Boulder City Nevada Trail Marathon Race Report

Blood, Sweat and Beers trail marathon in Boulder City was one of the toughest, most beautiful trail runs I have competed in to date.

The Las Vegas area has much less prickly plants in the desert than Tucson.I didn’t fall during the race which makes me deduce that either I’m in much better shape, meaning stronger legs and/or that my Pearl Isuzi N2 trail shoes are the best shoe for me. While there wasn't any blood, and the wind prevented large amounts of sweat, and I didn't drink any beer at the end, it was a great trail run.

The trail was very rocky and had several steep ascents and descents. It was incredibly beautiful throughout, with canyons, jagged rocks, winding curves that just kept me in awe of the beauty. There were views of Lake Mead, the skyscrapers of Las Vegas rising from the desert, and just miles and miles of mountains in the distance. This was my first time in Las Vegas and I didn’t think I was going to like it; but I fell in love with the mountains around the city.

The Desert Dash race series is top notch. The race was well organized, the trail was well marked, and the volunteers ….. oh the volunteers were great! At the Rocks Aid Station a woman helped me take my CamelBak off and filled it with water. I just stood there eating a peanut butter and jelly. These sandwiches were like magic beans; they kept me energized and happy. And, they were at each aid station. 

The day was very windy with gusts at about 30 m.p.h. The forecast was rain, but it never rained. The wind prevented me from listening to music so I went the entire distance music-free. The wind also prevented sweating so no worries about sweat dripping in my eyes. It really was a great temperature for a long run during the day.

I realized after the first few miles that trail running is so much more enjoyable that road running. There is more beauty and challenge during a trail run. I decided on Mile 7 that most of my remaining marathon states (45 left) will be on a trail. As I ascended a steep section with howling winds barreling toward me, that this was an adventure akin to climbing Everest and that I wanted this adventure on the trails and in the wind, much more than a road marathon with a thousand people.

So that is what I’m going to do.

The last important revelation during this run, and on this trip: that these adventures are so important to share with friends and family; particularly ones I haven’t seen in years. 

On to Meghan and the Fanciest Lady I know - I met Meghan in Sugarloaf, Maine in 1999 or around that year. She has lived in as many places I have, moved around for work, and landed in Las Vegas a few years ago. She has embraced the placed and showed me her world over the weekend.

We went to casinos and restaurants. We sampled some beauty products and chatted the days away about our good times and bad times. That’s what true friends do. Thank you, Meghan for picking me up from the airport and driving me to the race. Thank you for the tour of Las Vegas and great meals. I loved our #fancyladyproblems like martinis, shopping for bargains, and tapas.