This race felt more like a mardi gras party! The race support was fantastic! They were handing out alcohol at mile 4. They passed out king Cake and other snacks … MORE
This race felt more like a mardi gras party! The race support was fantastic! They were handing out alcohol at mile 4. They passed out king Cake and other snacks along the race course. They had entertainment along the course route. At the finish you got a very nice medal! The finisher party served all the southern food including jumbolia. They gave you enough food tickets to try everything! Highly recommended!
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What a Southern Gem!
This race felt more like a mardi gras party! The race support was fantastic! They were handing out alcohol at mile 4. They passed out king Cake and other snacks … MORE
This race felt more like a mardi gras party! The race support was fantastic! They were handing out alcohol at mile 4. They passed out king Cake and other snacks along the race course. They had entertainment along the course route. At the finish you got a very nice medal! The finisher party served all the southern food including jumbolia. They gave you enough food tickets to try everything! Highly recommended!
Fantastic flat marathon
Amazingly organized and supported race. Spectators exceeded all my expectations, some aid stations didn't just have extra water, but also baked goods (including cakes!) candy, snacks and juice shots. Very … MORE
Amazingly organized and supported race. Spectators exceeded all my expectations, some aid stations didn’t just have extra water, but also baked goods (including cakes!) candy, snacks and juice shots. Very well supported race overall, with seamless morning bib pick up. I wish the cut off was longer or they had an early start so more people can experience this race
Fantastic Race in Baton Rouge!
The Louisiana Half Marathon is a wonderful race! The course is great (very few elevation challenges), and the scenic route takes the runners through parts of the LSU campus. The … MORE
The Louisiana Half Marathon is a wonderful race! The course is great (very few elevation challenges), and the scenic route takes the runners through parts of the LSU campus. The volunteers were extremely friendly, and the aid stations were well stocked. The finish line is spectacular, and the race organizers make every finisher feel like a winner! Of the 77 half marathons that I have run, this race is definitely in my top 10!
Double header weekend
I like that they had two days of events so you could participate in the first day and sort of get a preview of everything. The race was well produced … MORE
I like that they had two days of events so you could participate in the first day and sort of get a preview of everything. The race was well produced and the staggered start waves for the half and full marathon were definitely a plus. Love that they had a gear check since the mornings were chilly. For the price of the races, I expected there’d be more swag, at least items from sponsors and giveaways at the post race fest, but the quality of the course was still worthwhile. Wish there was a dedicated stretching zone, but the area has plenty of benches & cement blocks if you seek them out. The post race fest felt a little lacking without award announcements, though the live music was good. Shrimp gumbo was superb! Overall, I would definitely go back!
My roots, my running, my race!
I love this race so much! It’s run amazingly well (pun sort of intended) and is always something I look forward to so much! It’s a huge event for anyone … MORE
I love this race so much! It’s run amazingly well (pun sort of intended) and is always something I look forward to so much! It’s a huge event for anyone who runs long distances and a goal goal for anyone who starts running!
Great flat and beautiful course.
Really nice course running through LSU's campus and several older Baton Rouge neighborhoods. Weather is usually nice in January. Pretty good crowd support in some areas. Good food/beer at the … MORE
Really nice course running through LSU’s campus and several older Baton Rouge neighborhoods. Weather is usually nice in January. Pretty good crowd support in some areas. Good food/beer at the finish fest.
Run through Baton Rouge and LSU
This race was much smaller than I expected. There were about 1000 runners combined for the half and full marathons. We all started together. The race director implemented an ad … MORE
This race was much smaller than I expected. There were about 1000 runners combined for the half and full marathons. We all started together. The race director implemented an ad hoc wave start, due to construction on the course. There were no corrals, just a couple of guys with their arms up telling people not to start when others did. It caused a little confusion for some, but also separated folks from pacers.
It was about 36 degrees at start, but not windy and the sun came up quickly which was nice watching the sunrise while running.
