The Tulsa Run Brings Runners Of All Ages To The City: 'This Race Is About The Community'

The Tulsa Run kicked off once again this weekend with thousands of people lacing up their shoes to run either the 2K, 5K, or 15K.

It's been a Tulsa staple for over 40 years and has runners of all ages coming from all over to participate. This includes retired TPD officer turned civilian TPD employee, Pat Dunlap.

Dunlap has run in this race for over 30 years, but this year, he's not running alone.

"I’ve done like 37 or so. I don’t know how many exactly, but it’s a lot nicer to have the family and friends like Josh here to participate with and experience it with," Dunlap said.

Josh Metcalf, dressed as Forrest Gump, is a current TPD officer who's worked with Dunlap and is also an ambassador for Tulsa Run. Metcalf said he wanted to do something special for Dunlap because Dunlap mentored him at TPD for so long.

"As an ambassador, we were given a race to give away, and I could not think of a better man other than Pat to give that race to," Metcalf said.

"Josh, he does that for everybody. He bends over backwards for everybody, but it means a lot to me that he would ask me when he could’ve asked anybody else," Dunlap said.

This race is an opportunity for people like Metcalf and Dunlap to come together with the rest of Tulsa to have fun and even run for a good cause.

"This race is about the community, and it’s from all different age groups, all different social classes. It’s just get out here, have fun, and raise money for great causes," Metcalf said.

This Tulsa Run is also the first time the course has taken runners over the new pedestrian bridge.