Posted: September 26, 2005

Athletics: New Las Vegas Marathon Announces Plans for World's First "Run-Thru Wedding Chapel" and "Issues Call for Couples"

The New Las Vegas Marathon has announced plans for the world's first Run-Thru Wedding Chapel. On Sunday, December 4, 2005, up to 26 couples are invited to get married or renew their vows at this "only in Vegas" venue located at the A Very Special Memory Wedding Chapel near mile five on the 26.2 mile course.

Organizers also issued a "call for couples" to join the dozen couples who have already expressed an interest in participating in the ceremony. All couples will be required to run or walk the Marathon and must complete an online questionnaire at LVMarathon.com before October 17, 2005.

The group ceremony will be presided over by Reverend William Petersen, who has performed over 25,000 weddings in Las Vegas. He is currently in training with the Vegas Roadrunners to run his first marathon. The ceremony will be carried live on the CBS affiliate KLAS during its 3 hour broadcast of the New Las Vegas Marathon broadcast which begins at 6:00am.

Reverend Petersen plans to run with the couples from the start line to the Run-Thru Chapel, where following the brief ceremony, Elvis will sing "Love Me Tender" and "I Can't Help Falling in Love With You" as the couples go on to complete the race. The first couple to cross the finish line will spend the night in the Honeymoon Suite at Mandalay Bay Resort & Convention Center.

At a reception the day before the race, the couples will gather for a Best Kiss contest to compete for his and her spa treatments at Spa Mandalay. All participating couples will receive tickets to a special performance of the wedding themed, ABBA musical, "Mama Mia" in the Mandalay Bay Theater.

The New Las Vegas Marathon will debut on Sunday, December 4, 2005 as the first marathon in history to run the world famous Las Vegas Strip. The race will begin at 6:00am in front of Race Headquarters Mandalay Bay with a spectacular display of fireworks and Elvis singing "Viva Las Vegas." The race will offer a $400,000 prize purse for an expected field of world class athletes, a record $1.25 million cash bonus for a world record per genderand $10,000 each to the fastest male and female from Clark County, Nevada. The race will take place on a fast, flat course under ideal conditions with a start line temperature of 50 degrees.

Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Services Director
385 Oak View Lane
Santa Barbara, CA 93111

(805) 696-6232, fax (805) 967-5958
Ryan@RunningUSA.org
www.runningusa.org.