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New Orleans Mardi Gras Marathon Runner Comments
Back to New Orleans Mardi Gras Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.2 
Organization 4.2 
Spectators 3.5
Number of comments: 315 [displaying comments 201 to 211]
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S. K. from Houston, Texas
(2/26/2007)
"Interesting Course, Friendly Volunteers" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 New Orleans Mardi Gras Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 The amazing thing about this race is that it is held at all. New Orleans still has a long way to go to recover from Katrina and the marathon is doing its best against long odds. Still it is not the race it should be once everything gets back to normal. The course runs through several interesting neighborhoods... though some are interesting in a dreary, depressing way. There are buildings that are still badly damaged, for example, and obviously road repair isn't at the top of the local government's agenda. Other areas, the French Quarter and the Garden District, are lined with beautiful old buildings that were untouched by the storm. I would give the course a five if it weren't for the condition of the roads. There are very few spectators anywhere but at the finish line and many of them seem more inconvenienced than interested. On the other hand the volunteer helpers were among the friendliest and most helpful I've seen with many willing to chase me to deliver some of the abundant energy gels, Gatorade and water. Other than the Hash House Harriers and the guy running the race in his underwear, there was no on-course entertainment. The organization seemed neither great nor terrible. I found the post-race food to be rather meager... two-inch Subway sandwiches, beans and rice, and beer. I didn't find any fruit or even any water beyond the chip removal area at the finish line. The fitness fair seemed perfectly adequate. Since it was in several rooms, it is hard to compare the size to other marathons. On the whole, a perfectly adequate marathon that is still climbing out of a disastrously deep hole. | |
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S. S. from Lafayette, LA
(2/26/2007)
"Great Spirit and Southern Hospitality!" (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
| 1 New Orleans Mardi Gras Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 New Orleans has a spirit that is unmatched, and the Mardi Gras Marathon is no different. While the spectators were sparse, their energy made up for the lack of volume! A nice, flat, comfortable course. The only complaint: Way too few porta-lets. We went over two miles without one, and I had to stand in line for almost ten minutes at the one bathroom at the water stop. | |
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D. M. from Phoenix, AZ
(2/26/2007)
"Nice race, but a mixed bag" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 New Orleans Mardi Gras Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 2 If you want to visit New Orleans, this is a great way to do it! On the positive side, the course passed the French Quarter, some beautiful houses, and parks. It started in front of the Superdome pretty much on time, and the weather was cooperative (but a bit warm). I had never been here before, and was pleased to see how the city appears to have recovered from Katrina. The spectators were few but enthusiastic, and the police controlled the traffic while also cheering us on. On the negative side, the road was very uneven in many places, so watch your footing. The expo was confusing (different rooms for package pickup, chip testing, and shirts, with no signs directing you). Some porta-potties were never "opened" (they were locked with plastic ties). There was no posting of results at the finish, so you had to wait for the website posting to see how you placed (6:30 p.m.). Finally, there are only chip reading mats at the beginning, half, and end. Although my chip tested good and I have used it in 15 marathons with no problems, at this point my half marathon time still isn't posted. I really enjoyed visiting New Orleans, but there are some definite areas where the race organization could be improved. | |
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C. E. from Tallahassee, FL
(2/26/2007)
"A runner's race" (about: 2007)
2 previous marathons
| 1 New Orleans Mardi Gras Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 The Mardi Gras Marathon is what I'd call a runner's race. It is a well-organized affair, complete with all of the trappings of a medium- to large-sized race, and well-run the day of the event. It is a race that is supported well by the city, with NOPD out in full force at every intersection along the route and numerous residents and volunteers along the course at various spots. It's also a race where if you need or want to, you can show up nearby 10-15 minutes before the start and still be good to go at the head of the starting line. The course is quite beautiful in spots, though others aren't quite as nice. It's really a 4.5 out of 5 rather than a 4, though. Pancake flat except for a couple of overpass climbs, not really all that bad anyway. As mentioned before, it is a well-organized affair - and hopefully they'll have better luck next year on finding a title sponsor and possibly moving the race finish back inside the Dome. (That reflects very well on the city.) New Orleans is coming back and the Mardi Gras Marathon is a great example of that. | |
