Rock n Roll Mardi Gras Marathon

²⁄₁₅ runs for the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame!
I love New Orleans!
Have you ever drank orange soda, ate a donut or even had a piece of cake (King Cake to be exact!) while running a half marathon?!? OMG, it was wonderful! People in New Orleans know how to take care of their guests. If they handed out beignets during the run, then I would have packed my bags and moved to NOLA! The people of New Orleans are soooo nice and friendly! Too bad I didn’t get the plastic toy baby in my Kings Cake. :)
And the route was easy too! We ran by my bank, and I was very tempted to stop by the ATM. Why? Well, you also run by Café Du Monde, and they only accept cash. I ended up deciding against it since I had too many sweets for one day already. Lol.
I’m definitely doing this race next year, and hopefully they continue with the race snacks! :)

Mardi gras beads and running… this is without a doubt the perfect combination! The vibe of the city is perfect for racing… and the course is mostly flat and fast. I would come back and just run the half though, as the full was a little dull in some spots. Rock n Roll always puts on a good race though. A little pricey but a good time. My advice… run the half, save time to party and soak in the city after.

The race organization from expo to post race was exceptional. Picking up your race packet at the Convention Center was very easy and pain free. The flow of traffic was well controlled.
The starting area at the Lafayette Square was nicely organized. Checking your bag, using the portapotties, and getting into your corral was easy and well marked. I liked the marathon course. It was very flat and scenic. We ran most of the first half with the half marathoners. There were several out and back sections where we get to see those ahead of us.
After getting our finisher’s medal, we were given drinks, protein bars, and bananas. Getting my gear bag from the UPS trucks was a cinch as well as catching the bus back to the Central Business District.

My first time running a completely flat half marathon. And, it was my first time running a Rock n’ Roll race. I would do this race again, absolutely.
This is one fast race. Prepare to achieve a new PR!
Everything was very well organized, from the registration process to the newsletters, expo, race start and finish, shuttles to the start line and the course itself. On top of that after several days of rain, the sun came out and the weather was cool — perfect weather for a run.
The area to pick up our bibs and goody bags was very well organized and had a lot of roam to move about. Our race t-​shirts were made by Brooks (yeah!) and of really high quality but it was black and I’m hesitant to wear such a dark color during the summer and fall months while running outdoors.
The expo had a lot of quality vendors, especially ones I hadn’t seen before. Given how many I’ve been to this is one where I purchased a few items (stickers, Road ID bracelet, t-​shirts) instead of just picking up freebies. Brooks had a lot of race-​sponsored gear available for purchase.
Even though there were over 10,000 runners, it didn’t seem that crowded at all. They had 20 waves at the starting line so we were pretty well spaced out. They moved through the waves pretty quickly so that once one group took off, the next one stepped right up. The first portion of the course is out and back on St. Charles Avenue, with the turnaround at 4.5 miles, near Tulane and Loyola universities. This was one of my favorite parts of the course, not only because it went through the Garden District, but because it allowed me to get a close up view of an Olympic gold medalist (Mo Farrah, who won the half marathon and set a new course and British record) and other elite runners up close when they ran passed me. Wow! We were all applauding and cheering them on! The course then headed towards the French Quarter and onto Esplanade Avenue before turning into the park to the finish line behind the New Orleans Museum of Art.
There were plenty of water/​Gatorade/​GU/​medic stations throughout the course, and plenty of Port-​o-​Potties along the way. The only downside is the condition of the streets — beware of the potholes and uneven surfaces. There was a band at every mile; I especially loved the band from Tulane and the rock band at around mile 11. Thanks to all the bands, volunteers, law enforcement and spectators (some of the signs were pretty funny) for showing up, cheering us on and keeping us safe.
Aside from being a fast race this is also a fun race. Some were in costume, many had beads on and everyone seemed to be having a great time. I followed a guy dressed up as a hot dog in the final half mile of the race. Some were shouting, «follow the weiner!». Unfortunately there were no hot dogs to be found when I crossed the finish line, but I had plenty of water, chocolate milk, bananas, Power Bars, pretzels, Gatorade and beer available to me to snack on. The medal was pretty heavy and came on a string of Mardi Gras beads.
Shuttle buses were lined up and waiting for us to take us back to the starting line. We were directed into various corrals to wait for our bus. I don’t think I waited more than five minutes.
Bottom line: fast, flat course with lots of room to run; lots of fun; very well organized event from start to finish.

