Deb Bebe takes a photo of Noah Klauser, from left, Transitions of Western Illinois client Hannah Haxel and Adams County Sheriff's Department deputy Adam Hoehl during a luncheon Tuesday at Transitions, after the 2017 Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Illinois. Local law enforcement officers took the Special Olympics torch 22.5 miles from Quincy to hand it off at the Hancock County line. | H-W Photo/Jake Shane

Posted: Jun. 6, 2017 8:55 pm Updated: Jun. 7, 2017 8:08 am

QUINCY -- James Foster completed a first during the Law Enforcement Torch Run that started Tuesday morning in Quincy.

Foster is the first Special Olympian to run with the group of law enforcement officers on the 22.5-mile route between Quincy and the Hancock County line.

"At the finish line I was dying of thirst," Foster said, as he ate lunch with a group of officers at the post-run luncheon.

This weekend Foster, a global messenger for Special Olympics, will be competing in Bloomington at the Special Olympics Illinois Summer Games. His training program includes CrossFit, which is why he said he was able to stay ahead of officers on the run.

The group of officers took off from the Transitions of Western Illinois office at 7 a.m. and carried the torch to Hancock County, where Foster handed it off to officers from other agencies as it makes its way to Bloomington.

The group also was joined by members of the Quincy Notre Dame High School cross-country team.

Quincy police Officer Peter Hummel participated in the run for the seventh time since he joined the department. He ran eight miles of the route.

"The weather was perfect," Hummel said. "It cooled off just in time."

Deb Beebe, the department's pro-act assistant, agreed that conditions were great for running.

"If it would have been yesterday, we would have been hurting," Beebe said with a laugh.

On Friday, Hummel will head to Bloomington to run the final leg of the Torch Run and the opening ceremony of the Special Olympics Illinois Summer Games.

The Law Enforcement Torch Run is the largest fundraiser for Special Olympics, as well as raises awareness to the athletes who compete in the Special Olympics.

Other events include the polar plunge, cop on the rooftop and the tip-a-cop fundraiser.

"It's awesome to see their accomplishments because they put in a lot of hard work and they train throughout the year for this event," Hummel said. "These are the athletes that continue to inspire me when I'm out there doing my running, biking, triathlons and all that crazy stuff."