2016 Las Vegas Big Game 10K Recap

The 2016 Las Vegas Big Game 10K in downtown area near the Fremont Street Experience.

I ran this event last year because it was a local race, inexpensive, and it gave me something to do during the morning of the Big Game.  This year I ran it again because it's a pretty fast course (I set my 10k PR on it at the 2015 race), it's local, and still inexpensive.  I asked my sister Charlene to participate this year too since it was so fast for me and because I had fun last year.  I knew I could not surpass (or even duplicate) last year's results but I believed we'd be able to enjoy ourselves and really test our speed.

I decided to skip the Expo this year: Based on my experience from last year it wouldn't be worth the time and effort to get downtown for an expo that was frankly uninspiring.  Charlene was scheduled be working there as an ambassador for the coming Hot Chocolate 15k Race so I asked her to pick up my race stuff, if she couldn't then I'd have to use the other option of race day pick up.  She agreed to get my bib and swag bag while she was there.  I was pretty confused when she asked me if I wanted a black event shirt or a white one, neither one was a team color and though white often represents the home team black rarely represents home or away.  Both teams have white somewhere in their uniform but it doesn't represent either of them.  Carolina does have black in their normal color scheme but blue is their signature color (they even have a special shade of blue).  Since neither made sense I just told her to get whatever because I didn't care.  I felt bad for Charlene by the end of the night; the winds were up and down the whole time (up near 10 mph during the early hours of the expo) and the temps were in the 50s and dropping into the 40s by the end of the expo.  Poor sis was pretty cold and unhappy by the time she went home.

On Sunday, when we arrived at the starting area, the big stage was already hopping with activity; some of the KVVU Fox 5 TV personalities were polling the handful of runners present as to which team they were rooting for (it was very one sided), the Warriors Cheerleading Squad from Western High School was in front getting everyone revved up, and I think we caught the tail end of a costume contest.  I really appreciate these homey touches at local races.

One of the things that I really liked about the course design was the placement of the start line; it was set well within the course and gave us several blocks of traffic free streets to warm up and stretch. While Charlene and I warmed up the morning show crew from radio station 97.1 took over the MC job on stage and kept the growing crowd of runners engaged.  We were also introduced to Martha Watson, a Gold (and Silver) Medalist at the '75 PanAm games and 4 time Olympic qualifier.  She's still very active and is heavily involved in senior activities around Las Vegas.  At the award ceremony later in the morning she invited me to participate in a senior racing event in the near future (still unsure if I should feel insulted or not since I'm not old enough to be a senior yet - heh, I'm not).

The first race to be "kicked off" that morning was the Kids Dash; it was a treat to see them running and listening to most of the adult racers cheering them on (and to turn around when a pair of preteen siblings accidentally went past the u-turn marker).  I liked having them race before we did, I rarely get the chance to watch the kids races at other events because I'm typically recovering from my run.

The next race to be started was the 5k, the one my sister ran in.  It was started in style with a live singing of the National Anthem and our flags presented by the UNLV ROTC Color Guard.  I could have joined my sister for the 5k (as part of the Big Game Combo Challenge) but I didn't want to exceed my recovery and I like Charlene to be able to have her own race without little brother always tagging along.  I spent the time between our races to get in some "Strides" and other warm up runs.  I also used that time to "pre-fuel" with a Glukos Energy Tablet, I knew I'd need the electrolytes very quickly once the race started.

We prefaced my race with the Bengal Marching Band from Bonanza High School playing the National Anthem and the Color Guard presenting our flags.  I didn't feel nervous at the start line at all, I had a pacing plan in my head.  Honestly, one of the best things about training is that you learn your present capabilities:  I knew very well that I could run a 10k at a 7 minute pace (a medium-high effort level) so that was my plan.  This year I had no hope of matching or surpassing my results of 2015 but I knew it would be a good course on which to test my current capabilities and still be competitive.

