Four Runs in America

The morning after finishing the four-race Tour of the Fylde I set out for a fabulous holiday in the USA with Pam and our friends Maureen and Graeme from York. They are Honorary Wrinklys who have both done the London Marathon several times and Graeme runs in our 10k every year and, in return, I, (occasionally), run in their club’s Brass Monkey Half.

Our first stop was for four nights at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas – an other-worldly place wholly over-the-top. It’s a massive casino and hotel complex and only there could the poolside bar in the huge open air swimming complex designed like Roman Baths be called ‘Snaximus Maximus’.

Run 1 – An Evening Run with Las Vegas Track Club (LVTC).

Graeme had made contact with the local running club in Vegas to check out the possibility of joining them for a run. He was able to contact a club member from LVTC who visited York last year and joined Knavesmire Harriers’ Club Night running on York Race Course. The Harriers made him welcome and took him to a traditional English pub after the run. So he was pleased to return the hospitality to Graeme and myself.

We were picked up at our hotel and driven out of the city to a gated community where our host lived. A group of LVTC members joined us, including someone from the UK who worked at the huge, local air-force base. He wouldn’t tell us what he did but knew all about Warton and Aerospace but the others told us he was a ‘British Spook’! We had a solid 7 mile run in pleasant conditions, though I was still a bit jet lagged and found it hard going. They told us that they would soon have to move back ‘indoors’ as the Vegas heat means running is impossible outdoors after about 6am from early Spring. So they run indoors during the summer on their indoor track and only emerge outdoors during the winter.

After the run it was Isotonic drinks all round – though our friendly ‘British Spook’ told us they contain ingredients banned in the EU on health grounds. (Amazing the things Spooks know). After changing we were taken to a local Sports Bar called Big Al’s Garage for traditional burgers and fries and plenty of beer. The conversation was all about sport and we soon realised how different we are from the Americans. They idolise baseball, football, basketball and ice hockey but thought soccer was a game for kids and girls – though were vaguely aware that the Beckhams were about to descend on them. We realised our differences most when we discovered they don’t have any promotion or relegation in their leagues – though the franchise system allows a team to be bought up and moved elsewhere. They couldn’t understand why anyone would have a league system which involved Relegation - and as a Rotherham supporter I have some sympathy with this view. We learnt a lot about Vegas – it’s the fastest growing place in the USA with 5000 new residents a month, all drawn to the booming casino and entertainment industry. Caesar’s Palace alone employs 6000 people. (Are you listening Gordon Brown?) Graeme and I were then taken back to our hotel to crash out for a good night’s sleep.

Run 2 – Las Vegas Strip

If the run with LVTC was a highlight of our trip then my decision to run four miles up and down Las Vegas’ main street ‘The Strip’ was definitely the lowlight. It is a fabulous street with amazing themed hotels along both sides but it’s not made for running as traffic gets grid locked and the atmosphere is toxic with fumes. The most amazing hotel for us was the Venetian with its life size canals. You can hire your own gondola and be serenaded along the way. Running on the Strip proved almost impossible as the sidewalks were full of visitors including many seriously large people you would not want to knock up against. Every intersection had traffic lights that must be observed as jay walking can get you an instant fine for a Code Violation. So it was a long, unpleasant run which had to be washed away by several beers in Caesar’s Palace alongside the casino which was roped off as they filmed an episode of CSI. Caesar’s has a 2000 seater auditorium built just for a daily show by Celine Dion. But this night was her night off …..so who should be on but Elton John. We did think of going but at about $100 for the cheapest seats available we decided to pass on it. We did however indulge ourselves with an early morning helicopter flight into Grand Canyon and celebrated with a champagne breakfast on the canyon bottom.

Run 3 – Lake Powell – The Desert Classic

From Vegas we had a week in the Canyons but as altitudes were up to 8500 feet this was no place to run. Walking and talking at the same time was difficult enough. The exception to this was a couple of days spent at Lake Powell. Our hotel overlooked the beautiful lake with tall mountains beyond. We were in the middle of the desert and close to the State Line between Arizona and Utah. An evening run in beautiful sunlight took us along the lake using a road through the desert. It was flat and well surfaced with no traffic and ideal for pushing it a bit with some short sprint reps - providing you kept your eyes open for snakes. Graeme cut back early and avoided the reps but I must have clocked up around seven miles and improved my suntan. Back at the hotel it was a wash and clean then onto one of the things Americans do best – HUGE buffets of the ‘all-you-can-eat for $9.99’ type. No wonder so many of them are Super Sized.

Run 4 – The Bullit Run

Once we got to San Francisco the running gear came out again. I thought the city was fabulous and far more engaging and varied than Las Vegas. The city is built on hills running down to the Bay to the north and the Pacific to the west. It has its own micro- climate caused by the cold water from the eastern rivers and mountains meeting the warm water of the Pacific. This means it is often wet and misty and doesn’t get over hot. We wanted to run across the city taking in several of the sights. Starting in Golden Gate Park on the west facing the Pacific we ran east up and down hill after hill after hill. The city is the setting for lots of films with ‘Bullit’ being my favourite as Steve McQueen executed the most famous car chase in films over the hills we ran on. It was a great run through a beautiful city past houses of film stars, millionaires and other celebrities – none of whom came out to urge us on or invite us in even though we were in our club vests. Back at the hotel our legs ached but a quick shower and change and we were off again exploring this fascinating city by the famous cable cars and trams. There is so much to see in Frisco that we would go back again – though we would stick to runs along the flat coastline towards the Golden Gate Bridge!!

I have visited USA several times before and it was not hard to detect a change in the country. The emotional climate in America is much harsher since 9/11 and Americans are conscious that the Iraq war is sending home more young men and women in body bags each day. You get the sense of a nation at war and feeling under attack so patriotism and military strength are much in evidence. But we had a great holiday and met lots of Americans on our tours. I always find they are a warm , open and friendly people and have a special liking for the Brits…especially old geezers who defy age and go out to run!!

Written by: Reg Chapman

Submitted: 23^rd July 2007

Edited by: Brenda J Earnshaw WRR Editor