Vegas Marathon Course Changes

by

Mark Jimenez

Last week, the Las Vegas Marathon announced some major course changes for the upcoming race on October 26th. Like many of you, I’d heard rumblings that adjustments were coming — maybe a few new turns downtown or the removal of the out-and-back near Downtown Summerlin. What I didn’t expect was a completely different course.

Let’s take a look at what’s changed and what it means for runners.

The Initial Reaction

For most of us, the first reaction to change is rarely positive — and I was no exception. When I saw the new route, I was disappointed. The Vegas Marathon has essentially been turned into Revel Mt. Charleston 2.0. I’ve never been a big fan of steep downhill races, and the previous Vegas course was about as much descent as I wanted to handle. Shifting to the significantly steeper Mt. Charleston-style drop doesn’t feel like an improvement.

Then there’s the finish line — now set at Arbor View High School. We’ve gone from a downtown finish to wrapping up at a high school I literally run past almost every day. I live about a mile from Arbor View and often pass it on my way to Floyd Lamb Park. That also creates a logistical headache: locals will now need to head downtown to catch a shuttle to the start line, then ride another bus back afterward.

As someone who lives near the finish, this just doesn’t make much sense.

Finding the Positives

Of course, staying negative doesn’t get us anywhere — and there are a few silver linings.

This will be a very fast course. If you’re chasing a PR or a Boston Qualifier, this setup down Kyle Canyon will absolutely give you that opportunity. Plus, race organizer Brooksee is offering a deferral option for anyone who decides this new version isn’t for them this year.

And to be fair, I do feel some empathy for Brooksee. These changes are far from ideal, but in business, sometimes things happen beyond your control and you just have to adapt. We’ve faced similar last-minute pivots at Red Rock Running Company — like when a park we had already permitted suddenly became unavailable. It’s not on the same scale as the Vegas Marathon, but as they say… sometimes, things just happen.

Final Thoughts

Whatever you decide — to run it, defer, or switch to a different event — my advice is simple: have fun with it. Running should be about joy and community first.

If you do defer, consider joining one of the local events we’re supporting that same weekend: