Las Vegas Marathon

This year"s Las Vegas marathon will be run starting at 4pm Sunday evening, a night race. The Las Vegas strip will be closed down from 2pm-2am.

It's probably a good thing that I changed my flight from a 3pm arrival to a 9am arrival. Traffic is going to be a bitch! Who comes up with these ideas?


Coldhoist

I personally love the idea as for i have been trying to get ready for the race for a few years. But due to work and health issues it is stil just a dream, but would LOVE to run past the lights of the strip, What a sight.
There are 44,000, due to be in the race this year.

I see no reason why arriving at 3 p.m. would be a problem. There is no need to drive on the Strip to get to any hotel there. This is a huge event which is expected to bring in lots of money to Vegas, and running it at night is a great idea.

To add to Sue's comments, bringing in that many people, most of whom would not be in Vegas otherwise, and during a slow time of year, is a great promotion. For the most part, runners who attend these "destination" races, have disposable income that will be spent at the race site, whether it's Vegas, Chicago, Boston, NY, or wherever. Add to that any friends or family the runner brings with them, and you're talking big bucks.

fredo

Just got back from Vegas today. I was there during the marathon. You folks misunderstood my point. I was not questioning having a marathon. I know how much revenue it brings in for Vegas, something like 50 million dollars.

My point was, who came up with the idea of running a marathon at 4 o'clock in the afternoon and closing the Vegas strip for twelve hours? I can see running the race at 6 o'clock in the morning, but 4pm? My concern was traffic. I know for a fact from watching coverage on television that traffic was a bitch around the strip. Yes, people could get to the strip hotels, but it was a long trip. Those people who had flights arriving while the strip was shut down had a very nasty surprise.

I also question if the Vegas marathon is considered a world class marathon. I saw few if any of the world's top marathoners running in this race. So it seems that the Vegas marathon is more of a social event than a real sporting event. I have read a lot of comments from runners who complained about how unorganized the event was. The lack of water stations around the course, the lack of enough emergency people and on and on.

While this marathon may have been great for Vegas revenue and the runners really liked the idea of running under the Vegas lights, the organizers are going to have to work really hard to present a better and more organized race next year.

Coldhoist

Vegas is a night place. The thought of running on the strip with the neon signs on, is very unique.

This was my 3rd year running it and it is hard to enjoy the strip when you are busy dodging all the groups of people walking together. I enjoyed a Sunday morning run on the strip much more!


Tammi from N. GA.

Yes...there were lots of complaints about this years marathon! They are still piling up the complaints almost a week later!

--Rizzo

I just read lots of people were sick maybe from the water from the fire hydrants that was used. They are testing it. eeeeeeeewwwwwww

"I also question if the Vegas marathon is considered a world class marathon. I saw few if any of the world's top marathoners running in this race."

It was not a world class marathon. The winner ran a little under 2:30 and the wolrd class men run 2:07 and under, down to 2:03. World class women run under 2:25. The woman winner ran around 2:45 in Vegas.

It must have not had prize money. Only the races that offer purses draw the big dogs