DON McDERMOTT / PVT Runners compete at all elevations, starting from Baker, Calif., and finishing in Las Vegas. Climbing hills in California will test many of the more than 5,000 runners expected to compete in the 25th annual Baker-to-Vegas Challenge Cup race. Advertisement

For the first time in the 25-year history of the Baker-to-Vegas Challenge Cup Race, the Nye County Sheriff's Office will have a team entered.

According to the Baker-to-Vegas Web site, the NCSO team will start the 20-leg, 120-mile running race at 9 a.m. from Baker High School in California. The race is to officially end at 9 a.m. Sunday at the Convention Center in Las Vegas. Other flight starting times are 10 a.m., 11 a.m., noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m., 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Pahrump has been a pivotal point in the race for several years, with another major relay point in Shoshone. Runners should start arriving in Pahrump at around 5 p.m. and will continue to do so throughout the night.

A Pahrump Valley Chamber of Commerce trailer will be on the Saddle West site of Route 160 to greet the runners. More than 240 teams and 5,000 runners are entered in the 25th anniversary race that features law enforcement agencies from all over the United States.

The NCSO will compete in the 500 category (number of employees). There are 17 other teams in that division, including the California State University, Pasadena police and Manhattan Beach police departments.

In 2008, the winner -- in a near-record time of 12 hours, 48 minutes, 12 seconds -- was the Los Angeles Sheriff's Central Jail. The winner of the inaugural race in 1985 was Los Angeles Police Central Area in 14:16:47.

Race winners

*1986--LA Sheriff's Special Enforcement Bureau (13:26:58)

*1987--LA Police Training/Air Support (stopped because of snow in the Spring Mountains)

*1988 --LA Police Hollenbeck Area (13:00:02)

*1989--LA Police Parker Center (13:12:02)

*1990--LA Sheriff's Central Jail (13:03:31)

*1991--FBI Los Angeles (12:57:41)

*1992--LA Sheriff's Central Jail (12:53:37)

*1993--LA Sheriff's Central Jail (12:42:17)

*1994--LA Sheriff's Central Jail (12:58:48)

*1995--LA Sheriff's Central Jail (12:56:37)

*1996--LA Police Training / Air Support (12:41:29, Record)

*1997 --LA Police Training / Air Support (13:12:37)

*1998--LA Police Metro Division Red Team (13:40:23)

*1999--LA Police Metro Division Red Team (13:10:39)

* 2000--California Highway Patrol (13:01:46)

* 2001--LA Police Metro Division Red Team (13:03:48)

* 2002--LA Police Metro Division Red Team (13:12:47)

* 2003--San Diego Police Department (13:24:06)

* 2004--San Diego Police Department (13:22:55)

* 2005--San Diego Police Department (13:18:01)

* 2006 --CHP Sacramento (13:05:15)

* 2007--CHP Sacramento (13:03:40)