By Shannon McFarlin
Paris, Tenn.–Members of Henry County Law Enforcement–Paris Police Department, Henry County Sheriff’s Office, Paris Fire Department, plus Paris Parks and Recreation–ran all the way from Paris to McKenzie this morning as part of the Special Olympics Torch Run.
Paris Police Chief Ricky Watson organized Henry County’s participation in the event and said, “It’s one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences. We just had to do it.”
The group ran to McKenzie in record time, especially considering the heat and humidity.
They started at Paris City Hall, moved on to Veterans’ Drive and then onto Hwy. 79N and McKenzie, where their leg of the relay ended at the McKenzie Municipal Building/Police Department.
“Law enforcement is running all across Tennessee,” Watson said. “There’s a group that is starting really early in the morning and running from Dover to Paris. We’re in charge of the Paris-McKenzie leg of the Torch Run.”
Since it’s a relay, none of the runners were be responsible for running the entire route from Paris to McKenzie, with some running one mile, some running two miles or more and taking turns.
Multiple support vehicles traveled in front and behind the runners and gave them respite from the heat, with plenty of cold water and snacks as needed.
Top photo: Half of the group took a short break in Routon, about the half-way mark to McKenzie.
Photos by Shannon McFarlin.
