Knoxville Marathon 2013

Posted on April 12, 2013 Written by 2 Comments
Knoxville Marathon Start, April 2013

Knoxville Marathon Start, April 2013

It’s hard to know at the end of this week whether I should continue recounting last weekend or move the focus to the upcoming weekend. I’ll go with last weekend, but I must mention that this weekend is likely the biggest of the Dogwood Arts Festival, with the Arts and Crafts Festival on Market Square and throughout Krutch Park. The artisan works are phenomenal and the food tent, in which chefs prepare dishes with wine pairings, is one of my favorite single events of the year.

Mayor Rogero, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Mayor Rogero, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

American Flag on Clinch Avenue, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

American Flag on Clinch Avenue, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Arm Cyclists, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Arm Cyclists, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Still, I must give a nod to last weekend’s Knoxville Marathon which drew several thousand people. The race has grown to include a 5K, Half-Marathon, Marathon and Marathon Relay. Urban Son-in-Law backed off to the half-marathon this year and many Urban Friends ran various other races. I think one reason for the massive crowds last weekend was the marathon, as a number of people came in from out of town or simply stayed downtown to enjoy the other events going on.

Health and Fitness Expo, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Health and Fitness Expo, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Health and Fitness Expo, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Health and Fitness Expo, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Arm Cyclists2, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Arm Cyclists, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Arm Cyclists3, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Arm Cyclists, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

I love the fact that a fitness-based event has become so big in the city. It also works beautifully to have so many great activities downtown to greet any out-of-town visitors. There is no way someone visited the city last weekend, encountered the beautiful weather, pianos on the square, Chalk Walk, First Friday, Rhythm and Blooms and came away with anything other than a very positive impression of what is happening here. They also spent time and money in the Health and Fitness Expo on Saturday.

Knoxville Marathon Start, April 2013

Knoxville Marathon Start, April 2013

Knoxville Marathon Start, April 2013

Knoxville Marathon Start, April 2013

Knoxville Marathon Runner, April 2013

Knoxville Marathon Runner, April 2013

Knoxville Marathon Start, April 2013

Knoxville Marathon Start, April 2013

The starting line and staging area always attract me. Nerves jangle about at every turn, runners giddy with excitement warm up maybe a bit too much. Proud families wish their loved ones well. The mayor spoke at this year’s opening and the national anthem makes any sporting fan’s blood reach a quick boil of anticipation. Some are there to win, others to have fun and others simply to finish. Music pounds from a PA system as it will throughout the race as live bands play for the runners.

Entertainment on Market Square, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Entertainment on Market Square, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

John D. Cable and the Empty Bottle Band, Clinch and Locust, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

John D. Cable and the Empty Bottle Band, Clinch and Locust, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

I photographed eventual winner Wojciech Kopec (2:22:15) as he left the start line (red jersey above, number 2), but missed him at the twenty-five mile mark. I did catch Edward Tabut passing the UT Conference Center, heading into the final stretch. He was about three minutes behind first place. He also nearly left the course by not turning onto Locust, but a policeman yelled, pointed and Edward corrected his course.

Second Place Runner (No. 4), Mile Tweny-five, Knoxville Marathon 2013

Second Place Runner (No. 4), Edward Tabut, Mile Tweny-five, Knoxville Marathon 2013

Third Place Runner, Mile Twenty-four, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Third Place Runner, Bryan Morseman, Mile Twenty-four, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Fourth Place Runner, Mile Twenty-Three, Knoxville Marathon 2013

Fourth Place Runner, Stewart Ellington, Mile Twenty-Three, Knoxville Marathon 2013

Fifth Place Runner, Mile Twenty-four, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Fifth Place Runner, Abraham Kogo, Mile Twenty-four, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

About four minutes behind him was Bryan Moresman in third and I really felt for the next two guys as I photographed them leaving Market Square. They ran within steps of each other around the twenty-four mile mark and clearly, they would battle to the finish line. In the end, while Stewart Ellington (No. 6) lead by a few yards at that point, Abraham Kogo (No. 3) would pass him in the end to win fourth place. Two seconds separated them at the finish line. You can find complete results here.

Half-Marathon Medal, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Half-Marathon Medal, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Others would pass through downtown on into the afternoon. In fact, Urban Son-in-Law spotted a couple going through around 4:00, well after the official times have stopped. It reminds me of Cake’s awesome song, “The Distance.” All that matters at that point is finishing. And whether anyone else knows or acknowledges the fact, you know. It has to feel good. I never made it to the complete marathon and I admire those who do.

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New Busker on the Square: Balloon Artist David Perkins

Posted on April 4, 2012 Written by 7 Comments
David Perkins makes balloon art for children on Market Square, Knoxville

We’ve had buskers on the square for a long time. Sometimes they’ve been hassled a bit, but all-in-all Knoxville seems to have made peace with its inner busker. I’ve written about a number of them on this site and I always appreciate what they do. I try to support them as I can because they make our city a better place.

Young guy likes the bird – at a distance
A girl with her balloon flower, Market Square

For the most part our buskers have been musicians and singers. Many of them have professional-level talent while others don’t have so much. Recently we’ve seemed to have an influx of the not-so-much variety, but I’m hoping spring brings  a positive change in that direction.

The bird works the crowd, Market Square, Knoxville
Balloon sword fighting to the clarinet, what’s not to love?

What we do have is a trickle of different types of busking, which I see as a very positive development. I recently highlighted a magician and a bronze guy (who, by the way, no one knows how to contact, do you?). The latest in this line of alternative busking is David Perkins who makes balloon art for passersby for tips. He is sometimes accompanied by a woman who has a parrot that gets almost as much attention.

