Thousands give it their all because fallen officers gave everything

Those who ran the half marathon or the 5K at the Peace Officer Memorial Run in downtown Modesto on Sunday morning all brought their own reasons to the starting line.

For some, it’s simply a passion for fitness and running. For many, it was to honor fallen officers and, because the event benefits the Peace Officer Memorial Group, to aid the families that survive them.

For Turlock Police Department Lt. Joey Mercado, it was those reasons plus one more: to celebrate cancer survivors, of which he is one.

Mercado, who ran the half marathon, was diagnosed with breast cancer on Dec. 14, 2014. He was off the job for seven months, then returned to duty and has been cancer-free ever since. The lieutenant, who already was a half-marathon runner, said the treatment hit him hard. “Chemo is a very tough thing to deal with,” he said. “You literally have to get sicker to get better. But for me, early detection was the most important thing.”

On Sunday, which came near the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Mercado said family, faith in God and a strong belief in fitness helped him overcome the deadly disease. “This race means a lot to me because I am alive today and I have the ability to honor those that have gone before me. Individuals that have passed in the line of duty and individuals who have battled cancer, especially breast cancer, and lost to it.”

The lieutenant was among about three dozen law enforcement officers who ran in full uniform, including vests and belts, on Sunday. As if the uniforms and equipment aren’t hot and heavy as it is, there are other restrictions. Ceres police Officer Christian Izquierdo, who was the first uniformed officer to cross the finish line in the 5K race, said he can’t breathe deeply because the vest restricts the chest. “It plays with your head a lot.”

Between the two races, more than 2,000 runners turned out Sunday morning. Before being sent off on the courses, they saw a tribute to Stanislaus County’s fallen officers and watched a skydiver carry a giant-size U.S. flag to earth, landing in the center of I Street.

The half marathon was won by Modesto ultrarunner Jon Olsen, with a chip time of 1:18:31. “It feels good to just be out here running races in my community. I don’t do that often enough, so it’s nice running with people I work with and run with on a weekly basis,” he said.

The Peace Officer Memorial Run means more than words can express, Olsen added. His twin brother, Tom Olsen, is a California Highway Patrol officer and spokesman for the Modesto-area CHP office. “We’re a big service-oriented family, we’ve always been that way. Big supporters of the military, our country, and I don’t think there’s a greater duty than to be able to serve your country and be a first responder.”

Rounding out the top three finishers in the half marathon were Edward Charles, 1:18:36, and Ricardo Munoz, 1:18:48, according to results posted online by Synergy Race Timing. The top three female finishers were Michelle Yee, 1:34:11; Sarah Kraemer, 1:39:05; and Alisha Rice, 1:39:19.

For the 5K, the top three finishers were Daniel Yanez, 17:40; Michael Freitas, 18:06; and Nate Olsen, Jon Olsen’s son, 19:02. The top female runners were Aryanna Sandoval, 20:08; Emily By, 22:05; and Angela Ferreira, 23:12.

This story was originally published October 6, 2019 at 4:25 PM.