Sounds crazy- but, then again, Las Vegans are the epitome of crazy.
Running with the Devil (he owns a couple of foreclosed houses in Sin City) is exactly what a group of hardy – and deranged – athletes will do when they gather at Lake Mead National Recreation area in Boulder City, Nevada this Saturday for the Running of the Devil races.
Starting and finishing at Boulder Beach, runners will compete in five distance options, with the longest being 50 miles, roughly a DOUBLE marathon. It’s about an 11-hour race- for those that survive.
Participants are described by event organizers as athletes looking for a challenge that goes beyond a mere morning job through the neighborhood. Really?
Running with the Devil is all about facing the challenge of extreme heat. Last year the temperature reached 112 degrees, and it hit 116 the year before.
All those who finish the race alive will receive a medal. So far, 45 people have signed up to run the 50 mile gauntlet.
Some runners are using this race as a warm-up (?) for Badwater, a 135-mile run though Death Valley in California starting July 13, where the temperature can reach 125 degrees or higher, with the race taking up to 60 hours to complete. Now, that’s endurance!
Interested? Check out www.calicoracing.com for more information. You can register for the race on Friday at the Hacienda Hotel in Boulder City from 5 to 9 p.m., or on the day of the race at Boulder Beach.
Vegas Backstage Access (VBA) 