Hoover Dam 1/2 Marathon

A few months ago, after finishing the Morgan Valley 1/2 Marathon, I set out to find another one. I set a goal of completing two half marathons in 2011, and I wanted to make it a "destination" race. I found the Hoover Dam Marathon on Active.com and knew I had found the race.

The race was put on by Calico Racing, an organization based in Las Vegas. They are a great group of people and they put on a great event.

It was a cold morning, by my Arizona standards, and I was extremely thankful that I brought my North Face sleeves and my Brooks jacket. I shed the jacket before the race actually started, as the temperature started to warm up quickly as the sun broke the horizon.

I was racing with a taped left foot, in hopes that it would help relieve the PF pain I had been experiencing, and possibly ensure that I would be able to walk after the race. I also had some residual pain in the hip flexor, but I knew that wouldn't bother me once I got moving.


The race started at the Boulder Beach campground in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area (I spelled it out because in their literature, they reference the Lake Mead NRA, and I couldn't figure out what guns had to do with running) and immediately headed south along the road toward the Historic Railroad Tunnel Trail. That's the point at which the paved path ends and the trail begins. I knew that there would be some trail running, but if I had known how much of the course was trails, I might have gotten some new trail shoes just for the occasion.

The course leading up to the HRTT was pleasant, a mild uphill, all pavement/concrete and well staffed with aid stations. Once the trail started, there weren't many aid stations to be found. The incline increased, but it wasn't intolerable; a slight pace adjustment and it was no problem. After passing through some dark tunnels, where it was almost required to remove sunglasses, and some amazing scenery of Lake Mead, the abrupt downhills started. That's where my pace really picked up. My strategy was to really open up on the downhills and let gravity do the work. This strategy worked out well, and I felt very little difference in the effort required to run downhill -- the biggest difference was the impact on landing, but that's to be expected.

The course included some switchbacks that led down to the parking garage for the Hoover Dam visitors center. The rule at the switchbacks is a strictly enforced, single file one up/one down -- nothing else would work. When I hit the switchbacks, my pace was controlled by the runner in front of me, which was a good thing -- I would have gone too fast, otherwise. The real difficult part, the part that nearly killed me, was going back up the switchbacks. I was at the head of the line of a pack of runners and really felt the pressure to keep up a good pace. I made it up the switchbacks, but then had a dizzy stumbling moment at the top when I stopped at the aid station to get a drink. The rest of the race back through the tunnels and along the paved path back to the campground consisted of running with a few brief periods of walking. I was spent.

I crossed the finish line at 2:08:30, 18 minutes slower than my target time. It's a lesson everyone has to learn: not all races are created equal. I'm sure if I had to run the Morgan Valley Marathon again, I would have met that goal. But, this race was a lot more difficult than MVM. I'm fine with my time, all things considered. I just wish I could have kept running the whole time -- I don't like walking.

I am seriously considering doing this race again next year. More training and possibly my own drink next year -- yeah, the Heed drink they had was nasty.