Hey Baby Let's Go To Vegas....

Back in October I posted about my 2012 destination races here.  And I believe that Jamoosh guessed correctly on both ...

Yesterday was my sister's birthday, so I drove out to meet the family for dinner (after a very long, very exhausting, very busy day) where I brought up Vegas for 2012.

You see I come from a line of Vegas/gambler folk.  From when I was a teenager, spending 2 weeks of every Summer vacation there with Mom and Dad (both avid gamblers) and then that continuing over after graduation, going once or twice a year with them, to finally when I was 25 years young, I loaded up the truck and moved myself and my little heaping of 25yr old belongings (which all fit in the back of a small Toyota truck).  I lived there for 7 years, only moving back because I thought if I stayed any longer my life expectancy was going to be greatly reduced...

I went back twice after moving back to Texas, but its been a long time.  I can't even remember the last time I went.  Friends moved away and I lost contact with so many others after I left.  I only wish that I could track down my best friend from those years, but so far I havent had any luck.  We lost track after she came down here for my Dads funeral in 1995.

My nephew goes a lot with his wife, and my sister and her husband go ever so often, but my nephew is a card shark and can play (and beat your ass) at poker like no one I have ever seen before.  When he goes, it is not unusual for him to come home anywhere from $5K to $10K more in his pocket than when they got there. 

He definitely got the poker playing gene from my daddy.  Me however, I suck at it because I can't control my facial expressions.  At all.  Once my dad figured that out, he focused on teaching me how to shoot pool.  Now that I am good at.

So last night while we were all at dinner, my nephew asked if I had any marathons coming up and we chatted a bit about all of that, and I figured it was my perfect opportunity to let the family in on why I had chosen Vegas for a 2012 race.

I proceeded to let them in on my plan and that all along I knew that if I said I was going to Vegas to run, that they would all go with me.  And I was right.  They were over the moon and were like "yes! yes! yes!"

They especially liked that the race is early evening and that I am choosing to run the half and not the full.  This way none of them have to get up early and then after I am done everyone can go back to gambling and what-not.  :O)  My sister has seen me run 2 marathons and my brother in law came with her once, and they both really enjoy spectating at races so that makes me happy. 

While I am excited as hell about running the half in Vegas, due to the fact that I hope to smash my PR (currently stands at 2:06:58) at that distance, and I think Vegas is a place where I can do it in a big way, but what I am most excited about is the family trip portion of it!  Its just going to be so much fun!!

Do you already know when and where you will be racing in 2012???