Retired RPD officer to finish running 50 straight marathons on Sunday

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The retired RPD officer who has run a marathon every single day for 47 days straight finally made his way back into Monroe County on Thursday.

He’s running in honor of fallen Rochester Police Officer Tony Mazurkiewicz who was killed in the line of duty almost a year ago. 

Brett Sobieraski started his journey back in April in Florida and it’s gone so well, he’s actually adding a few more marathons to the mix.

With members of the Rochester Tactical Unit following closely behind, Sobieraski tackled a few of the rolling hills in Genesee County on Thursday before crossing into Monroe County. He was greeted at the county line by the Monroe County Sheriff and a number of his deputies.

“He calls them to attention, they all salute, and then you saw a grown man cry. I was so happy to be back in Monroe County,” Sobieraski says. “I remember the first marathon in Palatka, Florida and it seemed so far away. Today, I kept pinching myself it was surreal that we made it back.”

Sobieraski has spent more than 1,200 miles on the road, running through eight states in honor of Officer Mazurkiewicz. Sobieraski says he spoke with Lynn Mazurkiewicz, Tony’s widow, almost daily.

“My heart breaks for her, every day,” he says. “But stories from the road, help.”

“When they show up and support the run, Lynn Mazurkiewicz cries. She cries tears of joy that people that never met her husband come out and honor his sacrifice, it’s beautiful,” Sobieraski says. “I met so many kind, gracious, decent people along the way — people that gave me all the money they had in their pocket at that time to give to the Maz family.”

On Thursday, as Sobieraski made his way back to where many police officers start their careers at the Public Safety Training Center on Scottsville Road, he had a legion of Rochester Police Officers waiting for him. 

Sobieraski is actually home a few days early. He gave himself a little cushion in the schedule in case of bad weather or an injury — turns out he didn’t need those days. More than 700 people have signed up to run the last three miles of his final marathon on Sunday. That run will end on the plaza at the Hall of Justice with a ceremony that includes the Mazurkiewicz family. 

“I can’t stop running because my body will start to heal and it won’t be pretty at all. So, I’m gonna run a marathon tomorrow, run a marathon on Saturday, “ Sobieraski says. “50 is a nice round number, I’m going to end up doing 50 of them.”

For more information on Sunday’s event or to sign up to run the final three miles with Sobieraski, click here.