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Marathon Details - Zydeco Marathon

North America Marathons > USA > LA > Lafayette > Zydeco Marathon

Zydeco Marathon

Zydeco Marathon & Half Marathon, Half Marathon Relay, 5K

Lafayette, LA USA

March 16, 2025

http://www.zydecomarathon.com

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Marathon Results

By Year:

2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 Top 3 Finishers

Race Details

Our course runs through to best parts of Lafayette, LA. The race starts and finishes at Cajun Field, winds through downtown, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette campus, the Oil Center, and beautiful neighborhoods in the Lafayette community.

Contact Information

Name:	Michael Howard
Address:	Zydeco Marathon LLC PO Box 81303 Lafayette, LA 70598
Phone Number:	337-962-2678
Email:	Email the organizers

Race Organizer

Zydeco Marathon 2014 (4/21/14)

Michael Howard

We would like to thank all those runners that came from 29 states and 3 countries to run the inaugural Zydeco Marathon! Our weather conditions were great and we had lots of PRs. Thank you for all the great feedback and stay tuned for 2015 updates. Registration for next years race opens on May 1st. We look forward to having you out again for a great run and, of course, lots of cajun food, beer, and ZYDECO music!

Runner Reviews (56)

Course 4.4

Organization 4.8

Spectators 4.5

Write a review

Number of comments: 56 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 > ]

M. S. from Lafayette, Louisiana (3/16/2018) "Memorable Race" (about: 2018) 11-50 previous marathons \| 6+ Zydeco Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I just wanted to congratulate the organizers of the 2018 Zydeco Marathon this year. Pre registration made it so easy and on race day there were plenty of Sponsors and Volunteers eager to assist with any questions that came up. I have participated in every race and have fond memories of each one but this year was the best! With runners eager to go, the race started on time! After a couple of miles, I noticed that I am being passed by someone wearing a hotdog costume. Ok, I can deal with that! It was probably a high school long distance runner. At approximately mile 8, I am passed by a young mother pushing a baby stroller!! Now this was no ordinary stroller! It had to be a Hi-tech racing stoller. At least that is my way of justifying being passed by an infant! The most memorable part of the race occurred at approximately mile 10. As I approached the water station in front of Geaux Run (Zydeco Marathon Sponsor), a volunteer with a Geaux Run shirt on offered her assistance. As I slowed down she screamed, 'Dont Stop' and proceeded to run down Harding Street with me. She offered me an energy gel pack along with a pack of energy jelly beans while she ran along side of me. As I shoved my items in my pockets and ran off, I asked her name and she screamed, 'My name is Nola!!' The fact that Nola was wiling to run along side of me made such a lasting impression! Thanks for a great race and special thanks to the many volunteers and sponsors that made this event possible.
L. C. from Melbourne FL (3/13/2017) "Great Piece of Louisiana!!" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Zydeco Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Loved the course through beautiful tree-covered neighborhoods! The local sponsors were great - the warm comfort of jambalaya at the end was just what I needed - especially w/the wind & cold! Greatly appreciated the stretch station after the race as well (better than a massage!) Everything was smooth and organized. I think there would have been more spectators along the route if it wasn't so cold & windy. The only suggestion I could think of was more zydeco music along the route ;) I am sure there are more than enough local bands between Lafayette, BR & Nola to have a couple more along the route. The band the finish was amazing!
R. N. from TN (3/18/2016) "Great race and after party" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Zydeco Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I loved the Zydeco Marathon. The website, race guide, and Facebook page were all informative. The expo and packet pickup were better than some older, larger marathons I've done. The RD extended packet pickup due to foul weather and they offered race day packet pickup. There was convenient free parking garage. The race was done very well. Course was marked and had lots of marshals, plus a good police presence. Some of the roads were a little rough though. Each mile was clearly marked. Plentiful water stations with enthusiastic and helpful volunteers. I'm pretty certain that the after party/festival had the best food offerings of any race I've ever done. They used a bib with five tickets for food and/or drinks, so you can pick what you want to try. They posted results quickly and also gave a printout of my individual splits and finish time to take home with me. Long story short - I loved the event and will put it on my list of highly recommended marathons.
