Louisiana Marathon

Registration is open on a rolling basis through the official website, starting in late June the year before the race. Pricing increases as race day gets closer, so signing up early saves you money. There's no lottery; you register directly until the field is full.

Yes, the course is USATF certified and qualifies for Boston. Roughly 9% of finishers earn a BQ, which reflects the flat, runnable course combined with a competitive but approachable field.

The time limit is 6 hours.

The course is effectively flat. Net elevation change is zero, and the difference between the highest and lowest points on the course is under 40 feet. Total gain and loss each come to 373 feet spread across 26.2 miles, so no individual climb is significant.

January in Baton Rouge typically brings cool mornings in the low 40s and afternoon highs around the low 60s. It's generally a good window for racing, though temperatures can rise through the back half of the race.

Recent editions have seen around 1,477 marathon finishers, putting it in the mid-size range. It's large enough for good race-day atmosphere but not so big that corrals become a logistical headache.

The race starts and finishes in downtown Baton Rouge. The nearest airport is Baton Rouge Metropolitan (BTR), about 4 to 6 miles north of downtown, and many runners stay in downtown hotels within walking distance of the start.