First Responders Spotlight: Deputy honored for decade-long running streak
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Deputy Mark Sands is approaching 25 years now with the Monroe County Sheriff's Office. He works with the jail unit.
When he's not there, he's probably out for a run. Sands is what's known as a 'running streaker.'
'It all goes back to 2012,' Sands explained. 'I did a bunch of 5Ks, bunch of marathons, half-marathons and was looking for a way to challenge myself something new and heard about this streaking thing and set a goal to streak one year and one day.'
To streak in running you must finish at least one mile a day, every single day. After we met, the two of us knocked out some laps at the Hall of Justice plaza to mark another mile done for Sands.
While he started this journey 13 years ago, a back injury got in the way short of the two-year mark. He started streaking again. Ten years and a month later that streak continues.
Word got around about Sands and his dedication to running. Local race organizers set up a surprise during the county's Winterfest celebration in January.
'The owner of Fleet Feet reached out to me before the race and said that it was in my best interest to be at the award ceremony,' Sands said. 'I'm a pretty average runner, never take first place that kind of thing, so I knew something was up.'
He got the Sheriff's Commendation Ribbon for his devotion to physical health and well-being. A decade-plus into this, I asked: how many more miles are left?
'Until I can't anymore,' Sands laughed. 'I really don't have an end goal for this, I'm just going to keep getting out there every day that I can and enjoy it.'
The streak for Sands averages out to about 3.5 miles a day. He's done everything, the ROC marathon, Mendon 50k, and 50 miles around Canandaigua Lake. Sands told me as hard as ultra marathons are, that mile the next morning is even more insane.
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