THEIR
STORY.
How a runner became a father, a father became a pusher, and together they became Team Peter Piper.
THE RUNNER.
Long before there was a team, there was a runner. Peter Caster grew up competing in distance events through high school, earning his place on the track at UMKC. Running wasn't just a sport — it was how he understood the world. The discipline, the solitude, the relentless forward motion.
He was built for the long haul. Not the sprint. The kind of athlete who gets stronger as the miles stack up, who finds clarity somewhere around mile 18 when everyone else is falling apart.
That identity — runner, competitor, someone who doesn't stop — would become the foundation for everything that came next.
PIPER'S
DIAGNOSIS.
Piper was born healthy. She hit her early milestones — smiling, babbling, reaching. For the first year of her life, everything seemed perfectly normal. Then, slowly, things began to change.
At around 18 months, Piper began to regress. Skills she had developed started to disappear. The few little words she had faded. The purposeful hand movements gave way to repetitive wringing. The diagnosis came:Rett syndrome — a rare neurological disorder caused by a mutation on the MECP2 gene, affecting almost exclusively girls.
There is no cure. There is no roadmap. There is only the choice of how you respond — and Peter chose to run.
TEAM
PETER PIPER.
Peter had always run. But running alone felt different after Piper's diagnosis. He started looking for a way to bring her with him — not as a passenger, but as a partner. He found a racing wheelchair and never looked back.
Together they've crossed more than 20 finish lines. 5Ks, 10Ks, half marathons, full marathons. Every race is a statement: Rett syndrome doesn't stop this family. Every mile is a mile run for awareness, for research, for hope.
Over 200 miles pushed together. Peter behind the chair, Piper in front — wind in her face, crowd cheering, the two of them moving as one. People who see them race don't forget it.
The 2027 Chicago Marathon is the next summit. One of the most prestigious races in the world, with a dedicated duo division. Peter and Piper are applying — and when they cross that finish line on Michigan Avenue, it will be for every family living with Rett syndrome.
— Peter Caster
TRACK PETER'S TRAINING
Every run. Every mile. Live on Strava — no account needed to watch the journey unfold.
Activities update automatically as Peter logs new runs.
Follow on StravaFOLLOW THE JOURNEY
The story isn't over. Chicago 2027 is next. Follow along, share their story, and cheer them on every step of the way.