Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans

Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans

Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans

( 56 reviews )
89% of reviewers recommend this race
  • New Orleans,
    Louisiana,
    United States
  • February
  • 3 miles/5K, 6 miles/10K, 13.1 miles/Half Marathon, 26.2 miles/Marathon, Relay
  • Road Race
  • Event Website

Jennifer Zenuch

New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
37 21
2016
"Bad roads, construction, and heat = race killer"
Overall
T-Shirts/SWAG
Aid Stations
Course Scenery
Expo Quality
Elevation Difficulty
Parking/Access
Race Management
Jennifer Zenuch's thoughts:

This was my fifth marathon and probably one of the hardest I've ever run. The bad New Orleans roads on the first half plus the intermittent construction plus the early heat and humidity killed this race for me. It was not one of my faves but it's done. I can check it off my bucket list.

Pros:
- Good sized expo with the usual vendors you see at a RNR event.
- Decent race t-shirt, but QUIT printing them in black please! Why? WHY? Black tech shirts in the summer = Ew!
- Packet pick-up was well organized and easy to maneuver.
- Excellent aid stations throughout the course with a good variety of water, Gatorade, snacks, salt, and fuel.
- The race volunteers were really great. Very helpful and upbeat.
- The course scenery on the first half is lovely. You run down St. Charles through the Garden District, through the Quarter and then up Esplanade to end at City Park. It's a good route that a lot of New Orleans races take.
- There were some fun bands on the course - mostly the first 13 miles.
- The medal design this year was really cool. I liked the St. Louis Cathedral.
- The marathon finishers jacket is a really nice touch. It's a pretty decent Brooks jacket too!

Cons:
- The roads were HORRIBLE! I expect bad roads in New Orleans for most of the race, but add on the trolley car construction and it made the roads rough, full of loose gravel in places, and narrowed down to a 4 foot bottle-neck in others. It was rough going, especially on the first half.
- The back half is pretty desolate, with not a lot of scenery or spectators or SHADE.
- The merchandise for the race seemed pretty meh and cheap looking this year. I was underwhelmed.
- It's an RNR event so it was super, super crowded.

Again, I can check this full off my race list. But one and done for me on that distance. I'd do the half again, but not to full. Just not the race for me.

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