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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Knoxville Through the Eyes of a Child

Posted on September 19, 2011 Written by 5 Comments
Vegetables at the Market Square Farmers’ Market

This weekend promised to be packed with Urban goodness. When Saturday arrived, crisp and cool, and Urban Toddler made the scene, we set out for some large fun. I get a bit frustrated when I hear people say that they would love to live downtown, but what kind of place is it for children? Well, let me tell you about Saturday as an example.

Market Square Farmers’ Market on a cool Saturday morning

The first stop along the way had to be the Market Square Farmer’s Market. Urban Toddler loves picking out the vegetables as she cruises in her stroller or runs about. This week was about the flowers. Her stroller was all decked out. She also loved the blueberries when they were in. Last week she ate over half a pound while we were out. She also wanted a cool apple cider in the little plastic apple and a confection from Rick’s Breads.

Urban Toddler and Urban Daughter in the Sunsphere

From that point decisions had to be made. Krutch Park offered a cook-off with local chefs using ingredients from the Market. It was tauted by brochure pushing teenagers promoting the family-friendly atmosphere and children’s activities. That has to be the choice, right? But wait – what about story time at Union Avenue Books at 11:00?

World’s Fair Park Playground

More friends: More Fun

We left it up to the little princess-in-waiting and she picked “none of the above.” She decided she’d rather go to the playground at the World’s Fair Park where she had a blast. Excellent choice. We did manage a stop along the way to ride the elevator to the top of the sunsphere and look out at the city from the observation deck. It’s free and open most of the time. At the playground she was joined by another half-dozen or more urban children, while others frolicked in the large fountains.

Urban Toddler loves the slide: World’s Fair Park

After that it was Urban Naptime followed by a certain football game of interest. The day was capped off by a birthday party for B.B. King who turned 86 this week. This particular Urban Toddler’s favorite book is “One Shoe Blues” by Mr. King. She often insists that we play his music on the ipod and she was majorly bummed that B.B. did not show up for his own party. After her bath she regained her mojo in time to dance into the night to the sweet sounds of the blues.

Not Happy: B.B. King didn’t show up for his party!

So, the day was a smashing success downtown for one Urban Toddler. Others probably enjoyed the children’s activities in Krutch Park, caught story time at Union Avenue Books and rocked some serious fountain time when the afternoon grew warmer. Many of them probably caught the free family-friendly movie on Market Square the night before. Not a bad warm-up weekend as the little tykes get pumped for next week’s Hola Festival.

Dancin’ to the Blues

Filed Under: Children Downtown, Downtown Knoxville, Downtown Knoxville Blogs, Knoxville Blogs, Knoxville Tennessee, Sunsphere, World's Fair Park

What Does Downtown Offer Children on a Hot Summer Day?

Posted on July 13, 2011 Written by 3 Comments
Fountains and Crowds at the World’s Fair Park, Knoxville

Children and Downtown are two topics I hear people discuss frequently. People discuss school zones for downtown, child safety downtown, children’s activities at festivals and often whether events are family friendly or not (most downtown events are family friendly). But right now, it’s summer. The children aren’t attending school and there can’t be an event every single day, though sometimes it seems that way in the spring and summer. Though there is one at the YMCA, there is no public pool. What’s a child to do?

Children and Adults enjoy the Fountains on the World’s Fair Park

Fountains at the World’s Fair Park

Look no further than the World’s Fair Park. On many hot summer days you’ll find loads of children, families and some older people laughing, running and sunning on the north end of the park. There are likely Frisbees, hula hoops and soccer balls in the center of the field, but at the north end are two treasures that many people have discovered, while others have no idea they exist: massive fountains and a great playground.

Unspeakable Joy

The fountains shoot twenty or thirty feet or more into the air, so it can be intimidating to the smallest among us and they may want to stick to the smaller fountains on Market Square or in Krutch Park Extension. For the older children, however, it seems to be a blast that just keeps on thrilling and chilling. They run at each other, away from each other, in one side and out the other. They sit on the jets and put their feet over the jets, sometimes spraying passing adults as part of the fun, intended or not.

Playground at the World’s Fair Park, Knoxville

Instead of or between watery excursions, many children flock to the playground, which is a safety conscious, yet colorful hard plastic maze of tunnels and walls. If your child’s preference is to crawl over, under, around up or down, they’ve got him or her covered. As for that potentially nasty moment of touchdown from the slide or the inevitable spill from the monkey bars: no problem! The ground is covered with what appears to be recycled rubber which has enough sponginess to send the most fragile child scurrying for another climb or clamber with minimal tears. If you have children, you really should check it out on some lazy summer day.

Filed Under: Children, Children Downtown, Downtown Knoxville, Downtown Knoxville Blogs, Fountain, Knoxville Tennessee, Playground, World's Fair Park

Children in the City

Posted on April 8, 2011 Written by 6 Comments
Urban Toddler, Recovering Mardi Gras Addict, Dancing on the Square, Knoxville

What makes a city feel like a city? Most people would agree that downtown Knoxville didn’t really feel like a city twenty-five years ago. What about fifteen? Ten? Does downtown Knoxville currently feel like a city?

Skateboarding on the Square, Good thing or Bad thing? Knoxville

Fascinating wheelbarrow technique

When my friend Kevin saw bicycles darting in and out of traffic last Friday night he said that was one of the things that made a city a city. I replied that seeing children playing, skateboarding, riding bicycles and Big Wheels made the city feel vibrant to me. The sounds of laughter, of parents calling to children and, inevitably, the tears before mama kisses it and makes it better.

Square Dancing, Break Dancing, Cool Ricky watches from Swagger

“I really like your accessories.”

The pictures posted here are from the weekend and they make me feel good about the future of downtown. I read a skeptical post on Knoxnews recently in which the writer suggested he would believe living downtown was a decent option when parents could say to their children, “Go out and play.” Well, guess what? Here they are. No, most parents don’t send young children out on the street to play by themselves – they tend to be seen with them – and isn’t that better?

Retrieve the hat and throw it up in the tree again, retrieve the hat . . .

From Coolato Gelato to Rita’s Ice, Pizza at Dazzos, the fountains in Krutch Park, Market Square and the World’s Fair Park and the frequent children’s events like the upcoming chalk walk on Market Square and face painting at the Farmer’s Market, downtown is a very child-friendly place. It’s the city, so of course you watch your children for their safety, but wouldn’t you do so wherever they play?

“Purple rocks!” Bike riding on the Square, Knoxville

I’m not sure how many of the children pictured here are in town to play and how many live here, but there are always large numbers of children out when the weather is good and they seem to enjoy each other’s company. As far as I can tell they all get along just fine. The grown-ups, on the other hand, have had a little trouble playing nicely lately. That will be the subject of an upcoming post.

Urban Toddler and downtowner Elek hangin’ on the square. Knoxville

Filed Under: Children, Children Downtown, Downtown Knoxville, Downtown Knoxville Blog, Knoxville Blog, Knoxville Tennesee, Urban Toddler