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First of all, come run this race next year! My dad and his cousin do it every year and we’re already registered for 2026. What can I say? I love a free t-shirt and quality time with my dad.
FRIDAY
Anyone else an anxious flier? I wasn’t until a really turbulent flight to Florida over a decade ago. It’s an irrational fear - I get that - BUT every time I open my phone there’s a new air disaster or layoff so I was extra nervous heading into this trip. Spoiler alert: everything is fine.
As I was getting ready, I checked my flight status only to see it was delayed by a whopping FOUR hours. Bummer. Taking my flight from 4pm to 8pm EST and meaning I’d be back on mom duty before leaving… Well, I didn’t know they could do this but they backed off the delay and we ended up only being delayed an hour. This rollercoaster of emotions is a lot like playing craps (more on that shortly).
I made sure to wear my “Run the STRIP AT NIGHT” shirt so people would know why I was heading to Vegas, but the “run the” is so small I didn’t talk to anyone about running on my trip out. People probably just thought I was going to Vegas for other reasons. I also didn’t see any other signs of runners or overhear any running-related conversations. My excitement would have to stay bottled up.
Since I was nervous I had a beer to calm myself down a little bit. I also bought jelly beans - a staple for me when I travel without kids who would steal them.
When we boarded and I got a whole row to myself I felt like my luck was changing. The flight was smooth and I got to sit in silence watching my trashy TV and reading my book.
My dad’s cousin, Pete, and his son, Dan, waited for me since their flight got in just before mine. We shared a cab to our hotels (and learned that Harrah’s and Paris sound very similar) they were staying at the LINQ and my dad got us a room at Paris again.
I called my dad and was shocked to learn that he hadn’t yet hit up the craps tables. He got in around 1pm and had been working (something he does rarely these days) and waiting for the rest of us. While he finished up, I changed out of my travel clothes and we grabbed a cheeseburger for dinner at Bobby’s Burgers (so good).
Then, Pete and Dan came to meet us and we all headed to the craps tables. They all kind of blur together at this point, but after night 1, I remember going to bed early (9pm Vegas time, midnight EST) and in the black $90. Not a bad start!
SATURDAY
Heading West always makes it easy to get an early start, but is equally frustrating. I first opened my eyes at 3am (6am at home) and was wide awake at 5am (8am at home). My dad had stayed out until 12:30am (yes, 3:30am at home) so I tried my best not to make a ton of noise. My stomach was growling so I found a snack in my backpack and read my book until the sun came up (~6:30am). Once the sun was up I felt like it was safe to go out by myself to do my normal CVS run. Whenever I travel, I usually end up at a CVS for water - tons of water. Especially in Vegas, where I can’t seem to stay hydrated.
- Gallon of water
- A cherry frost Gatorade
- An orange mango Body Armor
- big bag of pretzels
- box of Strawberry pop-tarts
When I got back to Paris, I bought a cappuccino to top off the list of essentials. I ate two pop-tarts for breakfast and to fuel for the Below Average Running shakeout run. You might be thinking, “but, Ally, you’re not below average”, well, I’ve been following Nicole Linn, the Founder of BAR Run Club, for a while and had to meet her and support her incredible, inclusive community. When they say they welcome all paces, they mean it!
The run was at 9am at Sunset Park. If you’ve ever tried to run the Vegas strip you know that it’s pretty much stairs every few hundred yards it feels like which is not fun. I got an Uber and ended up getting there about 20 min early, but didn’t see anyone. I waited and wandered for a while until I knew I had to be in the wrong place (despite reading the event description over and over 🤣).
Thankfully, I was able to track down the group and run over to meet them right as they were getting started. Nicole and her crew welcomed everyone (about 20 of us) and handed out Noogs, gummies used for fueling that literally taste like candy. They described them as “sour patch kids but better” and I was skeptical until I bit into one (watermelon). They taste like candy but they’re soft enough that they’re easy to eat. They’re also a small, woman-owned business.
