie Simms 22:37. 65-69: 1. Linda Green 32:42. 70-74: 1. Essie Faria 31:54. 75-79: 1. Lupe Parsons 45:38. 80-89: 1. Miriam Gordon 45:44.

Men: 1. Ronnie Holassie 15:23; 2. Jordan Zwick 15:34; 3. Eric Dansky 17:04. 12-and-younger: 1. Kaylon Schmidt 21:06. 13-19: 1. Tristan Gray 17:16. 20-24: 1. Gabriel Leitz 17:39. 25-29: 1. Joshua Rains 17:08. 30-34: 1. Michael Francis 19:45. 35-39: 1. Spencer West 17:45. 40-44: 1. Joel Cardosa 17:06. 45-49: 1. Harrie Olsthoorn 17:06. 50-54: 1. Tim Nicholls 18:02. 55-59: 1. Jeff Powers 18:50. 60-64: 1. Daniel Healy 20:23. 65-69: 1. Robert Hendrick 20:09. 70-74: 1. Michael Goldman 24:59. 75-79: 1. George McCuen 24:47. 80-89: 1. Gene Witkowski 53:48.