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Jeff Wang from Humble, Texas
(2/26/2007)
"Welcome back to New Orleans" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 New Orleans Mardi Gras Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 1 Just drove to and back from New Orleans for the Mardi Gras Marathon. I had a good time there. This was the second Mardi Gras Marathon since Hurricane Katrina. Based on the excellent reviews from the last year, I chose this small marathon. It turned out to be rather large, with over 1,000 marathoners, and 1,700 half marathoners, as well as relay team and walkers. It was great to have a race so well attended, but I think the organizers did not anticipate this many people. It was evident from the start when there was not enough race merchandise to sell, as well too few port-a-potties at the starting line on race-day. The expo was rather small, one of the smallest I had attended. I just got a running top from this year, as well as a bunch of leftover stuff from the 2006 race. The race itself started at the Superdome, which was a good place to start. However, the entire stadium was closed, so the runners had to wait outside. It would be nice to open part of the facility for an event of this size. The race ran in two parts. The first part ran through the French Quarters up to a park, then pretty much ran the same route back to the Superdome to complete the half marathon. The second part, for the full marathoners, ran the opposite direction to yet another park and back at the same route. It was nice to see the sight, but it was a bit boring to run the same route in the opposite direction. I would have liked to see more of New Orleans. Perhaps it was the damage from the Hurricane that made it impossible to route the course any other way. Sadly, the race itself had some problems, to no fault of the organizers. First, it was a bit hot. It would have been nicer to have the cold front hit New Orleans one night earlier, but the temperature got up to mid 70's with sun shining. With a course time of 7 hours, I was really worried about those slower runners. Second, the road condition was horrible at some parts. I was paying more attention not to fall into the potholes rather than looking at the scenery. Sadly, the city needed to repave a lot of street as it seemed. Third, there were just not enough water stations and porta-potties, probably because of the size of the race. Nonetheless, they should have replanned it after realizing that it would be a hot race. What else could have been improved? Mile marker needed to be visible at all checkpoints. It drove me nuts to not see markers for 14 and 15. Secondly, it seemed that there was no advertisement for this race, as evidenced by the lack of spectators (as well as a water lady asking, "Is this a race?" Third, there was no food at the finishing line - just water and Gatorade. What worked well was the spirit of the race. Everyone who showed up to work at the water station showed their spirit and enthusiasm. The small crowds weren't too bad either, even though they were mostly made up of the families of the runners. The website was nice, and they had the results posted by the same night of the race. As for the city itself, all I could say was, New Orleans is back! There were plenty of leftover beads from Fat Tuesday. The French Quarter was bustling, and Bourbon Street was as wild as ever. In the casino, the money was flowing, and the wonderful Cajun cuisine was served as usual - one lives to eat in New Orleans. Also I want to comment that the New Orleans Police Department did a great job with traffic control. For all of the negative publicity they received, New Orleans PD showed me the positive side - men and women in uniform taking extra time to work, and they were respectful, cooperative, and helpful. In fact, one police lady was so nice that, as she had to drive her police car through a packed crowd, she kept on apologizing that she had to get through. Now, that's nice. Good job, New Orleans. But you need a lot of improvement to make this a truly worthwhile race for out-of-staters to come and enjoy your beautiful city. | |
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D. A. from Brooklyn, NY
(11/23/2006)
"Great course, generous locals, perfect for a PR." (about: 2006)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 New Orleans Mardi Gras Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 I ran New Orleans in 2006 and it was easily the best marathon I've run. Not a huge race - only around 700 marathoners - but that has its advantages. Also, if you want a flat course, this is the flattest I've seen. I qualified for Boston without even trying or intending to. In fact, when I got to the finish line in under three hours, I thought it must be a mistake! It's a fantastic city, and the people couldn't have been warmer - a real testament to the city's resilience and openness to outsiders. I recommend this race very highly, but I hope it doesn't start drawing too many people. | |