Nicole talked a little bit about BAR and introduced her team (Lindsey, Jewel, Ellie, Lauren and Jake) and her family who had also come - including her sweet, 90 year-old grandma. She shared her plan to run easy for 20 minutes - about 12 minute miles. We huddled up for a group picture and took off on the paved path through this beautiful desert park.
I ran the first part with Jewel. She’s from Washington state and is a public defender. The one marathon she’s done was in Washington and she’s hoping to do more. Pretty sure it was Jewel’s boyfriend who was from Indiana, my memory sucks. Then, I chatted with Lindsey for a bit who is local to Vegas and helps run the local BAR chapter. Then, Jake from California who despises the cold and has run the LA Marathon. He met Nicole in high school and said he was happy to find a running club that actually supports slower paces. Something for regular running clubs to think about. Most say that they do but then in actuality it’s mostly people trying to run fast. I haven’t been part of a run club before (hard to believe, I know).
Talked to Nicole and Lindsey for parts too. The park was absolutely beautiful and we saw a few animals - bunny, quail and roadrunner. After the first lap, we’d gone 1.5 miles. Nicole was slated to run 20 min so ran for a few more minutes before turning around. I wanted an easy 3 so continued the rest of the second lap with Jake and a couple guys who were about to run their very first half marathon. One was from Las Vegas and the other was from Oklahoma. What’s funny is we found them in the parking lot as they were getting ready to start a shakeout of their own. We invited them to join us and they did.
When we arrived back in the parking lot there were donuts waiting for us. My go to donut is always a cinnamon sugar or an old fashioned donut. I scored a cinnamon sugar. I’d finished my candy (Noogs) on my run. So, after the donut I was good to go. I was really thirsty though.
We stood around chatting for a while and I introduced myself to Nicole’s dad and told him I was in Vegas with my dad too. He said to look for him on the course tomorrow. He also epically photo bombed me and Nicole eating donuts. I guess epically is in fact a word.
Before I left, I made sure to ask Nicole if she would come on the Finish Lines & Milestones podcast and she said yes (we've since scheduled for July)! I told Jewel and Jake they’d probably need to come on at some point too. One of my favorite things to do is interview someone I’ve barely met but shared a similar experience with.
I got an Uber back to the hotel and my dad was still in the room. For the record, he was awake! I showered off and we went to get some food. The lines for the sit down restaurants in Paris had gotten too long so we opted to eat at La Pizza where they had pizza, sandwiches and crepes. I decided that I was in Paris so I needed a crepe. It was a savory crepe with two kinds of cheese, prosciutto, an egg, mushrooms and arugula. Highly recommend except it did take 20 minutes compared to the 5 my dad waited for his sandwich. 
Now we were successfully fueled for gambling. It was time for more craps. We met my dad’s cousin Pete and his sons, Will and Mike. Dan was MIA “working” … we all gave him a hard time saying he was hungover but he did end up meeting us. We played for a while and I was happy not to lose all of my money and end up only slightly down after playing for a while. “Free fun” my sister Casey likes to call it.
I was ready to hit the expo before we pushed our luck and somehow gambled until it closed. We took an Uber over to Resort World and you should have seen all of us crammed in there. Dan, me and Mike were smooshed in the backseat. The Voors boys are very tall and it had to be very uncomfortable for them.
The location of the expo was slightly different this year. We walked through the food court to find our way to what felt like an exterior building because we walked outside briefly to enter. The first place you enter is where you get your bib. So, first thing was first and we all dispersed to get our bibs. I totally forgot the nickname I put on mine. “Crop top” was referring to the fact that I wore a crop top to the expo last year with a leather jacket. It felt very Vegas.
The other nicknames were as follows:
- Dad - HARD TEN
- Pete - SPEED
- Dan - PAPPAGIORGIO
- Will - DR SQUIRREL
- Mike - WHOP N WHOOP
Once we got our bibs we wandered through the rest of the expo. The vibe was great with the lighting and the DJ. The only thing I bought was some Mortal Hydration. They were selling the sample packs for $5 and I’ve maxed out the number of times I can buy those on The Feed (the only place you can buy it).
