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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 11 to 21]
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E. G. from Murray, UT
(11/30/2017)
"Awesome opportunity to run on the iconic strip" (about: 2017)
11-50 previous marathons
| 6+ Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I've run this race every year since the Competitor Group took it over in 2009. This year they had to really scramble to adjust the course due to the tragedy that occurred in October. The group really did a fantastic job providing a course that was accurate and workable. In fact, I liked the starting zone - while crowded it was certainly less of a walk from the middle of the strip. Also there wasn't the usual jog through a darkened area east of Fremont Street. That being said, the starting corrals were really crowded. I didn't see too many people that were in the wrong corral (i.e. walkers in at the front) but we were packed in like sardines. Also you had to be in there for 20 minutes (minimum) and it was difficult not to want to use a restroom while waiting. The course is one-of-a-kind. It is a night race so there is a lot of excitement of running along the strip with the lights and party people cheering you on. I was only really prevented from running my pace for about a mile or so. I also felt like we started faster than in years past. Instead of a long 20 minute wait, I was running within 5 to 10 minutes of the race's start. On course, it took a while before I could find a bathroom but there were plenty of aid stations and such. The bands were good and there was a good vibe in the air. Course support was also solid. Gels and sport drink were offered at the usual intervals by helpful volunteers. Other than the initial starting location, the rest of the course was pretty much like the ones in the past: awesome excitement of the strip followed by solitude on the back 13. They've done a lot though and clearly they are trying to make it a worthwhile event for the 26.2 milers. If you need non-stop crowds and glitz for every moment of your run, then do the half. Given the logistics of Vegas I think this is about as good as it's going to get. The Expo was busy but I managed to get in and out pretty quickly. There also was plenty of ample free parking this year. I was tempted to buy something but the lines were really long for the official merchandise. The finish line had standard offerings: water, sports drink, pictures, and snacks. Bananas looked a bit ripe, but overall there was nourishment there. It was a long haul once finishing and there was medical support there as well. The medal once again is heavy-duty and a work of art. The Competitor Group definitely knows how to produce the bling. I liked the t-shirt design as well. I am signed up for the 2018 edition and am definitely looking forward to it. | |
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B. B. from Omaha, NE
(11/20/2017)
"A just-for-fun run/ace.......BQ course this is NOT" (about: 2017)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 Since this course was flat, I thought it would be a good one to attempt a BQ. I was wrong. The BAD... Coming from the midwest, the dry air was much more of a factor than expected. Fan support was great on the strip and decent downtown, but very quiet and lonely for most of 2nd half. Agree with previous runner comments, miles 21-23 are horrible weaving around a huge fenced in festival area. Starting 'corrals' were a joke. Nothing separating each one, so it was a free for all. Not sure if this had anything to do with the new start location. My BQ pacer was terrible....running 15 seconds faster than goal pace for at least the 1st 4 miles. I backed off after that. Banking time NOT a good idea. The GOOD....expo was easy to get to using the monorail and it was well organized and laid out. Lots of vendors. Vegas lights are pretty cool when are the center of attention. Start village was well done. Tons of port a potties, so no waiting even right before corral closing. Nice runner jacket for marathoners and fidget spinner medal to add to the collection. Post race fuel was better than previous years (so I have read). Chocolate milk and salty snacks always help with recovery. I recommend the half here, but not the full. Too many turns and weaving around to try and BQ. | |
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C. K. from MI
(11/16/2017)
"Horrible course. Nice medal. Run the Half." (about: 2017)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 Let me just start by saying that this is the worst marathon course I have ever run. Yes, running the strip is super cool, so the start and end of the marathon were fun. Everything else ranged from mediocre to making me feel like a rat in a bad science experiment. Allow me to explain - you will spend miles 15 to 18 running around and around some sort of warehouse thing. Yes, the lights were cool, but not for 3 miles of weird back and forth zig zags. After this bit, you come to the rat maze - as mentioned already, this appears to be a festival park or parking lot which had two miles of weird maze like running. Just when you thought you were about to escape the parking lot - nope! - around another zig zag. I started to feel like I might be hallucinating when we ran past the same restroom the fourth or so time. It's especially weird because you're running in the dark and there are no lights on the course. And about that - I have decided that running a marathon at night is not for me. Just too weird to run that far in the dark and that late at night. I was also coming from ET, so it felt 3 hours later. Spectators on course were, well, very Vegas-y. Lots of drunk, happy people. I've got no