Rock-n-Roll Las Vegas!

Way back in June I was asked to join Amber M. on a crazy adventure (see earlier post). Since I’m always looking for new and fun places for runs and triathlons, doing the Rock-n-Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon sounded like it was right up my alley. The bling was pretty cool too! It turned into an awesome weekend meeting new friends, making new memories, and helping a friend complete her first ever half marathon.

What a wacky fun group!

Amber and her husband along with another couple were already planning on going to Vegas so I needed to round up a few friends to fill my hotel room. I put the word out and Kate H. and Betsy G. joined in on the fun. Kate has run several halfs and was primed to go all out. Betsy was signed up to do the Oklahoma City Half Marathon (see earlier post) with me back in April but had to pull out when her mother became ill. This would be her first ever and she was excited to be doing it under the lights of the Las Vegas Strip. To top it off the race was the day after my birthday so I would be celebrating in style.

Running with the elite group! NOT!

I met Betsy at the airport in Vegas and connected with Kate. Even though they are both in my Running Friends Facebook group they had never met but in this small world it turned out they had friends in common. Then it was off to the Expo to pick up our race packets. Somehow along the way, Betsy’s registration got changed to the full marathon instead of the half and with the estimated time she turned in she was placed in corral #1. Yes, she was to start with the elite runners! I was in corral #45. After talking to the race organizers they said she could start with me and all would be well. But she will always have a fun Marathon bib to show for it.

We soon met up with Amber and her husband Mark and met their friends Dixie and Doug W. Instant friendship! I have met the most amazing people through my running and triathlon adventures. The circle just keeps expanding like ripples in a pond. The people I have been blessed to encounter are the reason I keep going. Dixie and Doug were also doing their first half marathon. You can’t help but catch the enthusiasm flowing amongst runners. It’s very contagious in the best possible way!

Party crashers!

That evening we had a nice dinner complete with birthday cake and, well, as they say, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. 8-) We met for brunch the next morning then had a few hours of downtime to relax and rest.

Since the race was in the evening with my corral slated for a 5:30 start time, an entire hour after the first runners left the gate, I wasn’t sure how to eat and prepare. But since Betsy and I were planning to walk most of the route it really didn’t matter. The problem became actually getting to the start line. Imagine 45,000 runners and their support teams all trying to get to the same place at the same time. Even for Vegas it was daunting. Considering the start and finish line were 3 miles apart the logistics were overwhelming. The monorail was packed but somehow we smashed our way into the crowd and made it in plenty of time. Amber and Mark were going to renew their wedding vows at the Run Through Wedding (this is Vegas, after all!) so they were having lots of fun posing for pictures. The pre-race concert was blasting and we were all having a great time.

Until the storm hit.

I guess it wasn’t a storm by Kansas standards but the wind picked up and the temperature dropped

 quickly. Everyone was huddled close to block the wind and stay warm. Those of us near the back of the pack knew we had over an hour to wait and it was getting colder and colder. They kept the start

Helping Betsy finish her first 1/2 Marathon!

waves moving but Lady Luck was not smiling on us as a cold rain started pelting us with at least 30 minutes to go before our start time. We stood and shivered and tried to hide behind tall people for wind breaks.  It was not a fun beginning.

It was finally our turn to start and it felt so good to be moving. Betsy and I ran intervals and then walked, keeping up a nice rhythm as we passed the sights of Las Vegas. We knew what our target time was and the pace we needed and were banking extra minutes to allow for more pictures and potty breaks. One of the more interesting breaks came at the Planet Hollywood Casino. We were in a fairly long line at the port-a-pottys when a runner came out of the casino and said there were restrooms right inside the door, WITH TOILET PAPER! That sold it. We dashed into the casino and used the facilities and enjoyed the warmth a few minutes before heading back out to the Strip.

We were making good time and even saw Kate headed toward the finish line. We talked and encouraged each other and ran way more than I thought we might. Somewhere around mile 10, it hit Betsy. She was going to finish her first ever half marathon. With tears in her eyes she turned to me and said, “We’re going to do this! I’m doing a half marathon!” I was so proud to be doing this with her and seeing the look of pride wash across her face. It’s a look that you never forget.

But the tough miles were still to come. By mile 12 she was hurting pretty bad so we slowed down and took our time. The last mile seemed like it would never end and when we saw the finish line arch it couldn’t come soon enough. Betsy crossed a few steps ahead of me and will now forever be a half marathon finisher.

The Las Vegas Strip at Night!

However, the worst was yet to come. The finisher’s chute was a half mile long and our hotel was right at the finish line. We didn’t want to walk all the way down and then back up, adding yet another mile to our distance. With the adrenaline gone we were just cold. Cold and tired. As back of the packers there wasn’t much left and the walk seemed ridiculously long. And the darn security guards wouldn’t let us jump the fence either. Not that we had the energy to do that anyway. We finally make it back to the hotel and found the rest of the gang in the burger joint. Kate had set a new PR, Dixie and Doug finished near their target times for their first half marathons, Amber and Mark renewed their wedding vows, and Betsy finished ahead of her target time by quite a bit. Me, I finished with new friends, sore feet, and a smile from ear to ear.

I’m not sure where the next adventure will lead me but I’m sure it will bring new people into my life. New locations and new challenges keep me moving. Life is too short to let pass by and I don’t intend to sit on the sidelines. I’m so proud of Betsy for accepting the challenge of doing a half and sticking with it even when it got hard. And it did get hard. This was my 4th half marathon of the year and 6th total. The memories of this weekend will always make me smile. Viva Las Vegas!