Holding the bird, Market Square

Children and a parrot, Market Square, Knoxville

David is also a professional musician and is often heard playing clarinet while children sword fight with his creations. Sometimes they get a bit too enthusiastic and attack urban bloggers, but I digress. David also plays a shofar and sometimes includes a small gong in his act. I’d prefer he leave the shofar and gong at home as they are pretty obnoxious from one end of the square to the other, but the children do seem to love it all.

Children, balloons and Market Square, Knoxville

He actually is available for events such as children’s parties at which I’d say he is very good. At the least he adds some pretty cool color to the square. Check him out the next time you are in the city. And tip him when he makes a balloon flower for your child!

Filed Under: Balloon Guy, Balloons, Buskers, David Perkins, Downtown Knoxville, Downtown Knoxville Blogs, Knoxville Tennessee, knoxville tennessee blogs, Parrot on Market Square

Dogwood Arts Parade, Part One

Posted on May 2, 2011 Written by Leave a Comment
Beautiful flowers, Dogwood Arts Parade, Knoxville, 2011

Friday night was a spectacular night to be downtown. Bill Mize played at Morelock’s music for ten dollars: an amazing value. The second installment of Pecha Kucha was held at the Relix Theater on Central. Oh, and there was a little parade on Gay Street as well as music and activities on Market Square Mall. What’s an Urban Guy to do? Exactly what Urban Toddler tells him to do: Go to the parade.

Fire Safety House, Dogwood Arts Parade, Knoxville, 2011

Dancing Girls, Dogwood Arts Parade, Knoxville, 2011

Cool Cars, Dogwood Arts Parade, Knoxville, 2011

It’s my favorite parade of the year. I’m not sure if it’s because it comes in the spring or because it culminates the great fun of the Dogwood Arts Festival or if it’s the balloons. I think it might be the balloons. I doubt ours are on the scale of the Macy’s Day Parade, but it’s the same idea and it’s pretty exciting, whether you are an Urban Toddler or an Urban Grandaddy, to see a balloon so big it takes ten to twenty people to control it.

Knoxville Pipes and Drums, Dogwood Arts Parade, Knoxville, 2011

Knoxville Pipes and Drums,

I got enough pictures that I liked to break them into two posts. Some of them are your usual car photos and some, like the floats with all the flowers, are pretty unique to this parade. As usual, when Knoxville culture and my little brain mix, some things strike me as pretty odd. I’ve got pictures of some of them and others I excluded. Wrestlers in a ring slamming each other about seems to be a necessary component of any downtown parade and that was repeated. A small child standing very near me, with a distressed look on her face said, “Hurt head!” Most unfortunate.

Huge fish balloons, Dogwood Arts Parade, Knoxville, 2011

Seuss balloons, Dogwood Arts Parade, Knoxville, 2011

Sharks chasing fish, Dogwood Arts Parade, Knoxville, 2011

Early in the parade a disturbing float passed which was made to represent a house with smoke floating from a second floor window. The ill-conceived portion of the float was the inclusion of children in the first floor. I realize the point, I’m not completely dim-witted, but it seemed a bit heavy to have children displayed in the parade who might not survive to the intersection of Union and Gay.

Dogwood Arts Parade, Knoxville, 2011

Dogwood Arts Parade, Knoxville, 2011

We got the Knoxville Pipes and Drums early in the parade. More bagpipe! Also in the first half a sequence of fish followed by sharks. I was told it was from a Doctor Seuss book and they definitely looked Seussian. It certainly appears that Knoxville insists on having Noah’s Ark in every parade. This was a very good ark, complete with animals and children, but as with the Christmas Ark, it was an odd blend of Bible scholarship. The rear of this particular arc featured a cross with, thankfully not a body, but with a purple scarf draped across it. Given the poor state of Bible scholarship among young people (they don’t get Biblical illusions in literature – trust me, I’m a librarian), do we really want to have a cross riding on the ark?

Dogwood Arts Parade, Knoxville, 2011

Ark and Cross, Dogwood Arts Parade, Knoxville, 2011

Stealing the show, GA band, Dogwood Arts Festival, 2011

There were a few Knoxville high school bands in the parade, but the show was stolen by a high-stepping, dancing band from Georgia. They absolutely rocked the house. This was soon followed by another highlight for me: a Wells Fargo Stage Coach. I know you youngsters are scratching your head at this, but for those of us who grew up waiting for the next John Wayne movie or remember watching westerns with our dads, this is a special vehicle. I don’t know if it was an original or (more likely) a replica, but it was way cool.

Wells Fargo Coach, Dogwood Arts Parade, Knoxville, 2011

Hard Knox Roller Girls, Dogwood Arts Parade, Knoxville, 2011

Local High School Band, Dogwood Arts Parade, Knoxville, 2011

The UT Alumni Pep Band had an attractive float on which they held their instruments. Oddly, they smiled silently. Fire trucks of various eras were sprinkled throughout the parade and I’ll end this half of the parade report there. Tomorrow I’ll conclude with the second half photographs.

Teen Queen, Dogwood Arts Parade, Knoxville, 2011

Pep Band, Dogwood Arts Parade, Knoxville, 2011

Vintage Fire Truck, Dogwood Arts Parade, Knoxville, 2011

One additional note: This week is Derby Week downtown with many great activities some of which are related to the Kentucky Derby and some of which are just good fun. There are singer-songwriter showcases and all sorts of activities. If you’d like to be on top of it before it happens rather than reading about some of it here after the fact, you can find what you are looking for here. Whether you are into the actual horse race or you just want to have some fun downtown, this sounds like great fun.

Filed Under: Ark, Balloons, Dogwood Arts Parade, Downtown Knoxville, Downtown Knoxville Blogs