Las Vegas Rock n Roll Marathon Recap, Part 2

So I just happened to be running by the Bellagio when the fountains were going off & OMG!  So beautiful and mesmerizing…I really wanted to stay and watch, but I had to keep going.  I loved the beautiful mix of music and motion from the water- truly stunning!

Running on the pretty part of the Strip is only about 3 miles each direction, so we had to head further north & do a few miles in downtown & through a few rather questionable neighborhoods.  I was in such a zone that I just kept running, dodging people, hoping up on curbs, and pushed through one of the most physical races I’ve ever run.

Another big complaint that I often heard & also experienced myself is the poor lighting and signage.  I could only see the mile markers because I knew when to look for them, but otherwise they were very dark.  It was almost impossible to see the bathrooms  in the dark & I think some type  of siren light would have helped people see them in the distance and prepare to make a stop if necessary.  Same thing with the water stations- it was hard to see if you were approaching one but as soon as you got there many of them were just a wall of people and I couldn’t even “slow jog” or shuffle down the middle.

Looking back, I do think it really stunk that the full marathoners got stuck in a 5′-10′ gutter on the left side of the road & none of the half-marathoners who were running much slower knew to stay out of our lane.  RnR tried to provide bike support to yell about left/right, but it was even too crowded for them to ride at some spots and they were just making things more congested.  I will blame some of this on the runners- it seemed like all common courtesy & running etiquette went out the window.   So much pushing, shoving, yelling.  Everybody’s frustration level was elevating with every passing mile.  Tons of walkers side by side, creating a wall.  Tons of people with both earphones in so they couldn’t hear instructions or that you were trying to pass them.

As I pushed further into the second half, I ran into more people & the congestion became insane.  I stopped to take a few more photos & thought I’d take more on our 2nd lap on the strip, but I ended up totally focused on my finish time & not willing to stop at all.  It was neat running on the strip, but there were many runners that were on their phones, texting or stopping right in the middle of the roadway to take photos (instead of moving off to either side).

Circus Circus was the last major hotel we ran by & it always reminds me of my grandparents.  They’d stay there & bring me back little trinkets or postcards when I was a child.  After exiting the fancy part of the strip, the roads really narrowed & we did several turns, which always makes congestion worse.  This was the last photo I took & looking down at my watch, I figured I could be well under my goal of a 4:30 finish time.

I caught back up to hubby around mile 23 & you can see how crowded things are still behind me.  I really needed water, since I’d skipped many of the water stops which were effectively at a complete standstill.  I dropped my belt, grabbed a bit of brownie & my cell phone (since I’d forgotten it in the room).  He was going to try to make to the finish line, but only had 30 minutes to navigate the traffic & congestion so he just said he’d meet me back at the hotel.

Without my fuel belt & knowing I could hit 4:20 if I was able to maintain a 10 min/mile pace, I was off running like a mad woman- no stopping for anything!

And there are no more race pictures at all.  I crossed the finish line barely in 4:20 and was so freaking excited- until I ran into the mad house that was the finish area.  Since the majority of the half-marathoners were coming in at that time too, we were all congested in to one area & were funneled into long lines to take photos.  Since I usually skip these, I knew to go around them & head for refreshments.  The bananas they provided were inedible (bright green) and I grabbed a water out of a garbage can.  Volunteers were nowhere to be seen & people were grabbing their own mylar blankets if they felt like standing in line. I  just kept moving & didn’t want to bother with the crowds.  It was about 40 degrees, windy and starting to sprinkle at this point. There are all sorts of horror stories about lack of medical and running out of finisher’s medals for the races.  I was focused on navigating the maze of people & getting into gear check so I could grab my long pants/jacket and sit down for a few minutes.  The crowds inside the Mandalay Bay hallways were insane- people just sprawled out everywhere inside, trying to stay warm & blocking any type of aisle that would normally exist. The lines & wait at the gear check were long & painful after running a marathon & then standing outside for 10-20  minutes.  Luckily, there were maps & I could see where the shuttle was back to the hotel & I made a mad (walking) dash to get back to the Wynn.

I had hubby have a hot bath waiting for me so I could warm up & we decided to order room service- which was a brilliant idea. I heard that many restaurants were closed by 10 or 11, or had 2+ hour waits for a table.  I decided to go with a nice glass of bubbly to reward myself since I’d been trying to limit my pre-race alcohol consumption.

Here are a ton of other reviews I collected along the way- some good,  some horrible about the many other problems during the race.

Some other reviews  here: Run it Fast, Jill Will Run, Bia’s Race Recap, Runners Rambles, Fannetastic Food, Run your Victory Lap. Running with Charlene and her message to RnR, One Runner’s Brain, Knit Run Travel, I Run Disney (excellent recap), Preheat 262, 26.2 Etc (elite runner), Chronic Runner, Ryan Runs , Let’s Go On a Living Spree, Blogging with Jen, Stuck Outside the Box, Captain Chas (excellent review of issues), 40 & Running, Running Sweetheart, Cook Train Eat Race (full marathon), Run for Fun (A Tale of 2 Races in Vegas), Review from a Walker, Run Ski Ride.

Another complaint I have at any marathon is the “hidden” finish line.  You think you are so close, then you have a turn, then another turn!  ARGHH…nothing more frustrating & it’s hard to know when to turn on that final sprint if you can’t see the actual distance to the finish line.  Vegas was no exception & we made several turns to get into the parking lot & I took this photo the day before during our helicopter flight.  The red arrow on the right is near the finish line,the yellow lightening bolt is the main band, the family reunion area is the open space in the middle, the VIP area with heaters is by the heart and the doors to get inside to bag check are all the way over by the blue arrow.

Just a Quick Summary of all the issues.

1- Corral size, enforecment, walkers, general runner etiquette

2- dedicated lane for marathon, enforcement, dispersment of information

3- volunteers- not enough, unprepared

4- water & cytomax stations empty, disorganized

5- finish line orgnaization, lights, volunteers, medicals, crowd control

6- mandalay bay, transportatation, organization, lighting, weather

7- Darkness on the course: lack of bathrooms, lighting, space

8- course too narrow, turns, no elevation profile, dark,

9- post race hotel coordinate, restaurants, food

10- expo too crowded, centralized cashiering, 2 “convention centers”, ran out of bags

Check out the race reviews here on Marathon Guide and on Yelp.

Response about the CEO & his wife “running” 2 miles, turning around, finishing the half, taking medals & photos, placing in their age groups.

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Anyway- I’m just glad I had a fabulous race & am SOOOO thankful I didn’t let the myriad of problems slow me down & that I didn’t get sick, like so many other runners.  I really can’t recommend the Las Vegas Rock n Roll marathon to anybody, unless they make major changes to address the numerous logistical and safety issues.

I ran the first half with very few break, stopping just long enough to swallow water at a few of the water stations.  Starting at the 2nd half, I stopped a few times briefly to take photos & I made the 1 stop with hubby near mile 23.  The elevation profile is crazy- probably screwed up by the tall buildings, but the 2nd half is totally flat.  And I am done for the year- 7 full marathons & I am looking forward to a break after the Houston Marathon in January!

GOOD NEWS OF THE DAY:  Love having Christmas Eve on a Saturday, started off with my last long run of the year & headed to hang out with family.