New Orleans Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon

Because I’m nuts, I signed up for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon in New Orleans on March 4, just two months after I ran the Disney half. Dana agreed to do it with me but only if we walked most of it. She injured her foot and just can’t run all that far anymore. I was way okay with that plan, considering I could not imagine doing what I did in January again when I did my last training run the Friday before the RNR.

Dana’s sister Lynn signed up too, but she said she was going to run it and finally complete her first half marathon. She was sick when we went to Disney the first time and elected to stay in bed when it got cancelled, instead of running around Hourglass Lake like Dana and I did. Jeff also signed up, but he did the full marathon.

Nopsi drove us down to the start line on Poydras Street early that Sunday morning. We walked around, got some water, ate breakfast, used the bathroom, and stretched to kill time. Jeff was in Corral 3 while we were back in Corral 15. He crossed the start line about a half hour before we did, but we finally got underway at 7:56am.

 

Dana and I alternated between running and walking for the first 5 miles or so, and then we power walked the rest of the way, talking the whole time and snapping photos every now and then. There were stages set up all along the course with local bands playing; very cool. And there were pockets of spectators cheering us on. My favorites were the ones with signs that read “Worst Parade Ever.”

 

 

Dana and I crossed the finish line 3 hours and 28 minutes after we started. We ran from downtown to Audubon Park, back through downtown, and all the way over and up to City Park. Unbelievable. We ended up passing Lynn but she finished only 10 minutes behind us. The funniest part was that Dana and I crossed the HALF finish just two minutes before Jeff crossed the FULL finish. Too funny.

We got our medals, took some finisher photos, grabbed drinks and snacks, and went to find Jeff. Aunt E brought Kate and Luke out, and Nopsi came back out to see us finish too.

I laid down in the leaves next to Jeff and relished at not being on my feet anymore. It took me way longer to recover this time around, and I think it was because we walked more than we ran and the impact was harder on my muscles. Crazy but true. I didn’t feel mostly normal again until Wednesday.

The after party was in the middle of the track next to Roosevelt Mall. We enjoyed our free Michelob Ultra, snacked on Cheez-Its, goldfish, and granola bars, and relaxed in the sun on the grass listening to Cowboy Mouth play their post-race set. Then Dana, Lynn, and I decided to have a late burger and more {better} beer at Lagers, which tasted amazing.

And so my third half marathon in just 14 months is in the books. I can hardly believe it myself. Geaux me!