LA Leggers at the Start
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The day before I rode with Albert Shum from Glendale, where be picked me up to our Travelodge Motel on Las Vegas strip. We walked from the motel to the start near the MGM Grand.
First Walk Break
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It was still dark and I took my first walk break. Runners with yellow bibs are running the half marathon. Those with green are running the full marathon.
Third Walk Break
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It was beginning to light by the third walk break.
Many Elvis Impersonators
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There many Elvis impersonators at a "Wedding Chapel" along the route. Later these guys (and at least one woman) would run the marathon. And because most are younger that I am, they are faster than I am and they passed me.
High School Cheer Leaders
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Tulsa Runner
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This guy is from Tulsa (that is on Oklahoma for any UCLA basketball players who might read this.) Since I was born and raised in Oklahoma we talked about Oklahoma. For this event he decided to play the "Okie hick" to the max and wore overalls. I told him about the Mesa Falls Marathon where they a drawing to determine the "Overall Winner" and the "Overall Winner" gets a pair of bib overalls like this guy is wearing.
Finisher
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I finished. Marathon Number 77.
LA Leggers at Finish
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For Albert this was his 26th marathon for 2006. He finished in 4:31:55 Since he wanted to run 26.2 marathons he needed 0.2 more marathons. For that he left the finish line and ran back to Mile 23 where he met me, and then the two of us headed toward the finish.
With John Radich
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John Radich and I are members of the Foothill Flyers Running Club. For as long I have known him he as run the Badwater Marathon. This is really not a marathon. It is an ultra-marathon of 139 miles. It goes from Badwater, California (the lowest spot in the USA to Whitney Portal, the entrance to the trail to Mt. Whitney. Oh, and it starts around at Badwater (in the Mohave Desert) in July where the air temperature is 124F. John finished the Las Vegas Marathon in 3:46:40.