real beef with that, but not alot of spectators out except on the strip. In other weirdness, I stopped at the second set of portapotties, which mostly appeared to be vacant, but would not open, much to my chagrin and that of many other runners. It appeared that they were zip tied shut and nobody had remember to clip the ties before the race started. There were pacers, but not as many as advertised, and the one I was running with at first quit around mile 8. Not kidding. Just quit. So on we went on our own. Now on to the good - the medals are terrific. Very creative, very heavy and good quality. The shirts were nice, too, and the finisher jacket was a great touch. Lots of water stops with water and gatorade. Very friendly and nice volunteers. The expo was big but well organized and easy to do packet pick up. Race communication was fine. I think that the half - which is far more popular - is definitely the way to go for this race. | |
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G. F. from Texas
(11/15/2017)
"It's Vegas, baby" (about: 2017)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 What's up with this course, specifically miles 21-24 ish? I've seen riots less chaotic than this section that spent miles in what I assume is a festival parking lot. Nice medal and jacket for marathoners. Running the strip was cool. Not a fan of evening run but it probably adds to the mystique. It is after all, Vegas, baby. | |
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Eddie Gaul from Utah
(11/18/2016)
"Much Improved this year" (about: 2016)
11-50 previous marathons
| 6+ Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I've run the Vegas marathon ever since the Competitor Group took it over in 2009. I've watched it improve each year and it seems like this year they took an honest look at what people were saying and took action on it. For once, I felt like marathoners were getting a bit of the royal treatment. First off, I liked the new and improved corral system. While we were cramped like canned sardines it was pretty short and I was off and running within 5 minutes of the race's start. There were less people who weren't in the right corral as well. I wasn't a fan of Snoop Dog, but he played well enough not exactly family friendly though. There were plenty of bathrooms and I never had to wait more than 3 minutes to use a restroom. With the staggered start, I thought the bathrooms situation on the course was good. Course support was great. The volunteers were there taking care of the course, handing out water or Gatorade. For me, they had plenty of supplies. Initially there were plenty of fans and I really felt the positive energy while running along the strip. However, the further away I got, the less I saw. I did get some energy on the way back in. This course is much improved over the past few years. The Market Center didn't have the obnoxious house music from last year, but instead had more likable music. The lights / fog added a certain energy too. The fairgrounds was a little crazy and I was always wondering if I had missed a turn, but that too had some heart pumping music and lights. I do wish they'd bring back the route that took us down the heart of Fremont Street. Also, this year didn't have us climbing dark hills in North Vegas in fact, this course is nearly pancake flat. Some of the route was grim and the final mile up Resorts World Drive just seemed dumb. I think there is still room for improvement. Also the final push up LV Blvd didn't have much wiggle room; I was doing a bit weaving around marathon walkers. I brought my own music but I never needed it. There was plenty of audio entertainment. The Expo was good and I love the free finisher's jacket. That was quite a surprise / bonus for me. The t-shirt is your standard issue Brooks black tech shirt. The medal glows in the dark and is heavy-duty. Props to the designers. The finisher's chute is way too long. After running 26.2 miles it felt like misery making my way down the chute to exit at the Bellagio and have to fight my way through the sidewalk crowds back to the Mirage. One suggestion is to have the finish line a bit further down the street so it isn't as far of a walk (and starting the race a little further up). Post race food was a bit sparse, although there was water, Gatorade, milk, and beer. I'd like to see soda pop. Props for the bag that helped us carry our loot, though. Overall, if you are looking for an entertaining course with a one-of-a-kind atmosphere, the Vegas marathon would be a suitable choice. I plan to be back in 2017. | |
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M. W. from Pennsylvania
(11/17/2016)
"Thought it was as good as advertised..." (about: 2016)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 The organization into this event was done very well and it seems like RnR are trying to get the runner experience better. Expo was great, pre-race concert was tolerable (not a Snoop fan), Wave concept worked well, saw every mile marker, miles 14-17 was the neatest part, good finisher medal, a marathon jacket, and staff that helped my questions. The evening start and closing the strip is just a wonderful experience every runner should do for their 50 states quest. I hit the wall almost leaving Circus Circus after mile 23. The almost two mile loop was the only course issue I had, despite numerous loops and out and backs. The spectators were there, but not very loud going out on the strip, but coming back they got loud and reacted well to me high-fiving everyone at the finish! | |
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A. P. from Tallahassee
(11/15/2016)
