If you want to run the Las Vegas Marathon or Half-Marathon this year and are looking for a way to get in shape (long) before the December 2 race, you should wake up early this Sunday and head down to the 215 and Stephanie for the first Roadrunner’s training run. From their website:

Who: You and 500 of your best friends from southern Nevada
What: 2007 Las Vegas Roadrunners
Where: In the parking lot of the Stephanie Promenade, a strip shopping center on the northwest corner of Stephanie and American Pacific in Henderson
When: Sunday, May 27, 2007, 7:00 a.m.
Why: Because we can, we will and we do love to succeed

Las Vegas RoadRunners

I guarantee you’ll know at least one person there: I’ve helping to lead the 4:15 pace group. No, that doesn’t mean our average mile time is 4:15; it means that we’re shooting to finish the race in four hours and fifteen minutes. It’s a great way to get into or stay in shape, and there are pace groups for every speed level from six hours to 3:30. There’s a program for the half-marathon, too, which is a more manageable distance that anyone in reasonable health and without knee/foot/hip issues can do with a little preparation. It’s a great training program, and quite worth it.

Don’t let the fact that you’ve never run before hold you back. A few years ago I decided I wanted to run a marathon and, despite never having seriously run before, was able to do it. On race day you’ll get to run straight down the Las Vegas Strip, which is a great experience.