Weyburn constable finishes Sask. Marathon in full uniform

Under the bright sweltering sun at the Saskatchewan Marathon, Constable Jeffery Bartsch, crossed the finish line wearing the full Weyburn Police Service uniform on Sunday.

Running full marathons was nothing out of the ordinary for Const. Bartsch, an avid distance runner who has completed two full marathons in the past. But Sunday's race was for a special cause — raising money for mental health programs in Weyburn, Sask.

"It's to the Canadian Mental Health Awareness, Weyburn branch," Bartsch said while catching his breath shortly after his 42.2 kilometre trek through Saskatoon. "We have a lot of programs so I just wanted to donate my time and effort towards those programs."

Bartsch's wife, Ashley, said he's been training everyday for the past eight or nine months and he's also been raising hundreds of dollars for his community through a GoFundMe page. Bartsch has also been selling $5 silicone bracelets in Weyburn.

Crossing the finish line to cheers from his wife and some colleagues from the police force, Bartsch said this race, running in full uniform, came with some challenges.

"I'm not going to lie, it was very tough," he said. "The last five kilometres was very mentally tough."

Bartsch crossed the finish line at five hours, 45 minutes and 38 seconds.