LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The Las Vegas Marathon is again for its second 12 months this month, however runners aren’t pleased with course adjustments that had been introduced simply three weeks earlier than the beginning gun is about to be fired.
In 2024, the race began at Purple Rock Canyon, an elevation of 4,300 toes, with the route taking them by way of Downtown Summerlin earlier than heading down Charleston and ending with a tour of Downtown Las Vegas, about 2,000 toes above sea degree.
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This 12 months, the race had initially been introduced to observe an analogous route, albeit down Sahara as a substitute of Charleston. Nonetheless, that has modified and the race course at the moment listed on the marathon’s web site is a big change.
The latest model of the course has the runners beginning on Kyle Canyon Street close to Mt. Charleston Lodge at an elevation of seven,600 toes above sea degree, in keeping with race organizers. Contributors will then head downhill on Kyle Canyon Street for 20 miles earlier than ending in northwest Las Vegas at Arbor View Excessive College, an elevation of about 2,400 toes above sea degree.
The course adjustments have some members upset and nervous in regards to the impression to their well being.
“I live at sea level and would not have signed up for something starting at this elevation (nearly 8,000) for what will be my first marathon,” one Reddit person commented in a thread on the Marathon Coaching discussion board.
“RIP knees and quads,” one other Reddit person commented.
Different commenters are upset in regards to the impression this may have on qualifying for future races just like the Boston Marathon. To qualify for Boston, racers should obtain a sure end time generally known as the BQ, which varies based mostly on age and gender. There are additionally BQ changes made relying on a race’s elevation change.
“It’s interesting that the website says the pacers will be running 2:55 (Men’s 18-34 BQ mark, 6:40/mile pace) when they should be doing 2:45 because of the 10 min penalty,” a remark mentioned.
A separate dialog within the Las Vegas subreddit speculates that the change could also be as a result of ongoing federal authorities shutdown, which might impression Purple Rocks Canyon Nationwide Conservation Space’s capacity to be open when the date of the race comes.
