Louisiana Marathon Sees Major Growth As Nearly 7,000 Runners Tour The Capital City

January 21, 2025

Award-winning local event is all systems ‘geaux’ with nearly 25% increase in participation

BATON ROUGE, La. /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – The Louisiana Marathon took place Jan. 18 and 19, and welcomed nearly 7,000 runners to the capital of the Bayou State. The acclaimed event, produced by FRESHJUNKIE Racing, has become the signature full marathon event in the state. The two-day, multi-distance race experience featured its largest field size since the pandemic and saw nearly 25% growth in participation from last year. Runners had the opportunity to take part in a marathon (26.2 miles), half marathon (13.1 miles), the Window World Louisiana Quarter Marathon (6.55 miles), Window World Louisiana Marathon 5K (3.1 miles) and the Louisiana Blue Kid’s Marathon (1 mile). Full race results are now available online.

The full and half marathon took participants from downtown Baton Rouge through the University Lakes, the LSU campus and through historic river town neighborhoods. The Window World Louisiana Marathon 5K provided a flat and fast tour through the state capital, while the Window World Louisiana Quarter Marathon headed out from the downtown area and ran through one of Baton Rouge’s oldest, most historic neighborhoods on oak tree-lined roads.

Jacob Plocher, the men’s marathon champion and overall first-place finisher, completed the 26.2 miles in 2:28:23. Coming in after Plocher was the men’s marathon second-place finisher, Colin McCatharn, followed by third-place finisher Caleb Bendewald. The women’s marathon course was led by Caroline Mahoney, who finished with a time of 2:53:49. Second and third-place finishers for the women’s marathon were Jessalyn Sadler and Megan Kahn.

The men’s half marathon division was led by Cade Litolff, who finished with a time of 1:10:58, while Elizabeth Kanzleiter led the women’s division with a time of 1:19:42. First-place finishers of the men’s and women’s Window World Louisiana Quarter Marathon were both Louisiana natives: Patrick Ocmond from Prairieville with a time of 41:37 and Breanna Bernard from Donaldsonville who finished in 46:08. The Window World Louisiana Marathon 5K men’s division was championed by Declan Dahlberg, who finished with a time of 17:12, while Kendal Batuyong won the women’s division with a time of 10:01.

Youth participants were also welcomed during the weekend. The Louisiana Blue Kid’s Marathon brought youth on a one-mile trek starting at the corner of North 3rd Street and North Street and finishing on North 4th Street. The event also featured the second annual Birth Center of Baton Rouge Diaper Dash. Crawling-stage children took on a baby-friendly race course, bringing together cuteness and competition during the Explore Louisiana Packet Pickup and Expo.

The Louisiana Marathon was voted the best marathon in the state of Louisiana by Race Raves’ 2023 Best Marathons in the U.S. poll. The event will celebrate its 15th anniversary in 2026 and registration will open on March 10. For more information about the Louisiana Marathon, visit www.thelouisianamarathon.com and follow the event on Facebook and Instagram.

ABOUT THE LOUISIANA MARATHON AND FRESHJUNKIE RACING

The Louisiana Marathon is the premier full marathon event in the state. The event is produced by FRESHJUNKIE Racing (FJR), an endurance event production company specializing in running races and fundraising walks headquartered in Baton Rouge, La. FJR produces 20 events annually in Louisiana, Florida, Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi. Of those 20 events, 13 are part of the company’s owned portfolio. FJR’s expertise goes far beyond race logistics & operations, with services ranging from marketing & creative development to complete turn-key production. For more information about FJR, visit www.freshjunkieracing.com and follow the company on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok and Instagram.

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