The Louisiana Marathon
About this race
Start Starting: Celebrate 15 Years of Louisiana Spirit!
For 15 years, the Louisiana Marathon has been more than just a race; it's a vibrant, culturally rich festival that embodies the spirit of Louisiana. We've always believed that every journey starts with a single step, and for our 15th anniversary, we invite you to "Start Starting" your own memorable experience.
Just like Louisiana's legendary festivals, we celebrate the incredible food, music, and dancing that make our state unique. The Louisiana Marathon adds the thrill of running to this mix, creating an unforgettable weekend. Join us for a fast, flat, and fun racecourse, followed by a true Louisiana Festival featuring local musicians, cold beer, and the best Southern cuisine.
Established in 2012, our mission remains twofold: to inspire our community to embrace an active lifestyle and to create a premier winter road race known for its unique blend of running and Louisiana culture. Held annually on Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend in Baton Rouge, our multi-race format offers something for everyone: Marathon (26.2 miles), Half Marathon (13.1 miles), Window World Louisiana Quarter Marathon (6.55 miles) & 5K (3.1 miles), and the Louisiana Blue Kid's Marathon (1 mile).
Experience the picturesque roadways of Baton Rouge, from downtown to the University Lakes, the LSU campus, and historic neighborhoods, cheered on by enthusiastic friends, family, and spectators. This 15th anniversary is a celebration of "lagniappe" – that little something extra that makes Louisiana special. Come "Start Starting" your journey with us!
Pick your distance
Running
Window World Louisiana Quarter Marathon
If you’re not quite ready for a half but looking for more than a 5K, then the Louisiana Quarter Marathon is perfect, it's a 10K with a little lagniappe. This Saturday race starts with the Louisiana Marathon 5K race, leaves the downtown area and runs through one of Baton Rouge’s oldest, most historic neighborhoods on oak tree lined roads. Runners must complete the course in 2 hours and 15 minutes. This is a 20:30/mile pace.
Window World Louisiana Marathon 5K
From first timers to competitive runners, this race is a great option for everyone. As part of the Louisiana Marathon weekend of races, you can experience running in a unique setting featuring a flat, fast and fabulous course. Both the start and the finish are visually stunning as you begin and end the race under the shadow of our iconic state capital. Regardless of your age and experience level, the Louisiana Marathon 5K promises to be a memorable race you don’t want to miss. Runners must complete the course in 2 hours and 15 minutes. This is a 43:30/mile pace.
Louisiana Blue Kid's Marathon
Looking for an exciting way to get the whole family active? The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Kid’s Marathon’s mission is to instill running as a part of a healthy lifestyle in our kids at an early age, which is why we have a 1 mile kids race. Its the perfect distance to introduce kids to running. After the race, join us at the Kids Zone to celebrate their accomplishments and have even more fun! Runners must complete the course in 30 minutes.
Assisted Quarter
Assisted 5K
Full Marathon
The Louisiana Marathon is a USAT&F Certified course and an official Boston Qualifier route. It boasts one of the highest BQ rates of all marathons since it features a fast, flat, runner-friendly path through the lakes, along the river, around downtown, on the university campus and in historic neighborhoods. Friends, family and enthusiastic spectators line up along the course in various spots to cheer on the runners, making for a spirited marathon. Runners must complete the marathon course in 6 hours. This is a 13:45/mile pace.
Half Marathon
The half-marathon is the fastest growing road race distance and we’ve got a great half marathon event. The half marathon follows the same course as the full marathon, leaving downtown Baton Rouge and making its way around LSU’s scenic campus and University Lakes before splitting off from the Marathon and heading back to the downtown area for a scenic finish that runs towards the iconic state capital. Runners must complete the half marathon course in 4 hours. This is a 18:20/mile pace.
Assisted Full
Assisted Half
Typical race-day weather
Based on 11 years of Open-Meteo archive data for this event's race dates in Baton Rouge, plus the 3 days either side.
The sun rises at 7:01 AM and sets at 5:27 PM local time (CST) in Baton Rouge on January 16, 2027 — 10h 25m of daylight.
Course
No course map published yet.
The organizer hasn't released a route for this event, and we don't publish guesses. If you're the organizer, send us a GPX file and we'll draw the profile.
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Results — The Louisiana Marathon
Other races near Baton Rouge
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🏃 Plan Your Next Race in Baton Rouge
Find upcoming events by distance:
- Baton Rouge 5K Races 29 races
- 10K Run Events in Baton Rouge 3 races
- Baton Rouge Half Marathons 2 races
- Marathons in Baton Rouge 3 races
- Baton Rouge Running Calendar 2026 36 races
Where this page comes from. Race details were last updated on . We re-check listings regularly and again in the week before race day.
- Entries, prices, waves and inclusions — the event's official registration page
- Temperature and humidity — Copernicus ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0)
- Elevation and terrain relief — Copernicus DEM GLO-90, ESA (CC BY 4.0)
- Comparisons and counts — Race Discovery calendar, 41 Baton Rouge events
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