The 5k and 10k courses didn't share much of the same route but we did share many of the same roads.  The courses ran us mostly through an older residential area (along with homes that were turned into lawyer's offices) which is part of the original Downtown Las Vegas.  The streets are very flat and in great shape (two big reasons the run is so fast).  I haven't run the 5k race for this event so I can't really say how the necessary turns effected speed but for the 10k it's one of the fastest I've had the opportunity to run on; it could only be faster if there weren't so many switchbacks (4 U-turns to be exact).  That is the price you have to pay to hold a race in that part of Las Vegas, there just aren't a lot of options.

I started with, and stayed up near, the front of the pack the entire race and ended up finishing 17th out of 224 with an average pace of 6:50 minutes per mile (pretty darn close to my estimated pace).  I pushed myself hard enough to need a gel at mile 4 but I'd included that in my plans and had a Glukos Energy Gel on my belt; in fact it was my hydration and electrolyte boost as well as muscle fuel.  I'm really trying to nail down my marathon fueling plan before I head out for 26.2.

#52 on the left side of center

Charlene was at the finish line as I rounded the final corner, that was a nice treat especially since I was feeling very winded at that point.  I'd put a lot of effort into the run which made me heart sing and my lungs wheeze.  heh  She even shot a short video of my finish for me, that was very cool.  My happy feeling went away in milliseconds though; as I turned my focus on the finish line I immediately saw a huge crowd of people filling the finish line, barely a single yard away from the finish arch.  That is such a huge pet-peeve of mine:  I greatly appreciate the race volunteers and my fellow runners but I really dislike them crowding the finish line, making me come to a screeching halt the second I clock in.  I need at least a body length to slow down, preferably 5 (30 feet), and catch my breath; the last thing I need is to get mugged and jostled about immediately after a hard run.  Topping it all off, as I looked at my Garmin to stop and save the run data, I saw that the recorded distance from start to finish was short of the required 6.2 miles that make up a 10k.  That is why my run data has a huge drop in pace at the end (feel free to check out my race data here - MapmyFitness Big Game10k for Kirk ), I had to walk around a few minutes to make up the missing distance.  As a racer, especially as a USATF member, an accurate course is very important to me.  The 2015 course was perfect; this year's being short was rather surprising.

While I walked around the finisher's area to cool down and catch my breath my good mood from the great run drifted away like smoke:  There was a table of what I believed to be cups of water a few yards beyond the finish line but there wasn't a scrap of food in sight.  I can't honestly remember if that was the same case at the 2015 race but it was sadly the case this year.  I'd just expended 800+ calories of effort to do that run and there wasn't any type of refueling for us when/where we needed it most.  Despite the fact that I'm rebuilding myself after a long downtime and hip surgery in August 2015 I'm in pretty decent shape, my body still handles physical exertion pretty efficiently.  That 10k race cost me 1/3 of my USDA daily recommended calories for both my age group and my activity level.  Think of what it costed a person heavier than I, not as active as I, someone who spent an hour and more on the course (95 finishers this year) working their bodies to their max to complete 6.2 miles.  I was famished as soon as my body realized it didn't need to race anymore, I could only imagine those further back would be nearly starving.
Thankfully my sister and I try to be at least minimally prepared for these instances and brought some fruit just in case, she grabbed it from the car earlier while I was still running. We met back up beyond the finish line, at a line of oddly empty tables and chairs, a few minutes after I'd crossed and ate the bananas she'd gotten from the car. 

We didn't stay around the finish line after meeting back up; neither of us were in the mood to hang around empty tables, I was very concerned about getting her to the 5k award ceremony near the scheduled start time, and I needed to find someplace to stretch before my muscles cramped up.  We stopped at the car real quick to get her over-clothes and our regular glasses and then made our way over to the Gold Spike, the advertised post-race gathering area and award ceremony stage.  When we walked in the door I was at first concerned that we'd completely missed the 5k ceremony because there were very few runners there but it hadn't even started yet (the awards weren't out and the finish results were not delivered yet), there would be a delay on giving out the awards.  Charlene gave me the classic "I told you so" look that sisters are so good at but I didn't want to risk her not getting an award if she'd earned it so I don't mind hustling over.  I decided to look around to find a place to stretch and to see if there was any fruit and water for us (the runners); they had the bar and cafe open but nothing set out for us to grab as part of the race support.  I didn't expect they would as they didn't offer it in 2015 but I looked around just in case the race owners decided to improve our race experience.  I did end up finding a live band playing in the big adult playground in the outdoor section behind the building which was pretty cool, I didn't even know they were there since the DJ inside completely drowned them out: I'd rather have had the live music piped in than have the DJ but that's a personal opinion.  The band had a pretty good sound but I moved on, continuing the search for a good stretch place.



