so where is the finish now (I'm not very familiar with NOLA). Closer to the start? Not in the downtown area?


I'm trying to decide between NOLA and St Croix (well, I'm not deciding, other factors will decide for me). I don't really care about the scenery races, just logistics for the parents who like to come cheer.

so not really closer to the start, but probably a better location for finding parking etc...?

Agreed, parking in the park is a headache. And, with knowing the roads around the park will be closed off for the run I bet it will be worse than expected. At least the FQ has many different entry and exit points as well as a variety of places to park.

With the prospect of a cancelled swim, the less than smooth 56 mile ride (small amount of redemption when you get to ride on 510, which is completely shut down on one half for the race), and the relocated finish I am so glad I hadn't signed up for this event yet.


Logistics will still be a headache:

- expo down at the Hilton Riverside
- bike drop up at UNO
- back downtown to stay the night -- I imagine most athletes from out of town will still stay somewhere near the FQ/downtown/Garden District
- drive up to UNO for race start
- finish in the park
- hop a shuttle back to UNO
- back to hotel/hit the road for home



For athletes, there is no logisitical improvement with this plan compared to what has gone on the previous 3 years for this event. And, the best part of the race has disappeared (i.e. running down Esplanade/Decatur and into the Quarter).

I'm not happy about the new finish, but this is logistically a lot easier and it makes sense to finish in City Park.

City Park regularly handles 40k+ person races. It's easy to street park there and walk to the finish.

City Park regularly handles 40k+ person races. It's easy to street park there and walk to the finish.

So does anyone have a definate answer on the run? Will it end at Jackson Square or on the other side of town?

Usually you can wait to sign up until mid-summer. Awesome race, especially if it finishes in Jackson Square! Unlike most of the races around the country, New Orleans residents actually come out and support the race. Or they just keep partying from the night before...

they may as well move the packet pickup/expo out to UNO.

Amen! I hope they are listening.

This sounds safe:

TO: All Faculty and Staff

FROM: Peter J. Fos, President

DATE: February 2, 2012

RE: Commemoration Event Activities

New Orleans will serve as the inaugural city in a three-year national celebration commemorating the War of 1812 and the Star-Spangled Banner. The celebration will take place April 17 – 23, 2012, featuring a memorable Air Show with the Navy’s famed Blue Angels and a colorful spectacle of ships along the East Bank of the Mississippi River. The U.S. Navy’s amphibious warship USS Wasp, along with other large navy vessels, will welcome Class A tall ships from countries around the world to New Orleans for the celebration. Ships will be open for public visiting. (New Orleans will also host the final event of the Bicentennial in 2015, marking the 200th anniversary of the Battle of New Orleans.)

The Blue Angels Air Show is among the many other activities schedule to take place in the city that week. The Air Show is scheduled on Saturday and Sunday, April 21-22 and is planned to take place over Lake Pontchartrain behind the eastern portion of the UNO Main Campus stretching to the Lakefront Airport, with the official designated viewing area located behind UNO East Campus and SUNO. (See diagram below.)

The University of New Orleans is working closely with the organizers of the event, who expect to draw crowds of 40,000 – 50,000. The University plans to use the East Campus grounds as well as portions of the main campus for paid parking. UNO parking decals will be given access to the campus and parking areas will be designated for the UNO community. All details are still being worked out.

That weekend is also the annual Ironman Triathlon on Sunday which creates additional challenges. That event takes place along the lakefront as well and uses portions of the university grounds, Lakeshore Drive, and various public streets. All parties are working together to make sure the events do not conflict with each other. But despite the considerable amount of planning, very little can be done to avert the tremendous amount of traffic that will occur that weekend when 40,000-50,000 spectators converge on the lakefront.
The reason for this email is to ask the entire UNO Community for assistance.

