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Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 3.3 
Organization 2.7 
Spectators 2.8
Number of comments: 736 [displaying comments 321 to 331]
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T. W. from Elgin, IL
(12/17/2008)
"Not as well organized as the previous years'." (about: 2008)
3 previous marathons
| 3 Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 What happened with the T-shirts? We couldn't get a date on them for what we paid for this race? | |
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C. B. from Massachusetts
(12/17/2008)
"Fast Course; Completely Disorganized Race" (about: 2008)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 3 Running down the Strip was great and overall the course was nice and flat. The weather couldn't have been any better for running 26.2. Other than that I have nothing good to say about this race. I PR'd and ran a 6:50 pace but probably lost 2 minutes navigating through walkers and half marathoners in the first 2 miles. Why did they jam everyone into the same start? Where were the corrals that they promised? The water stops were plentiful but why were they right at each mile marker? I was trying to track my pace and the second I hit my watch, I had to grab a water; how about a 100-yard separation? The mile markers were way off; how can I run an 8:10 pace for one split and than three straight 6:10's? Getting to the start line was like fighting through a mosh pit. The t-shirt was just an embarrassment. Cheap cotton and no date so they can re-use next year, Wow! And merging the two races for the last 4 miles needs to be fixed. | |
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S. H. from Toronto, Canada
(12/16/2008)
"I won't run this race again either." (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 2 I completely agree with the comments by C.S. of Colorado. Basically it was a rip-off. One of the more expensive marathons, but it had extremely cheap t-shirt, walkers were in the way and caused great congestion (I fully support walkers but runners and walkers shouldn't start at the same time), and there was no gel at mile 19 as advertised. The last stage at the rear of the Strip was also poor. | |
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J. A. from Atlanta, Ga
(12/15/2008)
"Still just not right" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 3 Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathons
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 1 This was my 3rd time running the Vegas Marathon. I have run the "new" version twice now and have to say, I miss the old one where you ran in to town from the middle of the desert (Jean, NV). It would be sensational if they could get the start back out there and end running down the Strip for the finish. I am sure there are substantial financial road blocks to getting that to happen. I ran this year with a first-timer who went really slow and I am sure we clogged up the start. I apologize to all those that had to work their way around us. We did try to stay out of the way. Yes, the t-shirt is bad. Yes, they keep running out of stuff at the finish... but I have to tell you, if this stuff makes you sad, maybe you should take up a different sport. Well... here's to hoping for improvements in the future. | |
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J. L. from Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
(12/15/2008)
"NEVER again!" (about: 2008)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 2 The 2008 Las Vegas Marathon was my 4th full marathon. Naturally, I had certain expectations that, in my opinion, are givens at a large, city race. I was grossly disappointed and my comments echo what has already been said. I do not enter a race for the t-shirt or the finisher's medal, but come on... I paid close to a $100 entry fee and received very little. Generic cotton T, lame finisher's medal, and some water and Gatorade along the course. There was no energy gel as promoted (I've read there were Shot Blocks but, as a back-of-the-packer recovering from an injury, there were none of those when I got there). There were only water and apples at the finish line and there was no show girl or Elvis to be photographed with, as promoted. I understood the course would shut down and the roadways would open, but I did NOT expect the entire COURSE to be dismantled. The aid stations were removed along with the mile markers (what few of them there were), and the course direction CHANGED from what was on the map. Staffers/volunteers were placed to direct us but many were sitting down or otherwise hidden from view, adding to our confusion. And luckily I never needed them, but I never saw a med crew at any point along the course. Perhaps they didn't want to sit idle in the bad parts of town they took us through! A bag check was provided but you had to bring your own bag and the area was poorly marked. There were no pace dividers at the start of the race and the entire run down the strip was a combat zone with runners and walkers trying to find their pace and their pack. The only course spectators were in this section, but I found that I could not enjoy them as I was constantly "on guard," jockeying for a safe position. There was little crowd support and less city support. Only one hotel marquis encouraged and welcomed the runners (Mandalay Bay, where the packet pick-up and expo were staged). It was like the rest of the city didn't even know the race was taking place. On the plus side, maybe my registration money went toward the festive fireworks that illuminated the sky at the start. Other pluses include the ample port-o-lets at the start and along the flat course. The police and traffic aids that were along the course were helpful and encouraging. Anyone running this race should be prepared not to expect the caliber of other races. They have a LOT of room for improvement. | |
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S. B. from Minnesota
(12/15/2008)
"Overall, not to bad an event" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 Overall, I was pleased with this event. It is Vegas, after all; and where else can you start with Elvis playing, and fireworks, and end with your picture being taken next to a showgirl?! The spectators were plentiful at the start, but after that they got pretty spread out. No issues with Gatorade, as mentioned in earlier reports. A few things were of concern though; 1. The t-shirt - what was that? No date, and pretty cheap. 2. No one at the host hotel knew where the expo was. 3. There was one water station (17?) where no one showed up. 4. Gels were not as advertised. Would do it again but in a few years. | |