You start downtown by the capital building, which is an awesome backdrop. There is an overpass you run over at the beginning of mile 2 which isn’t bad as the race has just begun. But you get to come back over it at the end of mile 12 and it can make you sad.
After the first 5k or so you enter LSU. We had spent the day exploring the campus the day before, so I was familiar with the surrounding area while I ran. You run around the football stadium as well. There is decent lake section that the campus sits on that you get to traverse. That was nice. There are some unexpected little hills here and there. Afterwards, I spoke to a local runner who said that the route was different due to construction areas and that a lot of those hills weren’t normally on the course.
Shortly after mile 10, you come back to the route you started on and run back to the capital building.
There were plenty of water stations with both water and power aid and porta-potties throughout the course. As it was quite cold for Louisiana, there wasn’t a ton of crown support, although I did see a few made up stations with mimosas, shots, beer, and donuts for runners to derail their race with. 🙂
Finish line was fine. Medal is pretty cool, although I wished they had their older version that was in the shape of the state. This year was just round. The t-shirt is quite soft and the design is cool- I love soft race shirts.
Very glad I ran this one for my Louisiana Race. Would definitely run again if I were nearby.
10/10 Recommend!
This was my first Half Marathon and it was a great experience from signing up to crossing the finish line. The Athlete’s Guide was very informative and helpful in preparing … MORE
This was my first Half Marathon and it was a great experience from signing up to crossing the finish line. The Athlete’s Guide was very informative and helpful in preparing for race day.
Variety of scenery and crowd support
The race had well spaced water/aid stations along the course, but the extra crowd participation with their aid and cheer stations made this race a blast. One group had slices … MORE
The race had well spaced water/aid stations along the course, but the extra crowd participation with their aid and cheer stations made this race a blast. One group had slices of king cake out for the runners. The crowd support will definitely get me back to run this race again.
Good race atmosphere and course is OK
Aid station were great and the local n’bors were supportive to runners. The race director did a superb job re: runners safety and experience. MORE
Aid station were great and the local n’bors were supportive to runners. The race director did a superb job re: runners safety and experience.
Let the Good Times Roll!
I can say is one of my favorites races so far. I absolutely enjoyed the communication, the vibes the course, the food and crowd support. I would run this race … MORE
I can say is one of my favorites races so far. I absolutely enjoyed the communication, the vibes the course, the food and crowd support. I would run this race again I also wish that there was a race in NOLA.
Your LA Marathon
Course is rolling to flat. Support on the second half is awesome from residents and a wonderful surprise! Bag drop directions could be better. For out of town runners, having … MORE
Course is rolling to flat. Support on the second half is awesome from residents and a wonderful surprise! Bag drop directions could be better. For out of town runners, having a bag ahead or knowing that you need to write on the bag is necessary. Plenty of water stops along the course and well supported by the city of Baton Rouge. So this marathon for you LA marathon, 50 staters.
Do This Race
Everything about the Louisiana Marathon weekend is excellent. for such a young race, the production is top notch. It's the same weekend as the Houston Marathon, but is a much … MORE
Everything about the Louisiana Marathon weekend is excellent. for such a young race, the production is top notch. It’s the same weekend as the Houston Marathon, but is a much better all around experience. The finish festival alone is worth the price of the race.
What a pretty race on a beautiful day.
Pros: -Lovely course -Well organized, plenty of water stops. -Good swag; soft shirt and a very nice medal -Super volunteers, very, very friendly, supportive, and helpful -Well supported by local … MORE
Pros:
-Lovely course
-Well organized, plenty of water stops.
-Good swag; soft shirt and a very nice medal
-Super volunteers, very, very friendly, supportive, and helpful
-Well supported by local police closing roads, manning intersections, etc. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen so many police out keeping a course safe.
-Great post race food!
Not so good:
-Expo was super meh. This is on us to be clear, but we didn’t have fuel and thought we’d pick something up at the expo. We were lucky to find some clif gummies. That was all we could find. Again, on us, but plan better!
Bottom Line: Really nice race. We lucked out with beautiful weather and just a great day overall.
