Ultra marathon runner Molly Sheridan trains in Summerlin

Ultra-marathon runner Molly Sheridan moved to The Hills South village of Summerlin in 2007 after starting to run competitively.

"I wanted to train in a beautiful setting and Summerlin is definitely that place," she said. Sheridan logs 40 miles per week on average when she's not training and up to 65 miles a week when she is training. Her favorite routes include The Trails Paseo Park, Cottonwood Canyon and The Vistas village.

To date, Sheridan has run more than 35 ultra marathons. Her favorite runs include the 100-plus mile nonstop runs including the 135-mile Badwater Ultra-marathon from Death Valley to Mount Whitney and the 150 mile Sahara Desert run in the Marathon Des Sables.

She has run the La Ultra-The High in the Himalayas in India, where she will return this summer to compete with other athletes from around the world. La Ultra The High is a nonstop, 137-mile run that starts at an elevation of 14,000 feet and runs over two peaks at 17,500 feet. She is the only American woman participating.

"I love to run everywhere, including different parts of the world," she said. "Running is my meditation, fun, adventure, peace and tranquility. I always learn something about myself from running."

In 2009, Sheridan and business partner, Jimmy Gabany, formed Desert Sky Adventures, a Las Vegas-based race management company that organizes runs of varying lengths for Nevada and surrounding states. The company also trains, coaches and counsels runners of all ages and skill levels.

"We simply want to get people off the couch," Sheridan said. "And trust me, exercise is addicting. Running and walking improves your mental and physical health. Once you start feeling the difference, you can't stop."

Sheridan's Desert Sky Adventures is responsible for the April 9 inaugural Summerlin Half Marathon. Registration is well under way and is already approaching the 600-participant limit.

The 13-mile run starts at The Vistas Community Park, 11311 Alta Drive, at 7 a.m. Runners and walkers are invited to participate. Registration is $65. For more information on the run, or to register, visit desertskyadventures.
com/summerlin.

Developed by The Howard Hughes Corp., Summerlin began to take shape in 1990.

For nearly two decades, regional and national studies have ranked Summerlin in the country's top 10 best-selling master-planned communities.

Located along the western rim of the Las Vegas Valley, Summerlin encompasses 22,500 acres with about 7,500 acres still remaining to accommodate future growth within the master plan.

The community is currently home to nearly 100,000 residents

Amenities include more than 150 neighborhood and village parks, more than 150 miles of the Summerlin trail system, 26 public and private schools, 14 houses of worship, nine golf courses, shopping centers, medical and cultural facilities, business parks and more than three dozen actively selling floor plans.

Homes are available in a variety of styles -- from single-family homes to town homes, condominiums and lofts -- priced from the mid-$100,000s to more than $1 million.

Custom home sites in The Ridges are priced from the $200,000s.

Luxury apartment homes offer monthly rents starting from the $800s.

For more information on Summerlin, visit www.summerlin.com or www.facebook.com/summerlinlv.