5k Race Recap! — Just Keep Running Blog

Happy Friday! It’s slightly unusual, but I’m really enjoying this downtime from not running. Sure, I absolutely cannot wait to get back out there and run some new (and old, familiar) routes; but it’s also pretty nice to just relax for a bit. I’ve still been on-again off-again dealing with some inner knee pain and plantar fasciitis, so I’ve got a Physical Therapy screening this morning at a new place (crossing my fingers & toes that I get a good PT that can heal me up in my downtime).

Let’s recap the 5k on Saturday! This was my 2nd year doing the 5k (and using it as a shakeout run) so I knew what to expect (which was really nice). It also starts at 6pm, so you’ve got all day to either walk a bunch (we did not do that) or relax (we did this).

In the morning, we walked to breakfast and then to CVS to pick up just some miscellaneous things (snacks/ coconut water/ mucinex/ body wash) before sitting outside at Cesar’s Palace for a while. I was a terrible blogger this day and barely took one photo, so I’m sorry in advance! I also did some light strength/ stretching at the hotel that morning.

Last year, we got so lucky to get on a Monorail to get to the start of the 5k (which is at the last stop of the monorail) and it was so crowded! So this year, we decided to leave extra early and eat dinner at the SLS Las Vegas (where 5k start/finish is). We also skipped lunch, so we were ready for an early dinner (i.e. eating at 4pm I think?). Hardly anyone was on the monorail, so it was a great decision (also dinner was really quiet as well)!

We ate at the BEST pizza place I’ve literally had since I studied abroad in Italy (no joke). If you’re in Vegas, you MUST eat at 800 Degrees Neapolitan PIzzeria. We split one pizza (it’s around ~2 servings per pizza) and got the Cesear salad. The pizza also cooks in 90 seconds in the brick oven, so it takes no time at all.

After dinner, we walked over to the 5k start around 5:15 (the hotel is directly across the street from the start/finish area).

You can read my 5k race recap HERE.

Since my mom & grandma wouldn’t be finished for another hour or so after me, I decided I would meet them back at the PIzzeria (they have gelato)! I remember getting pretty cold waiting outside for them last year and it was difficult to find eachother, so this way I stayed warm and they knew exactly where I would be post-race. Plus, gelato as a post-run treat? YES PLEASE!

I got a mix of salted caramel, french vanilla, and coconut snickers and it was amazing. It was also huge and I only ate about half of it.

After gelato, we took the monorail back (and while it was still busy, it was really well organized and maybe took us 10 minutes to wait to get on one).