Great race to kick off the year
Really nice medium-sized race. Good cultural experience between Baton Rouge’s vibe and proximity to LSU (which the course goes through). Well supported with crowds and volunteers. Lots of out-and-backs in … MORE
Really nice medium-sized race. Good cultural experience between Baton Rouge’s vibe and proximity to LSU (which the course goes through). Well supported with crowds and volunteers. Lots of out-and-backs in the full course but did not mind. Lots of mini-lakes and residential running. Weather was very cooperative. I really wanted a 3:30 even but ran out of gas by mile 20 and mentally failed. Learning opportunity for late-race fueling and will power.
Laissez les bon temps… courir!
Production from packet pickup to post-race amenities for both days (I also ran the 5K) was top notch. Course was moderately flat, save for a bridge in the first mile … MORE
Production from packet pickup to post-race amenities for both days (I also ran the 5K) was top notch. Course was moderately flat, save for a bridge in the first mile which might scare you into thinking the course is rolling – not so!
Scenery started urban and went through more suburban parts of Baton Rouge, including a lap around the LSU campus and lake. Crowd control was consistent, and road markings were clear as crystal.
Post race amenities were amazing, even if the weather was somewhat chilly. I could see what prior reviews meant by reduced availability of foodstuffs as time went on. Close to the five or six hour mark, most beers, coffee shots, and gumbo varieties were on the verge of running out completely.
That said, I would recommend registering for the VIP package. Food, beer, parking that is obscenely close by, and ten steps to the starting corral, and heat lamps all felt worth it.
Note: If you would like your medal engraved, you must pay cash unless you purchased the engraving options during registration. You also must bring the results receipt provided freely at the marked tent in the finish festival.
Great race, great people, great after pa
Well supported with water and lots of crowd support. Overall great experience! Course is great if you’re chasing a PR and lots of fun, food and beverages at the end. … MORE
Well supported with water and lots of crowd support. Overall great experience! Course is great if you’re chasing a PR and lots of fun, food and beverages at the end. Make sure you have some time to hang out and enjoy!!
Fantastic & friendly course!
This was my first ever half marathon and I've now completed it 5x. Including a Deja vu finisher 4 of those 5x. Call me a sucker, but being a Louisiana … MORE
This was my first ever half marathon and I’ve now completed it 5x. Including a Deja vu finisher 4 of those 5x. Call me a sucker, but being a Louisiana girl, starting & ending at the Capitol, running through LSU campus, under beautiful oak trees and gorgeous housing, around the Lakes, it is just a phenomenal course. Add to that, for first timers are folks that aren’t about speed, with the half and the full using the same beginning & end, the time restrictions are very long so it is so friendly to beginners. Minimal inclines (aside of that one overpass that reminds you just how much strength you have that you didn’t know you did) and the fans & folks cheering you on. This is a FABULOUS event that is so well orchestrated. The only wish I had would be for the BIG race expo to return as it has been much smaller the last 2 years.
Great race!
Great race. Great route. Great after race fest. Highly recommend! This was my first time running a quarter marathon and the atmosphere was a great help. The volunteers at the … MORE
Great race. Great route. Great after race fest. Highly recommend! This was my first time running a quarter marathon and the atmosphere was a great help. The volunteers at the water stations helped cheer you on. Great medal to add to my collection.
Awesome course and spectators
I’ve run many half marathons and a couple of full marathons, and this was my favorite course and best spectators of any race I’ve done. The were more aid stations … MORE
I’ve run many half marathons and a couple of full marathons, and this was my favorite course and best spectators of any race I’ve done. The were more aid stations than I’ve ever had, and they were all very well staffed. The course was well laid out and included a good mix of city, college campus, neighborhood, and scenic views. I love the medal and the post-race food and music were very enjoyable! I would absolutely recommend this race to someone!
Cons: The expo and swag were very minimal and left a lot to be desired. Also, the course is certified and a BQ race but my watch, and every runner I’ve talked to, showed that the course was actually 0.2-0.25 longer than it should be.