J. S. from Florida (3/17/2016) "Great Low-Key Nonprofit Marathon" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Zydeco Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 My wife and I decided on the Zydeco marathon for our Louisiana marathon based on time of year and positive reviews. The expo at the convention center was poorly attended because of the pouring rain and flooding. After picking up our bibs we walked over to the map of this years new course and met the race director there. He was very informative and assured us that the course would be free of standing water the next day. Race morning came with clear weather and much to our surprise the course was effectively dry. The start was a little odd in that it was staggered by pace groups. Each group starting about three minutes after the other to minimize congestion in the first several miles of the new course which starts and finishes downtown. The course support was very good with aid stations every 1.5 to 2 miles offering power aid, water, and cold wet towels. The wet towels were necessary later in the marathon as the sun came out in full fury and the temperature reached about 80 degrees F with high humidity. The course itself is essentially flat with less than 200 ft of elevation gain. It has more concrete than I like (I would guess about 75% of the course is concrete) and the reason I gave it 3 stars. Given all this both of us still ran BQs as the course is fast. The finish area volunteers were very helpful and the Zydeco music fest in the park was nice with food and drink plentiful. This one is a winner, we are recommending it to others.
M. V. from Houston, TX (3/17/2016) "Well Organized and Run Race" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Zydeco Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Very well organized race. The packet pickup was easy as was getting to the start of the race. Enjoyed the flat single loop course. There were plenty of aid stations with very enthusiastic volunteers and port-o-lets at every station. The post race food was very good, especially enjoyed the boudin. I will definitely run this one again and would recommend it to anyone.
l. b. from Minnesota (3/19/2015) "extremely well organized, excellent run support" (about: 2015) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Zydeco Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I ran the half. Though the scenery of the course is so-so, the organization and support were outstanding, water and Powerade at each mile, abundant portable toilets . Load up your phone with Zydeco music and enjoy the fine weather and terrific after party. Very nice T-shirt.
S. C. from Dallas, Texas (3/17/2015) "Flat course, excellently executed" (about: 2015) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Zydeco Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Very impressed. This was the second year for this marathon and it matched my expectations from the positive reviews it received for its first year. It is a flat course and the weather was perfect this year for a PR. There is nothing wonderful about the course scenery, but to be honest this was of no concern for me. It was a small race field, with only about 400 marathoners and maybe 1500 half marathoners. No frills, but just very well organized and executed. Great support on the course, with aid stations about every mile. Spectators all along the course. The post-race party was one of the better ones I've been to with free beer and an excellent band. I would have like a little more free food than they had. Excellent experience.
S. B. from Louisiana (3/12/2015) "Excellent race in its infancy" (about: 2015) First Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I ran the half-marathon not the full, so bear that in mind. The full is a double loop. I enjoyed the course. You get to run through some college areas (ULL) some downtown areas and some neighborhood areas. Lots of people out greeting and encouraging you.
B. S. from Little Rock, AR (3/12/2015) "2nd year was even better than the 1st!" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 2 Zydeco Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Last year I ran the full, this year the half. This is such a well-organized, well-supported race, and it's nice and flat! The finish line festival is completely unique and absolutely worth the drive to Lafayette! 'will run for food' definitely applies to Cajun country.
David Johndrow from Boston, MA (3/12/2015) "It Was a PR and a Break From 9 Feet of Snow" (about: 2015) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Zydeco Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I signed up to run with a friend and I was not disappointed. Nice flat course, friendly volunteers and first responders, and for me, great weather. I recommend it!

