Cajun Country Half Marathon 2013 Recap

T.R.A.I.L. (Transportation Recreational Alternatives In Louisiana) puts on the Cajun Country Half Marathon every December just before the Christmas holiday. Until recently, this was Lafayette's only half marathon race. On Sunday, March 30 all of that will change with the Zydeco Marathon and Half Marathon's inaugural event. Sadly, due to events that transpired during the Cajun Country Half, I will not be racing the Zydeco. Maybe next year. To participate in the race and pay it forward for all of the lovely men and women who have volunteered to hand me water and point me in the right direction during the various races I've run, I will be volunteering on the Zydeco course. Volunteering will also be a great way for me to watch my training partner and friend finish her second half.

Pre-race, looking pretty excited. 

December 13 looked pretty grim on the hour by hour forecast I was obsessively watching in the wee hours of Friday night/Saturday morning. I lay wide awake at 4:30 a.m. with numerous questions running through my mind. Why have I not really trained/run since my last half in November? Should I wear shorts? Pants? Rain jacket? What happens if my feet get wet mid-race? Maybe the rain will deter everyone and the race will be cancelled?

The race was not cancelled, and it was a completely different experience than my first magical world of Disney half. First of all, only about 40 runners made it out to north Lafayette in the questionable weather. Cory and I were running a little late, so we basically had enough time to park, stretch and jog into place at the starting line. I waited for hours with thousands of other runners before I even saw the starting line at Disney.

Read on– there's more!

The main reason that this experience was so different, though, is because I ran with a partner. Cory and I trained together for almost four months, and with the crowd thinning out and everyone settling into their paces early on, it was just like any other long Saturday run. No Darth Vader and Pluto characters. No fireworks or cranberry bogs. The Cajun Country Half was more of a mental battle because there was so little to distract me from each step and breath I took. Cory and I eventually found ways to distract ourselves. At every mile marker we gave each other a high five. We cheered for passing runners. We cheered for the volunteers handing out water. We played "Ridin' Solo" and "Fly" to get us ready to run hills.

The majority of the course is run on pavement in neighborhoods around Acadiana Park near Teurlings Catholic High School. Who knew there were hills in Lafayette, LA? The course covers a 6 mile loop, and the only time you really step into Acadiana Park's trails is around miles 6 and 12. I'm not a trail runner and did not train quite like I should have between the two half marathons. Hence, I didn't fare too well on the muddy, wet trails. The last mile did my ankle in when I stepped into a muddy hole and twisted the outside of my left foot.
The bathroom situation on this course could have been pretty dire. After the first loop and before going into the Park's trails, you can take a quick rest stop at the pavilion before continuing your journey. Otherwise, there were no port-a-potties. Luckily we didn't have to resort to knocking on some unsuspecting stranger's door at 9 in the morning. 

Post-race and still looking pretty good. Notice our lack of shoes, though. The last mile was all trail and all mud. Who needs shoes anyway? 

I ran this half in 2:19.29, which comes out to a 10:39 pace. Not bad considering the conditions, not running between Disney and Cajun Country, and a muddy trail resulting in a bum foot. The Cajun Country Half Marathon was a great second race because I had to rely on my willpower and the presence of a friend to make it through what could have been a rough race. Cory even ended up finishing 3rd in our age division! After the race, runners and spectators enjoyed local beer and music. The winners took home alligator head trophies, very fitting for Cajun Country. We enjoyed spending the morning running but may have passed an even better time tasting some of the French Press' best grits and grillades and a mimosa for our efforts.