This event was truly something special. That’s not a play on words, it’s that the event was different from all the other runs I’ve done so far.
This run was untimed, no bibs, and very small. But it’s impact was significant.
The Special Olympics works together with Law Enforcement to raise funds for the games. They do the Torch Run and also “Tip a Cop,” where police act as waiters at local restaurants, and the tips go to Special Olympics. There are two Torch Runs in Las Vegas – one on the Strip in March and one Downtown in October. If you signed up for both, you got a t-shirt. So I signed up for both.
Pre-Race
There was no pre-run packet pickup. Runners met at the South Central Area Command of Metro Police. Shirts were only given to folks who registered for both races at the same time. There were DIY bibs available if you were running for someone or wanted to recognize someone, not numbered. No chip timing. For runners who don’t like a lot of swag, this is the run for you!
There were remarks from Commissioner Naft, who also sponsored the World Day of Remembrance last year. Then we were led in a warm-up by a Special Olympics athlete, which was great. We really knew who we were running for and with. We sang the National Anthem, and the torch was lit.
We assembled into two lines running parallel, behind the flags for the State of Nevada and the Special Olympics.
Special Olympics Torch Run
We were escorted onto Las Vegas Blvd with a motorcycle contingent, and protected in the back with a squad car chaser. Unlike the Rock N Roll Marathon, we had a small, rolling Strip closure instead of a full shutdown. We ran Las Vegas Blvd south to the sign in tight formation. We skipped pictures due to the long lines, even on a Friday morning at 8 AM!
The we turned north, past Mandalay Bay and Luxor. As we ran, we passed the flags and the torch along the lines, so everyone got a chance to lead and truly represent the organization. We turned right onto Reno and took a moment of silence at the Rote 91 Shooting memorial before closing up the loop.
Post-Race
The Knights of Columbus hosted a cookout upon our return. I wasn’t really up for hamburgers and hot dogs at 9:30 AM, but the spirit was in the right place. I learned during the run that the vast majority of participants were from law enforcement, with Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Henderson, and even Reno supporting the cause. It was truly unique, and I’m excited about the Downtown edition. If you want to run with law enforcement and literally pass the torch, sign up for the September edition!
