Philadelphia Inquirer

Thousands of runners - and quite a few Elvises - will stampede the Strip amid fireworks and fanfare Dec. 2 for the Las Vegas Marathon, one of the fastest-growing events in the country.

There will be no shortage of Vegas flash.

This year, about 30 entertainment centers, including 11 stages, will be set up along the course. Performers from Blue Man Group, Monty Python's "Spamalot" and Cirque du Soleil will be entertaining, encouraging participants or running themselves.

Because it's Vegas, Elvis seemingly will be everywhere. Sixty-five participants have said they intend to run as an Elvis entrant; about a third are women. And an Elvis will be standing at each mile marker with a stopwatch to tell runners their projected time to the finish line.

At the 5-mile marker, participants can take advantage of a "run-thru wedding chapel," where dozens of couples are expected to be married or to renew their wedding vows, officiated by a jogging minister. Some couples will even have their wedding parties run with them.

The race will start in the predawn darkness on Las Vegas Boulevard and follow a 26-mile, counterclockwise loop through Sin City.

Last year, the combined marathon and half-marathon drew more than 16,700 runners, up from nearly 11,000 in 2005, when just the full marathon was held. Before that, the race - now in its 40th year - never drew more than 2,000 runners, according to the organizers who took over two years ago.

For more information on the race and entry fees, go to www.lvmarathon.com.