Red Rock Canyon Marathon, Las Vegas

Published February 20, 2016

20 hours in Sin City – quick in & out, logged my 53^rd marathon finish.

Another half-day Friday workday, autobahn’d to the airport, less than 2 hours later – palm trees & desert in sunny Las Vegas. Scored a ride to Suncoast Resort, our host hotel in North Las Vegas. [As luck would have it, saw a fellow 50 Stater on my flight & hitched a ride.] Walked thru the casino to registration – smell of cigarette smoke always comes as a surprise. No allergies here, just odd to see cigarette smoking…think it’s been outlawed in public buildings & restaurants since the 1980’s.

Lucked into a dinner invite, tagged along with 3 other marathoners – fun pre-race Italian feast. Big fan of red sauce 🙂

Early, early a.m. – bus transportation started at 4:45am to Red Rock Canyon. Staying at the host hotel, luckily slipped onto a later bus – arrived 30 minutes before the 6:15 full marathon start (halfers left from the Visitors Center, 13 miles away).

Quads still tight from last weekend’s 55K mountain adventure in Moab. My sis ran the Red Rock Half while at a work conference last year, forewarned ‘bout the climb & struggled with altitude. Head manta scroll: I eat HILLS for breakfast. I’ve got this – no fear.

Snapped a few pics of the desert landscape & BAM – on our way. Rolling ups & downs…nothing noteworthy – long hill incline started at mile 4. Five miles later, stayed at it but yeah, I felt it. Fast 2-mile downhill – 7:30 minute/miles…dodged shared-lane Halfers ‘til mile 12. Two laps ‘round the Visitors Center, dropped my 2^nd shirt, popped salt pills & Advil, juiced three orange slices. Mile 14 loomed ahead AND our 2^nd five-mile incline. This is the climb Sis warned about. Walk, jog, aid station water. Short run, walk, jog. Aid station water. No joke. Passed a cyclist – must be a tough climb even on wheels…’cause I certainly wasn’t moving fast.

No 7:30-minute brag pace on the downhill return – LOL> trotted to mile 22….but credibly, no walk – paced slow but ran with 2 other runners thru mile 25. They dropped me at the last water station .7 miles from the Finish.

Red rock beauty & vacant desert calm. Not a great run, a 5 hour full. BUT coming only 7 days after Moab, I’ll take it.

Last Saturday 55K trail run in Moab, this Saturday road marathon in Vegas – next weekend? BOTH. Attempting my first double in Tulsa OK – 50K trail on Saturday, full marathon Sunday. Goal is a multi-day adventure race in 2017. Can’t fail if you don’t try 🙂