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K. R. from San Diego
(10/20/2006)
"New Orleans Needs No Help" (about: 2006)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 New Orleans Mardi Gras Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 When it comes to putting on a party or any kind of festive event, New Orleans needs no help or guidance from anyone. The post-marathon hospitality outside of the Superdome is a perfect example. The condition of New Orleans, the housing, city services and entire infrastructure, in February 2006, need no elaboration. It was in one gigantic world of hurt. But, at the finish line after the marathon, there were cases of ice cold Gatorade available for the runners. Take all you need. Need ice? There was all the ice you needed. Hungry? How about free red beans and rice and Subway sandwiches. Eat all you want. Ready for a beer? You couldn't miss the beer truck. Three spigots and stacks of cups. Pour your own. All you want. No tickets, no limits. Oh, and there was band that volunteered to rock-out for a few hours. Now THAT was the never-say-die party spirit of New Orleans. New Orleans and the NOTC did a better job with both hands tied behind their backs (figuratively speaking) than most cities and organizers do with all their resources and planning. What they pulled off in on February 6 was truly remarkable. The course is beautiful and the people could not have been more friendly and hospitable. It's a PR course. I highly recommend running the Mardi Gras Marathon. Laissez les bon temps roulez! If you don't have a great time, you only have yourself to blame. | |
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Kami K. from Corpus Chrsiti, TX
(10/12/2006)
"Back to the Big Easy!" (about: 2006)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 New Orleans Mardi Gras Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 Sunday, February 5, 2006. As the plane was approaching the airport for landing, roofs with blue tarpaulins did a fine job of reminding me of Hurricane Katrina's devastation. This was the 41st running of the Mardi Gras Marathon. There were also half marathon and 5K races. Mother Nature had sent us an excellent weather. Temperature ranged from low 40s at the 7:00 a.m. starting time to mid 50s by noon. Sunny. Hardly any wind. All races started and finished outside the Louisiana Superdome. The first two miles were through downtown and the French Quarter; then through residential neighborhoods to mile 4. Shortly after mile 4, we made a right turn and ran an out-and-back route, alongside the city park, which ended at mile 10. Then we went back to the Superdome, where the half-marathoners finished their run and the marathoners continued theirs. With the exception of an approximately 2.5-mile loop around Audubon Park (miles 18.5 to 21), the second half of the route was out-and-back through several residential neighborhoods, which showcased a large number of well-kept old houses. Other than a freeway overpass that we had to climb twice (at miles 5 and 9.5), it was flat. All runners received long-sleeved T-shirts. Finishers received medals. Aid stations were at every 1.5 miles. A large number of volunteers. NOPD officers did a very fine job with traffic control and were present at all intersections. Crowd support was minimal. Plenty of post-race refreshments, and a local band provided live music. I enjoyed running this marathon. | |
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B. R. from alabama
(6/24/2006)
"Enjoy your visit to New Orleans!" (about: 2002)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 New Orleans Mardi Gras Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 You've gotta love a visit to New Orleans. This is a decent course... mostly flat and through a variety of neighborhoods and sights in a great city. Most participants run the half, so support and spectators are weak in the last 13.1. The water stations in the first several miles were overwhelmed and the workers were not prepared and showed frustration. The start and finish were good. Clocks were plentiful. The stations in the 2nd half were well-staffed. It's a good experience, but it can get warm. Be prepared. | |
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M. K. from Memphis, Tennessee
(3/28/2006)
"I will be back." (about: 2006)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 New Orleans Mardi Gras Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This is a well-organized event on a fast and interesting course. It was a poignant experience, of course, especially on the short loop that took us through the devastated Lakeview neighborhood. But the good humor of the people of New Orleans was on prominent display. One thing to be aware of among runners who are thinking about doing this marathon next year and leaving on the same day: The Holiday Inn Superdome tells you when you make your reservation that they can stretch the checkout time to 1 p.m. However, when you check in, they insist on noon. The race itself was a great experience. |
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