Louisiana Marathon

January 18-20 marked the second year for The Louisiana Marathon - Rendezvous 2013 - in Baton Rouge.  I was very pleased with this run and happy that I decided to participate in it, even though it was a last minute sign up the month before.

It was a weekend full of festivities.  It started off Friday with the Expo and a kickoff party.  Saturday was the 5k and kids marathon, along with the Expo.  I arrived to the Expo at about 11am and it was easy peasy.  Walked in, looked up my bib number, walked straight to the table to my bib and then straight to the table get the race shirt.  In the expo, I was able to pick up a new Auria arm band for my iPhone and all my GU I needed for race day. We were in and out in about 45 minutes.

Saturday night there was a pasta dinner that I unfortunately did not attend.  I now wish I would have because the speakers they had scheduled looked amazing and very motivational.  Beth Ann Telford was one speaker.  She was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2005 and after surgery and learning to run again she completed the marine marathon in 2005 and also finished the Ironman in Hawaii this year.  Hector Picard was the other speaker.  He is a triathlete who lost both arms in an accident 20 years ago.  He has competed in 67 triathlons since 2009.  A-Mazing!!!  I have no excuse to not run or to give up.

The race bib was actually my first to have my name personalized on it.  Just wish I could have been quicker to think to put a nickname on it...  Next year.

So Sunday morning I wake up at 4am to get pumped and the day started.  The race began at 7am and wanted to get downtown and parked by 6am.  And it was a COLD morning!  In the low 30's.  So needless to say, I stayed in car until 6:30 trying to suck up as much warmth as I could.  The start was at the steps of the new State Capital and walking up to it on the chilly morning was this view:

As we were all lined up listening to the National Anthem we got a flyover by a flock of geese :)  The cannon went off and it was geaux time!  Right at 7:00 on the dot.  The course was absolutely fantastic.  I couldn't ask for better weather or a better course.  It took us down river road, through the garden district, LSU campus, around the LSU lakes and back through the garden district to end in front of the capital.  At least that was the course for the half marathon.  LA Marathon Course  Throughout the course there were plenty of water stations, it was great!!!  That was a definite plus for me.

After crossing the finish line there was water and chocolate milk.  I still have not worked up the courage to try chocolate milk after a run.  There was the photo op to get your picture taken at the end.  I heard there were bananas but they were away from the finish line.  My friend that finished the full said that the chocolate milk was gone and he had a hard time finding water.  So hopefully next year there will be more post hydration after the race.  There was a result tent that you could go and get a print out receipt of your time. Also on the bib was a QR square that you could scan and get your results on your phone once you were done with the race. Both were pluses for me.

The after festivities were great.  There was a lot of food from different local restaurants which I did not trt any because I was to focused on the beer and post-carbing  :)  It was a lot of fun just to hang out, listen to some live music, drink cold beer and talking to others about the great course and planning on doing it again next year.  A few of us are planning on making it a full next year.

Bottom line is that The Louisiana Marathon was a great race!!  And a definite for next year and one for everyone to do.  Registration for 2014 opens on March1, 2013 The Louisiana Marathon Page