Las Vegas Marathon

I had low expectations for Las Vegas. All the past reports I have read have been very negative. I knew they were notorious for late starts, running out of stuff at aid stations, and little food at the finish line. I also knew the weather could be cold and windy, and the course boring. I made sure I was prepared for the worst. I brought lots of clothing for all weather conditions and carried enough gel with me to get me through the race.
Sometimes when expectations are low, things turn out surprisingly well. First, our hotel was very nice and not terribly crowded. The cowboys were in town for the National Finals Rodeo, so that gave a nice feel to Vegas. We found a great place to eat and watch the rodeo with all the cow folk within easy walking distance to our hotel. Also, we found the Cowboy Marketplace and had fun shopping for belts.
The marathon itself had some nice surprises, too. First, all the brides getting ready to for the run-through chapel at mile 5. I think there were 45 couples taking part this year. Second, was the whole herd of Elvi.. most were running the half, but a few were running all 26.2 in full Elvis gear. Third, was a huge fireworks show that started the race. I couldn’t believe how long it lasted and it was really spectacular. Last, and possibly best was finally meeting and running with Marathon Maniac Larry Macon. I didn’t know it at the time, but completing the Las Vegas Marathon would make Larry a world record holder: 105 marathons in one calendar year.
The marathon started at 6 am. It was cold and dark as we made our way to the start line. The race website said there would be a corral for people expecting to complete the marathon in under 4 hours. This simply wasn’t true. It was a free-for-all. 20,000 marathoners and half marathoners, runners and walkers all jammed together. The first few miles were slow. People dodging in and out, stopping without warning, slamming into each other. It was slow going. At mile 4 I ran into Larry. By that time, any hope of getting a BQ was long gone, so I decided to relax, run slow and make a new friend. Larry and I ran together for several miles, chatting and engaging in typical Maniac conversation: How many have you run? When did you start? Why did you start? What’s next? Unfortunately, Larry is somewhat famous and other Maniacs came by wanting in on the conversation. I started talking to a few of them who were running a slightly faster pace and before I knew it, Mr. Macon was left behind.
As usual, I ran a few miles with one person, then by myself before meeting another runner to become friends with before moving on again. The race itself was rather ordinary. On the way back into town, we ran through the backside of the strip. I couldn’t believe how badly it smelled. All the glamour on Las Vegas Blvd, and all the rot and all the rot and decay behind the scenes. When we rounded the corner for the final push to the finish we were presented with little plastic leis. Half a mile later I crossed the finish line in an unspectacular 4:30:00. I grabbed a chocolate milk, found Ric, then walked back to the hotel. After a quick shower, we started walking again, stopped for lunch and continued to walk. We walked until 6:00 or so, stopped for dinner, then headed back to our room at 8:00. A total of 15 hours on my feet. Monday morning we walked some more… at least 5 or 6 hours. I was pleased with all the time on my feet because it put a cap on my training for Across the Years. 3 weeks and I’ll be running the big one!