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Caroline County sheriff's Deputy T.J. Ketchem has been pacing Caroline High School 800-meter runner Alen Smith all spring.

Now that the high school track team's 2008 season is done, Ketchem, no longer a training mentor, will resume solo afternoon runs at the high school track before heading to work. He works a night shift, on patrol and on call from 10 p.m. until 6 a.m.

Ketchem gets in his afternoon runs at the high school track after sleeping until about 2 p.m.

For walkers and joggers on the high school track, Ketchem must be a marvel to behold, running laps like the Energizer Bunny on TV. The 30-year-old former high school track star still loves to run. He just keeps going, going and going.

As a result, he's probably the fittest of all 61 of Sheriff Tony Lippa's deputies.

"Deputy Ketchem received the top overall fitness award from the Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy as a part of the 90th basic session," said Sgt. M.W. Turner, public information officer for the Caroline Sheriff's Office.

At the academy, Ketchem completed the 1.5-mile run in 8:14, an academy record, Turner said. He's a 2006 graduate of the training academy.

His keeping fit has paid off in another way, too. He's one of seven officers on Caroline's elite Sheriff's Emergency Response Team, the equivalent of a SWAT team in other police departments.

At the time Ketchem qualified, a deputy had up to 8 minutes to run a mile. His time was 5 minutes, 20 seconds.

CHS track coach Sansberry Harvey says Ketchem's contribution as a volunteer coach has helped make the CHS runners better.

Smith, a senior and three-year track veteran, says Ketchem has helped him build up speed and endurance for the 800-meter runs.

To win an 800-meter solo or relay race, Smith said, a runner must combine speed and endurance. "The 800-meter run is actually a sprinter's race that requires endurance to run fast for so long."