It was the first time here in New Orleans and it wasn’t for Mardi Gras. An epic weekend for sure, since I wanted to stay longer and enjoy what NOLA has to offer. This epic race weekend was one to remember, since I hit Bourbon Street the first night I was there, and it was pretty nuts. While I didn’t drink or anything, I just wanted to see what the hype was about with Bourbon Street. Nothing much just people getting their freak on. I’m glad to have made this trip and to see New Orleans. It’s amazing how well they’ve coped after Katrina.
The Rock and Roll New Orleans expo was basically what you’d expect as far as layout and the predictability that was the Rock and Roll brand. It was basically all the bells and whistles that they do and they make it like you are the rock star and that was feeds their financial engine. With high priced gear and high entry fees to their events, it’s no surprise that they are the largest event promoters in the country. Packet pick up was near the front of the entrance. They advocate bringing in this confirmation sheet, which has your bib number assigned and they ask you tourism questions like where are you staying, how many nights, and how did you get here. A bit intrusive, if you ask me. All in all, this expo was good and I got to meet friends here. It gets pretty congested here too during peak times. It was held at the convention center in downtown New Orleans.
The marathon started at 7am and with a sea of humanity of 30,000 runners, its a pretty awesome number. They did have seeded corrals based on estimated pace, so the faster people were lined up in the front and the slower people, obviously, where in the back. I got to meet up with my peeps that morning and it’s always great to have mini reunions wherever we find each other at any point of the year and wherever we’d like to go and run.
The course itself had several long out and back sections of the course, which was kind of odd. Perhaps it was due to considerations for the city and the police who had to manage this event with both eyes open. The first out and back was from the start to mile 7, then we turned north for about 5 miles zig zagging towards the marathon /​half marathon split. I realized I was one of the last marathoners, when everyone started to bee line towards the half marathon route and I was alone after mile 12.5. It was a downer, but I was here for the full marathon and it would be a waste if I flew back home with a half marathon finish in NOLA. The last half of the course was a huge out and back section with 3 miniature out and backs, with scenic views of Lake P in the background. It was awesome. I managed to keep my sanity and keep on going and bump into a couple of my marathoner friends who happened to be a few minutes ahead of me. The finish line was at the city park, miles away from the French Quarter, so the Rock and Roll people had shuttle service back from the finish line area.
The last mile or so was grueling as we entered the park, but we had to circle the vicinity and I just wanted it to be over. The aid stations were good and the volunteers were just awesome and kept me on my feet optimistic and smiling, when my body wanted to quit and sit-​down for the rest of the day. The finisher’s medal I received at the finish line was ok, but could have been better, but that’s how Competitor is. While this trip was epic, I knew that I could have done better with better training, since this course was relatively flat as a pancake. Totally recommended if you want to visit New Orleans and want to run a gorgeous marathon.
B+
*I have completed 39 marathons (22 states) & 14 half marathons, as of 05/​03/​2012 — from Hawaii.
#Yelp Marathons

PR, baby!!!
The Rock n Roll series have been lucky races for me. Every RnR race I’ve done (I’ve done 4 so far), I’ve gotten progressively better and better. What makes it even more awesome is the fact that for my 1^st destination race, I got my best time.
We were luckily enough to stay about a mile from the epicenter on St. Charles Ave. and we walked our way to the start line as our warm up. The weather luckily fared and although it was cold at 630a, it quickly warmed up within the hour.
The start area was waaay too crowded, but several positives to note: Port-​o-​pottie lines were short (YAY), there was breakfast food to munch on, checking in bags was a breeze, lots of water stations along the course, and super FLAT course.
I loved the fact that we ran thru some cool areas: Uptown, French Quarter and at the end, the City Park. It was nice and shady running on St Charles Ave., but as soon as we started running thru the city, it got unbelievably HOT. Luckily, it wasn’t muggy or raining (like the prior days) — it was perfect running weather.
A couple cons: the streets were so narrow that it was hard to share the road with 33K other runners, and lots of potholes!!! Watch where you run because the streets were full of humps and bumps. I almost twisted and rolled my ankles several times due to the uneven roads.
The finish line was full of cheerleaders and it was an awesome venue for the perfect finish at the park. The park is beautiful and serene for the runners to stretch, eat and drink post-​race.
Bag check was easy to pick up, but the shuttle service was a little confusing as it’s on the other side of the park. Very long line, but went quickly.
I’m happy that my first destination run was very memorable and even more ecstatic that I had my best time in a halfie!!!
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STATS:
Overall: 3726 out of 13 089
Division: 361 out of 1619
Gender: 1580 out of 8345
5 Km 29:25
10 Km 58:23
10 Mi 1:34:26
Pace 9:27
Chip Time 02:03:52

