Running through the neon lights of the Strip at night.  A fun adventure for family and friends to tag along. It's an alluring concept.  I can see runners still signing up DESPITE THE HORRENDOUS REVIEWS FROM THIS YEAR. \n\nIf you're one of those brave (or foolish?) runners, go prepared.  Here are my tips on what I'd do differently, if I only knew! \n\n1.  TAG ON VACATION DAYS AFTER THE RUN, not before. The run is Sunday, so it's tempting to want to have a vacation weekend by arriving early.  But if you're a serious runner, you can't drink, you can't overindulge in foods out of your routine, you shouldn't smoke second-hand--you basically won't get to do any of the things that make Vegas fun!\n\n2. LINE UP YOUR PRE-RACE MEALS AHEAD OF TIME--and have back-up plans anyway!  Room service at the hosting hotel (Mandalay Bay) on race day was 1.5 hours backed up.  The line for most restaurants and buffets in the vicinity was about 1 hour just to get seated, with food service delayed.  Even the ready-to-eat carbs were mostly gone at the cafe--I grabbed the very last sandwich and scone at 11:55am, 4 hours before the race!  I suggest pre-ordering room service the night before or making reservations AND placing your order at one of the non-buffet restaurants beforehand, and still have a couple of back-up PBJ sandwiches and bananas just in case things don't work out.\n\n3. LINE UP DINNER POST-RACE AHEAD OF TIME. Getting out of the race area took hours, after which it took more hours to find food.  I suggest arranging for room service ahead of time to avoid the mess of people.\n\n4. AVOID GEAR CHECK. It was a disaster trying to retrieve items at the end.  For race start, your friends/family can go all the way to the corrals with you, so you can hand them your jackets then.  Or just buy something from the thrift store you can throw away.  For race end, grab plenty of space blankets, and have family/friends bring you lots of warm layers (and a thermos of hot chocolate perhaps!).\n\n5. CHECK OUT THE FINISH AREA AHEAD OF TIME, and scout a way back to your hotel or a meeting spot that is FAR AWAY from the shortest/main route indoors.  This was a major disaster as all the runners and their family and friends headed towards the Mandalay Bay after the run--understandably so, as it was COLD.  But the jam just to get to my room (at the Mandalay Bay) was almost 1 hour.  Not only annoying--but seriously DANGEROUS.  Many runners passed out.  As the runners mixed in with the Vegas revelers in the crowd, I kept worrying--one drunken scream of fire, and there would have been a major stampede.\n\n6. HAVE ENOUGH OF YOUR OWN WATER FOR THE ENTIRE RACE.  Many runners got sick this year because the water handed out by volunteers was very unsanitary (from big trash cans).\n\n7. FULL MARATHONERS, MAKE YOUR TIME AS MUCH AS YOU CAN IN THE FIRST HALF.  The second half, just be mentally prepared that you'll be merging into 40,000+ half-marathoners.  You'll find out how narrow the Strip really is.  (The half marathon starts 1.5 hours after the full, on the exact same course.  Unless you're an elite who can run the first half in less than 1.5 hours, you can't avoid the merge fiasco.) \n\n8. BETTER YET, JUST DO THE HALF MARATHON INSTEAD.  The first half is through industrial Vegas--you might as well be in Detroit.  Only the 2nd half is on the Strip, and if you're fast, you can maybe outrun the crowds and the merge fiasco.\n\n9. WEAR A HEADLAMP.  There were stretches of dark areas--both in the first half and second half--with serious potholes.  (They gave one out as a freebie this year, but failed to mention its necessity in any communications to runners before the race.)\n\n10. BOOK YOUR MASSAGE SEVERAL WEEKS AHEAD OF TIME as they fill up.  If not, call the morning of and see if there's a cancellation (that's how I got mine).  I highly recommend the Spa at THE Hotel at Mandalay Bay, as they have hot and cold tubs you can soak in before/after your massage.