LAR Swamp Stomp Half Marathon

LAR Swamp Stomp Half Marathon takes place on December 12, 2026 in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Put on by the Lake Area Runners at Graywood Park, it offers a half marathon (13.1 miles) at 7:00 a.m. and a 1-mile fun run at 7:15 a.m. The half follows a flat course through the Graywood Plantation community and is open to participants aged 14 and up. Both events have water stops and on-course facilities, with food, refreshments, games and music afterward. Awards go to the top finishers, every participant receives a medal, entrants get a performance shirt, and half marathon runners who meet the criteria receive a jacket.

A flat half in December is a good place to attempt a personal best, provided you have built toward it: a 12- to 16-week block with a weekly long run reaching 10 to 12 miles is the standard preparation. If that is too much, the 1-mile fun run fifteen minutes later gives the rest of the family something to do.