2026 Red Rock Running Company St Patrick's 5KM Race Recap - Las Vegas, nV

Epic photo of me at the start.

Official Time: 27:56
Placement: 78th overall, 2nd in the 50 - 59
Results:  Here
Race Website: Here
Weather: Mid 60s. 10 mph wind from the north
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: First Year for Me

Mile	Time	Comments
1	9:03	Slow start. Definitely don't have my race legs today. Windy
2	9:15	Just exhausted and not getting anywhere.
3	9:31	Windy on the way back.  Just want the race to be over
3.02	0:05	Thank goodness the course was short.
	Total Miles: 3.02- 27:56

Introduction

With a little "race fever" after Friday night's race, I opted to sign up for the Red Rock Running Company's St Patrick's Day 5K race. The race was close by and while expensive, it was something to do and keep the good times rolling.

I had run on the course a few times -- at Floyd Lamb Park -- but never explored the west side of the park.  With the starting line there, I figured this would be a nice race to get acquainted with the park and see the entirety of it.

Note: the pictures of the course were taken during a long run and am providing them here so that readers will be able to see the trail and what runners had to run on during the race.

The Race

The race started at 8 AM and I made it to the race site at 7 AM. The race had nearly 500 attendants so parking filled up fast.  And fortunately I got a spot fairly close to the starting line.

I managed to get my bib in short order and did about 30 minutes of easy jogging and drills to get warmed up.

Area I warmed up near

The Floyd Lamb Park has 2 parts to it.  A part where there is fishing, shade and trees, and another part that involves a dirt trail that meanders around the park.  I had never explored the fishing area and it was incredibly beautiful in the morning.  I really enjoyed it.  Alas, the race would not be run there.

The race starts at the end of the parking lot and immediately leads you on a fairly wide dirt trail.  The initial outset is a little rocky but for the most part, the route is pancake smooth.  The course has some hills but I wouldn't call any of them dreadful.

The first mile was all new to me.  The course was a bit of a lollipop of a route, with an initial outbound, followed by a loop and then returning back on the route that took you to the main trail.  I am pretty well versed in the circle, having run it a few times on some of my long runs.

I had started somewhat close to the start - the last thing I wanted was to be hemmed in.  And with a race this big and on a somewhat narrow route, I never felt hampered.  However, my ego was a bit bruised as those half my age flew by me.

I had noted that I'd have a bit of a tailwind to start and I'd likely have a headwind coming back.  I knew the latter half of the race was going to be challenge.

Typical Stretch of trail 

I figured my pace was slow.  I had been up late the previous night and I had just run a race about 36 hours from the start of this one.  I simply don't recover as well as I used to.  I had taken the previous day easy but I felt like I should be able to at least pull off a mediocre race.

Running on the dirt trail almost feels like running on quicksand; at least for me.  Despite wearing my Saucony Speeds 5, I felt like the rebound from the ground wasn't giving me anything.  There simply was any "pop".  I knew it was going to be challenging but in a race situation, I felt like it was holding me back.

Just before a mile, the trail dumped us off at the circle and I knew where I was at this point.  A little while after my watch alerted me that I had just run a 9:03 mile.  That was barely faster than half marathon pace and slower than 10K.  Was I going that slowly?

I hadn't spotted anyone that I knew for sure was in my age group, but anyone over 40 I figured may be my competitor.  But primarily I was being passed and running with, people of the other gender or those half my age.  Unfortunately, I was getting passed -- a lot and doing very little passing.  I knew I had started up at the front and that I should expect this, but it is still mentally hard to deal with.

The trail does involve a bit of uphill and whenever I tried to muster up anything close to 5K race pace, a hill would set me back to reality.  I honestly just had nothing. Any willpower I had to turn in a decent pace -- my body wasn't cooperating.

The race organizers did have a Leprechaun mascot of sorts on the course and I saw him a few times. It was nice to get a few shouts of encouragement during my suffering from him.

Finally we reached the backend of the park and mentally I celebrated because we were halfway through.  However, now I had to content with a headwind.  I was further swallowed up by other runners and my pace slowed.  Mile 2 came up at 9:15.  I expected slower and all things considered, this wasn't too bad of a time considering the challenges I was facing.

I couldn't wait for the race to end.  The wind just seemed to push me back and I was getting nothing in return from any sort of rebound.  Was I even going to place in my age group?