Just like last year they were offering a free t-shirt for anyone who registered for 2026. That’s how I got the STRIP AT NIGHT shirt I mentioned earlier and all of the guys were doing it so I opted to as well. $125 is the lowest price for the half and I figured it was like a roll of the dice if I ended up not being able to come next year for some reason.
I opted to immediately put on my free t-shirt to show people I am so serious about this race that I’m coming back next year. If you played soccer as a girl you are familiar with how to swap shirts without showing off anything so that’s what I did. Mike took my picture. Then, we headed back to the casino waiting for the “old guys” to finish completing the online registration. 😂
Turns out that me telling my dad we went back “across the street” wasn’t the best way to explain where we’d gone because we didn’t in fact cross a street but went back outside and then back inside. But as luck would have it he found us waiting by the craps tables. (Always a good place to wait for my dad). Sadly, we didn’t have much luck at the tables at Resort World. This is what my dad does when things aren’t going well. “ASS LINE”
It was 4pm and we were going to the Eagles concert in the Sphere, so I was ready to go back to the hotel and rest for a minute before getting ready. We grabbed an Uber and headed back. We both took naps before getting ready. I didn’t want to mess with my sleep but with the time change I knew I’d be tired enough after the concert. Plus, the only thing I needed to do the next day wasn’t until 4:30pm.
THE CONCERT
Last year, we went to see U2 at the Sphere with my Aunt Lisa. It was our first time in the venue and it was unreal. You have to go see a show - any show. It’s the venue and production that makes it unforgettable. No offense to U2 or the Eagles. Although I preferred the Eagles since we knew every single song.
On our way over, we grabbed a slice of pizza (Pizza Cake) and split a beer. We also shared a little bit of pot now that we knew what to expect. I was too nervous to somehow ruin the experience last year. Smoking a joint, legally, with my dad in “Venice” and seeing the Eagles is now a core memory for me.
We went to the restroom before going to our seats and normally I’d leave this detail out except for the fact that the MEN have to wait in line but the women don’t. It was so much fun waiting for my dad and watching all of the men approach the line for the bathroom with confusion and disbelief. I laughed with a lady next to me. I even had enough time to buy us a water and Twizzlers (carb loading). My dad’s theory is that it takes a bunch of old dudes a long time to pee.
Our seats were awesome. 200 level under the overhang. My dad was worried our view would be blocked - and it was a little bit - but we didn’t have anyone in front of us or behind us and that more than made up for it in my opinion (especially since we’d already been, and especially since we smoked pot).
We had a nice lady take our picture and she went above and beyond. My dad joked again that I was his girlfriend which made me die inside, but made for a good picture. Whatever it takes.
We were also right by the entrance/exit and the guy in charge of something important. My dad couldn’t help himself and went over to ask him some questions. The man obliged. Turns out everything is already completely programmed up front and the only visuals they’re controlling live is when they put the musicians up on the big screen - or make it look like they’re floating in bubbles.
A blimp showed up in the sky with a countdown timer (Taylor Swift style) and you could feel the energy in the room shift. We counted out loud when it got to 5, 4, 3, 2, 1… and they started with one of their best songs and we were THERE. The visuals put you right into whatever scene they’ve created for the song being played. It’s hard to describe and videos/pictures don’t do it justice.
Like I said, we knew every song and they played for 2.5 hours with the show ending promptly at 10:30pm (1:30am EST). Unforgettable.
We made the long trek back to our hotel. My dad really wanted to play craps but there was no way I wasn’t going right to bed. The other guys were in old Vegas so my dad begrudgingly went to bed too. Probably the reason we both ended up coming home with money…
SUNDAY (RACE DAY)
Eastern time means I was up at the crack of dawn again. I laid in bed for quite a while trying to remember how I used to sleep in. Once I couldn't stay in bed any longer, I set up all of my race day stuff. My "flat runner" if you will.
Thankfully, we were able to make a reservation for breakfast on race day at Mon Ami Gabi in Paris, a French restaurant with amazing breakfast. Last year, I ordered the waffles and I had been thinking about them for the last week.
