RUNable Race Review: Louisiana {Half} Marathon

RACE STATS:

• DATE OF RACE: January 18-19, 2020
• DISTANCE(s): 5k, 10k, Half & Full
• REVIEWED: Half
• LOCATION: Baton Rouge, LA
• DIFFICULTY: Level 2.5
• CAUSE: NA
• RUNscore: 3.6 Stars

A Running Glance:

Things I loved

• Unique Course
• Baton Rouge <3
• Finish Line Party
• B2B Challenge Medal

Things I less than loved

• Post-Race FREEZE
• Expensive Swag

RUNable Review:

I have to admit … this event was a pleasant surprise! The city of Baton Rouge is a hidden gem and the event itself is a unique running festival that celebrates passion for the sport of running combined with Louisiana culture. #LouisianaMarathon #GeauxRunLA #HalfCrazy #BeachToBayouChallenge

Price

Early registration for the Marathon starts at $85 and the Half Marathon begins at $70. As with most races, the prices increase the closer you get to Race Day. This event also hosts a 5k and 10k the day before with those event prices launching at $25 and $40 respectively. Registration included lots of perks like discounted entry to the LA Museum as well as an exclusive invitation to their Saturday afternoon festival dubbed “Grits & Groove.”

T-shirt/Swag

I *love* this race shirt. It’s lightweight and fits just right; I find myself reaching for it way more often than my other race shirts. (And y’all know I have PLENTY to choose from!) I also snagged a visor ($25) and a couple of stickers ($5). Much like their sister race (the MS Gulf Coast Marathon), the additional swag was a little on the expensive side, BUT it appeared to all be high-quality merchandise. Registration also included a branded drawstring bag, which was a nice little something extra. (I use mine for dirty clothes in my gym bag. TMI?)

Expo/Finish Line

The expo was certainly bigger than most, boasting vendor after vendor of running-related merchandise. However, I was cornered by a gentleman slinging skincare products (?) and almost didn’t make it out with my credit card {alive}! I’m happy to report that my relationship with Oil of Olay is intact and dare I say, stronger than ever.

One word to describe this finish line: WOW. These pictures don’t even do it justice. It was SO neat and chock full of food, drinks, and folks celebrating an awesome run. My one and only complaint is that I nearly froze to death, haha. About 15 minutes after I finished I got SO COLD. Not just a little chilly, mind you … more like teeth chattering, nose running, feet numbing COLD! We ended up leaving not long after because I just could NOT get warm. I high-tailed back to the hotel and took the best hot shower I’ve ever had.

Medal/Awards

In addition to my Louisiana Half Marathon medal, I also earned the “Beach to Bayou Challenge” medal because I ran the sister Mississippi Gulf Coast {Half} Marathon the month before. The LA medal is really high quality and coordinates with MS’s medal perfectly. The B2B medal is SO BIG! It’s much larger than I expected and was a pleasant surprise! It’s easily 6-inches in diameter and makes for a gorgeous addition to my medal hanger.

Volunteers

There were tons of helpful and enthusiastic volunteers at the expo and on course, as well as lots of cheering spectators. Huge props to each and every one of you that helped make this race truly unique.

Course Scenery

Of the 20+ half marathons I’ve run, this is definitely one of my favorite courses. It was just the right amount of variation. From downtown Baton Rouge to historic river town neighborhoods to the beautiful campus of Louisiana State University, participants really got to see it all! The course was also well-marked and well-staffed.

Course Difficulty: LEVEL 2.5

The course was definitely moderate, but faired this rating mostly because of the downright chilly temps and THAT WIND! I probably could have run a little faster minus all that hardcore resistance training! Despite its challenges, it was so scenic and interesting that the time just flew right on by!

Aid Stations

There were SO many spectators on course, and more official and unofficial aid stations than I could even count. I really enjoyed all the fun race signs, high-fives, and there was even an inspirational billboard along the homestretch! There is just nothing in the world like a marathon.

Parking/Access

We stayed in downtown Louisiana just a few blocks from the start/finish line. The hotels were a little expensive but very nice and definitely worth the convenience.

Race Management

Every aspect of this race was phenomenally organized; I was so very impressed. If you can only run ONE Louisiana event in 2021, add this race to your list immediately! I will definitely be running this one again!!

Overall

I also have to point out how delighted we were with the city of Baton Rouge. Our hotel was near the riverfront so the day before the race we did a little shakeout run and tour. What a lovely little area! After packet pick-up, we again went exploring and found some DELICIOUS places to carb-load, along with an Escape Room rated second in the country! (I could write an entire blog on how awesome this was. Pro-tip: check out 13th Gate Escape if you have a chance. Pro-tip #2: BOOK EARLY!) We also hit the LA Museum after the event; my family and I really enjoyed our time there! This is an excellent little RACECATION destination because of all the local attractions, activities, and restaurants. Pack a bag and come see what the lagniappe is really all about!