I finally got back to the side trail we took and I got a bit of a break from the wind.  My pace quickened a bit as a result but most of my energy was gone.  And the last .4 of a mile was into the wind.  I could  hear the music coming from the distance of the finish line and I could see it out of the corner of my eye, but I still had to run a bit extra.

There wasn't much of a finishing kick, but I attempted one half-heartedly.  The course, fortunately, was short, and I came in at 3.02 miles.  My finish line photo shows the look of exhaustion on my face.

Conclusion

So this was another "just do it" race.  I didn't have much going in my favor from the get go and the results were already written for me before I even made it a 100 yards.  

That being said, though, I had a good time at the event.  I was able to make small talk with people, it was a beautiful day, and there was a good "vibe" at the race. I tried to get a sense from a few other runners how their time measured up to a "normal" 5K and I didn't get a very clear consensus as to whether it was a fast course or not.  I was mostly looking for a ray of excuse for my slower than usual time.

Medal and t-shirt

The medal was actually pretty nice.  It was big and heavy and seemed to nice for a 5K.  The t-shirt was nicely designed but it was cotton.  It'll likely be something I wear around the house but not for another run.  Post race refreshments included liquid-IV and an energy drink provider.  I probably should've looked around for other things but I had brought my own Gatorade.  The course was well marked and marshalled.

There were no age group awards.  This was kind of a bummer, especially for me. The age group awards really encourage me to try my best.  I still would've tried just as hard had I known there weren't awards but still, it is a race.

I did finish 2nd in my age group and coming in with all the disadvantages of the morning, I should probably cut myself a little slack, but I was and still am, disappointed with my overall time.  I am not trending in a good direction despite some pretty decent training sessions.  But I also realize, I am coming into a lot of these races not primed for excellence.

I paid close to $50 for the race -- 2 days before the race entry, so I expect to pay a lot.  With an age group award, I would've been tickled pink with the value.  No age group awards -- this was an expensive fun run.  Still, I had a good time and I really enjoyed meeting / talking to people.

Upcoming Races

03/28: 2026 Mount Charleston Half Marathon - Las Vegas, NV (Confirmed)

02/21: 2027 Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon - Las Vegas, NV (Confirmed)

2026 Friday the 13K Race (6.5K) Race Recap - Las Vegas, NV

Race location

Official Time: 36:23
Placement: 8th overall, 3rd masters, 1st in the 50 - 59 age group.
Results:  Here
Race Website: Here
Weather: Upper 70s, breeze from the west / north
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: First Year for Me

Mile	Time	Comments
1	9:06	After a fast start, had to make a climb uphill and into the wind.
2	8:51	I smashed it at the turn around but this was worst of the uphill section.
3	9:15	Wish the entire race had been like this. Screamer downhill
4	8:48	Uphill and into the wind but did better here.
4.04	0:21	Uphill and into the wind but did better here.
	Total Miles: 4.04- 36:23

Running at night has its challenges

Introduction

Well, it's been a while since I've raced a night.  And I've never run a 6.5 KM race before.  So this past Friday the 13th of March 2026, I opted to toe the line at the Friday the 13KM Race held at Mountain Edge Park in Las Vegas (probably Summerlin).

The race had 2 distances, a 13 KM and a 6.5 KM race.  Given I was coming into the race a little fatigued from a typical week of training, plus still recovering from last weekend's 5K, I sanely chose the shorter race.

I was pretty excited about the race. I was going to explore a new course, in a new area and it was another opportunity to ingratiate myself into the Las Vegas running scene.  The thought of making it just beyond a 5K as well made it unique and it was on a Friday night.  The race checked off a bunch of new milestones for me.

Typical stretch of trail

  

The Race

I made the trip over to the race site -- a beautiful park on the south west side of the Las Vegas metro area.  It had a pair of soccer fields, playground equipment and even exercise equipment at the park.  There was also quite a bit of sweet smelling desert plants along a paved walking trail that went around the circumference of the park.  The park was crowded with a pair of youth soccer games plus families enjoying the warm night.

Parking was at a premium and I had to park on a residential street.  Fortunately, I was there early, so the walk to the park wasn't too bad.

It was super dark here in another 30 minutes.