Should have brought an extra packet of Organic Pure Fuel to put on top. But their syrup was good too. My dad’s face in this photo sums up how he feels when he orders a double toasted English muffin and they barely single toast it. 😂 Don’t worry we make fun of him for ordering a double toasted English muffin.
After breakfast was craps (obviously). We went over to the Bellagio (my dad’s favorite) so that my dad could smoke his pre-race cigar. I’m serious. We crossed over the strip and could see the finish line getting set up.
I wore my race shirt and, thankfully, the dealers asked us about the race. They were so impressed. When you're deep into the world of running, you forget how impressive things are to non-runners. The idea that we'd be running 13.1 miles up and down the strip wasn't something they could comprehend.
A nice guy ended up at our end of the table and told us he was waiting for his wife and he hadn't even eaten breakfast yet. I immediately said, "Well, looks like you're having craps for breakfast!" and it stuck. We enjoyed quite a bit of craps for breakfast and our run was a rollercoaster of emotions. For a while, I had to borrow money from my dad's stack to stay in the game, but thankfully paid it back and ended up almost exactly even before we decided it was time to walk away.
By this time it was after noon and I wanted to get off of my feet and take a nap. My dad wanted to stay out a bit so he did - I can't remember if he met up with the other guys or not. On my walk back to the room, I stopped and got a sandwich for lunch - a baguette with turkey and cheese - something easy on the stomach. I ate my sandwich in bed and then set an alarm and took a nap. Some people say they can't take naps, but I am somewhat of a professional. I can't sleep just anywhere but I can nap in a bed. My dad came back not too long after me and slept for a bit too. Then it was time to get ready.
The race started at 4:30pm and we were trying to figure out when it would make sense to leave. We left around 3:45. I was in the first wave and my dad was going to meet Pete and the guys to load into their corral further back. When my dad and I walked out of the casino, I expected to see a sea of runners. Instead, we didn't see any runners. Queue immediate panic that we're running late. I start power walking and kept turning behind begging my dad to keep up. We had to walk a ways down the strip to get to the start, and we'd still only seen a couple of other runners. My dad was doing his best to talk me off of the ledge, but my race day nerves had set in. We finally got close enough where I started feeling better and we paused to take a picture so he could meet Pete and I could rush to my corral.
It was the same as last year with the crowds of people trying to get into the corrals. They load from one side and it felt (again) like I wouldn't make it to my corral in time. Not that it really matters since your time starts when you start, but I was ready to start running so my pre race nerves would go away.
Spoiler alert: I made it with enough time to get a pre race picture. This was taken at 4:29:12PM. So we're talking JUST in time. Good thing I'll have this race recap to remind me to leave a little earlier next year.
THE RACE
Finally! They count us down and the flames burst out of the pillars with the music to go along with it. This race is a VIBE. All of the nervous energy I have is about to be released.
Here's the plan my coach gave me. Remember, I asked for something challenging but not a PR. This would get me a sub 1:50.
4mi @ 8:18 pace
5 min jog
2 x 3mi @8:10 pace
3 min jog in between
2mi @7:55 pace or whatever I could do
Let's see how it went, shall we?
As you can tell from the above photo, we start right in front of New York New York. The race starts heading away from the strip and towards the airport. I try to hold back my excitement so I don't sprint the first mile. I try to control my breathing and relax.
MILE 1 - 8:21
Between miles 1 and 2 (I think) I see Nicole's dad from the shakeout run. I scream "NICOLE'S DAD!" but I was on the opposite side of the road and he didn't hear me. Also around this time someone dressed up as a bottle of Guiness passes me. As you can imagine, the people watching during this race is great. So many tutus, so much glitter, several Elvis costumes, at least one banana probably.
