Las Vegas: The Rest of the Story

While the race itself was the reason we were in Las Vegas, I certainly did more than run 13.1 miles this weekend.

You already know that I spent Friday evening in style as Luke’s date to the VIP Fundraiser party for Team Challenge.

On Saturday, it was time to hit the expo. Luke, Goose, and I headed over there after lunch. It was crazy crowded, but naturally, I still had way too much fun walking around, chatting with people, and shopping.

The race as a whole benefited the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, so there were Team Challenge signs everywhere! Seeing them got me really pumped up. I loved my experience with Team Challenge, and I loved meeting people from other teams throughout the weekend. Naturally, I needed to snap pictures of all of the Team Challenge things I saw. I’ll spare you most of them.

Awkward sideways photo? Yes please.

It's my team!

I wore my t-shirt from The Great Bowel Movement and got many compliments and questions about it. People even stopped me to take photos of the logo on the back of my shirt so they could go home and find the website! It sparked several conversations with people, and I was grateful for the opportunity to connect with others with IBD, share my story, and listen to theirs. If I wasn’t before, I’m officially sold on this shirt.

I found something to buy and some things I wanted to buy.

I would have driven that happy, winking bus home if they let me. Instead, I bought the glass and drooled over pilot-like sunglasses.

At the Team Challenge booth, Luke and I picked up some awesome bibs for the back of our race shirts. (Well, my race singlet and his hospital gown.) They said LIVING WITH and we I filled them in with “ulcerative colitis.” I was excited to wear them on race day — just another small way to raise awareness.

Oh, look at that neat little teacher printing! (If you can even see it!)

After the expo, it was a short break and then on to the Team Challenge pasta party, where we heard from Casey Abrams, Mike McCready, and some other speakers. The top fundraisers were recognized, there was cheering, and there were teammates. It was all good.

This was one of the slides that was flipping as we walked in and it cracked me up. Of course I will share what happens in Vegas on social media! Consider it done.

And then, well, you know what happened on Sunday. I did the whole sleep in and then run 13.1 miles bit.

But afterwards, of course there was celebrating. We managed to find a pizza place that would deliver to a hotel room, and we took full advantage of the opportunity to sit on our lazy butts and have food delivered to us.

Luke + Pizza = Love

There was also a little slot machine and delicious beverage time. I only allowed myself to play the penny slots, because, well, I was dehydrated from running and drinking delicious beverages. You can probably figure that one out yourselves. Still, at one point I was up $10.67, and I figured that was pretty good for the forty cents I was betting at a time. I managed to lose most of that when I found a slot machine with gorillas on it that looked like fun. The gorillas took a lot of my pennies. But I ended the night with $2.02 more than I had when I started, so that’s better than nothing, right?

Oh yeah. Crazy-eyed Lauren is happy about penny slots.

And that’s it. With too little sleep on Sunday night, I woke up Monday to another full day of travelling and promptly took naps on both plane rides. A perfect weekend.

Do you like race expos? Do you shop, or just get your packet and leave? How do you celebrate after a great race?