The awards ceremony didn’t go any better this year than it did last year, surprisingly enough; the award medals were a huge snafu for both the 5k and 10k.  It was a bad enough mess that the “Special Guest” Martha had to sort out medals while trying to present them to the winners (with the official award photo being taken) as they were called forward.  It gives me a headache to think about.  Charlene stepped in to help Martha as soon as she saw what was happening, I stayed out of it for a few minutes (being left to guard our valuables) but had to lend a hand as well a few minutes later because the winners started stacking up behind them waiting for their awards (a few come back because they did not get the correct ones).  It took the 3 of us, rushing, at least 30 minutes to get the medals sorted and untangled; all the while the winners were announced and waiting around for us to give them what they’d earned.  The lack of prior preparation made the ceremony a chore rather than a celebration; at least in 2015 it was only slow and disorganized.    

It’s not really surprising that so few runners showed up for the ceremony; no doubt most left straight from the finish line to get something to eat, some probably didn’t want to walk the several blocks after the long run to wait around hungry just to find out they didn’t even place, or maybe some just weren’t interested in collecting an uninspiring, generic award medal with an event sticker on it (that may sound snobbish but creativity shows involvement and care where cheap and generic shows a lack of interest and emotional investment).  I went, and brought Charlene, because I wanted to know the results and if I and/or Charlene earned an award I wanted it/them: It's what is fair (if that makes any sense).

 I’d hoped that things would have improved over last year but almost every phase of the event took a step backwards in my opinion.  It’s depressing; Vegas needs a great local race experience, on a fast course, and this one could be just that but it just seems to move further and further away from it’s potential. 

Charlene asked me a very difficult question later that day:  Would I run the Big Game 10k again, after the overall experience had gotten worse in the second year?  Ordinarily it would be an easy and immediate answer of “No!” but I have to admit that the fast course is a big draw to me.  I could care less about the event and post-race mess at this point, unless the race owner decides to improve things for their customers, but the fast course gives me the opportunity to test myself in ways that no other race in Vegas has/does.  Time will tell but at this point I doubt I’ll allow myself to be taken advantage of again just for a chance to test my speed.

*Disclaimer:   The opinions expressed here are my own and not influenced by the organizers nor sponsors or any other company/individual affiliated with the event.

2016 Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon Weekend - The Expo

How does the popular saying go, “Third time’s the charm”?  I won’t dispute that about the Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona race weekend. 
 
The first time I participated in the RnR Arizona races was to run the 2014 Marathon: I had a great time with friends and family and had a fantastic Boston Qualifying run.  The second time was last year’s (2015) inaugural 5k and the Marathon: I got to run the 5k alongside Olympian Ryan Hall, I ran my first (and only – to date) sub-3 hour marathon, won my Age Group for the marathon distance (and first ever award from any Rock ‘n’ Roll event), and got to celebrate my sister establishing a new Personal Record for herself in the marathon distance.  It was a weekend filled with personal and family glory.  This year’s event topped them all; not because of any personal or family glory but because I got to experience the entire race weekend in new and stimulating ways and because I’m coming back from hip/labrum surgery over the summer and this was the final proof to myself that I'd be able to return to long distance running and racing.  I’m going to tell you all about it (from my perspective), please pull up a chair and enjoy:

My sister and I were offered the opportunity to run the 2015 Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona 5k and Half Marathon in exchange for telling everyone we knew (and everyone who’d listen) about the entire race weekend.  That by itself is an incredible honor; to have someone (especially a company so important to the world wide racing community) believe we would have something to contribute, believing we could say or do things that would inspire others to join this running journey.  That is something very important to the both of us: Inspiring others to take up this sport and strive to achieve reach new heights mentally and physically.  Charlene and I began trying to inspire others to join us long before the race weekend by telling people (via online social media outlets) about our personal experiences at previous RnR Arizona races, about our experiences with Rock ‘n’ Roll races in other locations, and about things that are important to us personally in regards to running the current RnR Arizona courses.