MILE 2 - 8:17
Only two seconds behind schedule (and it's funny I'm even thinking this way because it's all fun, but what can I say?). Just before mile two we turned around to head back towards the strip. Last year, the photo op for the Las Vegas sign was on the other side and this year they switched it. I warned people that if you want a pic you'll have to stop and wait in line. This is not something I cared enough about, but it does make for a pretty badass picture. At least I got one the first year I ran when the course was different and you didn't have to stop.
At every aid station I got water and Mortal (the electrolyte drink Vegas uses - it’s really good). In the desert I just can’t get hydrated no matter how much I drink. I also put some SaltStick tabs in my pocket because they saved me during the Monumental Marathon when I got a cramp (thank you, Sara Farney). I took one around this time to make sure I had enough salt.
MILE 3 - 8:08
Ok, Ally, cool it a bit. This straightaway we’re on now lasts 7 miles which is great for going fast. I needed to be sure to save energy.
We get to pass back by the start line on our left right before mile 4. It’s nice to get that start like energy again. I look for my dad and it’s a great distraction.
MILE 4 - 8:39
This mile was slower because in my mind I thought my “warmup” was 3 miles instead of 4. I only realized it a few minutes into the 4th mile. Oh well. I tried to estimate how long I’d jogged to even it out and then focus on the next chunk of work - 3 miles at 8:10 pace.
Just before mile 5 we pass the finish line in front of the Bellagio. Such a tease. It’s light out and I can’t wait for it to get dark and I get to see all the lights of the strip lit up around the finish.
MILE 5 - 8:29
Around this time I see a kid running with his family. His parents are both wearing Ironman branded stuff (such as flex in a half marathon). Ironman owns Rock ‘N’ Roll events too. Anyways, the kid was amazing. Just running along like it’s no big deal and soaking in all of the cheers and high fives from the spectators on the strip. I asked his parents how old he was - 11 they tell me.
This is also when the 10K splits from the half and turns back to the finish. They don’t get to see themselves on the front of the Resorts World. “The largest selfie in the world” they call it. While I want a video of me up there, I don’t like to take out my phone during a race and I already did once when I was jogging. When I bought the photos and videos from the race, I thought this video would be included. Sadly, I’ll never see it.
MILE 6 - 8:06 (my fastest of the race)
MILE 7 - 8:20
The Feed is stationed shortly after the mile 7 marker and they're handing out fuel. I grab one because - free stuff - it's Science in Sport (SiS). I shove it in my pocket to try during another run. Last year, I'd tried the Gatorade gels they handed out and I didn't realize how liquid they were and squirted it all over myself. Wasn't going to make that mistake again. I took another Pure Fuel maple syrup packet.
It's still light out, but the sun is going down. We're running into "downtown" Vegas or "old" Vegas now and pass under the arch for a nice photo op. There are a few spectators here and there on the sides of the road
MILE 8 - 8:44
The 3 min jog felt really weird in the middle of a race. Clearly I slowed down though and I figured it would help me crush the finish. And I kept telling myself that I earned the rest.
Around this time, it's getting dark but I happen to run up on Bill Bradford, who I met on the plane heading home from Vegas last year. He's a big CrossFitter and trains with Tracie Hunter (@indianarunnergirl). I'm going to have him on my podcast soon, so stay tuned. I run up beside him and touch his arm - he has headphones in and I'm trying not to startle him. I'm like, "Bill? Right?!" and we say our hellos and he proceeds to absolutely dominate the end of the race (at least from my purview).
We're also seeing who I call "the really fast people" on our left heading back towards the strip. I scream at the leaders again "LET'S FUCKING GO!" (I'm also screaming at myself). Not sure why I remember, probably because my Indy connection makes me pay attention to anything checkered, but I saw Shanna Elaine Birchett (@motherhood_running) and her friends run by. I didn't know who she was at the time, but figured it out when I was scrolling through IG post race. More on her and her crew in a sec.
MILE 9 - 8:11
Probably the best part of the course is when we turn around and run back towards the finish. This happens right after the 9 mile marker. By now it's dark. And by now I’m trying to hang on and power my way to the finish.
