It's Vegas! Nothing like running down the strip! I stayed at the Cosmopolitan and it allowed for somewhat easy access to both the start and finish lines. Let's face it, this is a huge event. There's lots of walking involved before you even start running. Simply getting your bib at the expo requires half a day. We took the metro to the expo site, which worked out fine. The expo is expansive which tons of vendors, photo opportunities, and race souvenirs. The weather in November is quite cool which was perfect for race day. Take your pick of restaurants on the strip to get your pasta dinner the night before. Keep in mind that Vegas is in the desert and the air is dry so remember to drink plenty of water prior to the start line. This race started in the early evening which really affected me. I felt tired from all the travel, walking, and well, Vegas lifestyle before I even set foot near the starting corrals. The year I ran, Capitol Cities was the featured band. They did a good job ramping up the crowd but my corral was called before they played any songs I knew. Even though there were thousands of runners packed into the corrals, it was a happy environment and well organized. We started on time and headed out to the "Welcome to Las Vegas" sign. It felt effortless running towards the sunset and exciting to round the turn and head up the strip. It was dark by mile 4 and the lights of the strip were brilliant. What fun, what excitement! The crowds lined the streets cheering us on, bands played, Elvis gave "high fives", and Frank Sinatra belted out the hits somewhere in the distance. Runners dressed in costumes and wore lighted belts, hats, and shoelaces. The first half is where it's at!! Then, the excitement faded on the back half, where it was needed most. Several sections of the full marathon course were dark and winding. There were several aid stations throughout but they were crowded. By mile 17 or so, I was near a highway and just wanted to be done. The last few miles got back to the strip and the excitement was back. Lots of music and refreshments at the finish along with foil blankets to keep you warm. The finish chute is about a quarter mile long so you'll need to continue through it until you can meet up with family/friends. I did the marathon as part of the Remix challenge, so I needed to find the tent for my challenge medal, a free beanie hat in a different tent, and get my medal engraved in still another location. Each spot was easy to find, with plenty of volunteers to point you in the right direction. My marathon medal was engraved while I waited and it was finished quickly-maybe 10 min. By this time it was around 9:45 pm and my family and I went to Paris for a late dinner. It was a short walk to get there from the finish area. This race seemed a little challenging to me because of the dry air, late start, and dark course, not to mention the overall elevation gain of around 1,000 ft. It was still fun and I consequently added a new state to race resume but I'd probably do the half marathon next time.