I ran the half marathon, and this was my first time doing this New Orleans Rock n Roll. I have to say the expo was a HUGE disappointment. Having done numerous Rock n Rolls I always look forward to the expos and filling my belly and swag bag with free samples. I had ONE sample to taste, and nothing to take home. So sad.
The tee is nice, the AZ one this year was also white, but I’ll give major props for the medal which had mardi gras beads instead of a ribbon, genius!!!
The route was flat, which was fantastic, but a «double-​back» which is boring, and messes with your mind a little bit seeing people so far ahead of you. Gatorade and water stations were plentiful along the route, Gu samples toward the last 3^rd, and some great cheerleaders and bands edging us along.
The crowd support was great :) LOVE THAT! Lots of signs, I grabbed a shot of beer along the way and also saw spectators giving out donuts and I guess I missed the mimosa table!
Standard snacks at the end: marathon bars, fruit cups, bagels, bananas, although this run had chocolate milk at the end too. Isn’t it all about the beer though? Each runner got two small cans.
The shuttle service at the end of the run to get back to the start (where most of us parked) was a disorganized disaster. I saw plenty of buses, but somehow the section I was standing in didn’t move for over an hour. People are tired, we got cranky, we needed hugs.
Despite losing a couple stars for the shuttle, lackluster expo, double-​back route, I’d still do it again because it was New Orleans! It made for a great first trip there for me.

Oh, the Big Easy. You cast your spell on me marathon day! A good spell! :-) I just ran the full marathon a few days ago, and it rocked!
What can I say about this race? Perhaps I’m going to be a bit biased because not only did I meet my time goal, I surpassed it, and then some! I PR’d by quite a bit, 19 minutes from a marathon I did just two months ago.
People weren’t lieing when they said this is a flat, super fast course. The only incline you’ll get is near miles 17 and 22, when you run up a bridge, but it’s nothing show stopping. There are a few out and back parts of the course, so that could do a number on you when you realize you’ve got to see people who are already a few miles ahead of you.
It also helped that the weather was absolutely GORGEOUS! I realize the weather could be hit or miss, but all the stars just seemed to align race day…
This race is more catered to the half marathoners. It is extremely crowded for the first half, so try not to spend too much time weaving in and out of all the traffic, just let it be. The corrals were spaced perfectly, and the wave starts were set about 4 minutes apart. Aid stations and hydration were a plenty, even after the course split from the half-​ers.
Course support was awesome, and you get to see a lot of parts of the city that aren’t normally on one’s visitor radar. The start and finish line were quite a distance from each other, but there was a shuttle service that brought you back to the start. It was efficient. Baggage check was smooth sailing. The finish line area could be expanded, as it looked like it was hard for spectators to catch a glimpse of the finishing chute.
Expo was ok. Of course it was set up so you had to get all your necessities in pieces, then be tempted to unnecessarily spend money on race stuff you don’t need… It wasn’t as big as I thought it would be, so I hightailed out of there once I got my bib and all.
Overall, I would highly recommend this for anyone who wants to PR. I say if you don’t PR here, you’re either injured or hung over from enjoying the Big Easy a little too much… LOL :-)
I’m a fan!

I ran this half marathon event in 2011, and will be running again in 2012. This was a fun race, running through lots of parts of NOLA that tourists don’t always see. For January the weather was great, and the race was well executed with a nice expo event and flat, fast course. The only part that did not work out so well for me, was that for whatever reason, I kept running by the bands while the were on break, so I may have only heard about half of the acts actually perform. The end of the race party was nice, with MGD 64 and plenty of snacks.
Overall a great race!

This was my first time running the Rock ‘n Roll Mardi Gras half marathon. I really enjoyed the experience. The course was nice and flat, except for all the pot holes. Which is why I can’t give it five stars. There was a point along the course where they had a huge caution sign warning of rough road ahead. Really? You would think with all the tourists flooding the city for the run that they could at least spend some money to repave some roads. But anyway, enough with my rambling.
The health and fitness expo was huge! I think it has to be the biggest one I’ve been to for a Rock ‘n Roll run (I’ve done RnR San Jose, RnR Las Vegas and RnR Mardi Gras). I really liked the design for the tech-​t. It wasn’t the typical boring RnR design they usually have. I wonder if it is because this was the inaugural RnR Mardi Gras run? They had a separate medal design for the half marathoners vs the marathoners. I thought maybe they should have done separate t-​shirt colors too, like they did for the inaugural Las Vegas RnR run, but oh well.
We purchased the pass for the shuttle ride ($ 20 for one car, but good for up to four people on the shuttle) to the start from the college which is right next to the park where the run finishes. It was very convenient and well worth it.
When we arrived at the start area, they already had booths set up with volunteers handing out water and energy bars! They even had port-​o-​potties next to each starting corale. Talk about thinking ahead and being organized!
It was quite cold in the morning standing around, stretching and waiting for the run to start. It was nice to see that quite a few people wore costumes for the run. Overall it was a great event and they actually had a band that I wanted to stay around to listen to after the run.

