The Las Vegas Marathon has a reputation of being a fast course. A course you would want to run to try and set a PR. At 57 my PR’s are behind me, but I do favor the easier, faster courses like Marine Corps, Columbus, Shamrock, Avenue Of The Giants, Las Vegas and shy away from the killers like Catalina, Monster, Pikes Peak, Grandfather, etc. Though I am guilty of seeking out these faster, easier marathons I have yet to run a negative split (faster second half verses the first half).

Since I ran the Mobile Marathon five weeks earlier and my weight was still about 10 pounds higher then I would like and spending a good portion of Saturday walking the Las Vegas ‘Strip’, I had no intentions of running a fast marathon and never even thought of a negative split. My plan was to go out easy. Walk one minute at each water station. Water stations were every two miles to the 20 mile mark and then every mile from 21 to 26.

It’s Super Bowl Sunday, 7:30 AM, and Bob Panzak, Ken Winn and myself are at the start line of the 36th Las Vegas Marathon. The sky is absolutely blue, not a cloud in the sky. Didn’t see a cloud in the four days we were in Las Vegas. The temperature was in the low to mid 30’s with very low humidity so it did not feel to cold. Twelve seconds after the gun goes off we get to the start line. Bob runs ahead and is out of sight in a few minutes. Ken settles in to a little slower pace then myself and we do not see each other for a few hours. The course runs north to Las Vegas on the old Los Angeles Highway which isn’t very scenic nor does the landscape change much for about 21 miles when we make the first of only five turns. However, the course is unique for those of us who do not have the opportunity to do much running in the desert.

We have a slight head wind (breeze), maybe 2 or 3 miles per hour for about 24 miles. The first 8 1/2 miles are predominately up hill. We gain a total of 200 feet. The hills are gradual, nothing steep nor too long. However, I feel I am working harder then I should be for the first 8 1/2 miles. Splits are a little slow, 8:32, 8:20, 8:35, 8:09, 8:42, 8:19, 8:41, 8:18, 8:58 (pit stop) but still fast enough to run a 3:40 marathon. Mile 10 is the first of the downhill miles, split time of 7:58. Miles 11 through 13 splits are 8:15, 8:01, 8:32 and my half marathon time is 1:50:00 flat, a 3:40 marathon pace. I get a quick thought that since I got though the up hills and I am feeling OK at the half marathon point, that may be I could run a negative split. However, I dismiss that idea quickly since I figure I would probably hit the wall somewhere during the last 10K. Miles 14 though 18 continues slightly downhill. Splits are 7:55, 8:14, 7:57, 8:16, 8:27 (pit stop). Apparently being very well hydrated, I set a PR by having to stop twice for a pit stop. Mile 19 and 20 splits were 7:51 and 8:07. I take my scheduled one-minute walk break at the 20 mile water stop. I am confident that I can maintain this pace for most of the remaining 10K and as long as I don’t hit the wall I just may be able to run a negative spit. I decide to try and run the last 10K without walk breaks. I take water on the run at 22 and 24 miles. As I normally do in marathons, I start counting runners I pass and runners who pass me during the last 10K. I run splits of 8:33, 8:05, 8:16, 7:58, 7:58, 7:58 and 1:51 while being passed by one runner as I pass 167 runners. I cross the finish line in 3:36:48 and a chip time of 3:36:36. Although I don’t consider my time fast, I am very happy that after running 43 marathons I was able to run my first negative split marathon and did by 3 minutes and 24 seconds. Bob Panzak qualified for Boston running 3:11:45 in his 20th marathon and 20th state. Ken Winn ran his 7th marathon in as many states in a time 4:07:33. Jim Caprera ran the half marathon in 1:48:44. Hali Panzak ran the 5K on Saturday in 29:38.

32 states plus Washington DC completed. Next marathon, Kentucky Derby Festival, April 27 with fellow Space Coast Runners Linda Thompson, Jim Caprera, Bob Panzak, Ken Winn and anyone else who would like to join us.


Rest if you must, just don’t quit,
Marty