Latest reviews by Melanie
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I love the Turkey Trot that takes place annually in downtown Baton Rouge. We run around the downtown area and see the gorgeous state capital and lakes surrounding it. There are runners from the most elite level to the slowest 5ker there, so no matter your skill, you'll fit in. People are festive and cheering for each other and there are tons of participants, so no need to be scared if you'll be the fastest/slowest runner out there. There are lots of 5ks in the Baton Rouge area, but this one is one of the only that we go back to year after year.
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I am obsessed with the Crescent City Classic. We race it every year and enjoy it more and more every year. It is a large race that is good for super competitive runners all the way to walkers. With 25,000 people running, there is a place in the corrals for everyone.
The race begins right in front of the Super Dome and runs down Esplanade to City Park. It is a nice view to look at for the entire 10k. There are tons of super fun people along the course giving out everything from water to jello shots to beer. There are bands playing, people with boom boxes out, random guys with bagpipes. You never know what you're going to get. It's New Orleans and it is fabulous.
The top 500 male and female finishers get a commemorative poster, so that is something that many of the competitive racers strive for every year. Super competitive racers go for the prize purse. Seeded runners are off first, so if you have a qualifying time of under 45 minutes for your 10k, you are able to start in a special VIP like area and not have to fight with the crowds.
The ending party is great. It has tons of beer, food, entertainment, everything! It is NOT good for spectators though, as there are so many people racing that it is hard to find your person. Also, you'll need to buy a ticket to get into the finish festival if you're not a runner, so make sure you're aware of that before having people come out to watch you!
Overall, this is a great race that you should REALLY make your way down to next year.
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Rock N Roll New Orleans, for the most part, was a positive race for both my husband and I.
The expo was really nice and large. The shirt is nice and is one that I will wear often.
The corrals seemed organized. I was stuck behind a lot of slow people and a lot of people didn't understand the idea of moving off to the side if they're walking, but that is to be expected from any large race.
The roads were HORRIBLE, but this is to be expected in New Orleans. The scenery makes up for it, I guess? The roads for this race were definitely better than the course for the New Orleans Running Festival Half in November.
Overall, I enjoyed this race and enjoyed that it was pushed back from early February this year. I plan to race it again in the future.
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The Louisiana Marathon is one of those races that I look forward to every single year. I run the marathon along with my husband, and my children run the kid's marathon. It is a weekend of healthy fun for everyone and we look forward to it year after year.
I definitely recommend this race to anyone. There are many people who run both races, so whether you are a new runner or a seasoned one, it's great for anyone. The marathon has a great course and you get to see some of the best the LSU area has to offer. The oak lined trees make for great scenery and some pretty pictures too (as seen in my picture here)! There aren't a lot of hills, so it is pretty much flat and fast.
As far as parking goes, it is super easy to find somewhere to park. There are tons of garages open and there is free parking all along the capital.
The expo was good- I scored some super cheap new Newtons there, so I'm always happy about that :)
The after party is probably the biggest reason to race this. There is tons of food and beer and the music is great. You can meet so many people and just enjoy the race and the atmosphere. Overall, Louisiana Marathon gets a A+!
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This is my second year running this race. Last year, in 2014, it was a 10k because of the weather. This year, I was so excited to be able to run the entire course. What a disappointing course it was too. The crescent city connection was a beast, as always, and that was at the very beginning of the course. The rest of the course was in really rough areas of New Orleans and went along streets with holes in the pavement. My ankle rolled once in it, and after talking to a lot of the early runners in, they had issues with the roads as well.
The aid stations were manned well and the volunteers were nice. They had beer at the end. We signed up for $5, so no matter what, we got our money's worth.
I don't think I'd recommend it just because the course was so shoddy. It really was a disappointment since CCC10k gives such a great tour of New Orleans and this one was just so subpar.
I ran with one of my friends who lives in New Orleans and she was embarrassed that this is what people who came here thought of her city.
Overall, I was just happy to see the finish line and get a beer.