The Louisiana Marathon Encourages Runners to Live a Healthier Lifestyle
Runners participating in the Louisiana Marathon. (Picture by The Advocate)
In 2012, the Louisiana Marathon encouraged the Baton Rouge community to embrace a more active lifestyle. FRESHJUNKIE Racing Production organization and Louisiana Marathon co-founder Patrick Fellows said he started the marathon for people to feel confident about running.
"I always tell people, the first step to doing it is stepping out the door,” Fellows said. “Commit to doing 15 minutes. If you can’t do 15, get your head around five. It’s getting them out the door the first time and trying to break that intimidation. Getting out the door is the hardest part.”
This year’s Louisiana Marathon will occur on March 6-7, 2021.
Louisiana Marathon race director Jonathan Dziuba said that the running festival is a unique way to celebrate a racing passion combined with Louisiana culture.
"Louisiana citizens love festivals and celebrations. Why not share a celebration of running and healthy living?" Dziuba said.
Dziuba and FRESHJUNKIE Racing Production Team set up the races, which includes a lot of preparation.
In total, there are 55 paid staff members and more than 1,000 volunteers who make the marathon happen. FRESHJUNKIE does not just put on races for the Baton Rouge community, they also offer coaching services to endurance athletes.
"We have a fantastic team made up of local people that just love what we do," Dziuba said. "Almost all of them are athletes or runners. They know how each job that they're doing impacts the overall experience of the race. As our team has improved over the last several years, the efficiency that we work with has gotten a lot better, and that allows us to do more."
The Louisiana Marathon is a USATF Certified course and an official Boston Qualifier route. The Louisiana Marathon is for avid runners, beginners and kids. There are courses for every type of runner: the regular Marathon (26.2 miles), the Half Marathon (13.1 miles), Louisiana Quarter Marathon (6.55 miles), Louisiana Marathon 5K (3.1 miles) and a Blue Cross & Blue Shield Kids Marathon (1 mile).
A map of the running routes for the Louisiana Marathon. (Picture by The Louisiana Marathon)
The racecourse takes runners from downtown Baton Rouge through Louisiana State University Lakes, the Louisiana State University campus and historic neighborhoods throughout downtown Baton Rouge.
On Saturday, March 6, the race starts at 8 am with the Louisiana Marathon 5K and Louisiana Quarter Marathon races. It is followed by the Kids one-mile race at 10:30 am. The following Sunday, the Marathon and Half Marathon begins at 7 am. The Déjà Vu' award will be given to runners who participate in both races.
Currently, there are almost 3,500 people registered for the weekend-filled racing. Runners who signed up can track their progress while racing. The Tracking alerts are based upon the participant's chip that they're given. Racers can track their endurance, how many miles they ran and check on their friends who are also participants of the race.
Register for the Louisiana Marathon here.