As we enter triple digit temperatures here in Las Vegas for the next 5 months, I’m already daydreaming about the fall and winter race schedule. This year it filled up pretty quickly without much thought having been put into it. I’m dying to get back on a training program because not having one leaves room for skipping workouts. Here’s the schedule and a review of each:

2009 Disneyland Half Marathon
September 6
This will be the third year in a row that I will have run this family-oriented race. The course runs through Disneyland and California Adventure theme parks as well as the well manicured streets of Anaheim. While running through the parks is an event to itself there is a small let down as you head out on the streets during miles 4-8. Things again get interesting as you run by the Honda Center (home of the Anaheim Ducks), down the Santa Ana Trial (flanking the Santa Ana river), around/thru (ran the foul lines in 2007 and thru the “A” in 2008) Angel Stadium until heading back thru California Adventure and Downtown Disney to the finish. Running thru the parks with the characters and employees is awesome and the community support with bands and cheerleaders is second to none.

Ragnar Relay Las Vegas
October 9-10
(Valley of Fire to Las Vegas)
I’ve been interested in the Ragnar Relays since seeing their booth at my very first expo in 2006. Now they are finally coming to me and I’m pumped. This isn’t set in stone as of yet, but I’m working on a team as we speak. The relay calls for teams made up of 12 runners and a couple of support vehicles. You run for 5 miles, relax/ride/sleep/eat, run for 5 miles, relax/ride/sleep/eat, run for 5 miles and you’re done. The spirituality and camaraderie that will accompany this run has me so excited that I can’t wait for it to come.

Rock-n-Roll Las Vegas Marathon
December 6
As excited I am for Ragnar, I’m just as excited for the new management for the Las Vegas Marathon. This was my first marathon in 2006 and the event was going downhill ever since. The previous owners ran into financial trouble and it showed. In 2007 and 2008 I ran the halfs, but now that the Competitor Group has taken over and brought Rock-n-Roll to Vegas, I going long again. If you haven’t run the Las Vegas strip, this is a must run. It’s hard to give a proper review with the event changing hands but if it’s anything like what I’ve seen from the other Rock-n-Roll’s, it’s going to be great!!!

2010 Walt Disney World Marathon
January 10
Yes, I know I’ve told you that I’m excited for each of the previous races but this one is it!!! Not for the fact that it’s Disney World or that the entire race is run thru the park. Not for the fact that I’ve never been to Florida or that it’s another great Disney family trip. This one is going special. My sister, who just finished her first marathon relay, is going to be running her first marathon with me. She’s been so supportive of my recent running conversion that I could not be more excited that she has made the running leap of faith and we’ll be side-by-side cheering each other on. I’m sure the race will be great too.

Looking at my schedule will help me thru my training runs this summer. There’s only so many times you can tell yourself that 95 degrees isn’t that hot – at 10 PM!!!

Tags: Angel Stadium, California Adventure, Disneyland, Disneyland Half Marathon, Fargo Marathon, Honda Center, Las Vegas, Las Vegas Strip, Ragnar Relay, Rock-n-Roll Las Vegas Marathon, Santa Ana River, The Competitor Group, Valley of Fire, Walt Disney World Marathon

This entry was posted on Sunday, May 10th, 2009 at 1:47 pm and is filed under Races. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.