That Time I Got Into a Little Trouble in Vegas...
- rickdmoore
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
"Geez, Rick! What happened to you? When did you gain all that weight?”
Whoops. This is June 1997. I was visiting friends, a brief detour from my drive to Wisconsin where I’d start my new job in a couple days. Clearly one of those friends had a knack for speaking their mind.
And clearly the phrase, "whatever happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" did not apply to calories.
Anyway, let’s go back a couple years. To March 1995, when I’d just accepted a job in Las Vegas and rented an apartment in a beautiful, newer part of the city called "The Lakes."
The drive to my new apartment took me along two-lane streets lined with tall, picturesque palm trees and wide sidewalks that immediately conjured images of delightful morning runs.
A setting that was decidedly more conducive to running than the busy, narrow streets and wintry conditions of Rapid City, South Dakota where I’d spent the past ten months.
I’m bringing all of this up why?
My wife and I just returned from a vacation where we spent a couple days in Las Vegas, marking my first return back in nearly two decades. Even that short time in Sin City unearthed a number of memories of my two years living in that area. Memories that I am ashamed to say did not include much running.
What Happened?
Best answer I can offer is that “life happened.”
I do recall those first few weeks, leaving that apartment in the early morning light to put in a few miles. Unfortunately, winter in the Dakotas had me in less than stellar running shape when I arrived in the Nevada. That made these initial workouts more difficult and the even the early morning temps harder to handle.
But the real problem came with a job that often demanded early morning meetings where navigating rush hour traffic supplanted the time I’d need for those workouts.
I moved into a condo closer to the office a few months later. Unfortunately, that location was not as conducive to running with heavy traffic that required long waits at crosswalks. But worse, I’d also moved on to what I now call…
The Grand Delusion
Having been a college runner just over a decade earlier, I convinced myself that any degree of exercise would allow me to remain fit despite whatever else I did throughout the day.
Since running proved problematic, I signed up for step aerobics at a nearby Golds Gym, dropping considerable amounts of sweat several mornings a week before showering and driving to the office.
But not even that could balance going out to lunch every day with my colleagues. We took full advantage of the dining options available within ten miles of our Flamingo Drive work facility. There were all the basic franchises along with an irresistible array of other options including but not limited to Mexican, Chinese, Thai, Southern and pretty much else anything you could imagine. This also included a 50’s diner that one colleague preferred as it allowed him to “have his grease changed.” That this wonderful guy looked like a myocardial infarction waiting to happen should have sent off warning lights.
But not for me. Not with the notions seeded in my foolish thirty-something noggin.
Not only did I savor those lunches, but often went to a nearby Outbacks after work with another colleague. Downing sizable quantities of “shrimp and suds”, we achieved a resolution any number of problems facing our workplace as well as the world at large.
And hey, that Alice Spring Chicken I gobbled down was chicken! Just smothered in cheese and sauce. With fries.
So What the Heck Happened to Running?
It’s funny. There’s a great deal I distinctly recall from those two plus years I spent in the American Southwest. There was a colleague from Louisiana who offered over the counter guidance on voodoo that I used to convince someone that they weren’t under a curse. I also remember finding out that one of the administrators I worked with was allegedly a made man. And I certainly haven’t forgotten a call from someone asking if they could maintain their current job if they became an exotic dancer on the side.
What I don’t remember is any time that I went on a run after those first few weeks. I can’t imagine not having put in a run at some time. But I do not honest recall strapping on the Nikes until moving to Wisconsin.
Which brings us full circle back to my friend’s rather blunt assessment of my physical state at the start of this post. More important, the lifestyle I fell into in Vegas carried over into Wisconsin, where that my delusions continued and the pounds mounted.
A Do-Over?
We can’t undo the past. But the world we live in poses challenges to all of us when it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. With that in mind, were I somehow to return to those years or face a similar challenge again, I would attempt the following:
Set the Alarm Earlier. Most of my morning runs now occur before daylight. So long as there are streetlights, good sidewalks and a safe neighborhood, no reason not to put the Nikes to work. And if not, there are workout facilities with treadmills.
Adopt a Healthy Diet. Me and greens weren’t on speaking terms back then. I thought slurping soup offered the same benefits. Likewise, "moderation" wasn't a word in my vocabulary at that time. One beer and one side of Grilled Shrimp on the Barbie would have been sufficient - particularly if I didn’t inhale them with breathtaking speed.
Be Honest With Myself. You’d think buying slacks with a larger waist size would’ve triggered something in me. Or moving to larges for t-shirts. Alas, I’d just quaff another Powerade, telling myself otherwise.
I won’t lie. I did not like living in Las Vegas. While I’m grateful for the friendships I developed during my time there, the overall experience of living in a desert was not to my liking. I also saw up close the impact of the many vices prevalent in that city. Had I remained I either needed to make some important life choices or things could have turned out much different.
If nothing else, those years serve as a lesson that I hope to never forget.
What about you? Do the delusions I describe bring back any memories? Feel free to share them in the comments below.
And thanks for reading the post!
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