Back to Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon Information & Reviews
Dave Trevino from Arlington, VA
(12/6/2005)
"I'll Be Back" (about: 2005)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The Devine organizers did a great job with this marathon. From start to finish, it was a good run. Even though I was off my pace a little (probably from being jetlagged), I had a good time, and I will definitely be back for next year's Las Vegas Marathon Run. It was a little windy, and cold, but nothing you can do about that. The only minor negative comment I have is finding the post-race food after the photo shooting. When I found the table, I was given a bag with only 2 oranges and a small bag of mixed nuts. Was there another location were other foods were being given out? But, all and all this was a good event, and as I said before, I will definitely be coming back next year. The whole Devine organization is awesome - job well done! | |
R. M. from Salt Lake City
(12/6/2005)
"Excellent Race -- Thank you & viva Las Vegas!" (about: 2005)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 A couple of weeks ago after seeing all the negative comments about prior events, I wrote on MarathonGuide.com: "It's a new course! Give the organizers a chance." The organizers did a great job and the City of Las Vegas provided great hospitality and setting for an enjoyable day. The course was fun and the support logistics were excellent. Special thanks to the spectators, volunteers and performers who came out on a brisk December day to help make it happen. | |
A. H. from Heber City, Ut
(12/6/2005)
"Devine does it again." (about: 2005)
6-10 previous marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I signed up to run the strip. What surprised me was how great the people were along the residental areas. The little boy telling everyone, "Good morning" was what I needed at that moment. Had a good time overall, and would do it again. More restrooms and food at the end needed. | |
T. R. from Dallas, Tx
(12/6/2005)
"Great race, loved running the first inaugural" (about: 2005)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was a very well done race. Spectacular start (the strip, fireworks, Mandalay Bay, Bellagio Fountains, sunrise, people heading home from the clubs!). Crowd support was suprisingly good. Good, flat course, a little windy (Steve Wynn could probably fix that). Couldn't possibly be a more convenient marathon in the world (airport, hotels, course). Sponsors need to pile on here, could turn into something really special. | |
p. m. from California
(12/5/2005)
"GREAT RUN!!" (about: 2005)
6-10 previous marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was my 7th and most fun of all. The course was fun and energizing; I loved that we stayed within the city and neighborhoods. The support, water, spectators and music were great. The Elvises and the newlyweds, what a great job. Especially considering the cold and wind. It was much appreciated. The citizens of L.V. should be applauded for their support. I would do this one again in a heartbeat. Thanks to all. Oh, and I almost forgot: The fireworks were GREAT!!! | |
N. G. from St. Louis, MO
(12/5/2005)
"a great foundation" (about: 2005)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This was my fourth marathon, and it only trails Chicago in terms of enjoyment. The names on the bib numbers was a great idea. I loved the excitement generated at the start, but I agree with previous posters that you NEED to organize the start in terms of pace. The course markers were also occasionally off. (According to them, I ran mile 18 in 3:30!) And my biggest complaint is that I had to stop at three bathroom stations, all completely out of toilet paper, before resorting to using my glove. The marathon t-shirts were AWESOME! What a great idea to give to a runner, as I know I shy away from cotton shirts when running. Way to go on the medal too, as it's wonderful. Overall, I'm not sure I'll be back, because it's too hard to focus on the marathon with all the distractions of Vegas :), but I applaud Devine Racing on what is a solid foundation to a future destination rivaling Chicago or New York for marathoners. WAY TO GO! | |
G. S. from Los Angeles CA
(12/5/2005)
"Almost a great marathon!" (about: 2005)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 I really found it hard to sum up this course. On one hand it is so tough to beat the Vegas strip - so much life and so many distractions that the first 7 miles really peeled off quickly. The running Elvis, the wedding chapel and all the entertainment early on was great. However the course after mile 11 really starts to get tough: Winds, temps and a slight elevation gain for miles make the finish tough, not to mention some boring loop through some residential streets that made no sense. Add to that the lack of porta-potties and the several mismarked mile markers and clocks with mile markers NOT attached to them? This is all stuff that can be tweaked. Oh and the mile 25 stretch was behind a driveway running parallel to I-15? Weird finish. But again, Devine can make this race a 10 if they want to. | |
