FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL WELCOME MARDI GRAS MARATHON
New Orleans Race to Offer Unique
Personal Travel Advisor Service
New Orleans, LA – The city of New Orleans is welcoming back, for its 44th
year, a great New Orleans tradition. The New Orleans Mardi Gras Marathon
will hit the streets Sunday, February 24th, 2008.
"We have watched as the Mardi Gras Marathon has grown over the years," said
Mayor C. Ray Nagin. "As it has grown, the city has welcomed more and more
visitors. That is important to us always, and especially in this time of
recovery and rebuilding."
When Councilmember Arnie Fielkow heard the race was being wooed by a nearby
city, he reacted quickly and called the city council together. "There was
no way we were going to lose this race after so many years," said
Councilman Fielkow, "The council agreed to work with the marathon and
provide what was needed to keep the race here."
The race will offer an exciting new course featuring the historic French
Quarter; famous Bourbon Street; St. Charles Avenue and the beautiful Garden
District; and two of the finest urban parks in the country, Audubon Park
and City Park. The marathon will start and finish on Sugar Bowl Drive at
the Louisiana Superdome, where parking will be available inside. Start
time for the Marathon and Half-Marathon is 7:00AM, with the 5K race
beginning at 7:05 AM.
To celebrate its 44th year in New Orleans, the Mardi Gras Marathon will
offer an extra benefit to those who run the race. Race Director Mike
Cambre has teamed up with marathon travel expert Elise Allen to offer a
free customized travel service to runners registering for the race. Allen
is the author of the first travel guide geared specifically for the
marathon runner.
"Each year we bring more to the race," said Race Director Mike Cambre.
"The travel service, the entertainment, and the post party this year will
make this our best year yet."
The Personal Travel Advisor service offered by Elise Allen is an extension
of what she does in her guide book, The Traveling Marathoner. That book
chooses 12 top U.S. marathons, one per month of the year, and gives runners
all the information they need to build a perfect trip around each race: the
most convenient hotels, great carbo-load restaurants, top post-race splurge
meals, the best sights for strong or sore post-race legs, top spa
treatments, and the best places to celebrate after the race. The Mardi
Gras Marathon gets the nod in her book for best U.S. marathon in February,
and to support the race, she's happy to go beyond the general
recommendations of her book, and give specific, customized itinerary
suggestions free to anyone entering the Mardi Gras Marathon or Half
Marathon.
"I'm incredibly excited to bring this one-of-a-kind service to the Mardi
Gras Marathon," Elise said about the venture. "New Orleans is such a
special place, and I want to help marathoners take full advantage of it,
while making sure everything in their trip supports their true goal:
preparing for, completing, and celebrating their marathon or half
marathon."
Author Elise Allen will be working closely with the team at New Orleans
Online.com, the city's official tourism Web site, to make sure she has the
most up-to-date information for her itinerary suggestions. For runners
wishing to stay a few extra days, Elise is offering the opportunity for
runners to become voluntourists and schedule time with the St. Bernard
Project, an organization dedicated to rebuilding and renovating homes in
St. Bernard Parish, one of the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina. For
info on the St. Bernard Project: www.StBernardProject.org.
"The Mardi Gras Marathon is part of the fabric of our great and unique
city," said Sandra Shilstone, President & CEO of the New Orleans Tourism
Marketing Corporation. "We are so happy the race has occurred here so many
years and the travel advisor service will help visitors to experience our
food, music, and attractions."
All Mardi Gras Marathon or Half Marathon registrants can find information
about the Personal Travel Advisor service through the Mardi Gras Marathon
website www.mardigrasmarathon.com, via www.NewOrleansOnline.com, or
from Elise Allen's website www.travelingmarathoner.com.
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