Vegas Race Expo

So you've all ready about the marathon, but I'd like to back track a bit to explore the rest of the weekend.  I'd been putting off packing until approximately 45 minutes before I was set to leave for the airport.  Granted, everything was laid out, but I have this weird thing about packing before I walk out the door.  Chalk it up to the double, triple, quadruple checking that must occur.  I thought my packing pile was pretty intense and worth sharing. :)

Upon getting into Vegas on Friday I was all by my lonesome.  Laura was set to get in late and I was bored.  I resisted the urge to pull up a spot at the bar and latch my hand around a yard long margarita.  And let's just say that resist is a pretty large understatement.  Before too long I was napping (lil Jerbear was all tuckered out, I guess), and then was ready to meet up with Jenny for a drink!  Random note:  She had actually saw me at Curly's Pub when I was in Green Bay and was too cool to say hi (jk!), so when I realized we were at the same hotel this time around we HAD to meet up.  ;)  We talked racing, running, and then had a random cowboy join our fun.  There was a big bull riding competition going on so Vegas was crawling with cowboys.  YEEHAH!

After falling asleep yet again and being awoken by the LOUDEST fire alarm, Laura had finally arrived.  Is it weird to meet your roomie for the weekend at midnight?  I didn't think.  Welcome to our hotel room, please don't chop me up in to bits, I'm too tired to fend you off.  Of course we had to talk for a gazillion hours, and a few short hours later Luke was at our door donning Starbucks deliciousness.  Mmmmm.  We waited around for Ryan and Dan to get in and then it was off to the Race Expo.  I probably walked much too far to get there, and my lesson was learned. 

We got our bibs, did some more standing around, and then because everyone was sick of listening to me whine about being hangry we finally made our way to find food......at 5pm.  Yes, I didn't eat until 5pm the day before a marathon, and spent way too long on my feet.  Anyone else seeing some rookie mistakes for a non-rookie?  Uh... I am.

Awkward family photo? Check!

Hanging out with our best good pal Meb. NBD.

We hit up Buca di Beppo for my first experience with their food, and it left me 100% satisfied (twss).  I managed to eat about 3 meals worth of food in one sitting.  I heart carbs.

When we got back to the hotel, Laura and I met up with Sam whom I had met pacing the Mankato Marathon/Half Marathon.  I may have had my second dinner of chips and quac while listening to Sam's stories.  The fact that I was falling asleep at the table while Sam was going a mile a minute was quite the turnaround from Mankato where Alyssa and I were dance partying it up pre-race with Sam was grumbling about needing coffee.  Early bird, meet night owl.  :)

The rest of the night was spent talking (ie:  me freaking out about the race) with my legs up on the headboard (that kind of sounds dirty, but I'm going to leave it regardless.....hah).  Light's out!  There's a race in the morning.  :)