IRVINE : Police to Answer Running Challenge

Team Irvine, made up of members of the Irvine Police Department, will compete in a 120-mile challenge cup footrace in March that starts in Baker and ends in Las Vegas.

The race involves more than 150 teams from all over the country and also includes contingents from Canada’s Royal Mounted Police and from Mexico.

Last year, Team Irvine placed 10th in its division--for police departments with fewer than 300 members--and the year before they were eighth, Lt. Vic Thies said.

Aside from the competition, the race poses several major obstacles for each team.

“Getting everyone in their locations on time, communicating with everyone and fighting the hot and cold temperatures are crucial to the race,” Thies said. “It’s a logistical nightmare.”

The race is run on a public road, which goes through towns such as Shoshone and Pahrump, and reaches elevations up to 5,500 feet, Thies said. A good deal of it is run through Death Valley.

“Sometimes the temperatures can dip to 20 degrees after hitting 85 degrees in the daytime,” Thies said.

More than 35 police officers are trying to qualify for the 25 running spots on Irvine’s team, Thies said.

One of the top candidates is Amy Brown, who was the third-best runner on the team last year, Thies said. “There are several other women who will be competing for the top 25 spots on the team this year,” he said.

The qualifiers take part in various 10-K events as part of their training leading up to the race, scheduled to begin March 27.

Sara Counihan, spokeswoman for Irvine Auto Center, which is sponsoring the team, said the race provides an opportunity to take pride in Irvine’s police force. “How many times do you get a chance to say thank you to your own police department?” Counihan said.