8/14/2011 - Full Moon Extraterrestrial (E.T.) Marathon Rachel, Nevada.
Full marathon 26.2 miles, start at midnight along highway375 in Nevada, also known as the extraterrestrial highway.
Distance: 26.2 miles
Course: The Marathon started at the infamous "Black Mailbox" (which is these days white but history sticks) located at entrance to area 51 on highway 375. The course is along the highway, you will run up 1,000 feet for the first half of the marathon, then descend to Rachel for about 7 miles pass Rachel for 3 more miles, turn around to the marathon finish line in Rachel. Note, this race is in the summer, in the high desert of Nevada, therefore the marathon start at midnight and the course closes at 8am.
Crowd: Still haven't figured out the type of people that will gather in the middle of the night 2 hours drive from Vegas to run a marathon in the middle of nowhere....one thing for sure, they are all unbelievable dedicated runners who truly love it
The easy part: The weather was perfect, we started the marathon when it was 72 degrees and finished when it was 60 degrees. Add to that the dry air of the desert, no sun, and you get the best weather you can wish for.
The challenging part: Ohh well, a couple of things....
1) the marathon starts with a 1,000ft climb
2) you will have to run with excess weight of some kind of hydration system as there are aid stations only every ~3.5 miles
3) You will be running in the dark, only the full moon and your headlamp are there to brighten your path up
4) This marathon is in the high desert, you start at ~4,500ft above sea level and you will climb to an altitude as high as ~5,600ft. If you are not used to running in high altitude you will feel it....
1) the marathon starts with a 1,000ft climb
2) you will have to run with excess weight of some kind of hydration system as there are aid stations only every ~3.5 miles
3) You will be running in the dark, only the full moon and your headlamp are there to brighten your path up
4) This marathon is in the high desert, you start at ~4,500ft above sea level and you will climb to an altitude as high as ~5,600ft. If you are not used to running in high altitude you will feel it....
Price: $100 max
Pacers: No
Timing:Chip on shoe, this will used only at the finish line, the start line is GUN TIME ONLY no timing mat
Qualifying: None
My 2 cents: Well, I had a great time running this marathon, everything I will say in writing here will underestimate the surreal experience of running in the middle of the night in the high desert. It was not a big event with only 169 runners, so at many parts of the course I was all by myself, me, the stars, the moon and the endless open desert surrounding me. This marathon is not the one you try for a PR or a Boston qualifier, there are too many factors that will work against you, however if you want a one of a kind experience this marathon should definitely be considered
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| The E.T. Highway Sign Welcomes you to Highway 375 |
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| The Infamous Black Mailbox and the Full Moon |
Completed Marathons Map
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