I had the opportunity to run this race 2 days ago. It is an amazingly gorgeous venue, full of rolling hills (some later than other), the locally famous Davis Dam, as well as beautiful lakes nestled into the mountainsides.

Registration was easy enough - the expo at the Tropicana Hotel was open the day before from 2-8pm which was sufficient, and they were still allowing runners to sign up for all three portions (5k, 10k, half mara).

They were giving away last year's tshirts and finishers medals. There was no "expo" proper - just a computer where you entered your bib number (given from the helper) and then you are directed where to get your shirt and swag bag (3 granola bars, plastic sunglasses).

No race communication except one email with logistics.

Bus picked us up in the morning at 0530. Seemed fair enough. We were driven to start line where we waited inside the school gym which was nice, as it was chilly out.

The race was scheduled to begin 0700.  At 0715ish we were told by the announcer that the people barricading the roads were running late (not that they had a year to prepare for this race??) and finally by 0745ish we started.

The course is beautiful - absolutely. It's uphill the first 3 miles, and then downhill for quite a few, then uphill again by the dam.

The first water station - no cups.  At the first station.  

Rest of stations had cups, thankfully. ONE station had gatorade I believe - and one station had half bananas, all completely hard and green, not suitable for eating, yet given my state of hunger, I chewed pretty hard to eat that thing. It was nasty.

Finished the race and was super excited to get my medal (come on. it's why I do this stuff, I can't lie). No medal.  A green slip of paper telling me "we ran out of medals." 

YOU RAN OUT OF WHAAAAA? No.  They were still accepting registrations the day before. This was not planned well at all.

Post race food included water bottles, beer, and very green hard bananas, as well as tiny bags of potato chips.  Not impressed. They did also have tiny bagels. 

Not sure if I'd recommend this race beyond the amazing scenery. The town of Laughlin is a disgusting tiny hole in the wall where people smoke everywhere, casinos are the only draw to the town, and the average age is 129 years old.  Marijuana is legal there so everywhere you walk you smell it. Is that part good or bad? Up to you.  Regardless, laughlin is not a destination city nor will I be back.