Terminal 3 Fun Run, 5k, 10k to Benefit At-Risk Children in Clark County

This is a picture of me after completing a 5k race.  Can you believe it?  I ran my first ever race at McCarran Airport on June 2nd (The Terminal 3 Fun Run, 5k, 10k to benefit at-risk children in Clark County).  I have been doing the Couch to 5k plan on and off since January but really started in earnest three weeks ago.  I couldn’t pass the opportunity to check out the new airport terminal (for international travel) with my husband so we signed up even though we know it wasn’t going to be ideal weather wise.  I loved the spirit of everyone there, I wasn’t sure if I was going to feel foolish alternating lots of walking with jogging but people encouraged each other at all levels.

We got to see some of the inside of Terminal 3 before the race.  Shiny!  There’s a great article about the new Terminal from the Las Vegas Review-Journal that points out that the roadways would never be for pedestrian traffic after it officially opened which I thought was pretty cool as well.  One thing that surprised me about the race was that I had no idea there would be so much free food and water, the fruit was especially nice from a food allergy perspective though there were tons of bagels and they even served lettuce wraps at the end which wouldn’t be ideal if you were watching for ingredients.  I met a member of a running group I’m a part of on Facebook and she said the best thing was that there were real bathrooms for people to use before the race instead of portable ones.  I’d never considered details like that.

Before the race they had ” free warm-up Zumba” – I loved the lively music and the jaunty hats on the instructors but it was way more activity than I would have been capable of.  I know people are really into it, though, it was my first time seeing what it involved.  Other fun things we saw: a guy dressed as a pilot (white shirt, blue hat), a barefoot man running while wearing a kilt, and people running the 10k with inflatable airplanes on their heads.  All shapes, sizes, ages, abilities were out there and the volunteers cheered everyone on and gave water out at three points on the 5k course which was much appreciated because of the heat.

This is the map of each mile on the course, there was a lot of uphill, more than I am used to in my training around our neighborhood.  I should have nixed my Couch to 5k requirements and just walked up the hills because I managed to always hit an uphill when it was time for a run in the cycle I was on (90 seconds walk, 90 seconds run, 3 minutes walk, 3 minutes run, repeat).  I felt much better after the 20 minute mark when I could ditch the plan and do my own thing.  My husband ran ahead at the end, I loved seeing him booking it towards the finish line.  I also loved that we did this together.

I liked the little welcome sign here, the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign is a fun theme I never get tired of.  Thank you to all the volunteers and employees that put on a great event.  I know I have nothing to compare it to (yet) but we were glad to be a part of it!

This is actually a shot from the start line (also the finish line), I liked the lens flare over the parking garage.  They weren’t going to let people leave from the garage until the last runner finished the course so we parked over at the administration building (it involved a bit more walking but we wanted to get home to Grandma and the kids) but as we walked back we saw the roads were open again so we needn’t have worried.

The finish read 46 minutes exactly as I finished but I wonder what my chip time will be because my phone tracker said I came under 45 minutes (my goal time) which would make sense considering we were so far back from the start.  I know it isn’t the best time ever but I did it and it was a great new experience!  I have never been active or fit and I feel like this is my year to get there and stay there, if not for me then for my little family.

(Edited to add…here’s my official time!  43:53!)

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