12 races run, 12 races completed. After 10 months, and 25 days, Kathy and I
have both completed the challenge.
Despite the year’s ups and downs, and the challenges we faced both
physically and emotionally, we each persevered and completed the challenge we
set out to finish 12 months ago. To be
fair, Kathy finished the challenge a few weeks ago and actually ran a full
marathon as one of her races (overachiever); so my Vegas run marked the final
race for the team. Although this last
race ended up not having the most ideal circumstances, the challenge itself was
an amazing experience and I will look back on it with pride and with a sense of
accomplishment.
Now as a bit of background, the trip to Vegas
ended up being a belated 30th birthday celebration for my friend
Richard and myself (yes I am actually 30 years old now). I am blessed with some amazing friends who
made the effort and expense to come to Vegas for this trip (and there were a
few others who did the best they could, but were just unable to make it). This group includes my brother, who always
comes through for me when I need him; best big brother a guy could ask for. It is an amazing thing to realize that this
group of guys actually put up with me and are willing to come out and support
me. I want to give special recognition to
my friend JR Stevenson, who not only came to Vegas for the trip but also
participated in his first ever half marathon ever on behalf of the
challenge. Thank you JR!
 |
JR and I before the race
Now this trip is made up of two elements: 1) the
amazing trip; and 2) the horrendously organized race. As a brief background, I arrived on Thursday
night with my friend Richard and the race was run on Sunday night at 5:30. Now I know what you are all thinking:
disaster. However, I will say that I was
actually ready to run the race, both mentally and physically, however the Rock
n’ Roll series had other plans. I will
summarize the rest of the weekend in a moment.
|
The race itself had 44,000 people signed up:
approximately 8,000 marathoners and 36,000 half-marathoners. That is a lot of people. The race started in front of the Mandalay Bay
and my group was staying at the Wynn/Encore, which is 2.75 miles (apparently)
from the Mandalay Bay. The strip was
shut down for the race, but there were complementary shuttles running from our
hotel to the starting area. JR and I got
in line at 4:30 for the shuttle…at 5:10, with still two busses worth of people
in front of us, we decided to walk to the starting line. Not the best decision we admit, but we were -
ok, I was - too impatient to wait any more.
It was a long walk and we eventually started the race at 6:11pm, 41
minutes late. In fairness, we only
started 5 minutes after the people in line with us, but it was still a stupid
idea on my part.
 |
| How crowded the race was when I finished. |
There were almost 40 starting groups, I was assigned to
group 4 and JR to group 17…we started last.
And I don’t mean in the last group, I mean the lights at the start were
off and they had already re-arranged the barricades at the start from starting
corrals to direct people towards the finish line. We actually had to jump 3 fences to get to
the start line and GOT HECKLED, playfully, by the starting line announcers;
they told us to be careful for the fences and wished the two us luck on the race…
although I was not pumped to be hopping fences, it still cracked me up. Who else gets a personal starting message
from the announcers?
 |
| I apparently was feeling like a dork when I saw my friends |
Given frustration before the race, after the
first quarter mile when JR and I caught the marathoners entering the
half-marathon course (marathoners started at 4pm), I took off running at a
sub-eight minute pace. Now this was a
great idea until I actually caught the half-marathon group. Apparently there were 20,000 “race walkers”
and I ended up weaving through race-walker traffic for the first 8-9 miles of
the race. I have to say I feel bad for
the marathoners, as they had to do the same – talk about the worst way to run
the last half of a marathon. Although
there was a designated marathon lane to the left of the road, the walkers moved
over took up the entire road making it a total disaster. I had to come to a complete stop multiple
times throughout the race.
I was able to catch my brother and friends right
before the 3 mile mark and it was inspiring having people at the race cheering
me on – this was the first time I had this in all 12 races. After briefly talking to them, I took off
again. Officially ran 13.1 miles in 2 hours.
According to my watch I ran 13.75 miles in 1hr 57min. I consider that a victory giving the
conditions. In fact, it turns out that
some people even got sick and had to go to the hospital from the water handed
out at the race. Rock n’ Roll caught a
lot of negative reviews from this race.
 |
| Feeling good after the race |
 |
| JR was feeling his first half |
I admit that my experience would have been significantly
different had I started in my group, but overall the race was just oversold and
they were not equipped to hand this many people. Although I would never, ever run this race
again, I wouldn’t trade the weekend for anything in this world. It is also fitting that my last race was a
challenge – if it were easy, everyone would do it.
 |
| The Medal (it glows in the dark) |
The boys and I had an amazing weekend, from a
big birthday celebration night out Friday night, to JR, Alex and I skydiving
Saturday morning, my daily chicken and waffle breakfast, and dinner at SW Steakhouse
after the race to celebrate the completion of the challenge. It was an amazing weekend and I am thankful
everyday for the friends I have in my life.
 |
| The Brooks Boys - cheer up some Steven! |
 |
| SJ, Jeremy and JR |
 |
| Alex and I before jumping from a plane |
As a side note, Kathy actually got a concussion and was
unable to participate, but I have to give her a special recognition here for
both her amazing achievement in completing the Challenge she created and more
so for inspiring me to actually participate.
I always swore I would never run a half marathon, much less 12, and she
had me on board from the beginning.
Looking back over the 12 months, the Challenge was
an amazing success and we both want to thank all of you for your support. You have no idea the difference you have made
in her mother’s life, her family’s life and to the National Psoriasis Foundation. I am in awe at the outpouring of support we
received and want to thank each of you for sticking with us these 12
months. Although the fight never ends,
this year has shown the difference belief can make. Thank you!
 |
| End of the day, it's all about the Challenge |
