Las Vegas Marathon

Infobox Athleticrace
bgcolour = orange


imagesize = 200px
caption = Logo for the Zappos.com Las Vegas Marathon
date = December
location = Las Vegas, Nevada
type = road
distance = Marathon
est = 1967
record = ?:?:?(M), 2:31:54(F)
homepage = www.lvmarathon.com

The Zappos.com Las Vegas Marathon is an annual marathon foot-race run in and around Las Vegas, Nevada.

The 26.2 mile course begins at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino heading north on the Las Vegas Strip, through the Fremont Street Experience, winds through several residential neighborhoods, and eventually ends up back at the Mandalay Bay. In keeping with the Vegas spirit, the event features things not found at most other marathons, including live entertainment at many of the mile markers, several Elvis impersonators running the race, and a run-through wedding chapel where participants can get married or renew their vows.

History

The race is one of the oldest marathons in the United States, having been run since 1967.

The marathon was organized by Al Boka since 1983, who sold the marathon in 2005 to Devine Racing, a Chicago-based race organization company that is responsible for several other races, including the Los Angeles Marathon. Zappos.com will be the title sponsor for this event through 2009.

Devine redubbed the race as "The Zappos.com Las Vegas Marathon", and updated the course to include the Strip. Introduced on December 4 2005, the new course marks one of the rare occasions that the Strip is closed to traffic. Prior to that, the course had run on the old Los Angeles Highway, beginning in the community of Jean, Nevada, and ending inside Las Vegas proper (Sunset Park).

Additionally in 2005, the date of the marathon was changed from January to December to help ensure better weather.

Winners

Zappos.com Las Vegas Marathon (New Course)

Las Vegas International Marathon (Old Course)

Courses

2005 Course

*Start at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino - North on Las Vegas Boulevard - transition from Clark County to the city of Las Vegas.
*West on the Fremont Street Experience
*North on Main Street
*South on Grand Central Parkway
*West on Alta Drive
*North on Martin Luther King Boulevard
*West on Carey Avenue/Smoke Ranch Road
*South on Torey Pines Drive - transition from the city to the county
*West on Twain Avenue
*South on Redwood Street
*East on Viking Road
*North on El Camino Road
*East on Twain Avenue
*South on Frank Sinatra Drive
*East on Russell Road
*North into Mandaly Bay parking lot for the finish

1967-2004 Course

Completely in Clark County
*Start Jean
*Finish Sunset Park

References

* [http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2005/Nov-27-Sun-2005/news/4387469.html IN DEPTH: NEW LAS VEGAS MARATHON: A Change of Course] Las Vegas Review-Journal, November 27, 2005
* [http://www.klastv.com/Global/story.asp?S=3436980&nav=168XbNWZ Las Vegas Marathon] KLAS TV, Las Vegas, October 31, 2005
* [http://www.marathonguide.com/results/index.cfm Marathon Guide Results Page]

External links

* [http://www.lvmarathon.com Official Site]
* [http://www.devineracing.com Devine Racing (Organizers)]
* [http://marathoninfo.free.fr/historique/lasvegas.htm Marathon Info]
*mg-race|id=2377051204|race=The New Las Vegas Marathon
*mg-race|id=4050130|race=The Las Vegas International Marathon