I have so many emotions going that I’m having trouble with the words. I’m absolutely ecstatic to have this medal in my hand. It means 2 years of doubt are over. Those lingering questions about whether or not I could return to running are over. The answer is definitely YES!

As far as the race, this one was almost perfect. The crowd support was fantastic. We had people offer us beer, King Cakes, beignets, Chips Ahoy and other stuff that I could not eat. Gluten forever! I would have paid some coin for a banana. I committed almost every racing sin, including NOT having my own fuel. It’s like I forgot how many ways things can go wrong when running with a cranky pancreas. I had no gummies, gels, money, etc. The Gatorade and the 1 Glukos station were lifesavers…literally.

Another perk was French Quarter “real” bathrooms. I can’t say enough about that. I zipped into a public restroom and got in and out quickly. I saw several churches with signs offering their restrooms. I saw a few people go in and out of local businesses. From experience, I know that if the businesses didn’t want racers in there, those people would have ran back out. The local businesses seemed VERY race-friendly with restrooms.
The course was very well-marked. The only trouble I had was dealing with the road conditions. They reminded me of some rough roads in Mississippi…ankle-breakers. I saw more than one person face plant from the loose road grit.

As far as my race, I ran some, walked some, laughed a lot, and basically had an awesome time in my own head. Life is about to get hectic quick (moving…building a house) and I used race time to get my head straight. By the time I crossed the line, I was absolutely the happiest I have been in a very long time. When I finally found Stephen, the happy was off the charts. He is such a great race spectator partner.
Will I race in New Orleans again? Absolutely. It was a quick stay so we will definitely be back to do some exploring in the Big Easy.