text: As you probably already can guess, this event is a cluster and it is pretty uncomfortable running in a full santa suit. (The beard kept hitting me in the face and blinding me!)  Nevertheless, it was a lot of fun.  Here are my tips from my first year doing this:\n\n1. Show up early.  There's lots going on two hours before the race starts, you can stake out a good parking space, and you can take photos.  Then go back to the car and put your crap away.  Easy!\n2. Speaking of parking, if you have a high clearance vehicle and/or offroad vehicle consider parking in the gravel lot behind Fry's that fronts LV Blvd.  It was difficult getting out after the race and if you park there, and can get out, you can bail pretty easily.  But only offroad/high clearance vehicles!  I saw a few Camrys that got stuck. :(\n3. Safety first! Especially if you are doing the half or full marathon the next day.  There are tons of kids, dogs (some not so well behaved), strollers, and other weird things.  People are excitable.  Some people forgot they were running with a dog on a leash and clotheslined people.  The streets at Town Square are narrow.  So, if in doubt, slow down and employ defensive running/walking.  I saw some nasty spills that could have been avoided.  You don't want to be injured for the big race the next day for some 5K that isn't even timed.\n\nThis isn't a five star event mostly for the traffic direction.  They need to suck it up and hire Metro.  Town Square security did the traffic direction and they sucked at it.  The guys directing traffic for me (near the entrance to Frys) actually got into a fight with each other!  Come on guys!  \n\nBut still I had a ton of fun, came out unscathed, and I finally got my I Love Yelp t-shirt to boot!  Who doesn't love that?