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On Feb. 5, the 41st Mardi Gras Marathon will become the second major athletic event in New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina. A women’s college basketball game was played last month.
The race promises to be an eye-opener for some of the 2,000 runners, particularly when they pass through abandoned neighborhoods.
“They’re going to see some sights,” race director Bill Burke said. “Everything between Mile 3 and through 12 1/2 was under between 4 feet and 10 feet of water. They’ll see X’s on houses marked for demolition.”
With five weeks to go, the race still needs a major sponsor.
“People ask me if it’s safe down here for running–of course, it’s safe,” Burke said. “I don’t need a dome to run this race. I just need some roads.”
