Las Vegas Rock 'n' Roll 1/2 Marathon Recap

 Dec 3.   Leave Long Beach, CA for Las Vegas  Rock 'n' Roll event. Friday's traffic was still light on  I-15 and it's a good drive to Las Vegas, Nevada.



View from a Mandalay Hotel room.  Finish / Start line is a block away from
Mandalay.  From this room, I can see Las Vegas Blvd which is the main route of the event.

 

Dec 4.   Pick up my bib & swag bag at the Sand Expo. Lots of vendors and freebies. Before the Expo,  I did a 2 miles easy run along the strip to remind body & mind that old Arthur is ready to rock. 



Dec 4.  Dined with the Kings at the Pasta Party.  About 2000 people  attended the Pasta Party.  Highlight of the entertainment was the performance of   6 to 12 years old Fil Am hip hop dancers. 



Dec 5  The Big Day.  I was assigned at Coral #23 (expected finish time - 2:30).  The finish time I put on the registration was 2:10 but because of the big number of participants (about 30,000), I was bumped to this coral.  I snuck though in Coral # 21.



And the race was on!!!  It took 30 minutes from the Gun Time  before my Coral was released.  I ran as fast as I could to put  distance from the rest of the herds.  For the next 6 miles have to run around slower runners. As, I was losing some valuable seconds and determine to set a new PR, started cutting in front of other runners. I stopped running around to find space, I just ran straight thru openings.  THIS WAS STUPID MOVED, IT'S UNSAFE AND  I AM NOT PROUD OF IT.  I was also cut by faster runners and was not happy about it.  I will not do it again.  At my age, safety and fun should come  first ..... but it sure feel good to kick some young arses. Next time, I will just pad my expected finish time. Overtook  the 2:15 pacer and a Group of Elvis belting rock n roll songs at the old strip (Fremont district).  At mile 10 and with the Mandalay tower in sight, I checked my Garmin  and knew that I was on target for a new PR ..... but the sub 2 hrs will remain just  a dream. Crossed the Finnish line at 2:02:15



Post Celebration.  In my 3 years of running, the Las Vegas event was the most gratifying ",  not because of the PR, but because of what I felt after the race.
Felt good that, I hung around for hours to watch Bret Michael concert.
Felt good that, I watched The Lion King without dozing off.
Felt good that, I played Black Jack till 2:00am.
Felt good that, I did a 2 miles recovery run along the strip before driving back home.

I believe that the training  and my first marathon last October made all these possible.


I will get this Special Heavy Medal for Running 2 Rock 'n' Roll -half marathon in 2010.