MILE 10 - 8:28
I tried not to look at my watch and go by feel and let me tell you I thought I was running faster than I was. Who knows if it’s the desert or what but I was ready for the 3 min jog and was trying my best to “earn it”. Around this time (it’s all a blur) I spotted Nicole @belowaveragerunning and her crew on the opposite side with their light up scrunchies. Made it so much easier to spot them.
I remember screaming, “NICOLE! IT’S ME!” Or something dumb. They spot me and wave. Seeing them meant I probably missed spotting my dad but I kept looking to pass the time.
MILE 11 - 8:36
Two to go. Time to give it what’s left. Which at this point isn’t super speed but I can keep moving. You can feel the energy of the strip. The people watching is great with the combination of runners and spectators.
There was a moment where all I could smell was marijuana and I said something out loud about a runners high but no one was having it. We were all focused on the finish line that was getting closer and closer.
MILE 12 - 8:28
And like I said, I felt like I was flying and around this point I made the mistake of looking down at my watch and realizing I wasn’t. My heart sank with disappointment. Not because I cared so much about my time. I was hoping I was flying because it was feeling harder now and I was feeling strong. The final push.
There are a decent number of spectators as we close in on the finish chute. The final 200 yards or so is lined with pillars shooting fire. So much fire you can feel the warmth.
MILE 13 - 8:48
FINISH TIME - 1:50:47
AFTER THE RACE
I cross the finish and stop my watch. Then, put my hands on my head to catch my breath from the push to the finish. Almost right after I finish, I spy a girl I’d started following on Instagram that weekend. We’d messaged back and forth and so I went up to her and gave her a sweaty hug. Congrats on your PR, Tayrock!
It was time to find the hot chocolate I’d been thinking about. They had some Prosecco and Athletic Brewing and I grabbed both. The finish line food was already assembled in a bag the volunteers were handing out. I forgot the Prosecco had alcohol in it - Athletic Brewing does not and I’d lumped that and the Fitvine together. Both delicious. The hot chocolate on the other hand was extremely disappointing. You know the taste. The watery hot chocolate that tastes like they’re trying to put as little mix as possible per cup. If you’ve read more than one of these recaps you know how serious I am about my post-race libations. Especially the ones I spent most of the race thinking about. I sadly tossed it out and DM’d the race on the off chance someone would see my note and make a change.
After sitting down and catching my breath, I ate a couple of the snacks - fruit snacks and chips. It started to get cold and I decided I was going to buy a sweatshirt at the finish again to stay warm waiting for the rest of the gang. Last year I did the same and it was money well spent. The 2024 sweatshirt had all participant names on the back. Well, in my delirious state I didn’t think to check anything besides the size. I later discovered I bought a sweatshirt that didn’t have my name on it. Whoops. I know I’m not the only one. I wish they’d trained the cashiers to ask!
Now I needed a finisher photo that wasn’t from a professional photographer or one I took myself. I can picture what I want and I’m looking for the right person to take it. The first one was a guy who did an ok job but cropped out my shoes. So, when I spotted a woman with a selfie stick and a hat that said “pretty girls smoke weed” I knew I’d found the right person for the job. I watched her set up the shot for her significant other and once she’d taken a few of him I asked if she could do the same shot for me. Thank you, kind, talented stranger!
I sat back down and watched the crowds of finishers. My dad was still a ways out. While I waited, I spotted a sweet moment unfolding as a guy was holding a baby in one arm and taking a picture of his wife (the mom) who had finished the race. I shared the video on Instagram and the internet did its thing. I think I need to ask her to be on my podcast now. And thankfully she loved it vs. finding it really creepy.
When I looked at the tracker, I noticed that my friend Jamicka Edwards was nearly beside my dad. I was so excited about the opportunity to finally meet Jamicka in person after having her on my podcast and messaging on IG forever. I made my way over to the finish line and weaseled my way close to the barricades. Once someone had seen their runner, they’d leave and not long after I’d arrived I was as close as I could get.