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 > ]



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M. S. from Lafayette, Louisiana (3/16/2018) "Memorable Race" (about: 2018) 11-50 previous marathons \| 6+ Zydeco Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I just wanted to congratulate the organizers of the 2018 Zydeco Marathon this year. Pre registration made it so easy and on race day there were plenty of Sponsors and Volunteers eager to assist with any questions that came up. I have participated in every race and have fond memories of each one but this year was the best! With runners eager to go, the race started on time! After a couple of miles, I noticed that I am being passed by someone wearing a hotdog costume. Ok, I can deal with that! It was probably a high school long distance runner. At approximately mile 8, I am passed by a young mother pushing a baby stroller!! Now this was no ordinary stroller! It had to be a Hi-tech racing stoller. At least that is my way of justifying being passed by an infant! The most memorable part of the race occurred at approximately mile 10. As I approached the water station in front of Geaux Run (Zydeco Marathon Sponsor), a volunteer with a Geaux Run shirt on offered her assistance. As I slowed down she screamed, 'Dont Stop' and proceeded to run down Harding Street with me. She offered me an energy gel pack along with a pack of energy jelly beans while she ran along side of me. As I shoved my items in my pockets and ran off, I asked her name and she screamed, 'My name is Nola!!' The fact that Nola was wiling to run along side of me made such a lasting impression! Thanks for a great race and special thanks to the many volunteers and sponsors that made this event possible.
L. C. from Melbourne FL (3/13/2017) "Great Piece of Louisiana!!" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Zydeco Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Loved the course through beautiful tree-covered neighborhoods! The local sponsors were great - the warm comfort of jambalaya at the end was just what I needed - especially w/the wind & cold! Greatly appreciated the stretch station after the race as well (better than a massage!) Everything was smooth and organized. I think there would have been more spectators along the route if it wasn't so cold & windy. The only suggestion I could think of was more zydeco music along the route ;) I am sure there are more than enough local bands between Lafayette, BR & Nola to have a couple more along the route. The band the finish was amazing!
R. N. from TN (3/18/2016) "Great race and after party" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Zydeco Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I loved the Zydeco Marathon. The website, race guide, and Facebook page were all informative. The expo and packet pickup were better than some older, larger marathons I've done. The RD extended packet pickup due to foul weather and they offered race day packet pickup. There was convenient free parking garage. The race was done very well. Course was marked and had lots of marshals, plus a good police presence. Some of the roads were a little rough though. Each mile was clearly marked. Plentiful water stations with enthusiastic and helpful volunteers. I'm pretty certain that the after party/festival had the best food offerings of any race I've ever done. They used a bib with five tickets for food and/or drinks, so you can pick what you want to try. They posted results quickly and also gave a printout of my individual splits and finish time to take home with me. Long story short - I loved the event and will put it on my list of highly recommended marathons.
J. S. from Florida (3/17/2016) "Great Low-Key Nonprofit Marathon" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Zydeco Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 My wife and I decided on the Zydeco marathon for our Louisiana marathon based on time of year and positive reviews. The expo at the convention center was poorly attended because of the pouring rain and flooding. After picking up our bibs we walked over to the map of this years new course and met the race director there. He was very informative and assured us that the course would be free of standing water the next day. Race morning came with clear weather and much to our surprise the course was effectively dry. The start was a little odd in that it was staggered by pace groups. Each group starting about three minutes after the other to minimize congestion in the first several miles of the new course which starts and finishes downtown. The course support was very good with aid stations every 1.5 to 2 miles offering power aid, water, and cold wet towels. The wet towels were necessary later in the marathon as the sun came out in full fury and the temperature reached about 80 degrees F with high humidity. The course itself is essentially flat with less than 200 ft of elevation gain. It has more concrete than I like (I would guess about 75% of the course is concrete) and the reason I gave it 3 stars. Given all this both of us still ran BQs as the course is fast. The finish area volunteers were very helpful and the Zydeco music fest in the park was nice with food and drink plentiful. This one is a winner, we are recommending it to others.
M. V. from Houston, TX (3/17/2016) "Well Organized and Run Race" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Zydeco Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Very well organized race. The packet pickup was easy as was getting to the start of the race. Enjoyed the flat single loop course. There were plenty of aid stations with very enthusiastic volunteers and port-o-lets at every station. The post race food was very good, especially enjoyed the boudin. I will definitely run this one again and would recommend it to anyone.
l. b. from Minnesota (3/19/2015) "extremely well organized, excellent run support" (about: 2015) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Zydeco Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I ran the half. Though the scenery of the course is so-so, the organization and support were outstanding, water and Powerade at each mile, abundant portable toilets . Load up your phone with Zydeco music and enjoy the fine weather and terrific after party. Very nice T-shirt.
S. C. from Dallas, Texas (3/17/2015) "Flat course, excellently executed" (about: 2015) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Zydeco Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Very impressed. This was the second year for this marathon and it matched my expectations from the positive reviews it received for its first year. It is a flat course and the weather was perfect this year for a PR. There is nothing wonderful about the course scenery, but to be honest this was of no concern for me. It was a small race field, with only about 400 marathoners and maybe 1500 half marathoners. No frills, but just very well organized and executed. Great support on the course, with aid stations about every mile. Spectators all along the course. The post-race party was one of the better ones I've been to with free beer and an excellent band. I would have like a little more free food than they had. Excellent experience.
S. B. from Louisiana (3/12/2015) "Excellent race in its infancy" (about: 2015) First Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I ran the half-marathon not the full, so bear that in mind. The full is a double loop. I enjoyed the course. You get to run through some college areas (ULL) some downtown areas and some neighborhood areas. Lots of people out greeting and encouraging you.
B. S. from Little Rock, AR (3/12/2015) "2nd year was even better than the 1st!" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 2 Zydeco Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Last year I ran the full, this year the half. This is such a well-organized, well-supported race, and it's nice and flat! The finish line festival is completely unique and absolutely worth the drive to Lafayette! 'will run for food' definitely applies to Cajun country.
David Johndrow from Boston, MA (3/12/2015) "It Was a PR and a Break From 9 Feet of Snow" (about: 2015) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Zydeco Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I signed up to run with a friend and I was not disappointed. Nice flat course, friendly volunteers and first responders, and for me, great weather. I recommend it!

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Marathon Details - Zydeco Marathon