All departments are asked to refrain from as many activities as possible on the main campus on Saturday and Sunday, April 21 and 22, 2012. Ingress and egress to the University of New Orleans will be extremely challenging and any planned activity on the campus will most certainly be affected. Please consider rescheduling those activities planned for that weekend to another weekend or relocate them to the Jefferson Campus or another venue away from this area. Space is limited, so you are asked to take this as an opportunity to avoid any possible last minute issues. If you would like to schedule your activity in Metairie, please email or call:

If there is an event or activity that positively must take place on that weekend, departments are asked to notify Campus Booking so plans can be executed accordingly. While it is strongly suggested that all activities that weekend are rescheduled or relocated, everything will be done to work with departments that must schedule events that on these days. If you would like to schedule your activity at the main campus on Saturday and Sunday, April 21 and 22, 2012, please email or call:

This event is being hosted by the city and provides excellent opportunities for the University. Lakefront Arena Management is overseeing all Main Campus, East Campus and Jefferson Campus activities and will work with all departments to insure the least disruption as possible. That weekend will be hectic and everyone is doing everything that can be done to avoid as much inconveniences as possible.

Oh, yay. :/ It's one thing on race morning...we should get there before air show traffic. But for bike drop off the day before? Going to be a CF, and I don't mean crossfit.
Race crew better have a good (and I mean excellent) traffic plan in place.

Oh, yay. :/ It's one thing on race morning...we should get there before air show traffic. But for bike drop off the day before? Going to be a CF, and I don't mean crossfit.
Race crew better have a good (and I mean excellent) traffic plan in place.

Any chance one of you could post the Conversation on FB for those of us who can't access Facebook at work. I am highly intrigued at how they will spin the changes. Thanks

I don't disagree. Overall, the race was a fail. I thought there were tons of problems. The host hotel was packed, traffic is always a nightmare in NOLA, I got to the expo about an hour before it closed and most of the vendors were already packed and ready to go, getting to UNO is always terrible, and then there were the race day problems. No reason we couldn't swim, especially since some of us went off darn near 9am and the water was calm by then. A delayed start could have solved all those problems. Even without a delayed start, the water was fine.

I saw the draft groups too, but that happens in every race. I didn't see any referees though.

However, the point I was responding to was the statement that Jackson Square is a nightmare. The food was a joke (local 5ks have better post-race food), but I really didn't see anything logistically wrong with the staging of the finish line.

For those who have done this race before or familar with the area, where's the best hotel to stay at? Best=reasonably priced and close to race/ things to do before/after.

I agree 100%. Stay in the FQ if you can. Nola isn't like other cities. The fun part is still the place to be regardless of where the race finishes. I don't know why anyone would stay in Metairie? You probably won't save money and it's less convenient for just about everything.

I've never had trouble parking in City Park, the problem is that traffic, but that is a New Orleans problem, not a race problem.

As for rooms, the FQ is going to be expensive, but if this is your first trip to New Orleans, it would be pretty disappointing not to see the fun part. However, if you are a regular (I live close, and I'm actually typing this from a condo on Royal. Here for the marathon tomorrow.) Metairie can be a decent option. No hassle of getting into the FQ, easy to get out of to get to the race, and it won't cost you $30 a night to park your car.

That being said, if you eat in Metairie then don't even bother coming.

I didn't say FQ. I said "not Metairie"

I had dinner at Domenica, and breakfast at Elizabeths so far this weekend.

From the Embassy Suites the boundary would be Canal St. Where do you think it starts?
This might help:
http://maps.google.com/...130&t=m&z=16

2009 had around 3,000

2010 and 2011 were around 2,000-2,300 if I recall.

Swim waves are up! Anyone been in the lake yet and have a temperature per chance? I would like a non wetsuit swim but I should still dust off my wetsuit and try it on to make sure the few pounds I've lost since last season hasn't made the suit not fit. 27 days!

Swim cancellation

Galveston

Venue change

Point to point logistics

That about sums it up

Don't forget about running out of water on the bike course and ice on the run course and blaming it on the participants for being underprepared.