Extraterrestrial Full Moon Midnight Marathon

The novelty of running in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night wears off far sooner than it takes to finish the marathon. Most people do it because it's there, and some play dress-up with the alien theme.

One course photographer who is definitely a professional, but I didn't buy his pictures. Water stops are good, but sometimes self-serve. Results were generated quickly. Traffic is minimal, which is good, because you're on a highway. Post race food and drink are chincy for the price paid.

There are other races in Nevada that will fit the bill for 50 Staters with far less hassle.

You will not PR or BQ on the course, and the website and RD do not claim that you will. They changed the course, but there is a very tough incline early on, and it's a long haul in high altitude. If you are not acclimated, you're in trouble. I was.

There is a bus from the strip to and from the race, which is the best option. You can drive, but it's a long haul in both directions, and there is very little civilization between Las Vegas and Rachel (and the tiny towns along the way close down early). Bring reflective gear and a headlamp or a flashlight.

ET is meant to be something fun and different, and that's exactly what it is. You run at midnight (or later, for shorter races offered) down the Extraterrestrial Highway (NV 375). At altitude, and in the middle of the night, the temperature is usually perfect for a long run. In addition to the marathon, they offer a 51K (in honor of Area 51). In full disclosure, I ran that a handful of times rather than the marathon, but the same sentiments and heads-up apply.

Aliens aren't my bag, but it's still fun. Many people dress in costumes, and glow bracelets and glow sticks are everywhere. The atmosphere is festive! It's worth doing for the story alone, but the RD, photographer, and volunteers make the occasion special.

I'm going to miss them.

Acclimate. The altitude is no joke. Locals and 'mountain folk' are fine, but sea-level people are in for a rough go if not properly prepared. Go out easy. You should do that anyway, but there is a long, steep incline for the first miles. A new course for 2022 and forward makes the pain only about 7 miles rather than 13.

Whether you take the bus (nominal extra fee) or not is a matter of taste. There is NO such thing as a "quiet bus." The trip from the Las Vegas Strip is long, and downright boring at night, but it's the lowest-risk alternative.

If you prefer to drive, make sure you have a full tank of gas (there's a truck stop/gas station/convenience store right off of I-15 along the way; stop there. Also, make sure to have caffeine, a buddy, loud music, whatever helps.

Do you like beer? Of course, we all do! BRING YOUR OWN. The Little Ale'Inn gouges visitors. Five bucks for a can of anything is a disgrace, but the race has nothing to do with it.

I was curious about this race for a while, but really only did it to get NV done (RnR no longer offering marathon distance in Las Vegas). First the positives: the RD is great and the race was well-organized and everything was well communicated. And on paper, it's a really interesting experience; the novelty of running under the full moon. But in 2022, it was cloudy (no moon and no stars), and recent rains in NV caused massive outbreaks of mosquitoes, which I was told was very unusual. The bugs made it very, very difficult to enjoy the post-race festivities while waiting for the return bus to depart back to LV. Hopefully this truly was a one-time thing.

I did the marathon, and I'm glad I did. But even if there were no crazy bug swarms, and I could actually see the alleged full moon, I don't think I'd do it a second time.

Running along the road was fine -- there was next to no traffic. Faster marathon runners will catch up to the slower half-marathoners, but the races are small so there's zero issue with crowding. The updated route does have a multiple-mile, steady hill climb right at the beginning though.

I did a few virtual races during the pandemic so I was OK with running for hours, mostly solo. There is, understandably, zero spectator support. If you don't enjoy the solitude, bring or find a running buddy, or skip this race.

The bus from/to LV was fairly priced and really, you wouldn't want to drive that long in the middle of the night/early morning if you're going to be running. But the total time, from waiting to get onto the bus, until the race start, is pretty long. Unless you're able to take a good nap on the bus, by the time the race starts, you might already find yourself a bit tired. Then, the last thing I wanted to do after being sweaty and gross from the race was to sit around for an hour for another few hours before getting back to LV and cleaned up. Definitely bring a change of clothes.

This race is fun simply for the ridiculousness of running in the middle of the night to an Alien-themed tiny diner on the Extraterrestrial Highway. It's one of those "do it to say you did" races. It was a difficult course for the incline first 13 miles, and because it is completely in the dark. Even with the full moon, the cloud coverage made for a dark night. The final 10k feels pretty remote like you are alone in the world; this is not a race with any spectators or with much for signs of human life at times. The weather in 2017 was windy/rainy at the start, and at times I wondered if it would be called for the lightning (or maybe those were the UFOs?). The rain continued for at least an hour, sometimes light but sometimes fairly soaking, and picked up again later. The race is along the side of a road, and even though we were encouraged to run single file, I encountered many walkers (I think from the half marathon) who walked several abreast. Also ours was the bus that broke down before getting out of Las Vegas; they did call in a backup, which impressively arrived fairly soon, but at that point we were all wondering if we'd make the start time or not (not a lot of communication forthcoming). That bus also later got stuck at the start line, for those that were continuing on to other distances' start lines, so hopefully this kink gets worked out for the peace of mind of future racers. While this race fit the bill toward my 50 States goal, I knew better than to plan for a PR or BQ; even so, it was still harder than I expected. This was my 13th full and my slowest time.

Despite the bus problems, I do recommend riding the bus for those staying in Las Vegas. That being said, the bathroom on the bus was in pretty bad shape so plan accordingly. The website recommends bringing your own refillable water bottle, but it turns out they had plenty of disposable cups. Also check your headlamp batteries before you start!

The bus left from the Silver Sevens casino lot. We took an Uber even though our hotel was one mile away, because the sidewalks end awkwardly and you fight with taxis and construction for a safe walk. Also the breakfast at the end is outside by the finish, not inside the cafe.