The Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas Marathon is known for its unique nighttime start and running on the iconic Vegas Strip. Runner Ava Sorell shares her experience at the 2023 race, highlighting the highs, lows, and everything in between for those considering this distinctive marathon.
One of the most appealing aspects of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas Marathon for Ava was the race start time. “Race started at 4:30pm, which is when I usually run,” she noted, appealing to those who, unlike “morning people,” find their stride later in the day. This later start offers a refreshing change from the typical early morning race, potentially aligning better with many runners’ natural rhythms and training schedules.
Runner Ava Sorell at the Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon
The course itself offered a mixed bag of terrains, with a notable downhill section in the early miles. Ava described this descent from miles 2 to 9 as a major highlight. “The downhill from miles 2-9 let you groove and focus on efficiency,” she explained, emphasizing the advantage it provided for building speed and potentially banking time. This section allowed runners to settle into a rhythm and capitalize on the terrain for a faster pace.
Adding to the unique race experience was the opportunity to run directly on the Las Vegas Strip. “Running on The Vegas Strip was fun!” Ava exclaimed. The novelty of running on this world-famous street, typically bustling with cars and pedestrians, provides an unforgettable backdrop for a marathon. The timing also allowed for a special post-race moment: “We finished early enough to get a selfie with Laura Thweatt!” This chance encounter with a renowned athlete added an extra layer of excitement to the day.
However, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas Marathon wasn’t without its challenges. Ava pointed out the uphill finish in the last 4 miles as a significant difficulty. “The last 4 miles uphill was longer and more challenging than it seemed,” she cautioned. This late-race climb demanded strategic pacing, as starting too aggressively on the initial uphill miles could lead to fatigue in the final stretch. The demanding nature of this section was underscored by the fact that “a few of the elite women dropped out from miles 10-12,” highlighting the course’s late-race difficulty even for seasoned runners.
Despite the uphill finish, Ava achieved a significant personal victory at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas Marathon. “I wanted to run the Marathon OTQ pace (1:18:30), and went well under with the 1:16:57!” she proudly shared. Surpassing her goal by a considerable margin speaks to both her training and her effective race strategy on this course.
When assessing the overall difficulty of the course, Ava offered a nuanced perspective. “Yes and No,” she stated, acknowledging its dual nature. “The course makes it easy to be efficient and PR,” she clarified, emphasizing the potential for achieving personal bests due to the downhill sections. However, she stressed the importance of strategic pacing: “If you use the middle miles to go slightly faster than pace, but not overly so, and you make sure to pace yourself for a full 4 miles on the uphill at the end, you’ll almost certainly PR at this race.” She also recommended using a heart rate monitor and understanding one’s lactate threshold to avoid overexertion, especially on the downhills. “Having a good HRM on your wrist, and being dialed in with where your Lactate Threshold is (mine is 183/184) is really useful in not overdoing it.”
The 2023 Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas Marathon was unfortunately marred by a significant organizational error. Ava recounted, “The lead car led the elite field the wrong way… Everyone who went through the first mile in sub 5:35 was instructed to turn early, cutting a full Kilometer off of the race.” This mistake had serious implications, particularly for the elite runners competing for prize money. “Only the top 3 women were affected… The men’s field was all disqualified.” Despite the chaotic situation, Ava witnessed the course correction firsthand and continued on the correct route, noting the altered race dynamics: “I still ran the full course, but only had ~10 people in front of me instead of ~80.”
Historically, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas Marathon has been moderately competitive, but 2023 was an exception. “Most years it’s only moderately competitive. But this year it was the site for the Rock and Roll Championships, so there was a large purse and it was significantly more competitive than normal.” This elevated competition level added another dimension to the race experience.
Logistically, Las Vegas proved to be a convenient race location. “It’s Vegas, so there was plenty of lodging,” Ava stated. “The race didn’t affect lodging availability like it would at smaller cities.” Registration was also straightforward, available online “up to the week before the race.” For faster runners, the Rock ‘n’ Roll series offers an Elite program: “If you are sub 1:25 for Women and sub 1:11 for men, you qualify for the Elite program for any Rock and Roll race, which is a really nice perk.”
Aid stations were readily available throughout the course, provided “every 2 miles” with standard marathon fare. Weather conditions on race day were favorable, with “55 degrees, 10 MPH wind.”
In conclusion, Ava awarded the Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas Marathon a strong recommendation. “Definitely 4 stars out of 5,” she rated, citing the fast course as a major draw. “The course is a great speed workout.” While acknowledging the visual appeal of the Strip, she noted, “The strip is pretty, but I’ve ran prettier races,” suggesting that the course’s strengths lie more in its speed potential and unique atmosphere than purely scenic beauty. Overall, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas Marathon offers a distinctive and potentially fast race experience, despite some organizational hiccups in 2023, making it a race worth considering for runners seeking a unique marathon challenge.
