Jefferson County deputy runs 40 miles for Special Olympics

It took about 45 minutes of jogging for Jose Wilkie to finally shed his running pants.

"I'm more comfortable now," he said between sips of water while giving a thumbs up on Shelbyville Road.

Wilkie, a Jefferson County sheriff's deputy, on Thursday undertook a 40-mile trek to Frankfort as part of the Torch Run for the Special Olympics' summer games this weekend at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond.

Accompanied by law enforcement officials, Special Olympics competitors and fellow joggers and walkers, Wilkie set out with the torch about 9:30 a.m. from Southeast Christian Church on Blankenbaker Parkway and was expected to arrive in Frankfort around 5 p.m.

An ultra-marathon runner, 40 miles could be considered light work for Wilkie. He has completed 14 100-mile marathons in one year and also completed a 135-mile marathon through California's Death Valley more than 10 years ago, he said.

Lt. Col. Carl Yates of the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department, told a small crowd at the church that Wilkie was an ideal candidate for the run because of his marathon experience.

He had participated in marathons that had sent him through multiple states, in darkness and sunlight and in various weather conditions, so Yates said "it was easy for (the department) to say 40 miles should just be a warm-up."

Wilkie said Thursday's run was special because he was helping children.

"This is to bring awareness for the kids with the Special Olympics," he said at Southeast. "I thought to myself 'this would be a neat thing to do.' "

Wilkie, who has been involved with the Special Olympics for the past four years, said he jumped at the chance to be the first law enforcement officer in the 24-year history of the Torch Run to carry the torch the entire distance from Louisville to Frankfort.

Nearly 1,300 Special Olympic athletes will compete in track and field, swimming, gymnastics and other sports at the games -- the event's 40th anniversary, according to its website.

Dave Kerchner, executive director for the Kentucky Special Olympics, said the athletes that compete in the games struggle every day to overcome obstacles and for Wilkie to carry the torch demonstrates "that lots of people are willing to go out of their way to go great lengths to make sure their lives are good and meaningful and their experience in life is wholesome.

"You couldn't ask somebody to run 40 miles to support you in anything you do," he said. "It speaks volumes to our family members and athletes that people in the community really care about their growth."