Rock Tahoe Half-Marathon 2017 (Douglas County, Nevada)

Last year, I ran my first half-marathon (and this year, I ran my first full marathon). The Rock Tahoe event from Spooner Summit to South Lake Tahoe was an amazing experience. The combination of scenery, the overall electricity of the event, and the great organization made it an amazing experience. So much so that I decided to run it again this year.

Unlike last year when I had to wake super early to get to South Lake Tahoe in time for the shuttle, I decided to just spend Friday night at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Stateline, NV, which hosts the event. I arrived at the hotel at just about dusk and proceeded to check in to my room, which was very comfortable. I went down to pick up my race packet and bib, and then decided to grab a beer and a quick bite at one of the casino's lounges. I got to talking with another runner, which made for an enjoyable evening. I got back to my room about 9:30 pm and decided to crash.

I awoke at 4:50 AM, shortly before my alarm was scheduled to go off. I woke myself, got a quick bite, and a shower. I then spent a fair amount of time applying a liberal amount of sunscreen. Today is supposed to be pristine weather for the run and I don't really want to get burnt. At about 6:30 AM, I head down to catch to the shuttle and ride up to the starting line at Spooner Summit. On the way, I have pleasant conversation with a fellow runner, with whom I trade war stories. This being my third half-marathon, I feel as though I have a little experience with this type of event now.

At the start, I make a couple of visits to the porta-potty, hydrate myself, stretch my legs, and meet up with several of members of my RTO team who are also running this morning. Unlike last year's event where it actually snowed on us a little bit at the start, this morning is quite warm. The pre-start activities are lively get all of the 3,000 runners pumped for the endeavor we are all about to pursue. 

At the stroke of 8:00 AM, the the countdown finishes and we are off. Seeing this number of people take the short loop out of the parking lot and then trot onto highway 50 is quite a site to see. It feels good to be among people who take fitness so seriously and while I was probably in slightly better shape for last year's event, I still feel pretty good. The first three miles of the run are downhill as we leave Spooner Summit and make our way down to the gorgeous blues of Lake Tahoe. Unlike last year, the mountains that make up the Tahoe Rim are still snow-capped, thanks to one of the wettest winters on record.

The first three miles go by pretty fast and I feel pretty good at the bottom of the hill. I continue along the straightaway and take advantage of the aid stations offering various hydration and fuel options. Continuing on, push hard as we make our way up the undulating hills and dips of the highway. The views are amazing, as the scenery of Tahoe always is. It is very hot though and I'm sweating like crazy. I decided to wear a tank top today, as I expected it to be warm, but even so, I'm hot.

At approximately mile 8, I feel a arthritic-like pain in my left foot. It doesn't let up and I'm forced to walk a bit as the pain becomes pretty intense when my stride lands on it. After about a half-a-mile, I encounter one of the first-aid personnel patrolling the course on bike. I ask if he has any ibuprofen. He doesn't, but offers some acetaminophen, which may not be as good, but does help with the pain and allows me to run the next couple of miles without much pain. 

Unfortunately, the pain in my foot does return and I'm forced to walk again at about mile 10. For the rest of the race, I will be alternating between running with a grimace on my face and walking at a super-fast pace. As we enter Stateline, I know the finish is near and I try to push myself towards the finish line. I make the turn into the Hard Rock Casino's parking lot and give one final push as the finish line comes into view. It hurts, but I'm determined to finish strong. I'm not sprinting, but I'm running at a pretty fast pace as I finally cross the line and allow one of the volunteers to place my finisher's medal around my neck. A few feet past the finish line, I'm offered and accept a cold Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, which makes the finish all the better. A few feet after that, I'm greeted by my RTO teammates who congratulate me.

My time this year wasn't nearly as good as last year (2:39:17 vs. 2:17:38), but last year, I wasn't in pain when I was running. It doesn't matter though, I feel pride in having completed another amazing half-marathon.