RunningAHEAD - Topic: Running in Las Vegas

AwesomeJoe

posted: 1/6/2009 at 3:35 PM

I am going to be in Las Vegas at the end of March and unfortately I am going to miss out on a fun 15K race in Cincinnati. Anyone know of any races in Las Vegas on 3/28-29. I'm looking for 1/2 marathon and shorter. If not I'll try running the strip or the Red Rock scenic route. Anyone have any advice? Thanks, Joe

nothing to see here.

RunAsics

The Limping Jogger

posted: 1/7/2009 at 10:10 AM

I'm sure you could google for races. The Strip is flat but Red Rock is rather hilly. When I was there, I preferred running off strip - down to MGM the over to the Hard Rock Casino and do some loops. A few bums but less issues crossing roads.

"Only a few more laps to go and then the action will begin, unless this is the action, which it is."

Run To Win

#2867

posted: 1/7/2009 at 3:43 PM

I just got back from a week+ in Vegas. A few things to note: 1. Stay away from the strip if you can. It's noisy, busy, and it takes forever to get anywhere or do anything. Parking is free at most of the casinos, there's a good bus system you can use to get around (the deuce) and there's a monorail behind the casinos that will cover about 3/4 of the strip. 2. The roads in the southwest are much softer than in the northeast. That was nice. It wasn't as soft as running on grass or a trail, but definitely beat me up a lot less than the roads do up here. 3. If you want to get some good runs in, aim outside of Vegas. Vegas is a big bowl and the temperature inversions keep the smog down at eye level where you suck it down and wonder why the hell you are sucking wind. I assumed it was because of the elevation, but once I did a few runs at the end of the week outside of the valley, I can definitively say that it wasn't elevation that was my problem. (Vegas is only about 2000 feet; I just happen to live on the Atlantic Ocean.) 4. Go to http://calicoracing.squarespace.com/contact/ and contact Joyce about local races. I just ran an event she put on and she did a great job. I don't think she's putting on any races that weekend, but she might know of somebody else that is.

Run to Win
25 Marathons, 17 Ultras, 16 States (Full List)

xor

posted: 1/7/2009 at 3:50 PM

Quote from Run To Win on 1/7/2009 at 3:43 PM:

2. The roads in the southwest are much softer than in the northeast. That was nice. It wasn't as soft as running on grass or a trail, but definitely beat me up a lot less than the roads do up here.

Maybe in some places, but that's kind of general. Texas is considered SW, and some of the races there... Houston Marathon being a great example... are all ouchy concrete. I don't mean "paved", I mean concrete. Lots of the roads in Dallas are this way too. (not that this really matters to BigJoe) Big thumbs up for Calico racing, though.

RunnerKSA

posted: 1/7/2009 at 5:05 PM

If you go off-strip out beyond Hard Rock Hotel, you get to the UNLV campus. You can run through the campus to residential areas beyond it. That's better than running along the stron because you don't get caught in as many cross streets and pedestrian overpasses.

Out there running since dinosaurs roamed the earth

AwesomeJoe

posted: 1/7/2009 at 9:14 PM

Thanks for the advice. I'll be staying at the Mandalay Bay resort or the Luxor. I had read that the strip is a good run early in the morning and horrible as the day goes on. I guess I'll use google maps to find a route off the main drag. I hadn't considered the elevation change from ohio. I wonder how that will go. A quick google search found some running groups in Las Vegas but no races yet.

nothing to see here.

Murphy996

posted: 1/7/2009 at 10:30 PM
modified: 1/7/2009 at 10:32 PM

be careful running away from the strip. You dont want to be running in any of the immediate surrounding areas. You would need to drive somewhere more safe to be running. oh..and are you referring to the Heart Mini 15k? That is a tough one. Highway running, the brutal up-hill detour..the heat..

AwesomeJoe

posted: 1/8/2009 at 8:58 AM

Quote from Murphy996 on 1/7/2009 at 10:30 PM:

be careful running away from the strip. You dont want to be running in any of the immediate surrounding areas. You would need to drive somewhere more safe to be running. oh..and are you referring to the Heart Mini 15k? That is a tough one. Highway running, the brutal up-hill detour..the heat..

Good point about knowing the area. I've never been to Las Vegas so I'll have to be careful. The Heart Mini is a great race. I like running in downtown Cincinnati. At least this race doesn't include the bridges, those are sneaky hills. with the hill on the Mini route, you know its there and you know how bad it is.

nothing to see here.

Running in Las Vegas (Read 551 times)