'I did it for you, Dad': Superfit girl, 11, runs and cycles to raise $250,000 for research into cancer after it killed her father

• Schoolgirl smashed 22-year-old half marathon record for under 12s
  

An 11-year-old girl whose father died of prostate cancer has raised more than a quarter of a million dollars to help fight the disease – and she broke a child marathon record.

Winter Vinecki has dedicated herself to raising funds through sport after Michael Vinecki, 40, died from the aggressive cancer surrounded by his family two years ago.

His superfit daughter has recently smashed an under 12s half marathon course record and has set her sights on achieving $1million for charity.

Record breaker: Winter Vinecki, 11, with her haul of medals won over the last two years after her father's death

Inspiration: Winter Vinecki with her father Michael, 40, who died from prostate cancer two years ago. Left is her mother Dawn Estelle and her three brothers

After her father’s death in 2009, Winter, from Salem, Oregon, vowed to raise funds through competing in the triathlon and has raced nearly every weekend for two years.

Her mother Dawn Estelle, 42, was left to bring up the talented schoolgirl and her three brothers on her own.

She said Winter dealt with Michael’s death in a ‘unique child’s way of teaching the world to grieve differently.’

She ran the Humboldt Redwood State park half marathon in California in 1hr 40 minutes and 40 seconds in October.

Her time was 11 minutes and 11 seconds quicker than the previous under 12s record time which had been set 22 years ago.

Fast: Winter Vinecki, training on her bike near her family home in Salem, Oregon

The 11-year-old, who looks to cancer-survivor Lance Armstrong for inspiration, gives the funds raised to the Prostate Cancer Foundation.

Money is made through donations to teamwinter.org and through sporting goods sales in her online store.

She smashed her fundraising goal for 2010 of $200,000 by $6,000 - enough to fund a Young Investigator Award for 3 years - a Prostate Cancer Foundation scheme recruiting bright young medical researchers to find a cure.

Winter began her charitable work in the six weeks after her father was diagnosed with sarcomatoid carcinoma of the prostate in 2008.

He died after fighting the illness for ten months.

First past the post: Winter wins the Humboldt Half Marathon in California, breaking the 22-year-old course record for under 12s