P. R. from Salt Lake City, Utah
(12/5/2005)
"Room for Improvement" (about: 2005)
First Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 Course: 4/5 * Pros: Flat as advertised. Indeed, it felt downhill most of the way & remarkable for a loop. I barely noticed the few uphill portions at all, and the next day my quads were still sore. Running up the world-famous Las Vegas Strip was remarkable, and the Fremont Street Experience was pretty neat as well. * Cons: After the Freemont Street Experience (10K or so), the scenery went downhill dramatically. Indeed, most of the course is fairly dull & uninteresting until the last couple of miles or so on Frank Sinatra Drive & even then you're only looking at the backsides of casinos. Organization: 3/5 * Pros: Devine Racing got the most important thing right: The aid stations were well-manned, up and running at every mile, and well stocked with water, Gatorade, and other goodies. That alone allows this category to squeak by with 3/5 stars. Other niceties: The customized bibs were a great touch & it was fun to have spectators calling us by name. The fireworks at the start were a great kick-off, and it was fun to run alongside the group of Elvis impersonators and all the couples getting married. As a first-timer, I appreciated the special pin to wear on my bib... although I suspect many missed out on the pep rally that was needed to get it. * Cons: The biggest complaint heard on the course: "Not enough porta-potties." The website promised that they would be provided at every mile marker. This was not the case at all. The scarcity made it so there were long lines at the few that were provided and I doubt the good people of Las Vegas appreciated 12,000 runners going in their bushes. There were other problems as well: Mile markers were sometimes inaccurate (mile 19 appeared TWICE!), there were no pace groups, emails to the organizers went unanswered, nobody could tell my wife how to get to the special area for family spectators (or how to get to the family reunion area), the race shirt was mediocre, and the advertised "post-race concert with a major headliner" was cancelled. Spectators: 3/5 * Not a lot of people came out to watch, even on the strip. But those that did gave us a fine Vegas welcome. Other * Weather was an issue with the "old" version of this marathon, but moving the race date back to December was a good move. This Utahan thought the weather was pretty much perfect & I like it a little cold. The occasional wind gusts were annoying, but not a major problem. I thought volunteers were plentiful and (for the most part), knowledgeable and friendly. Special props go to the police department, especially the one officer I saw who had to forcibly keep an angry resident from driving through the crowd of runners to get home. Overall * While I had a fairly positive experience, I do feel there was room for improvement & I probably would not run this race again (mostly due to the organizational issues). I did not feel that I got value for my money (the registration fee was $95), and there was nothing about this race that made me want to come back out to Vegas again for it. Bottom line: Too much attention was paid on the 'spectacle,' and not enough on the needs of the runners. | |
A. B. from Kansas City, MO
(12/5/2005)
"A fun, well organized race in a great city" (about: 2005)
50+ previous marathons
| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 The New LV Marathon is a great improvement over the old version, which I ran 8 times. The relentless headwind of prior years was replaced by a headwind out and a tailwind on the return. The start was very congested, but the Strip is wide enough so that runners spread out pretty quickly. Overall, I loved the course and the desert weather. There was a surprising contingent of spectators, which is generally irrelevant to me. My only complaint: Misplaced mile marker signs. Also, I plan on getting to bed before 2 AM on race morning next year.... | |
J. G. from Woodbury, MN USA
(12/5/2005)
"Great race - will do again!" (about: 2005)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 Loved it. Sweet course, well organized and will do again. Also had lots of TV coverage on the Sunday night news. |
Quick Links
Marathon Search
Upcoming US Marathons
Upcoming International Marathons
Search Marathon Results
Latest Running News
Recent Newsletters
Race Director Tools