Charlene and I kicked off the weekend of fun by driving from Las Vegas to Phoenix.  We hit the road at first light Friday morning, intending to enjoy the drive itself and arrive at the first day of the Expo early enough to devote time to meeting and speaking with the event sponsors as well as search out some race gear which we needed to replace.  We talked the whole way; about the 2015 race weekend, about what we hoped to accomplish this weekend, about who we’d like to talk to at the expo, and naturally about what we’d gone through during the past 12 months since we’d made that particular drive before (you know, runner and sibling stuff).  

Sis also told me about a new app she intended on using over the weekend, called Periscope: I’d never heard of it before she brought it up but it sounded like fun (well, for her).  Charlene is very good at the social communication thing; she’s a natural choice to be in front of a camera talking about things that are important to her.  For me, I didn’t want to be on camera but I did want to help, to contribute.  I felt Periscope would be interesting and that’s a great place to start from.

This Rock ‘n’ Roll Expo was pretty big (as they typically are) and it was really jumping with activity.  Normally, Sis and I would go in to an expo with the mentality of getting our bibs, shirts, and swag and then making quick work of the sales areas (stopping long enough to purchase necessities or to find some information of personal importance).  This time we went in the mentality of learning about the sponsors behind the races and sharing it with others (you) as well as take care of a couple necessities.  It actually added a level of excitement to the expo in my opinion; gave me a purpose beyond myself and a new perspective on something I often take for granted.

  

One of the most important stops in the expo (well, after getting our bibs) was to visit with our new on-course fuel provider, Glukos Energy.  This visit is particularly important because they are new to the series and because I personally needed a new fueling product which could help me reach and even exceed my running goals.  My sister smartly identified a very important person within Glukos Energy, the CEO Mike McCormick.  We identified ourselves and told him why we stopped by and then asked point blank:  “Why should we use Glukos Energy, what makes your product special and/or better than the others”?  The short and sweet of his answer was; the fuel is designed to get into our systems quickly by providing exactly the type of fuel our bodies are designed to burn, Glucose; it contains incredibly important electrolytes; specifically with the gels, they are water based so you do not need to wash it down at an aid station; most importantly (to me) is that their products aren’t super sweet which can so often bother a runner’s stomach.  We also had the privilege of talking with Mark Jensen, the inventor of Glukos, about using the tablets and how easily the gels were to take.  I took the opportunity to ask him for fueling advice on my return to marathon running and about how I can best use Glukos Energy during race situations.  Mark’s advice was invaluable as the creator of this particular fuel and especially because he’s an accomplished athlete himself.  He asked us to try a sample of the gel to see if it fit with his and Mike’s descriptions and to see how our palates and stomachs would react:  The simple half ounce sample spoke volumes about how easy it would be for us to use these on course.  I know that it will be the fuel I train with for my first marathon post-surgery.  You can visit their website here for more information and for purchasing:  Glukos Energy

Maui Jim Sunglasses was an important visit at the expo for reasons that stretch all the way back to Las Vegas and the streets around my home:  Eye protection from glare, UV Rays, and blowing dust can’t be understated when you live and train in the desert.  I’ve seen and tried on Maui Jim’s sunglasses many times over the years but I’ve never approached them on the subject of wind protection as well as the standard vision protection options; this time it was my focus.  I explained to the nice young lady who greeted us that we were there to talk to them because of their connection to the Rock ‘n’ Roll races and because of my interest in checking out which styles they offered to shield the side of a runner’s eyes (for protection from blowing dust and debris).  She selected, and I tried on, the Waterman, Switchback, Kanaha, and the Night Dive model glasses as she believed they could fit my description and desires.  I quickly formed a personal favorite because the frame and lens style did indeed fit my need; they also passed my sister’s fashion critique - a familial requirement.  I wasn’t surprised with the viewing quality and clarity, they have always been high end in those regards, but they are a pleasure to watch the world through.  Here is a link to their website if you’d like to look into a pair of sunglasses that will fit your needs:  Maui Jim

