Las Vegas Half Marathon: Race Recap

This is the most fun I have ever had running a race!  There were a few kinks...more for others from what I hear.  But I had an amazing time.

This was a night race so it was a long day.  I slept great the night before.  Probably because I didn't have to worry about getting up early and put no pressure on myself for this race.

Ryan and I ate a fabulous breakfast at Mon Ami Gabi at Paris.  We walked the strip and did some shopping for the kids.  Then we ate lunch at the Bellagio.  Yummy pizza.  Then we went back to the hotel to get some rest.  Pretty soon it was time to get dressed for the race.

Ready to Run!

We took the tram to the start.  So far so good.  Walked into Mandalay Bay and stayed warm.  Then we started out for our corral.  That is when I started to panic.  We walked out to corral 20 and we were in corral 3.  There were so many people that we could not get up to our corral.  We were literally fighting the crowds with many runners to try and get closer to the start.  When the National Anthem started playing, I knew we just needed to get in any corral.  We actually got pretty close, between corral 4 and 5.  The gun went off and so did we...

Very Packed at the Start

My garmin did not have time to warm up and didn't start until about 1 minute after I started running.  So my garmin time was a little off.

Garmin time: 1:52:25 (Pace: 8:35min/mile)

Official time: 1:53:32 (Pace 8:40min/mile)

Mile 1:  (8:32) Wow this is fun!  All the stress went away and I just appreciated what an amazing experience I was having. I am very happy that I didn't start off too fast either.  I am learning.

Amazing!

Mile 2:  (8:27) I was feeling so good.  Running under the lights and on the strip was amazing.

I am on the right.  

Mile 3:  (8:18) Picked up our pace a little.  Passing our hotel... the Bellagio.  Love.

Mile 4:  (8:27) Still running on the strip.

Doesn't that look fun?

Mile 5:  (8:14) Mile 5-8 were off the strip.  It was pretty dark but not too bad.  I am glad I brought my music. (First time ever for me).  It definitely helped keep me going when there wasn't much too look at.

Mile 6: (8:26)

Mile 7: (8:14)

Mile 8: (8:37)

Mile 9:  (8:33) My legs started feeling heavy.  But the strip was now back in few.  This really helped.

Mile 10:  (8:44) Pace slowing but I never felt like walking.  First time ever for me in a half marathon where I had no thoughts of walking.

Mile 11:  (9:18) Only mile with a 9 in front of it.

Mile 12:  (8:53) I really wanted to pick up the pace but my legs were now feeling the effects of my lack of training.

Mile 13: (8:58)
Mile 13.1 (8:15)

We did it!

I felt great when I finished.  Ryan and I got our picture taken, ate some food and more water and then headed back to the hotel.  Luckily we were able take the tram back.  Apparently the taxi line was hours long.  We showered up and then went out to eat at Olives.

I was so happy with how this race went.  I felt great almost the whole time (of course my legs were tired at the end), I enjoyed the scenery, and I wasn't too sore after.  It is ironic to me that I trained about 3x more for my last half marathon and I ran this one faster.  It makes me realize that I put way too much pressure on myself.  Oh yeah, and my foot felt perfect too.  I hope to run this race again!

Fun Times in Las Vegas

After not going on a vacation without the kids for 7 years, Ryan and I decided it was FINALLY time to get away by ourselves.

December 29th will be our 10 year anniversary.  Also Las Vegas was having a half marathon on the strip at night.  Since everyone knows how much I love to run, I thought this would be the perfect way to celebrate our anniversary.

Off to Vegas we went (without the kids)...

We arrived on Thursday and checked in to the Bellagio.

View from our room.  

Bellagio is perfectly located in the center of the strip.

I absolutely loved this hotel!  Our room was great and we had a fantastic view of the strip.  I would definitely stay there again but there are so many great hotels in Vegas so I would probably try another hotel next time.

Thursday night we went out to eat at Fix where we had a great meal and $20 cocktails. (Wow, Vegas is expensive).  Then we saw Ka (a cirque du soleil).

Friday we rented a car and drove to Zion National Park.  This was Ryan's highlight of the trip.  I thought it was spectactular too!  We hiked a total of 6 miles.  2 of those miles were literally straight uphill.  I was sooooo sore from this.  I was more sore from this hike then running the half marathon.

Breathtaking

This is only about half way up.  Yes I climbed this.  Do you see why I was so sore?

We're almost there

This is the part of the trail that literally goes straight up.  You have to hold onto the chain because if you slip you fall of the edge of the cliff and... About 1 person a year dies on this trail.  I did not even make it half way up before I got too scared.

Slowly making my way back down.

A flatter trail

After we were back in Vegas we ate at Scarpetta.  This was the only meal there that I did not like.

Saturday we went to the expo at the Venetian to pick up our bibs.  We found some good running gear there too.  We then did some more shopping along the strip.  I did not buy anything but Ryan did:)  Ryan is like most guys and does not like to go clothes shopping so it was fun to get some new clothes for him.

On Saturday night we met up with our neighbors, Alyssa and Travis along with some more of their friends, and ate at Tao.  It was a fun night!  I of course talked Alyssa's ear off about running.  I think one day she is going to send me a bill for all of the running questions I ask her.

One of our only pictures together and it is blurry...

Sunday was race day.  This day deserves a post of its own.  This was the highlight of the weekend for me.

Monday was our last day in Vegas.  We tried to make the most of the last few hours we had left of our vacation.  We finished it off by eating at Mon Ami Gabi again then it was off to the airport...