January (Re)Preview 2015

It's been quite a few weeks since there's been a new post on NOLArunner. Saying that the holidays and first month of 2015 have been busy is an understatement, but not a good enough excuse. Here's my chance to salvage as much of the month of January as possible with this last weekend of major racing just around the corner.

December 2014 Preview

I almost let the opening week of December pass me by without getting a month preview posted. But never fear, your social planner is here. If you're looking for a longer distance race to get some final supported long runs taken care of before your January marathon, there's plenty to choose from.

November 2014 Preview

I know October hasn't come to a close just yet, and there's still plenty of candy to be gathered in an attempt to derail those fall training diets; however, we have to look forward to a full slate of exciting running events that start as soon as this weekend!

2014 Fall Medal Preview

We all run for different reasons. I train for and participate in racing events to be social, maintain a healthy lifestyle, and assuage my guilt on the rare occasion of consuming more ice cream than any man should be able. Others simply run for the medals (aka bling).

New 10K Announced

The Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans Marathon and 1/2 Marathon is helping runners experience all the fun of the Crescent City, but with a much shorter distance. On Monday, they announced plans to have a 10K event on the same day as their other two signature races, January 25th, 2015.

RnR NOLA Finisher's Jacket

Thanks to an announcement today from the Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans Marathon and 1/2 Marathon, area runners will have something more to consider when deciding between running the half and full distance on January 25th.

2015 RnR NOLA Medal Reveal

Voting closed last Thursday in the contest to determine what this year's bling will look like for Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans Marathon & 1/2 Marathon finishers. Did you let your voice be heard in time? Did the design you liked the most get picked to hang around thousands of finishers' necks come January 25, 2015? The wait is over, and now's when you get to find out!

Design Your Bling Contest

The Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans Marathon and Half Marathon fall a little early this year, with race date being Sunday, January 25th. For runners, the best part of that day will be crossing the finish line under the shade of City Park and having a volunteer place a hard-earned finisher's medal around their neck. This year, however, race organizers are letting everyone have a say in how that trophy will look.

Happy's & NOTC Happenings

Last night was a busy Wednesday for the running community in New Orleans. There were two big events in the city for local athletes. From downtown to City Park, if you wanted to get a group run in and have a fun party to go to after, there were options to choose from.

Halfway to Geaux

With only a couple weeks left in July, we're now 6 months away from Southeast Louisiana's biggest annual races.  To celebrate having "Halfway To Geaux" 'til race day, The Louisiana Marathon and the Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans Marathon & Half Marathon are hosting parties in their respective cities next week. In attendance at both events will be two very special guests!

Hotter Than Hell Marathon: The 2014 Recap

Committing to run a marathon is not something to take lightly. Signing up to run 26.2 miles in the middle of the night during a New Orleans summer is downright ludicrous. For the past 12 years, locals have taken on the challenge with Race MD's Hotter Than Hell Marathon.

TUNESday: "Sweet Caroline" by Neil Diamond

Today marks the 1 year anniversary of the bombings at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. The memory of sitting in my office watching in horror as the scene unfolded still feels so fresh, and 365 days later I still can not make sense of the day's events.

Zydeco Marathon: The 2014 Recap

The term “racecation” has been coined by runners to describe a trip to participate in a race. Traveling to a new venue to run in an event, check out new scenery, explore new terrain, and rendezvous with fellow runners is all part of the excitement of taking a racecation. This past weekend I headed west for one of these adventures, and while the two hour car drive to Lafayette may not seem to be epic, participating in the Zydeco Marathon was a race experience unlike any I’ve had before.

Big Apple, Bad Luck

My relationship with New York City is definitely one that can be defined as love / hate. I love the city, and the city hates me. No, I'm not being dramatic. I have literally had some of my best and worst travel experiences while visiting Manhattan, and again this week it reminded me that I have worn out my welcome.

March 2014 Preview

Now that Mardi Gras is behind us, there's nothing on the social calendar, right? Wrong. It's New Orleans, and there's always a festival or parade just around the corner. In the Crescent City, March brings us two weekends of parades to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, Soul Fest, Fashion Week, the Crawfish Festival, Hogs for the Cause, and countless other events. Locals will not have to look far to find something to do.

Rock ‘n’ Roll New Orleans Marathon & Half: The 2014 Recap

As the local saying goes, if you don’t like New Orleans weather, stand still for 10 minutes. It’s bound to change. No one knows that better than those runners who participated in yesterday’s Rock ‘n’ Roll New Orleans Marathon and Half. Less than ideal conditions greeted participants who rolled out of bed to face damp, rainy and humid conditions on race day.

February 2014 Preview

The month of February kicks off this Sunday (maybe?) with The Big Game in New York City. While there isn't any local representation at that snow ball fight up north, a big sporting event does hit a lot closer to home February 14th - 16th. The NBA brings All Star festivities to the New Orleans Arena and convention center, where the New Orleans Pelicans will be well represented in several events leading up to All Star Sunday night.

At month's end, the pre-Mardi Gras parades work NOLA in to a full on frenzy before Fat Tuesday, March 4th. Here's a list of February races that will keep you active before the debauchery of Carnival takes over all of our lives:

First Timer Tips: RnR NOLA

For many local runners, this Sunday’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon and Marathon will be a first endurance race experience. The popularity of the RnR race series attracts athletes of all skill levels looking to take on a new challenge, and many of these runners haven’t tackled a race longer than the Crescent City Classic 10K. That doesn’t mean, however, that they will be any less successful come February 2nd.

If it’s your first time running 13.1, have you been wondering what to expect come race day? As a participant in the first four installments of the Rock ‘n’ Roll New Orleans Marathon, I have a few tips that will come in handy before you get to the start line and eventually help you cross the finish:

Louisiana Marathon & 5K: The 2014 Recap

Rational thinking would tell most people that after returning from a five day trip, taking a weekend off to catch up on real life responsibilities is in order. When it comes to the endurance athletes and their racing schedule, rational thinking is thrown out the window.

After completing the Walt Disney World Dopey Challenge from January 9th – 12th, I decided that I couldn’t let those 48.6 miles complete my month of racing. The Louisiana Marathon was the following weekend, and after months of watching the social media leading up to the race, I knew I couldn’t miss out on another year of participation in this signature event.

Walt Disney World Marathon & Half: The 2014 Recap

In 2010 I ran my first Walt Disney World Half Marathon along with the Walt Disney World Marathon. The two races on back-to-back days combined to make the Goofy Challenge. At the time, it was an undertaking that I wanted to conquer as my next step in distance running. Little did I know that it would lead to a long-standing affinity for all events put on by runDisney, nor did I realize that I would complete 4 more Goofy Challenges in subsequent years.