Las Vegas Rock & Roll 1/2 Marathon

OK! It has taken me forever to post about this. I was waiting to get my race photos back, but since funds are a little scarce right now, I needed to wait.

On Sunday, December 6, 2009, I met my sister and dear friends Jone (from San Francisco) and Jim and Jen (form my running club) in Las Vegas to run in the inaugural Rock & Roll Las Vegas 1/2 Marathon!

I flew in Saturday morning, met my sister and friends and hit the expo at the Mandalay Bay to pick up my race number. I was again running with the Running Elvi and I brought my outfit with me as we were all meeting at 2:00pm for photos at the finish line.

Rockin' the Expo

All the Running Elvi at the finish line!

Call me Elvita!!

After finish line photos, we paraded through the expo for more photos!

After a great pasta dinner with the Team Challenge Georgia folks, I went to our room and got things ready for the race.

At 3:30am the alarm went off and I got up, got dressed, had a little breakfast and headed out to meet the other Elvi and the 100 wedding couples who were getting married in the run through wedding. The weather felt cool but not to bad as I walked over with a few other runners. I had a blanket and some hand warmers to keep me warm, but since it wasn't to cold I went ahead and beat the rush at gear check and checked my stuff. BIG MISTAKE!! We were inside for about 30 minutes and when we came out, the temerature had dropped about 20 degrees! It was FREEZING!! There I had all my warm stuff checked away and I froze.

The starting line was quite the spectical! 2 showgirls and 2 white tigers were on each side of the starting line as well as the fireworks, and the Flying Elvi skydiving out of the sky! There was a bridge crossing over the starting line which has the Blues Brothers totally swinging out!! I danced across the start!

The race was super crowded at the start even though they tried to stagger the corals. I was running with Jen and she was going pretty fast. I had to stay with her though because my Garmin decided to freak out. Crowd support was not what I had hoped for, but I understood as I was freezing and I was running. I would not want to just stand out in that cold! Running up and down the strip was a blast. I felt good for the first 8 or 9 miles then I felt like crap. My legs were so cold it was hard to get them moving. I slowed down my pace and kept Jen in my sights in front of me. When she would walk, I would catch up. In the last 3 miles Jim jumped in to run Jen in.

The last mile there was a little more crowd support. I saw a TV camera and ran over and gave a Whoo Hoo!! to it! The newscaster then said "This would not be the Rock & Roll marathon without Elvis!" I cracked up and went on my way. These distractions were helping me forget how tired and cold I was, but I looked up and Jim and Jen were gone! I picked it up a little in hopes to catch them, but I when I saw the finish line I just went for it. Waiting for my medal, I saw Jim and Jen cross the finish line. How the heck did I get in front of them? I finished in 2:17:20, not a PR, but not bad considering the cold and that I was in full a Elvis costume, holding a blow up guitar the whole way!

I got my post race photo with a show girl, picked up my food and gear and headed back to the hotel for a nice hot shower and a nap before I met up with my sister and Jone for dinner. Jim and Jen headed back to SLC after the race.

We had a great time! Next year I hope it is a little warmer though.

Me and my sister and me and Jone!

The bling!

We Are No Longer Newlyweds!

Today David and I celebrate our 2nd wedding anniversary!

Mesquite Marathon Makes Me A Maniac!!

On Saturday, November 21st, 4 friends and I made the 6 hour drive to Mesquite, NV to run in the Mesquite Marathon. This race took us through 3 states. Starting in Utah, running through Arizona and finishing in Nevada. It was a deceiving race. The elevation chart showed the first 11 miles were downhill. That was true, but we were not prepared for the hills that came after. I bonked hard at mile 22. Thanks to Teri for pushing me through to the finish. There were no PR's to be had for any of us. It was the hardest marathon for all of us, but we survived and finished!

Jim, Kathleen, Bob, Teri and I at the Start.

Kathleen, Teri and I entering Arizona!

Me on the open road about to become road kill!

Teri an the open road!

We were trying to catch up with these girls we called the "pink girls". We caught them and passed them!

Desert Scenery

Finishing this race, Jim, Bob, Teri and I all qualified to join the Marathon Maniacs Club!! Membership to this club requires one to run at least 3 marathons in 3 months and we did it!

More NYC Marathon Photos!

Running over the Verrazano Bridge

Upper and lower levels of the bridge come together.

Running in Central Park at 40k

The big finish! My official time 5:09:43

My New York City Marathon Experience!!!

On Sunday, November 1st, Me and 43,000 other runners, took place in the most AWESOME race of my life, the ING New York City Marathon! David and I took the red eye to NYC arriving Friday morning. I dropped him off at Sandra and Larry's house (the owners of the dance studio I worked at in NYC and still dear friends) so he could sleep and I made my way uptown to the Expo to pick up my race number. My dear friend Annie lives nearby, so I dropped by her place and she went with me.

Once we got to the expo, I realized I left my photo ID in the backpack I took on the plane! NYRR is very strict and you can't pick up your number without your ID. After a few seconds of dread at the thought of having to get back on the train to pick it up, Annie and I decided I would try my luck and explain what happened. I had credit cards with my name on them, but nothing with my photo, until I came across my saving grace...my Costco card!! It had my photo on it!!! It was a stretch, but after being sent to the solutions desk, they had pity on me and approved my registration. I could get my number!! Annie and I then walked around the expo and I bought a bunch of NYC Marathon gear. It was then home for some much needed sleep!

The next day was Halloween! Nothing like Halloween in NYC!! Saturday was David's day. Since Sunday was going to be all about me, I wanted him to have a good time and do some things he wanted to do while we were there. He and I walked around the city all day (which would later come and bite me in the butt). We went to Ground Zero, South Street Seaport, and Chinatown, where we had dinner-yum! NYC has the biggest Halloween Parade in the country and is not to be missed if you have never seen it. My feet were KILLING me by the end of the day, so David checked it out himself. CRAZY!! I stayed in a went to bed early because the next day was RACE DAY!!! Since a photo says a thousand words, I took photos all along the course, so you could see the race from my perspective.

NYC goes all out for the Marathon!

Subway sign.

Me in front of the Expo.

Me at the expo with my "Approved" registration and Costco card! Hee Hee!

Waiting in my assigned line to pick up my number.

The entrance to the Runner's Village

My assigned village. Grete Yeah!

This was a cool blues band playing Ray Charles "What I Say" to get everyone pumped. It worked!

The Verrazano Narrows Bridge. We would be running across it shortly!

The cannon has sounded! Frank Sinatra sings "New York, New York"! The race has started! We now wait our turn to cross the timing mats.

We are almost there!

Running over the Verrazano Bridge was amazing. It was also very windy. I was glad to be on the top level though. Look at that view!

Coming off the Verrazano Bridge, we connect with the runners on the lower level.

Viva Mexico!! The crowd support was amazing in Brooklyn!!

Atlantic Avenue

Greenpoint

Half way there. My feet are KILLING me!! Why did I walk around so much yesterday??

Entering Queens!

First Avenue, Manhattan...

and into the Bronx!

Back into Manhattan.

Harlem was Great too!

On Museum Mile (around mile 23) I saw this sign. Now I am not big on the swearing, but after running 23 miles, I appreciated his "in your face" encouragement!

Mile 24! I can do this!!

Mile 25! I will do this!!

Soo close!!

I am smelling the barn now, but I feel GREAT!!

THERE IS THE FINISH!!! Time to put the camera away and finish STRONG!!

I DID IT!! I had a few setback such as sore feet, 10 minutes waiting in line for a port-a-potty and 2 aid station stops (body glide & Tylenol), but I was happy with my time of 5:09.43!