Prior to the race, I made small talk with fellow races and wound up doing an easy 1 mile warm-up.  I got a sense of the race we were running and found out the entire route was paved.  With the race starting at 7 PM and sunset at 6:55, I knew we'd be running in the dark by 7:20 or so.  We were advised to bring a headlamp and I had brought a small flashlight.

Packet pickup was a snap and the race started on time. 

The course started off at the east end of the park and was run on a sidewalk surface.  There were about a 100 runners between the two races, so it wasn't crowded at all.

Initially the lighting wasn't perfect. The park itself was well lit and I could easily navigate the course.

Almost immediately, I ran into some headwind. My Garmin really doesn't indicate there was a wind, but it definitely was there and after the race people did complain about it.  We were on the edge of the desert and it was definitely blowing into our faces.  While I had done a good warm-up, my legs were slow in responding to race pace.  I had done a fairly hard workout on Tuesday and I think I was still carrying residual fatigue from Saturday's 5K.

I had surveyed my competition at the start and spotted a few over the age of 40 runners who might just be over 50.  The question was, which race distance were they running?

I didn't waste any effort looking at my watch. I was running by feel.  Besides, it is really hard to estimate your pace in the darkness.  I was working hard despite the fatigue and wind.  

After about half a mile, we left the park behind and headed out into the desert.  It got significantly darker, but there was still a little light left.  The course had a lot of loops and turns but none of them were what I would consider something that slowed me up.  It was actually kind of fun.

A little over half a mile an older fellow caught up to me and slowly put some ground on me.  He was my first competitor and while it was early in the race, I figured he would continue his progression and I'd regress.

But I was dogging him as best as I could and every now and then, I'd come up beside him, only for him to make a little bit of a gain.

Mile 1 came up at a low 9 minutes per mile.  Was I running that slow?  Given the darkness, the heat (it was in the mid 70s, and the fatigue in my legs, I wasn't outwardly surprised.  But I felt like I was working a little too hard for the time I was getting.  A little bit of panic started to settle in.  Where was my fitness?

Around mile 1.6, we jumped onto a sidewalk along a busy road and then hung a right.  Finally! The wind was at my back.  With the renewed sense of the worst was over, I picked up my pace.  I came side-to-side with my would-be competitor and surged past him, expecting him to come with me again.  But this time he didn't.  I didn't see him again except at the turn around.

I didn't know if the course was going to come in at 6.5KM or not, but I am happy to report that soon after my watch beeped 2 miles, that I hit a turn around.  It was indeed going to come in pretty darn close to a 6.5 KM race.  This was also the race's only aid station.

The turn around signified the race was half over and I was doing okay.  Not great, but I was holding it together.  Unfortunately, I was running into the headwind again and almost immediately, my pace slowed.  My 5K pace turned into slow half marathon pace.  I was growing frustrated.

However, once I made it off the sidewalk and was running on the bike trail with the wind at my back, my sense of vigor increased.  I began to look for people to pick off.  Some of the lead runners from the 13KM race were already heading out for another lap, so seeing them fly by was inspiring.  For a large segment of mile 3 I was running at 5K pace.  

It was incredibly dark out in the desert. Fortunately, the runner ahead of me had a headlamp.  And while he was my target he was very instrumental in helping me navigate the course.  I still had a flashlight but I suspect my large arm swing wouldn't make it too useful.  Once the park came into view and the floodlights illuminated the trail, I overtook him (and another runner) and sped forward as best as I could.

I didn't quite have the finishing kick I was looking for, but my 10K pace would have to do.  I kept looking for my age group competitor but he was nowhere to be found.

I crossed the finish line in 36:23, about a 9:01 pace or so.

Looking strong at the finish

Conclusion

So I was slightly disappointed with my time.  I felt like I had run hard though and I didn't give up on myself.  The conditions of the race were definitely harder than what I thought: residual fatigue, night running, warm, pretty warm out, and not knowing the course.  

I did feel like I had fueled properly for the race. I was worried that I had overeaten prior to the 7 PM start.  Around 3:30, I had a bowl of Cream of Wheat cereal, which happens to digest very quickly for me.  It was a good choice.

The course was also fairly flat and I didn't detect any hazardous situations where I was worried about tripping.  Perhaps the only spot was on the sidewalk near the turn around point.  There were a few non-runners along here and it required going off the sidewalk a bit to get around them at times.