Ran the 2011 half marathon. They did a great job herding thousands at the starting gates. There were bands and cheer squads set up along the entire route… however the best were the random New Orleanians offering up kegs and king cakes in front of their houses.
The route snakes through a good mix of residential and commercial neighborhoods (Uptown, WHD/​CBD, French Quarter, Esplanade). There might be two feet of elevation change over the course, unless you take into account the potholes.
Really well organized, tons of food and MGD64 at the finish lines and some post-​race entertainment too.

As a former NOLA resident, I was really looking forward to this.
Like Doug C. said, it was well organized and the Start is conveniently located to FQ hotels or more to CBD hotels which is where I was. The staggered corral start was well put together and I didn’t have to wait long.
The course is flatter than witch’s tit and I could have PR’ed here had I not been seduced by the Vieux Carre until 2am the night before (you got me a again). The roads are uneven so you gotta keep an eye out for bumps and cracks. I mind-​yelped as I ran by places I had been before … that place is good on Wednesdays … Igors has awesome bloody marys … never use the bathroom there … good cheap po-​boys there but bad étouffée … Katrina must have closed that place down.
Some good costumes including fan favorite Drew Brees, a chicken and an egg (don’t know who came in first), dude chasing a beer just out of arms reach infront of him, and various Mardi Gras peeps.
I was hurting post race. But I think it was bullsh that runners were limited to 2 free beers! I need to refuel! Sister Hazel and Cowboys Mouth played which rocked. It seemed like there were so many non-​runners there that they were more worried about having pay for concessions for them than the normal free grub for runners.
Overall a good destination to run a half or full. Take Monday off and eat well afterwards!

The Competitor group puts on a number of marathons and half marathons throughout the country and they recently bought out the Mardi Gras Marathon/​Half Marathon (this was considered the inaugural year for the Rock N Roll event). As you might expect, they have a lot of practice in organizing road races and their events run fairly smoothly. This was no exception.
PRE-​RACE ORGANIZATION: They did a good job in organizing shuttles from the Superdome to the starting line. The start is actually pretty close to downtown near the convention center. It’s a pretty short walk from Canal street/​French Quarter to the start and I personally didn’t need a shuttle. For anyone planning to run this race in the future, I think that a hotel in the downtown district is fine; it’s convenient to the expo and the start with shuttles taking you back this way after the finish.
COURSE: I really like how they set up the course for this event. Sure, it’s a flat and fast course, but they went to some pains to make it more scenic. I did the half marathon and the course encompassed a number of the sites of New Orleans. There are some nice residential sections with scenic homes, a stretch along the historic street car line at St. Charles Avenue, part through downtown and the French Quarter (I loved the hung-​over spectators in shades watching me run by) as well as St. Louis Cemetary and City Park. They also had a few leftover Mardi Gras floats decorating the first few miles of the course. The marathoners also had a nice stretch through Audubon Park.
This was a cooler year for New Orleans, but I think that this course would even work better on hotter days. There are a lot of sleepy trees along the course with the branches hanging over the road that provided considerable shade for the route.
The one catch with the route is that the roads area bit nicked up: there’s a number of potholes and irregular surfaces that you’ll be running on. It felt a little bit like a trail run in this respect; I had to pay more attention to my footstrikes than typical for a road race.
ORGANIZATION: Four stars instead of five overall for this. The route was well organized with plenty of water stops, bands (I loved the accordion players) and a GU stop. The post-​race shuttles were a problem. Several of the staff weren’t quite sure where they were located (and even were debating about whether an arrow on the sign was correct) and once we found them it was a bit of a hash. We boarded one bus, only to be told that the driver was going on break and then reloaded on a second bus. This driver said that the directions were no good and proceded to get lost in the city. It took close to an hour to get the four miles back to the hotel. On the plus side, the driver was pretty cool about letting us get off at different points near our hotels.
OVERALL: A very nice race with good hospitality and an interesting course. For people considering a vacation with an easy course, this is a good choice.

2÷28÷2010
Well organized marathon of about 13K participants. 3500 marathoners and about 9000 halfers.
I must say I was impresses with the race organizers since this is the first R&R event in NO.
«flat as a pancake» were the words from the organizers to describe the course and they were not exaggerating. I ran my PR here and largely b/​c of the elevation (or the lack of). the course itself was just «okay» as you go through a lot of residential area. the two large parks we circled were nice.
spectators were friendly and concentrated in mostly the city areas.
water stations… need a few more in the later miles.
we (full marathons) were split and rejoined with the halfers at least 4 – 5 times. however, we were split on two sides of the road after the first split which was nice.
my favorite part of the race has to be the availability of porta pottys pre-​race. especially the ones in the corrals. fantastic. no wait and I didn’t have to into the bushes as i often have to at marathons with insufficient restroom.
one complaint is the amount of walking required post race to pick up drop off bag and to the shuttle. at least another mile of walking after the race… a little long IMO.
all in all, a good marathon, a good recommendation especially for PR chasers and first timers.