By Mary O’KEEFE

After 120 miles through wind, cold and heat, runners from the Crescenta Valley and Altadena sheriffs stations and Glendale police department are back at work and getting ready for next years race.
The 26th Annual Baker to Vegas Relay Race was last weekend. Over 250 teams divided into specific categories and began the race in Baker at 5 p.m. They ran throughout the night and into the next day until reaching the finish line in Las Vegas. The race was divided into 20 legs, each runner averaging six miles.
“Six miles may not seem like a lot but running in wind and cold [and extreme heat] makes those six miles long,”
said Det. David Gaisford of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Altadena Station.
Gaisford was the captain of the team that combined runners from Altadena and Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station.
“We came in 24 in our category,” Gaisford said. “We were about an hour and 15 minutes slower this year.”
The team’s final time was 19:03:36.
He added he had been running the race for many years and each year presents different challenges including temperatures that can go from 15 degrees Fahrenheit through the evening desert to 100 degrees Fahrenheit during
the day.
“One year it snowed and the race was cancelled,” he said.
But the challenges are all part of the fun of the race and the camaraderie with other law enforcement agencies.
“It is fun to meet other agencies from the nation and internationally. There was an agency there from Germany,” said
Sgt. Tim Feeley from the Glendale Police Department.
Feeley has participated in 16 out of the 22 years Glendale has been part of the relay.
L.A. Police officers Chuck Foote and Larry Moore started the race as a way to encourage physical fitness among
law enforcement as well as expand camaraderie between agencies.
“[The race] is fun and when you come across the finish line you are congratulated by everyone and you stay and [cheer on] those that cross later,” Feeley said.
The Glendale team did better this year than in previous years ending in twentieth place with a time of 15:22:28.
Despite sore muscles both teams are planning to run again next year.
To see more photos of the race visit www.cvweekly.com.