Post race refreshments were granola bars and drink. Pretty basic stuff.  I had brought my own Gatorade for after the race and used that.  The t-shirt was optional.  Having run with the organizer for the Chilly Willy 5K, I knew it was a cotton one. I really only wear technical apparel and I would've gladly bought one as they have cool designs on them, but I really don't need another cotton t-shirt.

The medal was cool and they have a very generous award system, so I went home with a slew of medals.  I've been impressed with the race organizer with the speed of which they give out awards and their races have been absolutely rock-solid when it comes to organization.

Overall, I'd give myself a grade of "B-" for my efforts.  Definitely not a PR day but I felt my running time was underwhelming.  However, the race result was fairly predictable given the way I was feeling.

I am not sure how often they have this race, it would be hard to hold it annually given the nature of the race (i.e. running on Friday the 13th), but I thoroughly enjoyed my experience and would gladly run it again.

Upcoming Races

03/28: 2026 Mount Charleston Half Marathon - Las Vegas, NV (Confirmed)

02/21: 2027 Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon - Las Vegas, NV (Confirmed)

2026 Skye Canyon Fit Fest 5K Race Recap - Las Vegas, NV

All smiles at the finish line

Official Time: 29:56
Placement: 18th overall, 3rd in the 50 - 59
Results:  Here
Race Website: Here
Weather: Mid 50s. Strong winds from the north and west (13+mph)
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: First Year for Me

Mile	Time	Comments
1	10:03	After a fast start, had to make a climb uphill and into the wind.
2	9:51	I smashed it at the turn around but this was worst of the uphill section.
3	8:08	Wish the entire race had been like this. Screamer downhill
3.20	1:52	Uphill and into the wind but did better here.
	Total Miles: 3.20- 29:56

Too much wind to put up the arches

Introduction

So I wanted to a race this past weekend; looking to stay sharp and test my 5K speed.  It had been since January since I had raced at my fastest.  

The only one I could find that was close, was the Skye Canyon Fit Fest 5K (and 8K).  It was located about 3 miles from my house, so it was convenient and it would give me a chance to see a new area.

I didn't do a whole lot of research into other than it was a 5K, had medals and t-shirts and looked like something cool to do.

8K runners off and running

  

The Race

The race started at 9:30 and I arrived a good 75 minutes early.  Parking was a bit rough. There was limited parking at the actual park so I had to park on the main street.

The race caused a bit of a road closure.  The police had already closed off many of the streets so as someone who didn't know the area, it offered a little extra anxiety.  

Slight uphill to the turn around

I found packet pickup, which was in the fitness center.  I was able to get my bib in short order and a goodie bag, before walking back a good third of a mile (or more) back to my car.  There were ample bathrooms here -- the health club served as the toilets, so it was nice to be able to wash my hands afterwards.

Start of the climb

The race was definitely a community event, geared towards giving families an opportunity to check out the health center as well as be entertained and do something health orientated.  They had inflatable devices and plenty of activities for the younger folks.  They also had a smattering of food trucks.

30 minutes before the race I wound up doing about a mile warm-up.  I immediately determined it was windy and the route that we'd be running would definitely be impacted.  I also scoped out the course and saw that we'd be running uphill and into the wind for the first half of the race. I am not sure if the photos I took do justice but I knew immediately it wasn't likely to be any sort of a personal record day.

About a third of the way up.

The race started off in the park and we had a very quick exit before heading out to the street.  The race started off with the 8K runners and about 60 - 90 seconds later, we started.  It seemed like the great majority of runners were quite run and the event seemed very family friendly.

It wasn't long before I caught up to the slower 8K runners.  Getting to the street docked me a few seconds as I had to leap over curbs and such, and for the first .4 of a mile, I settled into a decent pace.  I was running slightly downhill and had a gentle breeze pushing me.  But when I had scoped out the course before the race, I knew this advantage was going to be short-lived.

Half mile to go.

After about .4 of a mile, we hung a right and had to make a 1.25 mile climb up Grand Teton Avenue.  It was a relentless hill and involved at least 220 feet of climbing (according to my Garmin).  To make matter worse, there was a howling wind.  My pace immediately declined.  

I didn't get worked up about my pace or the effort.  I just soldiered on.  I had already set up expectations on the race: this wasn't going to be a personal record day.  

