Las Vegas Marathon: Take the Money and Run
By Mark Behan
For Active.com
Dubbed the fastest-growing destination marathon in the world, the Zappos.com Las Vegas Marathon offers participants an opportunity to run the world-famous Vegas Strip--and even a chance to get married en route to the finish line.
"We want people to come to Vegas and have fun," said Terry Collier, the executive race director.
Over the past two years, more than 50 couples have been married or renewed their wedding vows during the Las Vegas Marathon. Some runners take a quick detour during the race to stop in at the "Run Thru Wedding Chapel" near the 5-mile mark of the marathon. There, runners exchange a quick "I do" or "I still do" in a ceremony officiated by a running reverend and witnessed by more than 50 Elvis runners, friends and family members.
Tying the knot is not required to run the Las Vegas Marathon; however, double-knotting your racing shoelaces is suggested. This unique race, which starts and finishes along the world-famous Las Vegas Strip on Dec. 2, offers runners of all abilities an "only in Vegas" experience of a lifetime.
"This is a very big event for the Las Vegas community," said Collier, who is also the longtime race director of the Los Angeles Marathon, a race he has completed every year since 1986. "Our goal is to make the Las Vegas Marathon the largest destination marathon in the world."
The race's popularity has soared since Devine Racing, a Chicago-based race management company, bought the marathon in 2005. "We had a 50 percent increase (in participation) between our first and second years (of the race) and expect another 25 to 50 percent increase this year," Collier said.
Participants also find plenty to do off-the-race course as well. Runners traveling to big-city marathons usually stay in the respective city for an average of two nights, said Laurence Cohen of TLC MediaWorks. But when traveling to the Las Vegas Marathon, runners stay an average of four nights.
"It's a fun place. People are coming to run the marathon but then staying around for a few days to enjoy Las Vegas," Cohen said.
Registration remains open for the Zappos.com Las Vegas Marathon, which includes a marathon, half marathon and special kids' marathon--the final 1.2 miles of the marathon. The marathon field will be capped at 15,000 participants and the half-marathon will be capped at 10,000.
To register for any of the races, visit:
www.active.com
Place a Bet
The fast, flat course starts and finishes at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino (the official race hotel) and runs along the Vegas Strip."Running the marathon is a great way for people to see the city of Las Vegas," Collier said.
Last year's event, which included a half-marathon, drew nearly 16,000 runners. Kenyans Joseph Kahugu (2:16:19) and Jemima Jelagat (2:35:13) topped the men's and women's marathon field.
Each winner earned $15,000, and Kahugu picked up a $50,000 bonus for being the first marathoner to cross the finish line as part of the "Mega Bucks Challenge." In conjunction with the "Challenge," people may place a bet on whether a man or woman will cross the finish line first with the staggered start. Last year the elite women had an 18-minute head-start over the men and it took Kahugu more than 25 miles to catch Jelagat.
"This is the only race in the world you can gamble on," said Cohen. "They take the statistical data of the elite fields to establish a time differential for the women to start in advance of the men."
To view course maps of the Zappos.com Las Vegas Marathon and Half Marathon, visit:
www.lvmarathon.com
Marathon--Vegas style!
How many marathons in the world have its own gaming chip? Or world-renowned Cirque du Soleil performers handing out finish-line medals? Or the ever-popular Blue Man Group performing live on its course?
The Las Vegas Marathon includes all of the above, plus an opportunity to run the electrifying neon Vegas Strip with its flowing waterfalls and erupting volcanoes during one of the rare occasions the Strip is closed to traffic.
The spirit of the King of Rock 'n' Roll remains alive at the Las Vegas Marathon, as many runners dress as Elvis for their sojourn through one of his old favorite stomping grounds. "We already have 70 Elvises committed to run, which would be a record for the largest number of Elvises to run a race. The current record is 47," Cohen said.
Some donning Elvis-style wigs and 1970s polyester jumpsuits will run the Zappos.com Las Vegas Marathon, while others in similar attire will call out split times at each mile marker along the course.
"This year for the first time we have water stations with special themes along the Strip, such as Cirque du Soleil, Blue Man Group and Spamalot," Cohen said.
In addition, an Elvis tribute band will provide music along the course as well as an Ozzy Osbourne tribute band and an Oldies band. A Cirque du Soleil-themed jam band will serenade runners at the finish line.
"Runners can expect to have a good time," said Collier. "They (the runners) are our customers and our focus is on treating them well."