Labor of Love Marathon@ Lovell Canyon

The comments by HV about the 2015 are very detailed and spot on. I ran both the 2015 and 2016 marathons. I live in LV so this is a great local race for me. The RD, Joyce, puts on a great event and takes care of her runners. There are no spectators because the course is about 25 miles outside of Vegas. However, the volunteers are amazing, great aid stations and always in a cheerful mood. I always find that helpful when I'm tired, about mile 16!

Registration: One of the advantages of small races is that they usually do not fill up, and there is no need to register months and months in advance. This is a big plus for me, as then I can wait to make sure my training is going well and that I am injury free before signing up. The race director provided thorough information on the website and in the logistics email that was sent to runners a few days before the race. Packet pickup: There is no expo. Packet pickup was held at an REI store on the Thursday evening before the race and the day of the race (Saturday morning). I would have preferred a Friday night pickup, but it ended up working out well for me, as I arrived on Thursday afternoon in order to get a less expensive flight. (The race weekend happened to coincide with the boxing "fight of the century" in Las Vegas, which made hotel and flight prices shoot up shortly after the fight was announced.) I was glad I arrived to Las Vegas early, as it gave me an extra day to start adjusting to the heat and do an easy run at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area on Friday morning. Start line and parking: There is limited parking at the start, and most runners must park a few miles down the highway and take a shuttle to the start line. As a solo runner, I was able to park at the start, and appreciated the convenience of being able to do so. The weather was only a tad bit cool as the sun started rising, but you know it is a bad sign that the race will be hot when you don't need extra layers to stand around at the start. (I would say that it was around 60F at the start and 80F by the time I finished.) There were sufficient port-a-potties in the starting area, and the starting time was punctual. Full marathon, 50K, and 50M all started at 7:00am (there were only about 80 of us in total). The half, 10K and, 5K all had staggered starts between 7:30-8:15am. I would suggest that the full marathon start should be shifted to 6:00am, as that would have been one less hour of running in the heat of the day. I did not envy the runners who were doing 50K or 50M, as I was ready to be done at 26.2. Course: This was my 9th marathon and also one of the most challenging because of the heat and the course. I felt prepared for the course, but not for the heat. I was able to do high elevation and long canyon runs, so I was ready to embrace the extended inclines and declines. I actually appreciated the topography in the course (except for the demoralizing uphill at mile 20), as it meant that the same muscles were not used continuously, and my legs didn't feel beat up after the run. But I imagine it would be a different story if I had not trained accordingly. The high desert scenery was pleasant, but not breathtaking. I was not prepared for the heat, as most of my training occurred in late winter and spring in Salt Lake City. I did try to stave off the heat with Columbia arm sleeves and a Kool Tie around my neck, which I kept rewetting at the aid stations. If this had been a fall marathon and my training occurred in the summer, then perhaps this wouldn't have been such a slow race, but I knew going into this race that it would not be a PR. Aid stations: The aid stations were well-spaced and staffed by friendly volunteers. I avoided the Heed sports drink but appreciated the Endurolyte tablets. Some of the stations designated as "ultra" stations had an assortment of snacks like chips and chocolate. I took advantage of the sunscreen at one to reapply midway through the race. Finish line: There were plenty of food options at the finish (though no chocolate milk). I took advantage of the watermelon (yum!) and potato chips. There was not much shade for spectators or runners, so runners seemed to clear out pretty quickly after finishing. Bling: There were two color nice options for the t-shirts in both men's and women's sizes. I am not into medals, so I can't comment much. I did, however, appreciate the unique first place finisher trophy, which was a beautiful amethyst crystal. Overall: I appreciated the low-key, intimate feeling of this race. If you train right, the challenging course will be manageable. Be prepared for warm temps.

This event has a full, half, 50 and 100 milers, and 10K all starting on the same morning. The location is breathtakingly lovely and completely unexpected this close to Las Vegas. Course is tough  uphill climb to the turnaround, with the exception of a steep downhill into a wash at 5 miles, and what goes down is going to have to climb up again at mile 21. While this resembles a trail race because it's out in the wilderness and there are few if any spectators, this is all on pavement, mostly aggregate and concrete. The road IS open to traffic, be aware. Also if you are doing one of the longer races (I was in the 50 miler) be aware that some of the water stops set up for the marathoners will close down by the middle of the day. Carry plenty of water. Slather on the sunscreen. If you are doing the 50 or 100, suggest a flashlight and reflective gear if there's any chance you will still be on the road after dusk. And keep a sharp eye out for snakes. I spent some time running in the middle of the road after meeting up with a good sized rattlesnake who wasn't happy to have runners invading his turf. Scaly spectators aside, this is a good race and I would recommend it for someone looking for a small, friendly event. Because of the ultra components there is a very generous time cutoff (32 hours!), so a marathon walker could enter this without worrying about time limits.