Still time to register for Stanislaus Peace Officer Memorial Run on Sunday in Modesto
Stanislaus County’s Peace Officer Memorial Run is in “a good place,” said frequent participant and this year’s race co-director, Modesto Police Department Detective Sean Dodge.
It started small, founded by the Peace Officer Memorial Group in 2003 as a 5K run that involved many kids in the Stanislaus County Police Activities League, Dodge said. But it’s grown tremendously and has included a half-marathon since 2012.
The event, Sunday in downtown Modesto, had about 1,600 registered runners as of Tuesday, and organizers anticipate more than 2,000 participants by race day. Usually, Dodge said, the bulk of the runners are for the 5K, which is a more family-oriented race.
“It’s been cool to see it grow,” the detective said of the Memorial Run. But to keep it a pleasant event, it can’t grow much more, he said. “I think we will cut it off at 2,500 for future runs. You don’t want too many runners or you can get congestion. We’re at a good place right now, and if we go much beyond this, we would have to look at a different course.”
About five or six miles of the half-marathon course is on trails through Dry Creek Regional Park, so there’s not the width that comes with road running, Dodge said. He noted that various groups including the ShadowChase Running Club have been out the past couple of weeks cleaning up the park and the trails in preparation for the race.
The event is visually impressive, with many runners in team shirts showing who they’re running in honor of. In recent years, a lot of law enforcement officers have run in their full duty uniforms, including vests and belts. Some carry blue-line flags.
This Sunday, nearly three dozen officers are expected to be running in full gear, Dodge said. That includes two Modesto Police Department in all their SWAT gear. Dodge, who’s run in uniform many times in various races, said he can’t imagine doing so in the heavy load the SWAT cops have.
Proceeds from the run benefit a fund set up by the Peace Officers Memorial Group to help families of fallen officers. “They help with preparation for funerals,” Dodge said. “They’re able to go out with cash to help with whatever is needed, like family members coming in, food services, they’re very involved.”
This year’s race medal design incorporates the badges of the two local officers who were killed in duty since the last Memorial Run. Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Deputy Antonio “Tony” Hinostroza died in a car crash Nov. 25 while on his way to help deputies involved in a chase in Riverbank. And Newman Police Department Cpl. Ronil Singh, who was shot and killed while performing a traffic stop in the early hours of Dec. 26.
Registration for the event is $75 for the half marathon, $45 for the 5K, free for a kids fun run, and is available at www.peaceofficermemorialrun.com. The race site advises, “There is no registration deadline for the either race although you will save money by registering early. The registration fees increase as the event gets closer and race day registration is the most expensive.”
The half marathon starts at 7 a.m. Sunday, the 5K at 7:20 a.m. and the fun run at 9:30 a.m.
A free race-day expo and safety fair will be held near the start/finish line at 11th and I streets. It will include vendors, crime prevention officers providing information, K-9 demonstrations, SWAT personnel and a display, equestrian units, free hot dogs and more.