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M. G. from Northwest, US
(12/15/2008)
"Mediocre" (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 2 I've done six different marathon courses over the years and this was my least favorite. Flat, fast course - true. But I'm used to more than water and the occasional sports drink at aid stations. Also, at the end I was finishing the marathon when a lot of half marathoners were and it was a circus with walls of half marathoners totally blocking the roads. I had to zig and zag through them and yell, "Marathoner on your right!" about a dozen times. This probably added 30-60 seconds to my time. When I finished, no one seemed to know where age group awards were being given out and how deep. The fifth person I spoke to said they would be mailed. I also found out later, when I left town, that I had won free tickets to the body exhibit, but this was not announced anywhere other than at the last minute on the website (5 days before race). I also went through the trouble of mailing them previous marathon certificate to gain access to time corrals that were supposed to be used this year to keep slower runners from getting in the way. I went through all of the proper channels, was given a lower numbered race number and told at the expo corrals were going to be used. I showed up race morning, and there were no corrals, and it was a free for all. The start was great, with fireworks, and the police did a great job of keep course closed. Once you got out to about the halfway point, you were out in the middle of nowhere and only the occasional spectator (going out to get an early morning case of beer) could be seen. Post-race food was limited too: cookies, bananas, water. Also, I had forgotten Vegas is far from smoke-free; as a matter of fact, I sucked a lot of smoke in the days before the race. This couldn't have helped. The course was a flat and fairly fast course, and I don't have any beef with that. They just need to spring for gels and more sports drinks at water stations, better post-race food and better organization at the finish (between mile 25-26) to keep half-marathoners and full-marathoners separate. Then they'd have a pretty good race. | |
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K. J. from Great Lakes
(12/15/2008)
"Horrible Starting Line." (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 4 Vegas was my 6th marathon of 2008, and about my 60th race of 2008. It was by far the most anticipated for many reasons. As soon as I lined up in the starting area, I knew that organization would be lacking for the entire day. I was unable to be in the "elite" field because I had signed up for ther ace after November 1st. Because of this, I was lined up with 4 hour runners (I am a 2:40 runner). The experience of running down the Strip was amazing, something that everyone should experience. However, it wasn't very fun having to run Z's through slower runners and walkers for the first five miles. The course itself was not as flat as I anticipated, as there were several gradual inclines/declines. I found the aid stations to be awesome, great volunteers and plenty of fluids. I managed to find the gel at mile 18, but only because I asked for it. Around mile 23, we met back up with the half-marathoners that were running at half of our pace. This wasn't a huge issue, as I simply stayed on the opposite side of the road and basically ran by myself. At the finish I was disappointed that my Garmin read 26.87 miles. I don't mind a course being a bit off, but 2/3 of a mile is a considerable distance. The finish was somewhat chaotic, and no one really seemed to be in charge. I spoke directly with the RACE DIRECTOR about the awards ceremony and age group awards and his response was "I honestly have no idea; I am sure if you have won anything it will be mailed to you sometime in the next calendar year." Enough said. This was fun to do one time, and would be awesome for someone who runs marathons for fun. If you're a competitive runner, just save your money and go to Memphis. | |
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R. S. from Fairborn, Ohio
(12/15/2008)
"Some Good, Some Bad" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 2 I ran the half. What I liked: Awesome fireworks at the start, running the Strip, and the running Elvises. What I didn't like: too much congestion with walkers starting near the front, not enough mile markers, not enough clocks on the course, not enough volunteers at water stops so I had to wait for people to pour water, crappy tee shirt, small medal, couldn't find a Mylar blanket at the race's end (although I saw others with them), poor food selection at race's end and relatively poor fan support throughout the course. I would say if you have never been to Vegas (like me) this race is worth running once. Now that I have seen Vegas, I won't be back because there are many - both large and small half-marathons - that are better organized and supported | |
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T. S. from Canada
(12/15/2008)
"At least R 'n' R is taking this for 2009" (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 2 Seems to be a Devine type of thing for comments. If you read Salt Lake City reviews, you'll see many of the same comments. ORGANIZATION, ORGANIZATION, ORGANIZATION - Access to the start line was funneled behind port-a-potties, and through a one-person entrance - Why weren't the bands playing? - One water station had only one person filling cups - Running in the Freemont area very lonely - Water stations had no one was calling out what they had - THE SHIRT REALLY TANKED! Simple crappy cotton shirt with no date - Medal could have been like a slot machine or a roulette wheel, but it was just a bronzed medal - plain, plain, plain. Seems to be really expensive for a race like this. Ps. I did see a couple of people with gels at mile 18 or 19, but they just stood there with hands to their side, not knowing what they were supposed to do. Here's to seeing what R 'n' R marathon organization can do. |
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