Mile 1 came in at just over 10 minutes. I wasn't really surprised and to be honest, I am not even sure I was paying attention to my watch's splits. I was there to cover the distance and try and place in my age group. I had noticed one person who was probably in my age group but there was no way I could catch him -- he was way ahead of me in no time at all.

Finish line festivities

I was never running solo and was surrounded by people of all abilities and ages -- mostly younger.  I was still overtaking some of the 8K runners, but at this point, we were all running about the same pace.

I saw the flashing of a police car way up at the top of the hill and I figured that was going to be our turn around point. It was so close, yet so far away.  And the wind wasn't letting up at all.

The course was on city streets and to be honest, it wasn't the sexiest course I've ever run.  Just typical, walled off Las Vegas HOA communities.  It was just a 5K though.

Finally the top of Grand Teton arrived and I figured that was our turn around.  At least on the course maps it seemed to be.  But for whatever reason, we had to hang a right.  The hill continued but the wind settled down.  I wound up getting a bit of extra energy here. I knew now was the time to try and make up some time.

Back to the starting line.

Finally we hit the turn around and it came in at 1.6 miles.  The half mile marker was spot on, so I knew we'd be running at least a 3.2 mile 5K.

Once I hit the turn around, I turned on the jets.  There was a sense of urgency and I flew by a few people and began to pick off more. I was in race mode.

For next mile, I was cruising.  A wind at my back and a steady decline.

Mile 2 came in at just under 10 minutes.  But to be honest, I didn't care.  This was all about attrition and getting it done.

Finally, I got to the bottom of the hill, sailed by the .5 mile to go sign, and hung a left.  It was a steady grind back to the finish line and while the wind wasn't as intense as it was going west, it was still a factor.  Any pep in my step was lost, but my head was still in the game.

I glanced behind me and only a woman was tailing me.  2 guys probably half my age were in front of me and putting distance on me.  I hadn't seen anyone that looked to be in my age group.  And while I had had plenty of company on the way out on the race, the runners had thinned out as I had lost the 8K runners and was with the speedier 5K runners.

I wound up working with the woman and out kicked her at the end.  I wasn't surprised to see a 29:56 on the timer's clock. 

Awards Stage

Conclusion

So it is hard to measure any sort of success on this race.  It was just a race under difficult conditions and it was probably my slowest 5K in a very long time.

I actually felt good at the end. I figured that I had run a 7:45 mile between 1.6 and 2.6 miles.  My final half mile, while slow, was still solid given the uphill and breeze.  Mentally I was strong and didn't give up on myself.

After the race I found out one of the lead runners was indeed in my age group and the age divisions were 10-year increments.  I am not sure who else was in my age group, but I was 3rd.  Unfortunately, only top 3 overall were given medals.

Shirt and finisher's medal

I got a decent swag bag.  It had flyers and a few things I could use in it.  The t-shirt was a nice design and fit nicely, but it is cotton.  Sadly, I probably will never use it except to bum around the house.  The medal was nice though.

Post race refreshments included bottled water, bananas, oranges and granola bars.  You could buy coffee and donuts from vendors and they did have a coffee shop on the premises as well.

I think this race is more geared towards family.  With your race entry, your children would get to use the inflatable jumping things and enjoy the park.  Post race, it was nice to watch everyone and relax in the sun.

I suspect a lot of your entry fee is used for road closures and police presence.  It was about $40 a week or two before the race started.

The course was a tough one.  I just wish they had had age group awards (even first overall in the age groups).  It would give me something to shoot for and compete for.  Let's face it, as a middle of the packer, over 50 runner, I am very unlikely to take a top 3 overall.  The race did have over 300 runners though and I again, I enjoyed myself at this one.