You could feel the finish line fire. I checked my app and saw the tracker for Jamicka had stopped but my dad and his crew were closing in. I hadn’t realized how emotional I would feel watching my 68 (69 on 4/18/25) year-old dad crossing the finish line. It’s hard watching your parents age. I realize how lucky I am to get to spend a weekend with my dad in his happy place doing something we both love and are both still able to do. The blessing is not lost on me, but I know I still take it for granted. And I know we won’t be able to do this forever no matter how much I wish that was the case.
I screamed at the top of my lungs but my dad and his cousin couldn’t hear me over the fire and the fanfare. It made it hard for me to watch the video I got of them finishing. Once they crossed I checked to see where Jamicka was and she was still stopped. I remember hoping she was ok (she stopped to help a stranger finish which is very Jamicka).
I made my way out of the crowd of spectators and rushed back along the finisher chute trying to spot my dad again. I did, but he couldn’t hear me because he’s old and also because he still had his AirPods in his ears. I did, however, get the attention of a volunteer standing in front of him and managed to communicate to her that he was my dad and to please get his attention for me.
My dad, Pete and his sons Mike and Dan walked over to the fence and I congratulated all of them. Somehow I’d missed Will finishing before them. They were all in good spirits and I told my dad I’d meet him at the exit of the chute. I probably told him the hot chocolate was gross too but I don’t remember.
We got a finisher photo of us together and he again made the joke that I was his girlfriend. Dad, seriously. No more. He was ready to get out of there and get back to the hotel (aka craps tables). The finish was right across from Paris, but in true Vegas fashion you have to walk a ways to cross back over the street.
Since the hot chocolate sucked, I told my dad I wanted to get some chocolate gelato. There was a shop in Paris that I'd been eyeing. While I got us cones, my dad got us beers and chips.
When I got in the room, I finished my gelato and then took a hot shower. Then, I got in bed and drank my beer while scrolling on my phone. When my dad was done showering, he took one look at me and said, "You're not coming out with me are you?" Again, this is my nearly 70-year-old father asking me this after he just ran a half marathon. And I immediately retorted with a, "Of course I am!" If he can rally, I sure as hell can too. Plus, it was "just" a half marathon.
Where did we go? The Cromwell? I can't remember. It wasn't Paris or Bellagio because I can visualize the tables there. On our way over, we spotted a little boy who appeared to be alone. I tried to catch up with him to ask where his parents were. He was probably 5 or so. By the time I caught up to him, some other runners had too and were asking him where his parents were and trying to help keep him calm by asking about his stuffed animal. Meanwhile, my dad had went to alert someone at the casino. A couple minutes later, the boy's dad and sister came walking up. I remember my dad commenting afterwards about how calm the dad was and how when he'd lost us as kids he lost his mind panicking when trying to locate us. Don't bring kids to Vegas. It's not a place for kids and I'm glad he was reunited with his family. For context, every single bathroom stall has a sign about preventing human trafficking, so, it's not somewhere I'd ever want my kids wandering around lost.
All this is to say that we now had good karma going into our craps run. And it sure paid off. My dad, Pete and I bellied up to one side of the table while Dan, Will and Mike were on the opposite side. I wasn't sure how long I was going to last on my feet, but we'd let luck decide.
And it decided I should play craps for hours and win $800. As in, I was coming home with $800 more than what I started with. So, essentially I paid for my trip with one craps run. It comes fast and it goes fast and you have to know when to walk away. As my dad likes to say, "everything in moderation - even moderation". Will had already left to catch his flight and the race was starting to catch up with me. I also wanted some more food since I hadn't eaten dinner.
I said my goodbyes to everyone and headed back to my room. I stopped for some french fries on my way back to my room and met another runner. While I decided not to wear my medal (it really messes with rolling the dice and bending down to pick up chips) I did wear my race shirt so it made it easy to make a friend. I don't remember much but I do remember him telling me it was his first half marathon. A crazy one to start with! Congrats again, stranger also ordering food at Bobby's Burgers late night after running.
Slept like a baby with no kids in my bed and got up early to catch my flight home. What a great weekend. I can't wait until 2026. If you made it this far, thank you for following along.
Happy running!