Rock n Roll Nola Marathon

New Orleans Rock n Roll Marathon!! 
Recap Part 1

The week leading up to the marathon I was a bundle of nerves...chance of rain, would I finish, why am I doing this, all kinds of thoughts running through my head... 

Last year after running the Rock n Roll Half Marathon with my husband (his first half marathon) I decided that this year I would run the full marathon. This is my hubby and I after finishing the half last year. 

My running bestie Debbye, who I ran my first Rock n Roll Half Marathon with, was unable to make the trip last year so she decided she would run the full with me this year as well. 
After months of planning and texting our trainings this day was upon us. 

Shout out to the awesome Katie Futch who made the design for our race day shirts!! If you ever need to order any vinyl she's the bomb diggity!! 

Debbye and I woke up around 5:15 so we could leave her brother's house and arrive downtown around 6:15. We were planning on meeting up with a sorority sister of mine who ran the half with her mom but sometimes plans just don't work out ya know... Silly me forgot that there were two Hilton's and we went to the wrong one. But, lucky for me I did run into Mindy in the hotel lobby! Had to borrow the pic for my blog...thanks Mindy!! 

Once Debbye and I realized we were at the wrong hotel we headed straight for the starting line. We arrived just in time to find a port-a-potty and then our corral. 

Once the race started the corrals moved quickly. Our turn came around 7:20 and we were off.  

Debbye and I had made a pact that we wouldn't go off and leave the other and that we would drag the other across the finish line if we had too. We had not trained together because she now lives in Arkansas and well you know I live in Florida so our running styles are a little different. 

Around mile 2 we saw the pace car and Mo Farrah!! He was on mile 7 while we were on mile 2...Amazing!! Next we saw Kara Goucher and Shalana Flanagan. 

What I love most about this race is all of the bands and this year there were some really good ones!! Before I knew it we were to this guy

Which meant my favorite part of New Orleans was just up ahead!!! I had hoped to go to mass on Saturday at the Cathedral but it wasn't meant to be this time. 

For the first half of the marathon we more or less stayed together. Every so often I would slow way down so that she could catch up to me because like I said earlier we had promised we would finish together. 

Before I knew it Mile 12 and the turn off for the 1/2 marathoners was upon us and just like last year I felt great!   I was ready to tackle the second 1/2 of the marathon. 

Stay tuned for the 2nd part of my recap... 

~Shannon