Expectation: Billed as a big party down in New Orleans with great bands throughout the race

Reality: Boring run, with very few bands and on top of that they were playing slow music at the worst times, no real scenery at all, and you can't even really tell you're in New Orleans other than the humidity.

Expo: The convention center is huge!!! So, if you come in the northern most point, expect to walk a mile to get to where they had the packet pickup/expo. Big size expo but that can be expected with a RocknRoll event.

Shirt: Disappointing (bad) design, but it was a brooks shirt so good quality material.

Race: First half of the race had bad roads. Saw a couple of people trip and one poor girl fall down hard because of a pot hole. The only part of the route I liked was when we ran by Jackson Square, because you could tell you were actually in New Orleans!! Crowds were pretty much nonexistent for most of the race.

Highlights: People giving out mimosas, martinis, beer, and King cake hahaha that was a nice touch
Big Shoutout to the aid station at mile 14! best pick me up ever, M&Ms, cookies, oranges, bananas, my god, perfect timing for a stop like that. Without them, the second half of the race would have been horrible!

Cons: Very few bands. Seemed like every time I passed one they weren't playing music or they were playing slow music. At mile 22 and I think 24, both bands were playing the slowest most depressing music. At that point of the race you already feel like death, last thing you want is for the music to want to make you end it all.

Finish: You see maybe 2-3 photographers the whole race. Then you see 10 the last half mile and at the finish! Great post race atmosphere! plenty of food trucks and nice big area to spread out and relax after 26.2.

Main reason I will never do this race again was because I didn't feel like it lived up to what New Orleans is. A fun party city with great live jazz/cajun music, and plenty of energy. This race had none of that feeling. I don't know how big of a logistical nightmare it would be, but if I got to run through the french quarter with people cheering us on as we ran through there....NOW THAT would be worth coming back for. But don't expect that.

Medal was a decent size and weight, but design was underwhelming as well. Just a square boombox in mardi gras colors.

Don't mean to be a debbie downer, but for the price tag, and location. It doesn't live up to what the advertisements show, and what you expect for New Orleans.