Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon - RunHalf Marathon


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Las Vegas, Nevada
United States
Competitor Group, Inc.
60F / 16C
Overcast
Total Time = 1h 43m 22s
Overall Rank = 561/22087
Age Group = M40-44
Age Group Rank = 77/1619
Pre-race routine:

Being that this race was at night, pre-race was also different, as there was no early AM wake-up. Nothing was too "routine" about the day, but as this was a distance I should have no problems with, I was not too concerned about extra rest or other factors. I had been dealing with stomach issues for about 36 hours, and still recovering from Ironman AZ two (2) weeks prior, so my results and expectations were a mystery. I ate a normal lunch, then had a clif bar about an hour before the race started.
Event warmup:

I walked the 2.5 miles from our hotel to the start village, just to stretch my legs. Some stretching at the corral to loosen up as much as possible.
Run
  • 1h 43m 22s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 07m 53s  min/mile
Comments:

Although my results were ok, this was not a good run for me. Dealing with stomach issues, I struggled to keep focused and tried too hard to not bounce around to settle my stomach more. Due to this and my recovery from other events, I had nothing in my legs from the start to the finish. My original plan was to run with the 1:30 pace group for about 10 miles, then see what I had left and try to push through to finish in 90 minutes. However, I let the 1:30 group drop me at mile 1 and did not try to keep up. The race itself was in a fun environment, and it was cool to run along the strip and view all the lights as the hotels slowly rolled past.
What would you do differently?:

As this is a night race, and I am not accustomed to night races, I will have to plan out my activities better to keep myself fresh. The stomach issues were a variable I did not account for, and the weak legs due to a previous race were unavoidable. I feel I was starting in the right corral and among runners with similar pace, so had I gone into this race fresher and more healthy, I am sure it would have been different.
Post race
Warm down:

I walked through the finisher's chute and around back to the hotel (about 1.5 miles).

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Stomach issues as well as lingering recovery and fatigue from Ironman Arizona two (2) weeks prior.

Event comments:

Competitor puts on a great race with their Rock n Roll series. I heard nightmares about the 2011 race, but they were top-notch this year and I thought everything about the race was handled with precision and professionalism. The finisher's chute is long before you can exit, making a longer walk back up the strip if your hotel is north, but I am not sure there is anything they can do to change this (it is what it is).

This was my 22nd race in 21 events in 2011, and thankfully my last race of the calendar year. It was a good test of my endurance and stamina, as I was fatigued going in and worn down from a long year of racing. A top 100 finish in my AG under those circumstances is a small victory.




Last updated: 2012-06-25 12:00 AM
Running
01:43:22 | 13.1 miles | 07m 53s  min/mile
Age Group: 77/1619
Overall: 561/22087
Performance: Average
My HR was abnormally high throughout the race. It immediately soared up to 160+, and sat in the 170+ range for most of the race. No explanation for this, as I was not running any harder than I normally would at 145-155 BPM.
Course: Up and down The Strip (Las Vegas Blvd), with a slight detour in the downtown area.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 2
Physical exertion [1-5] 2
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 5