2018 was my second time running the 5k here in Vegas and, aside from the entertainment, little had changed from last year.
The expo was good. With race entry, runners got a technical t-shirt and slot machine themed medal.
The event started and finished at the northern end of The Strip, near SLS. Getting there was challenging for people in cars or taxis because the road closures impacted traffic, but the monorail offered a convenient way to and from the event.
The race course is flat and easy. After the start line, runners leave the fairgrounds then run along closed off streets until the turnaround that brings them back to the fairgrounds. Getting back into the fairgrounds pushed a lot of runners to give a strong push toward the finish line, but you could see them run out of gas before getting there with all the twists and turns that they still had to navigate.
This is a fun race with all the great energy of any RnR event and I’d recommend it for that alone. The only warning (aside from the one about seeing your actual finish line before giving it your final burst of energy) is that the course becomes really congested with runners darting in and out creating all kinds of collision risks.
All in all, it’s a great event and if you’re in town coincidentally or for the marathon or half the next day, definitely give it a shot! Just be aware that you won’t see any of The Strip on this course. They save that for the main event.