Toyota had a huge presence at the expo and at the race.  I though their expo set up was a blast really.  Typically the vehicle manufacturers that show up for these types of events just park a car/truck or two where they can’t be missed and have their employees hang around to answer questions.  Toyota seemed to be much more interested in being interactive and personable.  They did have a few vehicles parked on the expo floor but each vehicle was open and interactive: one had rear liftgate open for us to play a game of Skee ball; another was set up as a photo booth inside the cabin with a souvenir picture to laugh at later.  They also had a test drive station set up in front of the expo/convention center which was cool.  Check out their website, you can even put together your dream Toyota car on there:  Toyota USA

We had a very interesting time wandering around the expo doing the live Periscope app interviewing RnR volunteers and staff, we were also lucky enough to bump into a Legacy runner who’d run the event even before Rock ‘n’ Roll put it’s stamp upon the race series.  A major highlight of the video, and of the expo, was spending some time in the Rock ‘n’ Roll station with all of the wickedly cool Heavy Medals and the various challenge medals that are being offered.  Charlene and I were both stunned at how creative and appropriate this series of the RnR Heavy Medals are; each one has something which loudly represents the world and history of Rock and Roll music and they got progressively bigger and more impressive with each count of a completed Marathon or Half Marathon.  My sister still talks about how much she loves the 8 Track tape medal (8 races in the calendar year), my favorite is the Stairway to Heaven medal (in the shape of a 7 for seven races).

Next up - The Rock 'n' Roll Arizona 5k

*Disclaimer:   I was an invited guest to the Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon weekend.  The views, reviews and opinions expressed are my own and not influenced by the organizers nor sponsors or any other company/individual affiliated with the event.

- Next - The 2016 RnR AZ 5k

2016 Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon Weekend - The 5k

2016 Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona 5k
 

I have to say, I love running this particular 5k event.  After I’d run the inaugural 5k last year (in final preparation for the next day’s race), I remembered really enjoying the race but my mind was so focused on the Marathon that I didn’t have any truly specific memories of running the 5k beyond tagging along with Ryan Hall and feeling truly relaxed and pleased.  As we drove home after the race weekend and throughout 2015 Charlene and I both knew that we wanted to run that 5k again, this time with our full attention.

Charlene and I both had the honor and pleasure of being invited to participate in the 2016 Rock ‘n’ Roll 5k.  With a year’s worth of anticipation we were both very eager to experience it again, in some ways it would be like experiencing it for the first time since we’d be fully in the moment.

I will admit to being a little nervous about this race:  It was to be the first true test of my racing capability since having surgery to repair the torn and separated labrum in my left hip.  There is a major difference between running a 5k and racing one to the best of your capability (as you no doubt know), and I hadn’t tested speed in over ½ a year.  

As part of our normal routine, Charlene and I arrived at the race site a little over an hour early:  It helps ensure good parking, leaves plenty of time to get your head on straight, and you can get in a full session of dynamic stretches and exercises to warm up.  While we were getting ourselves ready for the race and trying to shake off the morning chill we were asked to talk with ABC15 Arizona; they wanted to know where we’d come from to participate in the race(s), why we came to this particular event, what we considered special about the Rock ‘n’ Roll race series itself.  I don’t remember stepping forward to do the “mini” interview but I found myself up front and center with a smiling MaryEllen Resendez addressing me and a spotlight providing a pool of warmth:  My teeth stopped chattering and I tried my best to share my enthusiasm for the race with her.  My sister said I seemed pretty comfortable in front of the camera but to be honest I didn’t care about it at all, I was trying to entice MaryEllen to run the race too (I don’t think she did, I should have been more succinct).

