Fortunately our hotel was the host hotel. We stayed at the Belle of Baton Rouge in Downtown Baton Rouge...
I always find it interesting that these hotels, even though they know they are hosting a marathon event, know absolutely nothing about the event itself. The Concierge had no info, in fact, he had wrong info. I asked if there would be a shuttle from the hotel to the start and he flatly said "NO". "No shuttles in the morning.". Of course, we got down stairs on race day and there was a shuttle. The hotel also had a sign that said, "Race Day goodie bags available for runners" since we would be missing the free breakfast provided by the hotel. I walked downstairs in my running outfit, and race bib and started to take a bag ( I was the first person to make it down stairs apparently) and the lady behind the table says "Maam, do you have one of these?" and showed me a breakfast ticket. I said "Well, I think I may have one" It was a ticket to prove I was running the marathon as if the bib and the running clothes did not tip her off. The manager walked up and said "Well, if they have their bibs they can take a bag". And I was able to have my breakfast.
After me and my roommates got ourselves dressed and had our breakfast (we were actually running ahead of schedule), we hopped on the shuttle to the start line. We were pretty early so we found the gear check area where people were congregating inside a large building for shelter from the chill. The building was the Capitol Park Museum and they had kindly opened their doors for us that morning. We wondered through the exhibits waiting for the Marathon Maniacs to assemble for a photo. I was so excited because this would be the first time I'm actually in a MM Photo!
Just a quick plug for the Capitol Park Museum, It's really cool. If you go to Baton Rouge, check it out!
So when it got close to go time, we wondered from the warm shelter of the museum out into the chill and toward the starting corrals. The start was lined with metal barricades so we had to go all the way to the end of the street to get access to the start of the race. After entering from the back, we had to push our way toward the front to find the appropriate pace group to start with. I put myself with the 4 hour group in a bout of wishful thinking. As the crowd gathered around us we warmed up. I had covered myself with a plastic poncho for warmth that I could easily rip open and throw away when I warmed up.
The sun was starting to come up and warm us, the national anthem was sung and the gun was fired. We were off rather quickly. I fumbled with my iPod a little at the start then tried to settle into a pace. It was very crowded so that was not easy. There were also lots of pot holes making navigating the crowd even more complicated.
After leaving downtown and crossing over the interstate we turned into a large, upscale housing area that surrounded a lake. The homes were large and stately, the water had a low haze over it. We circled the lake almost entirely then turned off into another neighborhood, where the half marathoners split off and turned back toward downtown. The full marathoners continued into another area where I saw runners facing me coming toward me on the other side of the street. The dreaded out n back. I caught the back of one of the opposing mile marker signs and it said Mile 22. I entered the out n back at mile 15....this was gonna suck...
It was not a straight out n back, there were places where we turned off, looped then rejoined the opposing runners. There was one point where we transitioned from traveling inside the out n back to heading outside, but this was blurred due to the multiple loops and turn offs. My head was swimming and my pace was fading as my stomach was not 100% happy and my legs were dying from my ambitious pace early on. It was not pretty....
I tried to talk a college student at an aid station into taking my bib and finishing for me but he wouldn't do it...
Once I saw 6ft chickens and knew I was hallucinating...but found out later they were real and working the Duck Dynasty Aid station.
I finally saw that Mile 22 Marker again, this time for real and knew that with in the next 8 hours or so I would finally be finished. As my pace slowed again...and again....
At mile 23.5 I saw a guy holding a sign that said "Look alive; Funeral home ahead" ...Another sign said "Don't stop now, people are watching"...clever asses....
I crossed back over the interstate bridge, walked up the hill a little and then ran down. The spectators were thicker in town so that lifted my spirits some. The Downtown area was really flat yet treacherous with potholes. I got closer to the finish, passed the row of restaurants with people sitting on the patios cheering, then turned into the finish area. I was glad to be done.
I did not get the finish I was hoping for but it was a finish and I was happy with it. I wish I had felt better and enjoyed it more, but that is the way it goes sometimes. I was happy to be home...
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