Tega Cay police officer runs Memorial Day race in full uniform

Dustin McHenry dressed on Sunday as he would for any shift with the Tega Cay Police Department: uniform, body armor, duty belt, service weapon, radio and badge.

But McHenry did a lot more running Sunday than he does during a normal shift – 3.1 miles, to be exact. The officer ran the Tega Cay Veteran’s Memorial Day 5K in full uniform to honor the men and women who fought for their country while wearing a different uniform.

“I wanted to show my appreciation for the veterans,” said McHenry, who’s been an officer with Tega Cay for about a year. “I wanted to show that I could do everyday tasks in what I wear every day for my job.”

McHenry entered the race – which benefits the Fisher House Foundation, a nonprofit that provides assistance to veterans and their families – at the suggestion of a police sergeant. His paternal and maternal grandfathers served in World War II and the Korean War, respectively, so McHenry said holidays honoring the armed forces have a special meaning to him.

“It’s an important holiday for me, and I wanted to do something different,” he said. “They do everything in their full gear ... with 30, 40 more pounds than what I’m carrying.”

The weight of his police gear wasn’t a huge problem, he said, but running that distance with the body armor on made breathing difficult.

“I didn’t realize how much it would constrict my breathing,” he said. “My goal was to finish as strong as I could and not walk any part of it, and I completed that.”

McHenry was humbled by the feedback he received at the race. He said it was about honoring the service members who made the ultimate sacrifice, veterans and those still serving today.

“I got way more reaction than I thought I would,” he said. “It was something personal I was trying to do and turned into something more than that.”

This story was originally published June 1, 2016 at 3:07 PM with the headline "Tega Cay police officer runs Memorial Day race in full uniform."