Charlene and I spent a good 30 minutes or so milling about the pre-race zone soaking up the excitement and getting ourselves loosened up.  Both of us planned on letting ourselves run our best race during the 5k; we didn’t have to save strength for the Half Marathon since we already knew it would be a run/walk program due to it being my longest run in 6 months.  The excitement kicked into high gear for us as we joined the thousands of other runners in the start corrals, the race MC/announcer was really getting everyone charged up.  The pre-race nerves I had all morning finally started to calm down as gun time approached.  After a quick pre-race selfie with my sister (our #runningsiblings tradition) I put a Glukos Energy tablet in my cheek and got ready for my very first hard run.  As a general, and very good, rule you should not try new fueling or racing gear on race day but at this point I had nothing to lose and everything to gain.  The fact that I intended to run hard during the 5k made it perfect for testing Glukos since my effort levels would by sky high and the amount of time short (besides, I already knew where the porta-potties were just in case my stomach argued).

We weren’t just “let go” at the start of the 5k, we were launched.  I’m reasonably sure the MC was pulled to the edge of the platform by the suction our sudden departure created.  I do know for sure that several of the first 50 runners and I had to get control of ourselves within the first quarter mile as we all started out faster than planned due to the high energy levels.  Unlike last year, I kept mind in the present while running this course:  The variety of sights, sounds, and even “feel” of the terrain was truly inspiring.  I began to understand why I’d enjoyed the first run on the course even though my mind didn’t register it; we started out in a semi-modern industrial setting by running on an overpass crossing the Tempe Town Lake; transitioned into a stretch road that carried us along the northern edge of LoPiano Bosque Habitat (desert beauty in all it’s glory lit by the morning sun); ran briefly next to a nice neighborhood of cheering people; dropped down to run beside Tempe Town lake on a nice bike path (great spot to pick up speed too); and then finally turned sharply to sprint across the lake on a bridge (sister to the one we started on) which brought us home to the finish line.

I hung around the finish line/secure zone for the few minutes it took for Charlene to finish by taking the time to stretch and catch my breath once I passed the photo walls and found an empty spot on the fence.  I was very happy to find that my heartrate and breathing calmed down very quickly, a good indicator that I haven’t completely lost my conditioning during the recovery from surgery.  I know that I had as big a smile on my face as my sister did when she came through the crowd of racers and photographers after her strong finish.  We both started talking about how much we enjoyed the course and how fun it was to really run it hard as we made our way over to bag check and then to Tempe Beach Park and the Finish Line Festival.  While Charlene took a few minutes to make a quick Periscope video showing the post-race activities I took a couple pictures of the racers still crossing the North Shore Beach Path imagining that I was a spectator seeing me cross that path, in my mind it was a lot like looking in an infinity mirror (watching myself run and seeing myself as I run). 

When she finished up her video, and I finished daydreaming, we walked around the festival for a few minutes to check out the tents and see all of the excited kids.  I wish we could have stayed to watch them run but I needed Ice and Charlene needed coffee.  We found a nearby Starbucks in the Downtown Tempe shopping area and let our minds and bodies relax.  I couldn’t help but check the online results while she enjoyed her tall, hot, double-carma-frapy-lip-foamy-nose drink. 

I almost fell out of my chair when my 5k results came up and showed that I’d finished 2^nd in my Age Group.  It took some time and effort to get Charlene’s results up for her 5k efforts; they showed her finish had tied for 3^rd place in her Age Group.  What a wild and awesome way to finish our first race of the weekend.

Up next – The 2016 RnR AZ Half Marathon.

*Disclaimer:   I was an invited guest to the RnRAZ, the views, reviews and opinions expressed are my own and not influenced by the organizers nor sponsors or any other company/individual affiliated with the event.

- Previous - The 2016 RnR AZ Expo

- Next - The 2016 RnR AZ Half Marathon