"First half great, second half sucks" (about: 2016)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 4 First half happens in the strip, with lights and people all around you. Its really great! Second half is through nowhere, they split the streets in 3 or 4 lanes so you go up-down-up-down the same route. When people stop to catch their breath, they block the very narrow way forcing you to stop as well. I've never seen a race with so many people walking. Even the final mile is on a 5 ft wide lane. Bottom line, if you want to do the full just to say that you did a 26.2 in Nevada and cross the state out of your list, sure, why not. If you like running, don't do it. This doesn't compare with a Disney, NY or Chicago marathon. | |
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T. C. from boston
(11/15/2016)
"You might like this one. You might not." (about: 2016)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 This is definitely not a typical marathon. To give you the experience of running the Vegas strip at night, the race starts at 4:30 PM. There is a five hour limit after which you are moved ahead, reducing the actual mileage you will cover. (We even got a ride to get ahead. In all, I only covered 22 miles of the course.) The half marathon starts with the full marathon in a process that is too complicated for explanation within this review. The good-fun to run on the strip. The rest-I am at about a five hour runner if everything goes well. This was not that day. During the first seven miles I was being passed by the half marathoners who started behind me and establishing a steady pace became impossible for me. After about seven miles, the course is not very interesting until about mile 13 through 17 when you are running around this pavillon where there is one heck of a light and music show. Remember, you are running in the dark and on this part of the course there are very few spectators. Don't get me wrong, there are still are plenty of water stops and support but we back of the packers clumped together because it didn't feel very good to be alone, in the dark here. Not so much scary as gloomy. Once back on the strip, the back of the packers is now with the half marathoners. Frankly, the course is so complicated I would encourage anyone considering the race to study this course. The key thing is this is a Rock and Roll race and I know some people love them. This race is really more for the half marathon runners than the full marathoners. However the race does an amazing job of getting people who aren't meeting the time cutoffs back on the course to experience the completely over the top finish. The race really is more about bling than good running. There is gatorade only every other stop. At the finish, the only food I saw was bananas. However, there were pyrotechnics and finishers jackets. The finishers medal is also very cool. And since it is Vegas, you can walk away with a can of beer. No ticket, no corral to drink it in. Just grab and go. Speaking of going, it is a long walk to get out of the post finish corral. I think about a half a mile. If you are meeting people here be sure to establish well defined plans because this area is one giant mob scene. In summary, research this race, think about how you would do starting in late afternoon, what you want out of your marathon experience and decide for yourself. It could be heaven or it could be hell. | |
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D. K. from Vegas
(11/15/2016)
"Great half marathon course" (about: 2016)
6-10 previous marathons
| 4-5 Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I consider RnR Las Vegas to be the flagship race for the Rock n Roll Series. Nothing compares to running the Strip. It's my favorite stop on the Rock n Roll race calendar. I prefer the Half over the full marathon. | |
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B. T. from Wisconsin, Usa
(12/14/2015)
"Skip the full, do the 1/2" (about: 2015)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 2 I came in thinking I had an outside shot of a BQ, but that dream died around mile 20. I think the wind and conditions cost me and everyone about 10 min, and only 11 people broke 3 hrs out of a field of a 2000... a very low number. You cannot fault the organizers for the wind or the wind advisory, or the rain, but the lack of signage was pretty bad. Maybe 3 mile markers after 5k that I counted, maybe. If it wasn't for unlabeled (i.e. I knew it was mile 13.1 based on my time) timing mats, you could easily have gone a 10 mile stretch without any course markings. The first several miles were awesome and fast, cruising north on the strip. Then spent 15 miles on a series of mile-long, seemingly uphill out and backs in north Las Vegas near the foothills. Finishing into the wind while weaving around half marathon participants was certainly a low. Strobe lights and loud music (when there is no other ambient light) is not actually that enjoyable deep into marathon. I found myself having to shield my eyes through some of the 'stations,' and though I thought this would be a cool thing, it really got under my skin. The finish line was ok, very limited spectators between miles 9 and 22. The finish line chute lasted for about 1/2 a mile. I came in with pretty low expectations... but this was a bust. They need a better starting corral system for sure. I saw another comment about aid stations, wasn't a problem for me as I came through fairly early, but I noticed the wind was literally blowing half-full cups off the tables. Hard to blame the organizers for that, but seemingly not enough volunteers. I actually imagine the half marathon is the event worth doing, and it would be fast and interesting. Skip the marathon. Can't see myself doing another rnr full marathon anytime soon. |
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