Upcoming Races

03/13: 2026 Friday the 13K Race (6.5K) - Las Vegas, NV (Confirmed)

03/28: 2026 Mount Charleston Half Marathon - Las Vegas, NV (Confirmed)

2026 Rock 'n Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon Race Recap - Las Vegas, NV

At the runner's expo at Resorts World

Official Time: 2:11:15
Placement: 3673th overall, 2475th  male, 122nd in my age group
Results:  Here
Race Website: Here
Weather: Low 60's / mid 50's.  Slight breeze from the north
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: [2025] [2024] [2023] [2022] [2019] [2018] [2017] [2016] [2015] [2014] [2013] [2012] [2011] [2010] [2009]

Mile	Time	Comments
1	9:08	Nicely paced. Exactly where I want to be.
2	9:14	Still feeling good. Pace feels a little "hot" but hanging in there.
3	9:07	Very consistent
4	9:17	Back to the crowds.  Just chugging along. I love my paces.
5	9:03
6	9:09	Heading out of town now.  Crowd gets light and it is getting darker.
7	9:17	Just about all the way downtown.
8	9:33	When is the turn around? I just want to get there.
9	9:37	When did this race get hard? It seemed like as soon as I saw mile 9, my pace plummeted
10	10:23	What happened?
11	11:04	Gosh, I hate running.
12	11:43	Please just let me finish. Debating on just walking.
13	12:30	I can see the finish line - yet so far away.
13.19	2:11	Horrible final mile.  So glad to be done.
Total Miles: 13.19 2:11:21

Introduction

So first off, I am a legacy runner.  That means I've run this race every year since its inception, which was 2009.  I started off doing the marathon until the marathon was a distance I wasn't capable of running anymore.  Now, I am doing the half marathon (and the marathon distance is now not offered).

This was not an optional race for me.  For as long as I am a legacy runner, I am going to try and show up.  It is my ego that plays a part and just a streak of being one of about 60 people who have done it every year.

I was coming off of a 2:01 half marathon for the Sun Half Marathon, and I had hopes to turn in a decent time at this one, with a goal of 2 hours, or probably 2:05.  I am definitely not as fast as I was in 2025 but I figured with better temperatures I had a shot of the low 2's.

The race is also a night race, starting at 4:30 PM.  The sun starts to set around 5:30 - 6 PM and for a good portion of the race, you are running at night. Fortunately, the race runs along Las Vegas Blvd and it is well lit by casino lights.  And that is what makes the race a unique and incredible experience: the organizers close down the Strip and you get to run down the middle of one of the most iconic roads in the United States and be the center of attention.

Pre-Race

With packet pickup going on from Thursday until Saturday evening, and now being a resident of the Las Vegas area, I opted to go on my lunch hour down to Resorts World, where the expo was being held, to get my bib.  Normally, I get it on Saturday when I arrive, but this saved me some time and hassle.

I was able to make it on my lunch hour, avoid a lot of the crowds at the expo, and make it back home in a respectable amount of time.  Being a Nevada resident also got me free parking.  

I was also able to do a little shopping and got a pair of Saucony Endorphin Speed 4's for $125. A little more than what I wanted to spend, but it is another pair of shoes I'll definitely use.

I also signed up for 2027, netting me another cotton t-shirt.

I will probably rethink my plans for next year as far as lodging goes (now that I am a resident) but I got two nights at the New York hotel.  This hotel is a gem for the race, since the starting line is right outside the entrance.  I basically stayed in my room until 3:35 PM before making my way down to the starting corrals, which allowed me to load at about 3:50 PM.

Either way, I did arrive in Vegas on late Saturday afternoon, had some fun on Saturday night and then on Sunday woke up, ate, did a little sports betting, and then pretty much hibernated in my room for the day.  My goal was to stay off my feet as much as possible. It is amazing how much leg fatigue you can rack up simply by wandering around a casino.  In this regard, I was VERY successful in arriving to the race start feeling good.

I also spent the morning / afternoon, hydrating, watching TV, eating simple carbs and just getting everything ready.  It really helped reduce my anxiety. Plus, I had a bathroom and shower at my disposal.

Having a room - at least for Sunday night -- also was beneficial.  I was exhausted when I finished, and I had a room to shower, rest a bit and some recovery snacks to eat. I also didn't stress out about fighting traffic or trying to navigate my way off the Strip.

All smiles at the start

The Race

We were blessed with half way decent weather for the race.  Low 60's, sunny, a slight breeze but otherwise very pleasant.  I had about a 30 minute wait after arriving in my starting corral, before the race started for the elites and first corral.  I was running in less than 10 minutes after that.

It was crowded but I don't think I ever really felt I was hemmed in.  Given the size of the race (over 10K runners) you are never running alone.  But I will break down the race in mile segments below:

And we are off!

