Ignore others' comments about potholes. First, a pothole is a circular depression in the ground ? not any imperfection in the course. New Orleans does have potholes, but the course is 99% free of real potholes. Is the course smooth as glass? No. Is it uneven in spots with cracks and bumps you have to be aware of at times? Yes. People, the city is built on a swamp! But the condition of the course should absolutely NOT keep you from doing this fun race in a world-class city.

THE GOOD STUFF: We got to start right outside of the Superdome - which is home to the NFL Saints ? and finish inside the dome too. This is good for spectators (A/C, bathrooms, food, vendors). So having to accommodate 70,000 football fans there is plenty of parking, easy highway access to the race site, indoor bathroom for thousands, a giant staging area, thousands of hotel rooms nearby in all price ranges. The course truly is flat. There is a section that goes over an overpass ? 35 feet each way ? but that is it! I knocked 21 minutes off my PR. The course tours all the major neighborhoods, so you will tour the city in ways most tourists never will. For example, you run by Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral, Café Dumonde, and the French Market ? all within a half mile ? then finish through Audubon Park and the Garden District. The course is totally closed and controlled by New Orleans PD. These cops control Mardi Gras like a kindergarten field trip. They can control a marathon. Finally, only New York and Paris match the food in New Orleans. Carb loading won?t be a problem: Go to Rocky and Carlo?s in Chalmette. For $5 you can get a giant plate of baked macaroni and cheese. You?ll think of it every time you eat pre-race pasta in the future. Also, the post-race food was better than bananas and Gatorade. Or better yet, get brunch somewhere (typically served until 2pm).

The BAD STUFF: Except for a few major intersections, there are no crowds. If it weren?t for the ?Ladies in Red? at miles 15/24, this course would be deserted. Don?t do this race if you will be tempted by the French Quarter before the race, or must have a loop course. I guess that probably 20 miles (yes, most of the course) ran ?against the grain?. This is good if you run with a group ? you?ll see them/they?ll see you a thousand times. That?s why 2 out of 5 racers were from the AIDS group or Team in Training. Do this race if you want laid-back runners and atmosphere, serious partying after the race, amazing food, easy logistics, and a fast time.

A great improvement over last year & I enjoyed last year's edition! From the expo in the Superdome, finishing in the Superdome, great looking medal, post-race and of course a really flat course (and dead on on time start) you improved every aspect of the run & we had a blast. Crowds were a little sparse, but very active @ City Park & parts of Audubon Park.

Good expo, medal, t-shirt, post-race party, food, beer, oh yeah!... Thanks for a job well done from A - Z.

Any marathon on a Leap Day has got an extra little air to it, but the Mardi Gras Marathon (MGM) would be deserving of a high ranking any day of the year.

The MGM refers to the course as flat, and unlike many others that use this designation, follows through to the letter. It is one of the most flat and most fair courses you will find, with a Superdome finish that will keep you legs going to the 26.2 mark.

The organization is superb, the water stations and finish line provisions well stocked and well served. I'm normally not a big fan of out-and-back courses, but the experience is so enjoyable that you practically don't notice you're covering the same ground.

Do it Leap Day, do it any day, but always keep it under consideration. For the Mardi Gras Marathon is one of the best offerings out there.

It was a very good marathon. But it didn't start on time. Wait in the cold was too long. The police were very friendly and helpful, a great time was had by me and my buddy. Leukemia Society took good care of us.

I used the marathon as a training run since I was doing a spring marathon in another city. The start was very poorly organized especially since there was a 5K starting 5 minutes behind the marathon. The personalized water stations were fun. You didn't know what to expect, like the men in red dresses at mile 15. Flat course, fans near water stations were about every 2.5 miles. I turned in my chip before the race and cut over the out and back portion to only do 20 miles. Alot of charities were present, and for a back of the pack runner, it was a great course for a first timer.

This is a great first marathon. The course is flat & it makes for a great trip. The fan support is very entertaining. I love the cold beer & real food at the finish!

Everyone thought they had started the race... There was no clearly marked start for the race, no line up area, no marked restrooms before the race- basically no direction. People shed there clothes and left them when the crowd started to move only it was not the start for 30 minutes. I was running 12:00 minute miles and following the pack only the pack of 100 people that I was in was very confused and very patient. To their credit water stations were well manned and organized as were porta potties. Registration was easy, expo was simple. Good flat course that had plenty of volunteers. Won't do the race again.

2003 the start time was 30 minutes late I know that does not sound like much but it was very cold. The road conditions in the last half were terrible don't your taxes pay for road improvement I had to run looking down so I would not fall in those huge holes. But the finish line organization was great accept my running friends are vegeterians/ no dairy so there wasn't much for them to eat people were very friendly spectors and race volunteers

Everyone is entitled to thier comments, I've read all the previous ones and some are very helpful to people like me who have never been to N'awlins. So in the spirit of being constructive here are mine: This was my 25th marathon across 20 states and I thought it ranked high. I read all the complaints about pot holes and expected craters. For crying out loud, there were only a few blocks on the back half of the course that had uneven pavement and a few holes had bright yellow paint marking them. It was NOT that bad. There were NO Hills - there was exactly one freeway overpass at mile 5, that you had to cross back over. The ramp at the stadium was far better than taking a flight of stairs, and the elevated area gave you a good look at the Finish line. The course was scenic and festive (for an overcast day). So it wasn't good weather for spectators, it was perfect for running - which way would you prefer? Audobon park was free of strollers and rollerbladers at least. The water stops were well covered when I went through and the traffic control was excellent. The medal and shirts were colorful, the food was decent. Okay, so there was a delay at the start - I hope it wasn't because they were waiting for some dignitary to roll his lazy butt out of bed, but it was never explained. It would have been nice to be inside the covered stadium at the finish, especially since they were the title sponsor? But I suspect it had more to do with liability. Whatever. I give the organizers good marks for thier marathon and I completely recommend it to other runners. One comment I overheard was that the Radisson rooms were small, old and they did not allow late check out. That may be incorrect but you should ask if you plan to stay there. Hope these constructive comments help someone considering the MGM next year.

This was an excellent race. For those who complain about bumpy streets, you obviously didnt do your research about New Orleans. As much as I hated it during the race, looking back on it I see it as part of the challenge. And lets be honest here, the streets werent that bad; I ran a PR. The fans were great, all very enthusiastic though sparse at times (but who expected huge crowds?) The scenery is great, and anyone who ran this race got a tour of the best parts city.