Miles 0 to 3

I felt really good at the race and I had a fair amount of confidence in actually running a 2 hour half marathon.  

The race starts in front of the New York hotel and begins a straightaway south on the Strip towards the airport.  There are some crowds to cheer you on. You pass by the Excalibur, Luxor and finally the Mandalay Bay.  It feels a bit surreal and the time flies by in an instant.

The pace felt strong but not out of control.  I was hitting my splits and while I had some concern about crashing and burning, especially with it being a little warmer than I wanted it to be, I knew the race would get cooler.

About a half mile past the Las Vegas welcome sign (and a little over 2 miles into the race), we made the first turn of the race -- a 180 turn. 

At about Mile 2.5

We were still on the iconic Las Vegas Blvd but now we were heading north. I was greeted by a little breeze but after a while I forget I even had it.  At least at the end of the race, I should have a tailwind.

I hit the mile 3 marker in 27:30 -- exactly where I wanted to be.

Cruising by the Wynn / Encore

Miles 3 to 6

Finally, I passed by the starting line. Runners were who in placed in the latter corrals were just getting started but I want to say most runners had already begun the race.  

The crowds grew strong and the next few miles are the best of the race.  People were on the pedestrian bridges or on the sidewalks cheering us on with signs.  It buoyed my confidence and I kept knocking down the miles.  I was debating if it was "go" time but it was still way too early in the race to bump up the pace. I was doing okay and while the sun was setting, resulting in cooler temperatures, it wasn't time yet.

This part of the race is also the most exciting. This was the heart of the Strip and the most iconic casinos were on display.  I loved this section.

For a brief moment when I passed by the 10K exit lane, I thought briefly about going into it.  My pace for the half was still good, but I could save myself a lot of tiredness and effort and just do the 10K.  While my pace was for the half marathon, it would've been a halfway decent 10K.  It was just a thought, I didn't take up on it.

My paces were still spot on and I was still feeling decent.  This might be my day!

Still feeling good! Getting darker

Miles 6 - 9

As we headed north, the crowds thinned out and it got darker.  The fans that did line the side watched in silence, or just continued on their way.  There were a few rowdy folks but the energy from the crowd had dwindled.

The DJs along the route kept things lively though and the music put a bit of pep in my step.

I had been toying with taking a gel at this point -- and I knew I should have.  But my stomach had been just slightly off and a gel just didn't sound good.  In the past, I've managed to get through a half marathon without an energy source but as I've gotten older and slower, I've found the need. I was hoping the sports drink along the course would suffice.

My legs were getting heavier and I knew things were going to get dicey.  When I hit mile 7, I had run a 9:37 -- the first sign of problems.  I knew I had slowed down a little but I was still okay.  

I grabbed a gel that the race was handing out. To be honest, I don't remember the brand and I am not sure what flavor it was supposed to be.  I know better than to try anything new but I was hoping it would perk me up.  It was more fluid than a Gu and the taste was okay. I ate about a third of it.  Enough to give me a little sugar, but hopefully not enough to upset my system.  Fortunately, it didn't do any damage.

The trek northward was a bit monotonous.  The big casinos were gone and now we had more small motels, dark alleys, and small shops.  It wasn't the worst running experience, but I definitely wanted some sort of change.  I kept trying to figure out when we made a turn. I knew it was coming up and to me, it means we are in the final home stretch despite it still being over 4 miles away.

At about mile 8.5 the turn came up.  We had a slightly new pattern to run this year.  Normally we run around the block and head back, but this year, we did an out and back section. I do believe this made the race a bit longer than usual (last year it came in at 13.14 -- this year just about everyone clocked 13.19 and above).

Mile 8 and finally mile 9 had come up at 9:33.  It looked like there wasn't going to be a final kick to close it out.  And my 2 hour race was looking to be around 2:05, assuming I could hold what I was running. While mentally I felt strong, I knew I was starting to struggle.

Just Over the finish line.

Miles 9 - 13.1

So things didn't get any prettier.  Now that we were heading back, I briefly rebounded with the knowledge I was in the home stretch.  However, it was very short lived.  

Around mile 9.5 or so, another runner pulled up to me and asked if I was okay.  I was taken aback by that.  Was it that obvious?  I explained that I was okay and he sped off.  But it sort of put a bug in the back of my mind. Maybe I wasn't.

Every now and then I'd get a little sputter of energy but it wasn't there. I kept thinking to myself that the paces I was currently running were still an easy pace that I'd normally do on an average day. My 9:30's suddenly turned into 10:30's and beyond.  Each mile was 30 seconds slower than the previous.

In the far distance, I could see the Bellagio, where the finish line should be.  It seemed so close, but looking at my watch, I knew it was miles away.

As we approached the finish line, the crowds grew a little stronger.  I was being passed by people left and right now. The only folks I was passing were those walking or the stragglers doing the 10KM race.

Self-defeating thoughts crossed my mind: what happened? It was going so well...  Maybe I am just done with running half marathons. This sucks.  I am so embarrassed.  What will people say / think when they see my time?  I hate running. If you've had a difficult time with a race and you care about your time, you probably have been there too.

I don't remember that much about the final 5K other than I wanted to finish, walk and just end.

Fortunately, every race has an end and while I hoped to rebound, I tried to put on a brave smile at the finish and cross the finish like I had just PR'd.  Behind the scenes though, I was exhausted and angry.  Not with anyone or any organization -- just myself.  

I am better than this.

Okay I finished

Conclusion

After crossing the finish line, I grabbed a bottle of water (or two) and made sure I wasn't going to be sick or pass out.  There really wasn't much of an area to sit down and the organizers wanted you to clear the finish line as soon as possible, as more runners were behind me and they wanted people to be able to cross the line.  I honestly didn't get a chance to sit down until I was on the tram from the Bellagio to the Park MGM.

So this race didn't go to plan; at all. I knew it was going to be very iffy to hit 2 hours but I figured I had 2:05, at worst case 2:07 in the bag.  The fact that I came in at 2:11 and was hating the last 3 miles, just made this a miserable experience.  And it wasn't the race organizers, I had to own this one.

I did the following things wrong:

• I knew 2:00 hours was going to be a stretch. I should've at least tried to start off at 2:03 - 2:05 pace and picked it up if I felt good.
• I should've gotten in a gel at mile 5. I didn't want to chance it as my stomach was a smidge "off" but I should've at least nursed one down. The partial one I got in at mile 7.5 wasn't enough and it was too late.

Things I did right:

• I nailed the taper. I was well rested coming in.
• I stayed off my feet all day Sunday. I wasn't coming in dead-legged or feeling tired.
• I was well hydrated and had enough to eat before hand, but not too much that I was bloated.
• Assuming I had the fitness to hold a 2 hour pace, I did in fact run a 2 hour pace for the first 8 miles or so.

The organization was much better this year.  I was able to get in my starting corral in less than 10 minutes, the bathrooms appeared to be okay in the starting corral.  There were plenty of aid stations with water, Mortal Sports Drink, and gels.  I didn't need to use a toilet on the course, but there were bathrooms.  There was also plenty of music and DJs.

The finish line exit, as usual, was congested and once again they did NOT have bathrooms immediately after you finished. Fortunately, I didn't have to go.  But this was a major issue one year. In fact, if you needed to go, you had at least a 15 to 20 minute walk to one.

The expo was well done and easy to navigate.  I got my bib in under 2 minutes by a friendly volunteer.  The shirt was solid -- a nice long-sleeved one, with a hoodie.  It will probably go down as the year's best.  I was shocked at how good it was.

The medal seemed a little small and not very heavy.  I am not a medal freak, but it seemed a little on the after thought side.

Post race refreshments included sports drink, water, bananas, and a bag of goodies.  They had some chips they were handing out and if you were so inclined, a caffeinated beverage and adult drinks (wine and beer).

The finish line was definitely decked out to celebrate your run.  There were a ton of people and you were in the middle of Strip with the Bellagio fountains going off.  It is always a surreal experience.

Other than my race performance, I really thought this year went well.  This race is a one-of-a-kind experience and even though my race was difficult, you'd be mistaken if I wasn't grateful for finishing and putting another notch on my legacy runner belt.

Upcoming Races

03/07: 2026 Skye Canyon Events Fit Fest - Las Vegas, NV (Confirmed)

03/28: 2026 Mount Charleston Half Marathon - Las Vegas, NV (Confirmed)

02/21: 2027 Las Vegas Half Marathon - Las Vegas, NV (Confirmed)